Overcoming Learning Disabilities to Succeed on the SAT: Part 3
Hi all,
As promised, here are my next two tips.
4. Don't Get Lost in the Language of your Essay
As a corollary to the last tip, don't waste your time over-correcting grammar and don't use words you're not sure how to spell. ADD can often cause you to spend far too much time fussing with the language of your essays. SAT graders are not looking for a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. They want to see the basics of structure with competent language use. Using familiar and comfortable grammar and vocabulary will not only remove distractions, it will leave more time to focus on the all-too-important structure of the essay.
5. Always Leave Time to Revise your Essay
This may seem simple to some, but a majority of students don't proof and revise their test essays. They are rife with simple mistakes in spelling and grammar which would easily have been corrected after one reread. Always be mindful of the time as you're writing your essay so you can have a few minutes to reread and check for argument cohesion. It can make the difference between an average and a great essay.
Best,
Eric
PrepMe Senior Tutor
Overcoming Learning Disabilities to Succeed on the SAT: Part 2
Hi again,
As promised, here are my next two tips.
2. Don't Read the Reading Comprehension Passages Fully
The reading comprehension passages can often be long and full of unnecessary information. This is a big problem for anyone with ADD or slow reading habits in general. A great way to cope with this is to read the first one or two sentences and the last two sentences of each paragraph. This way, you'll get the general idea of the passage.
Some questions will refer to overarching themes, which by this point you'll be prepared for. Other questions will refer to specific words or lines. When responding to these questions, find the word(s) or line(s) in question and examine the text around them. Seldom is there a question which requires specific knowledge of more than a few lines of the text at a time, so this provides you with more than enough information to answer this type of question. Following this approach will not only focus you on the relevant information, but also save time which can later be used for revising.
3. Structure your Essay before Writing
The graders of the SAT essays rarely spend more than a few minutes on each essay. They only have time to verify your thesis, support, and conclusion, and then do a cursory read through for grammar and spelling. This means that structure is stressed over eloquence. Therefore, it is very important to understand where your essay is going before you put the pen to the paper. It is a very good idea to have your thesis and at least two points of evidence firmly in mind before starting. That way, you'll never be distracted from your main point, and your structure will be obvious to the grader.
Best,
Eric
PrepMe Senior Tutor
Overcoming Learning Disabilities to Succeed on the SAT: Part 1
Hi Everyone,
I'm Eric Bjerstedt and I'm one of the senior tutors at PrepMe. I'm a third-year linguistics concentrator at the University of Chicago. I was diagnosed with ADD and Tourette Syndrome at the age of eight. Over time, I have learned to deal with these disabilities without medication and want to share my thoughts so that others may benefit as well.
I recently had an article published in ADDitude Magazine entitled "When ADD Meets the SAT" and over the course of the next few weeks, I will be sharing my tips. Here is the first one:
1. Don't Practice in the Ideal Test-Taking Environment
Chances are the venue where your test is administered will be full of distractions and frustrations. Other students may be making noises or fidgeting after they finish a given section, the rooms are often large and full of posters and other kinds of reading material, and the list goes on. The best way to prepare for this is type of situation is to take practice tests in a similar environment. Since the actual venue will not be sterile and isolated, try to practice in an area with small distractions such as ambient noise or other people, like cafes or central rooms of libraries. This will allow you to be accustomed to the environment before actually arriving, which can make a world of difference.
Best,
Eric
PrepMe Senior Tutor