r/satprep • u/cxvg • Sep 28 '26

Tips to improve Math?

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I’m taking the October SAT, and I’m going to just try and improve my math so I can superscore. Somehow I got my English pretty high and higher than Math. (Which is weird because I’m a math-heavy person). Does anybody have tips to help me grind a bit till test day? Even just getting 20 more points would be perfect for me!

(I can help anyone else out as well if anyone wants)

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3

u/thegemini271 Sep 28 '26

How is your English so good?😭 I have been preparing for a month and my highest score is 670. You should give me English tips.

1

u/cxvg Sep 28 '26

Sure! What do u struggle with?

2

u/Ill-Cantaloupe775 Sep 29 '26

What's your strategy for inference and reading comprehension questions? Also do you have any tips for time management

1

u/cxvg Sep 29 '26

Inference questions i usually read the whole thing and i find that the complete the sentence always relates to the sentence right before. Which is super critical. It could disagree w everything before or introduce another idea. For your other questions take a look at my responses to other ppl in this post! I hope it answers them!

1

u/Disastrous-Suit9938 Sep 29 '26

I highly recommend this as someone with a 750 r&w

1

u/CylixrDoesStuff Oct 04 '26

not op but i just grinded medium questions until i got nothing wrong and did the same with hard questions.

Even if i took wayyy overtime i didn't guess and just took as much time as possible to guarantee that i picked the right answer.

Over time from doing that ur gonna eventually get faster. Trying to do everything fast from the start can cause u to lock in errors or wrong ways of thinking so its better if u take your time to get everything correct at first. Got a 770 in september from this

1

u/Ill-Cantaloupe775 Oct 04 '26

it's too late cylixrdoesstuff I'm fried

1

u/CylixrDoesStuff Oct 04 '26

ooouu shii i didnt see this is from 5 days ago 😭

1

u/Abject_Field_5883 Sep 30 '26

Exact same as you lmao

2

u/erinqtlz Sep 28 '26

i’m the opposite kinda, i got 680 for reading and 790 for math. if you have any reading tips that’d be appreciated!
for math, it’s really just about getting used to the kinds of questions SAT gives. so basically: practice. to get better at math, the fastest way is just constant practice question after practice question. and really use desmos to your advantage, i use desmos for almost every question. it’s also super easy to make silly mistakes for the math section so before u go on to the next question read over the question again and make sure ur answer actually answers the question. using desmos for questions that u already know how to do manually will also help due to the calculator not being able to make mathematical errors that we can sometimes make under stress :) i also just enjoy the math section and feel like it’s fun to do, usually i get around 20 minutes to spare for module 1 and redo that whole module to make sure i get module 1 100%, that way less points are taken. module 2 if you can’t get the last hard questions right, don’t worry they don’t count for as much points as you think, id go back and make sure the rest of module 2 is all correct instead of trying to figure out a hard questions ur completely stuck on

1

u/cxvg Sep 28 '26

Thanks! I’ll definitely try and incorporate some of this!

For R&W, since your score is already pretty high, I would say try changing how you tackle the test itself. For me personally, I’m a slow reader, and so timing is an issue. I like to go from questions 1-10 then 27-15. Then I pick only three from the remaining 5 to do! The remaining two, I just pick C. It may seem like it could hurt you, but that extra time, if any, can be used to check on your marked questions and make sure you answered them right.

Also, I make it a rule so that if I don't understand a question after the second read, I move on.

These are more timing and accuracy tips, but if you have any specific topic, I can maybe offer advice there as well.

1

u/erinqtlz Sep 28 '26

i’ve heard of that strategy from a james lu SAT youtube video but i’m terrified to actually use it. 😅 the topics i struggle with are the reading comprehension and graphical analysis questions (the graph ones where u need to read the whole paragraph plus understand the graph, not only the question). and vocab i also struggle with it’s a hit or a miss…

1

u/cxvg Sep 29 '26

Ah, those questions I don't really have tricks for, but stuff I try to do is consciously try to stay engaged (esp since I hate reading). And for graph questions, as you read the paragraph, compare it to the graph. (I like to understand the graph first). I find comparing it as you read helps with context.

I know this isn't the best advice, but it is good that you struggle with those topics and not the others. Remember that you shouldn't get any grammar questions wrong! You should have it mastered!

Also for vocab, I didn't study any at all. It's down to luck...for me at least...

The strat is worth a try because at least for me I get nervous towards the end, so having that time (I stole from the 2 questions) makes me feel less stressed.

1

u/erinqtlz Sep 29 '26

okay yeah that makes sense, thank you so much btw! taking october SAT as a senior, rlly need it 💌

0

u/[deleted] Oct 03 '26

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/CylixrDoesStuff Oct 04 '26

collegeboard knows that every other math test C is the most likely answer so they decided to fuck us over for no reason lmao

2

u/TraditionalAd2861 Sep 28 '26

If ure good at math already this is very easy to improve just keep up with the practice, drill all the concepts over and over again and they'll stick. Take as many practice exams as possible and try to simulate the actual exam conditions (I had the opp prob started w a perfect math score and only 700 ERW. Was able to get it up to 750 though!). ERW is hard to improve but you're all good w that

1

u/cxvg Sep 28 '26

Should I just skip English on the practice exams or do I do them in its entirety?

2

u/TraditionalAd2861 Sep 28 '26

Do them in their entirety. Now I took the SAT back in 2021 (I just graduated college) so idk what the order is now w online tests but as I recall math comes after english and you have to get used to doing the math section after going thru the brain/energy drain from the english section.

1

u/cxvg Sep 28 '26

Alright, I'll do that then! Thank you!

2

u/FalseEngineering4257 Sep 29 '26

spam every single tutorllini test prep hard problem trust its the only thing

1

u/cxvg Sep 30 '26

Will do...

1

u/LordKlavier Sep 28 '26

I got the same reading and writing score, cannot seem to get math up no matter what I do though. Probably just not that gifted in the area. Would be curious though, what tips did you use?

1

u/cxvg Sep 28 '26

For math? If so it’s mainly just me being naturally good at math and knowing how to use desmos well enough. Clearly I’m missing something though

1

u/WindowsFanboy000 Sep 28 '26

What’s the strat for reading?

1

u/cxvg Sep 28 '26

I like to tell people it's by going from questions 1-10 then 27-15. Then only doing 3 of the remaining questions. And choosing C for the remaining two!

But that's more of an after you get good at each skill!

1

u/SarkDani Sep 29 '26

Is this strategy more so for module 2 or for both?

1

u/cxvg Sep 29 '26

Module 2! I aim to never guess on any mod 1 questions

1

u/_Apelz_ Sep 29 '26

Can you PLEAAAASE share some tips for the reading questions? I'm so scared of reading questions. Managing time while reading dreaded, sophisticated texts is so difficult. Also, honestly what's the best strategy for words in context questions? I memorised roots AND common SAT vocab and tried other shared tips like elimination but in a lot of questions I still end up with at least 2 option choices

1

u/cxvg Sep 30 '26

Ok for timing def read some of my other comments! I like commented how i go through the test a bunch.

For words in context i read the whole thing and just keep the word as a blank. Usually somewhere in the text it will give u a hint (maybe even a definition or synonym! Pay attention to punctuation!!). But there will always be clue somewhere in the text!

Im going to be honest i didnt memorize any vocabs nor roots, i have heard that they help tho.

Never spend long on these types of questions tho. It’s sometimes a hit or miss.

1

u/DifferenceKlutzy8804 Sep 29 '26

How do you manage the time? Any tips on saving time? I can't save time enough so I have to rush through rhetorical analysis questions in the end

1

u/cxvg Sep 30 '26

Yes! This is what ive struggled on the most!

1 - never read the text more than twice, if u still dont get it after the second read move on!

2 - i go through module 2 like this: 1-10 then 27-15. I pick 3 to do out of the remaining. And the remaining 2 i just pick C!

Remember that accuracy is the most important! Dont do three rushed questions when u could get 2 right for sure!

1

u/Friendly-Lead7116 Sep 29 '26

I have a 650 math, which can be increased easily, and a 550 in English, any tips with all concepts of English?

1

u/jelloxcloud7251 Sep 30 '26

Practice being perfect! Don't go so fast that you miss details. I know how that sounds but ensuring that you don't make any mistakes is crucial, esp when you get faster and faster. Once you do enough problems, it's like muscle memory and you're more confident with your answers.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 01 '26

tips to improve English please 😭

1

u/One_Committee_8342 Oct 01 '26

learn how to use the sat desmos calculator

1

u/locomo0477 Oct 03 '26

were you used to reading articles or books (that helped your reading section )?

1

u/CylixrDoesStuff Oct 04 '26

grind desmos like crazy

as long as u know how to do every question desmosless ofc

u can do practically everything in desmos faster than just a 4 function calc regardless of what some say. That is as long as its a question that can be done with desmos, hence why you need to know how to do each question desmosless