How to assess your SAT strengths and weaknesses

Nobody is perfect in this world. Everyone has flaws. Mistakes are not a particular person's right. It is for everyone out there. 

But the one relief-giving thing is that strengths are also part of human nature. So it is very important for everyone to assess their strengths and weaknesses. 

Whenever we notice the students going to give exams, the first thing we get to see is they try to cope up with their weak subjects (meaning their weaknesses). 

Take the example of SAT students. Most of the students have weaknesses in the SAT maths section. And they focus more on the maths subject because that is one of the toughest subjects. 

I don't mean to say that English is easy and not difficult. English is a lengthy kind of thing. English requires speed. And not everyone has the talent of a fast speed in writing. So this is also a weakness. But how can one analyze the strengths and weaknesses in them?

Sections in SAT	Weaknesses students can have in SAT	Tips for improvements in SAT
SAT maths section	Geometry Algebra Problem-solving Advance maths Trigonometry	Daily practice Revising formulas Making Flashcards of formulas Take practice tests
SAT reading section	Slow reading speed Less focussed Vocabulary	Daily practice Taking practice tests Focus less on vocabulary
SAT writing section	Slow writing speed Vocabulary Grammar	Daily practice Focus less on vocabulary Improve grammar Taking practice tests

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Figuring out the strengths and weaknesses :

To perfect yourself in a field, the best thing you can do is to figure out the strengths and weaknesses related to the field.

Many ways can be explored to find these strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of the ways :

1. Take the SAT practice test – Best method to assess these strengths and weaknesses is to take the SAT practice test. 

This also helps the tutor to make an idea of their weaknesses and work on them.

SAT practice looks similar to the actual test. So that'll make it easy for students to get the idea of the paper.
There are three sections on the paper – Math, Evidence-based reading, and writing section. 

The thing is if you take the SAT test then it helps you to get the idea of which section you are weak in one of the three or in all and in which section your strength is. 

 

2. Set your target score goal – Before taking the first practice test, make sure that you have prepared according to the target score. 

If you haven't got the target score then try to find out where your errors are coming from.

Most numbers of errors in a particular section show your feebleness in that section and vice versa for strength.

 

3. Revising topics daily – Get on to the topics that you think are making trouble for you and play a difficult game with you.

The ones which are easy to remember are your strong topics (topics that are your strength).

Daily revising these topics for just 2 to 3 hours is enough to analyze which topics are still making it hard.

 

4. Playing with maths – I know maths is not a subject to play with but take it as a game. 

SAT math is divided into two categories – calculator and non-calculator. 

Solving the problems by both of these methods is again a great way to make a decision in which category you have a stronghold and in which not.

 

5. Check your English – So the easiest subject of the SAT is not as easy as it sounds. 

English is a broad thing that contains grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and much more. 

That's why a good amount of students have their weaknesses in the English section.

Checking all these things in English helps the student to get their weak and strong points in hand.

 

If you have assessed your weaknesses and are working on them then it's good but at the same time ignoring your strengths is not nice.

Normally what most students do is that they ignore their strengths and only focus on their weaknesses, which is a sign of lacking preparation.

Make a balance between both the strengths and weaknesses and work on them more to ace your SAT test.

 

Tips to improve your weaknesses and hold up the strengths :

If there are weaknesses residing in your body, then there are 100% possibilities of having solutions for them. 

And it is also important to hold up the strengths you have because it doesn’t take time for strengths to turn automatically into weaknesses. 

So let’s just discuss some points to understand the ways to overcome weaknesses :

1. Start doing your preparation early – Most of the students begin to do their preparation 4 to 5 months prior to the test. 

But the suggestion is for you to start the preparation 1 year before.

It’s better to start self-preparation early, although you can start the SAT coaching 4 to 5 months before self-preparation is also necessary.

 

2. Improve the writing speed – The most ignored thing that students forget about is their writing speed. 

Time management is very important in SAT tests and students get lagged in tests because of one reason, i.e., their slow writing speed.

English is a lengthy topic that needs fast writing speed.

So try to write essays daily with a time limit.

 

3. Take the help of modern resources – Modern things are great when you use them efficiently.

Same in SAT test prep, preparing by modern technology helps to improve SAT weaknesses.

Modern technology like SAT prep apps, online SAT coaching, online SAT practice tests is the new trend in SAT preparation nowadays.

 

4. Take the SAT practice test – Practice tests are a great way to find the weaknesses and work on them.

Take them online or offline but without them, you can’t cope up with your weaknesses.

 

5. Fit the math formulas in your mind for the SAT math section – Formulas can be a great help for those students who are not very much familiar with the SAT math section.

 

6. Use official College board SAT test materials – Students usually start using any SAT resources.

All of them try to make their resources similar to the official SAT test but still, they lack in their work.

That’s why the College Board is providing their practice test papers to students that are created by the test takers themselves that will help the students.