Summary of "SAT Reading Strategies To Score a 700+"

This video, presented by Laura from STP (presumably a test prep organization), shares effective strategies to improve SAT Reading scores, particularly aiming for a 700+ score. Laura draws from her personal experience of struggling with SAT Reading and improving her score significantly by adopting specific methods. She offers practical, actionable advice to help students read more efficiently, avoid common pitfalls, and better understand the passages and questions.

Main Ideas and Lessons

Many students struggle with SAT Reading due to time constraints, loss of focus, and difficulty understanding passages.
Effective strategies can make the test less stressful and improve confidence and scores.
Laura emphasizes process-oriented approaches rather than just content knowledge.
The strategies are based on Laura’s own experience and recent SAT testing.

Detailed List of Strategies and Instructions

Execution Strategy: Break Up the Passage Into Two Blocks
- Start with questions 1-10.
- Skip to grammar questions (15-27).
- Then return to questions 11-14.
- This helps maintain focus by dividing the reading into manageable chunks.
Find Three Wrong Answers Instead of One Right Answer
- Use process of elimination.
- Focus on identifying incorrect answers rather than hunting for the “right” one, as trap answers often sound plausible.
Look for Synonyms Between Text and Answer Choices
- Correct answers often rephrase ideas using synonyms.
- Train yourself to spot subtle synonym matches to improve accuracy.
Pay Attention to Adverbs of Degree
- Words like “largely,” “partly,” “significantly” can change the correctness of an answer.
- An adverb of degree can make an otherwise accurate answer choice incorrect.
Use Initials for Difficult Names
- When encountering hard-to-pronounce names (people, places), refer to them by initials to maintain reading flow and comprehension.
Skip Over Big Words You Don’t Know
- One difficult word rarely changes overall understanding.
- Use context clues instead of getting stuck on vocabulary.
Simplify Complex Passages by Pulling Out Keywords and Phrases
- Focus on understanding key ideas rather than every detail.
- This helps match answers more effectively.
Annotate Minimally and Efficiently
- Use shorthand symbols and minimal notes.
- Prefer scrap paper over digital annotation tools (like Blue Book) because notes disappear or are hard to view.
- Annotate only when completely lost to save time.
Do Not Pick Answers That the Text Does Not Explicitly Support
- Avoid making unsupported inferences unless the question explicitly asks for them.
- Stick strictly to what the passage states.
- Example: Characterizing a person as lazy based on behavior that could have other explanations is incorrect.
Understand Direct vs. Indirect Correlations (Important for Science Passages)
- Direct correlation: One variable directly affects another (e.g., more sharks → fewer stingrays).
- Indirect correlation: One variable affects another through a middleman (e.g., more sharks → fewer stingrays → more oysters).
- Know the difference between positive (both variables move the same way) and negative correlations (variables move in opposite directions).
Avoid Literal Answers in Poetry or Fiction Passages
- Poems and fiction often use symbolism and metaphor.
- Don’t pick answers that restate literal details; look for deeper meanings.
Play “Positive/Negative” for Tone When Stuck
- Determine if the passage tone is positive or negative.
- Choose answers that align with the overall tone.
- If stuck, flag the passage and return later to save time.

Additional Notes

Laura hints at a special, highly effective reading strategy she has developed but is reserving for paid courses to avoid College Board changing the test.
She offers a 2-hour crash course before the December SAT and encourages viewers to check out STP’s events and self-paced courses.
The video encourages interaction: viewers are invited to comment on their struggles and suggest future video topics.

Speakers/Sources Featured

Laura – The main speaker and presenter, founder of STP, SAT tutor, and test taker sharing personal strategies and advice.

This summary captures the core strategies and advice Laura presents to help students improve their SAT Reading performance and achieve a score of 700 or higher.