SAT.. ready to revise!!!

You hear an american saying I got 1200 or 2100 or any score ranging from 600-2400.. this is their total SAT score.
The SAT is a standardized exam given to all juniors/seniors in the US and is the way colleges can weigh them up against eachother and choose who to take in!

The SAT exam is split into 3 main sections:
Critical reading
Maths
Writing
For each section you are given a score between 200-800, the mean for US students is around 500.

Now heres how the exam goes:
There are 10 sections and the exam lasts 3 hrs and 45 minutes (But some are longer due to breaks inbetween each section)
As part of the main critical reading section there is:

• Two 25 minute sections
• one 20 minute section

As part of the Maths section there is:

• Two 25 minute sections
• one 20 minute section (like the one above)

As part of the Writing section there is:

• One 25 minute section
• One 10 minute section
• One 25 minute essay

You may be counting and realise that only adds up to 9 sections... fear not i HAVE NOT got it wrong... there is one experimental section which could be either of the 3 sections but it does not count towards your score.. you will not know which out of the 10 is the experimental so you will have to try your best on all sections!

The SAT is a multiple choice paper:

You may be thinking... oh that makes it so easier..  but it doesn't:
It normally goes there are 2 out of the 5 options the answer is definitly not but then sometimes 2 look like they could both be right???? So what do you do.... Time for some tips!!!
1. Know how to guess and when... for this it requires a bit of practise... if you can get your 5 options down to 2 guess!
2. Keep track of your time
3. Remember each question no matter how easy or hard is only worth one point so answer the easy ones and make sure they are correct before looking at the harder ones
4. Like a UK test the questions get harder as you move on in on 20/25 minute section
5. A wrong answer get minus 1/4 mark so don't guess on too many or some you have no idea about!

Read more tips my buying this book:
Barron's SAT
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sat-25th-Ed-Barrons-SAT/dp/0764144367

Question types:
You can find examples of the question types on collegeboards website, so check it out....
Critical Reading: Sentence completitons (pretty self-explanatory) and reading comprehensions

Maths: 44 multiple choice and 10 Grid ins ( your own answers not multiple choice)

Writing: Identifying sentence errors, improving sentences, improving paragraphs.

You can also find more about SAT sections on the Kaplan website
http://www.kaptest.com/College/SAT/About-the-SAT/sat-at-a-glance.html

To apply for an SAT do exactly the same as a subject test and get online now on collegeboard:
Normally take the SAT in year 12 towards the end (spring) and then if you would like to retake do it during the sept/oct/nov of year 13, you can do it earlier if you want!
The SAT is offered almost every month of the year so don't worry about when you can take them!!
I hope this was helpful please leave any questions down below and remember to check out all the websites mentioned!

Hope you're all having a lovely week
Much love
S xxxx

SAT subject tests....

Ever heard of them? Some may say yes and some no... but I am here to make sure by the end of this post you all say YES!
So here goes: Enjoy!

As part of the admissions section to get into an American University there are a few exams one must take. The first is a general exam called the SAT this is overall scored out of 2400 and covers writing, critical thinking and maths (next weeks blogpost will be on this)

But also to get into those even more difficult universities or just most univerisites you are required to have  at least 3 SAT subject tests now these are exams that are specific to different subjects and are each marked out of a score of between 200-800! Some colleges even specify on their website which ones you should have a score of: but you have to do your own research to find out I am afraid!

These allow you as a student to show in a 1 hour exam paper to showcase your achievements or strengths in particular subjects. It allows helps to differentiate yourself between other students as it allows colleges to see which subjects interest you and where you also excel.
There are 20 Subject Tests across five general subject areas: history, maths science, English and foreign languages. The SAT Subject Tests that you choose to actually take should be based on your strengths in certain subjects.
To find more help on which ones you should take visit:
http://sat.collegeboard.org/about-tests/sat-subject-tests/which-tests-to-take

These subject tests are avaliable in the following subjects:
Literature
Maths- level 1 and 2
U.S. History
World History
Biology E/M
Chemistry
Physics
French
French with listening
German
German with listening
Spanish
Spanish with listening
Modern Hebrew
Italian
Latin
Chinese with listening
Japanese with listening
Korean with listening

Lets start by going through each and telling you as a UK international student about each:
Literature: In order to feel ready for this test having a GCSE in english literature would be fine, but if you want to take English literature later on in college (majoring or minoring in it.. will explain about those later!) Then I suggest taking English lit in at least AS level, as this would most likely increase your mark.

Maths: There are 2 types- level 1 and level 2, level one has everything but trigonometry therefore level 2 has everything plus trigonometry: your best bet if you can only take one is to take level 2 and in order to do so a GCSE is a definitie and an AS and especially and A2 will help dramatically

Histories: Be careful of these: these exams are based on how history is taught in the US... dramatically different... WW2 yeh won by the US... not what we're taught here so unless you have taken a US history course taught in a US school don't take the US one. For the World you need a gcse but even me who loves History and wants to major in it, isn't going to take it due to the nature and US-ness of the questions!

Sciences: In order to do each science, you must I repeat MUST have a gcse in each separate science (triple science) also by doing an AS-level would really help! But if you download the SAT booklet off the collegeboard website this explains and provides a checklist for what each science covers and go through your cirriculam to see if you have covered everything in GCSE... but even doing AS level doesn't mean you still won't come acrosss questions you have no idea about.
Please note: Biology is called 'Biology E/M' as on the day of the test you can choose either Ecology: E (to do with animals, life cycles, food chains) or Molecular: M (biochemistry, meiosis, DNA)
I am doing OCR Biology and feel fully prepared after unit 4 of GCSE to do E but I am waiting till after AS level Biology to do M as most of the stuff we don't even think about until then!


Languages: Exactly what they say on the tin.. I would say a GCSE is necessary unless that is your native tongue and again an AS-level is helpful! Those exams with listening have some marks reserved for listening exercises therefore you need a cd player:
Following the link below to find out what else you need to bring with on test day:http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-test-day-checklist

So to book your Subject test follow the link below and make an account with collegeboard:
Then book yourself in for a test date and place:
You can take a maximum of 3 a day (3 hours each with breaks inbetween!):


Now onto the books and how to revise:
There are different companies that sell different books to help not just with the SAT SUBJECT tests but also the SAT: one issue is they are hugely expensive so I have done a small review to help you decide which ones to get:

The brands are:

• Collegeboard
• Kaplan
• Barrons
• Princeton Review

To definitly get would be 'The official study guide for all SAT subject tests' by college board as this provides you with an full hour exam paper for each subject test so that you can try out each and those that you get the best score on can be the exams you actually take!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Study-Guide-Subject-College/dp/0874479754/ref=pd_sim_b_2

In terms of wanting to get specific books for each SAT paper maybe try one from each of the remaining 3 or look online for reviews: College Board do one whole book for both Maths level one and 2 where as the other companies have them as individual books: and considering each book costs around or sometimes less (like the one below... YAY!)  $20 or so dollars but around £15-£20, its not cheap to get like all of them!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Official-Subject-Tests-Mathematics-Levels/dp/0874477727/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

Also for some of them: such as with Kaplan try to get the most update version so for now the 2011-2012 of if they're doing them the 2013 ones!

Some other examples from each brand:
Kaplan:


Princeton Review:


Barron's:



I hope that was helpful to you!
If you have any questions please leave them below
My next post will be about the SAT
Much Love
S xxxx

 

US College: what's it all about?

Dear reader,
I can only guess you are reading this as you are one of my many (2) members of my blog, that look forward to reading my blog as you do your birthday(joking) and for that I thank you or you may be looking to find out about the US College system and have come to me, and for that I also thank you!

This is basically the introduction where I will explain the pros and cons of Studying in the US....
So without further ado.. enjoy!!
Within the last few years the US has become an increasingly popular place for UK and international students to study at university
This can be for

• undergraduate study*
• Post Grad study*
• Short term (year study abroad program)*
• etc etc etc.....

For UK students it may for a variety of different reasons:

• Risings fees in our own universities
• Not enough places in our universities therefore not getting in
• Not having the grades to get into a UK university
• The experience
• Programs offered
• Reputation

Lets tackle each one individually, PRICE first:
To start with I must say the fees overthere do not vary compared to our new rising fees.... for a in-state student (a pupil who lives in that state and parents pay state taxes) has a low fee much like that of our students (around 10-9$ Grand a year, of course once you work out the exchange rate it shows that for in-state students the US is much much more affordable!)
However if you are an out of state pupil (all international students) you can look foward to paying up to $25-30 grand a year for just tuition.. that leaves out food/room and board/life costs basically!) Even with the exchange rate that is more than we pay here!! I am under no circumstances trying to persuade you not to go to the US for unviersity instead I am merely trying to get you to understand what you're letting yourself in for!!
But heres the good part.... you ready: there are thousands of opportunities for scolarships/financial aid (which is basically money given to you by the school or other organisations to help you pay for your college tuition) Some are so big that they can pay for the whole thing (including room and board and tuition) but remember... these are very competitive obviously!! The financial aid information is found on the website of each college and some manage to provide over 90% of the students that require financial aid with it! (Plus one for the US, 0 for the UK)

Issues with number of places/grades:
Here in the UK we have over 400 universities (sounds alot.. its not) the state of Texas alone has half of our amount with 200.. and California... well 347.. overall the US has just under 4,000 universities (10 times our number) We are a populated country.. England and also the UK is pretty populated too! We are being asked to get grades of oxbridge level for universities that can't claim to be up to that standard because they want the best as they can ask for the best as they are so oversubscribed.. some UK universities have acceptance rates of less than some of the top State schools and even some of the privates. If you are lucky enough to be at that oxbridge level.. remember there is always Harvard!... but will get onto schools later!!! So overall the US as it has more universities and you my friend will be an international student something they like... (its different) you may have less problem with not getting in if you don't have oxbridge level grades! (2 for the US!))))

Experince:
This was my reason really, I want to broaden my horizons but this doesn't give the US an extra point as I am being a bit biased if I do!!
But there will be an entire blog post all about how your experience depends on the college you go to!!

Programs offered:
As there is so much more money going into universites due to higher prices and state taxes they can afford to offer a wider variety of programs.. but heres the thing!! Your years at univeristy will be totally different (duh) to if you stayed in the UK! This is due to the fact the US has something called majors which is the subject you study and take yoru degree in at the end.. however in order to get this degree you must stay at univeristy for 4 years instead of 2-3 like in the UK.... (1 POINT TO THE UK, as one/two less year(s) mean less money to pay so less debt)
This is due to the fact in your first 2 years of university in the US you kinda can study all the subjects you want.. like another 2 years of A-level and then only in the last 2 do you choose your degree subject.. so if you're undecided in year 13 it gives you the perfect opportunity as you don't have to decide then.. but have a 2 more years to take up new subject you've never studied, to grow and change and find where you want to be or what subject you like the most! (Another point to the US) but if you know exactly what you want to do the first 2 years you may find boring and a waste as you normally would have to do units in all 3 cores subjects.. to add up to points for your final 2 years (alot like UCAS points I guess!!) (So another point for the UK!)

Reputation:
I don't to tell you the honest truth understand this reason, they have IVY league schools (will be discussed in a later video) we have Oxbridge.... reputation well we have it they have it.. no points for anyone!!!

SO overall its a tie 2-2... well who could have seen that coming..
In order to chose you have to know what works for you: what do you want in a university? This question will play the biggest part in this series.. I can't tell each of you what you want its your job, I can only provide information/advice/websties/helpful links but otherwise you're on your own kiddo!!

But first you need to ask yourself if you could do it.. go halfway across the world away from everyone for 4 whole years (minus the summer hols of course) and enjoy yourself and work and come out with a good result???
For more information than I provided you with, in why Internation students may check out US colleges follow the link:
http://www.fulbright.org.uk/study-in-the-usa
(This is one of many links you will get, this is for the US-UK Fulbright: below is their little biography:)

The US-UK Fulbright Commission was created by a treaty signed by both countries on 22 September 1948.^[1] It is a non-profit organisation based in London, UK. Its aim is to foster mutual cultural understanding through educational exchange between both nations.^[2] To do this, Fulbright helps students, scholars and professionals interested in studying abroad in the US or UK through its world-renowned scholarship programme and its EducationUSA advice service.

Thank  you so much for reading,
I hope this was helpful, remember to check back in next week to hear about how to choose a university to apply for?
Much Love
S xxx

Definitons of stars* (as provided by wikipedia)
Undergraduate study: In the United States of America undergraduate refers to those who are studying towards a bachelor's degree. The most common method consists of four years of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), or sometimes another bachelor's degree such as Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.), Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (B.S.P.A), or Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil.) Five-Year Professional Architecture programs offer the Bachelor of Architecture Degree (B.Arch.).
Post-Graduate study:Post-graduate education (or graduate education in North America) involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education. In North America, this level is generally referred to as graduate school.
Short term: Where during your 3/2 years at a UK university you spend one of the years abroad studying at a US university.

All these options are avaliable to UK students!