SAT I
McGRAW-HILL’s
✓
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McGRAW-HILL’s
✓
SAT I
CHRISTOPHER BLACK
MARK ANESTIS
and the TUTORS of
COLLEGE HILL COACHING™
McGraw-Hill
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DOI: 10.1036/0071445900
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CHAPTER 1 What You Need to Know about the New SAT I 1
Questions and Answers about the SAT I / 2
How the SAT I Has Changed for 2005 / 6
CHAPTER 2 How to Use This Book 7
Find Out Where You Are / 8
Write Out a Plan and Commit to It / 9
Working with College Hill Lessons / 9
Tw o Sample Plans: The 10-Week Study Plan and the 2-Week Crash Plan / 10
CHAPTER 3 The College Hill Method 13
The College Hill Method in a Nutshell / 14
What Is MAPS-CATCH? / 16
CHAPTER 4 Smart Training for the SAT I 21
Smart Training for the SAT I / 22
Creating a Mindful Workflow / 22
The Mind-Body Connection / 23
Smart Tips / 25
CHAPTER 5 Diagnostic SAT I 31
A Complete Diagnostic SAT I to Assess Your Strengths and Weaknesses
CHAPTER 6 How to Build an Impressive Vocabulary
with MAPS-CATCH 85
Building an Impressive Vocabulary with MAPS-CATCH / 86
Vocabulary Units 1–7 / 90
CONTENTS
For more information about this title, click here.
CHAPTER 7 Critical Reading Skills 175

The Three Key Questions / 176
The Three Kinds of Prose / 181
The Structure of Prose / 186
Paraphrasing and Visualizing / 191
Understanding the Questions / 196
Attacking the Questions / 201
Thinking Logically / 209
Speed and Pacing / 214
Avoiding Common Mistakes / 219
The College Hill Coaching Reading List / 224
CHAPTER 8 Sentence Completion Skills 225
Verbal Inference / 226
The Four Logical Relationships / 230
Structural Keys / 234
Simplifying the Sentence / 238
Using Context Intelligently / 243
The Toughest Sentences / 247
CHAPTER 9 SAT I Math and MAPS-CATCH 251
Mapping Problems / 252
Analyzing Problems / 257
Finding Patterns / 261
Simplifying Problems / 265
Connecting to Knowledge / 269
Finding Alternatives / 273
Thinking Logically and Checking / 277
CHAPTER 10 Essential Pre-Algebra Skills 281
Numbers and Operations / 282
Laws of Arithmetic / 287
Fractions / 291
Ratios and Proportions / 296

Percents / 300
Negatives / 304
Divisibility / 308
CHAPTER 11 Essential Algebra 1 Skills 313
Solving Equations / 314
Systems / 319
Working with Exponentials / 324
Working with Roots / 328
vi CONTENTS
CONTENTS vii
Factoring / 332
Inequalities, Absolute Values, and Plugging In / 337
Word Problems / 342
CHAPTER 12 Special Math Problems 347
New Symbol or Term Problems / 348
Mean/Median/Mode Problems / 352
Numerical Reasoning Problems / 357
Rate Problems / 361
Counting Problems / 365
Probability Problems / 369
CHAPTER 13 Essential Geometry Skills 373
Lines and Angles / 374
Triangles / 381
The Pythagorean Theorem / 387
Coordinate Geometry / 394
Areas and Perimeters / 398
Similar Figures / 405
Volumes and 3-D Geometry / 410
Circles / 416
CHAPTER 14 Essential Algebra 2 Skills 421

Sequences / 422
Functions / 429
Transformations / 433
Variation / 437
Data Analysis / 441
Negative and Fractional Exponents / 445
CHAPTER 15 Writing a Great Essay 449
Know What They're Looking For / 450
Examine the Assignment Closely / 452
Brainstorm Creatively / 454
Prepare with “Source Summaries” / 456
Write a Strong and Creative Thesis / 458
Organize Your Thoughts / 460
Write Logically / 462
Write Clearly / 464
Write Concisely / 466
Write Forcefully / 468
Write Masterfully / 470
Finish with a Bang / 472
CHAPTER 16 Essay Writing Practice 477
Tw enty Practice SAT I Essay Assignments
CHAPTER 17 Attacking the Grammar Questions 549
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff / 550
Attacking “Identifying Sentence Errors” Questions / 556
Attacking “Improving Sentences” Questions / 560
Attacking “Improving Paragraphs” Questions / 564
CHAPTER 18 Essential Grammar Skills 569
Subject-Verb Disagreement / 570
Trimming Sentences / 574
Parallelism / 578

Comparison Problems / 582
Pronoun-Antecedent Disagreement / 586
Pronoun Case / 590
Dangling and Misplaced Participles / 594
Other Misplaced Modifiers / 598
Tricky Tenses / 602
Idiom Errors / 606
Diction Errors / 610
Other Modifier Problems / 614
Irregular Verbs / 618
The Subjunctive Mood / 622
Coordinating Ideas / 626
CHAPTER 19 Four Practice SAT I Tests with
Detailed Answer Keys 631
viii CONTENTS
We would like to gratefully acknowledge the help of those who have con-
tributed to this enormous project and have been committed to its success.
This project would not have been the same without the help of so many of
our close friends and relatives: Elizabeth Black, the world's greatest
teacher of mathematics, for her many years of patience, wisdom and gra-
cious support; Sarah and Anna Black for their constant inspiration and
marvelous good humor; Stephanie Anestis for her invaluable efforts in
reading and editing the text and for her incredible love and support; and
Robert, Janice, Michael and Matthew Anestis who also gave their insight
on the work in progress. We would also like to thank Brigid Barry, Aulden
Kaye, Peter Obourn, Kristoffer Shields and the brilliant tutors of College
Hill Coaching for their thoughtful and valuable assistance. We appreciate
the hard work of those at McGraw-Hill who made this project work and
the thoughtful help of our agent, Grace Freedson. Finally, we would like
to thank all of the students of College Hill Coaching who have contributed

to the growth of these materials over the years; their insight and experi-
ences have thoroughly inspired and informed this book.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Click here for terms of use
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WHAT YOU
NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT THE NEW SAT I
Tough Questions about a Tough Test
1. Questions and Answers about the SAT I
2. How the SAT I Has Changed for 2005
CHAPTER 1
✓
1
Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Click here for terms of use
1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE SAT I
Why do colleges need to see my SAT I
scores? Aren’t my grades and SAT II
scores enough?
Colleges use your SAT I scores to assess your readi-
ness to do the tough academic work of college. The
SAT I does something that your high school transcript
can’t, namely, assess your general academic problem-
solving skills.
Course grades are, unfortunately, far from an ob-
jective measure of your academic ability. Teachers
occasionally inflate or deflate grades for reasons un-
related to intellectual ability, and there are no ob-
jective standards for grading among schools, or even
among teachers in the same school. Achievement

tests like the SAT IIs are more objective, but they are
designed to assess subject knowledge rather than
problem-solving skills. Of course, subject knowledge
is critical to a good education, but it is only a part of
the puzzle. Also, much subject matter can be mem-
orized and forgotten. Knowledge is effective only
when it is incorporated into a meaningful and ro-
bust way of solving problems. The SAT I, although
not perfect, does a good job of measuring how well
you reason under pressure, an important academic
and life skill.
Doesn’t the SAT I do a poor job of
predicting first-year college grades?
In fact, SAT I scores do correlate very well with real
academic success, that is, professional success in an
academic field. In many ways, this is more impor-
tant to colleges than predicting grades. Some stu-
dents can get good grades without showing great
intellectual ability, by “playing the game” of school.
The SAT I is often able to distinguish these students
from the good thinkers. Rather than predicting your
grades, your SAT I scores indicate your ability to
read critically, write well, solve math problems in-
telligently, and think under pressure. The SAT I is
not designed to predict how well you’ll play the col-
lege grading game.
Admissions officers understand that grades often
don’t reflect sheer intellect, so they don’t want a test
that simply predicts grades. They value SAT I scores
because they assess some of the reasoning skills that

make people successful in life, regardless of their
grades. They also provide a way of comparing stu-
dents from widely varying academic backgrounds.
College admissions officers know that high SAT I
scores don’t guarantee college success, but they also
know that the scores indicate to some degree how
ready you are to do college work.
2 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT I
Doesn’t the SAT I just measure
“test-taking skills”?
Many in the test-prep industry would like you to be-
lieve that the SAT I tests nothing more than “how well
you can take a test.” They portray the SAT I as a scary
and meaningless test concocted by a cabal of student-
haters at the ETS. They claim the SAT I can be
“cracked” by simply memorizing a bunch of test-taking
gimmicks. Of course, it’s tempting to believe that the
SAT I is so easy to crack. These marketing schemes sell
a lot of courses and books, but they don’t help you to
improve your SAT I scores dramatically or to prepare
meaningfully for college work.
Success on the SAT I is not about memorizing
test-taking tricks. The SAT I is a tough test of reason-
ing. To ace it, you have to improve your reasoning
skills. It takes work.
Contrary to what many test-prep people say, the
SAT I isn’t written by sadists who love to “trick” stu-
dents and make college admissions as difficult as pos-
sible. The Educational Testing Service writes the SAT
I for the College Board, a nonprofit association of over

4,200 colleges, very likely including the schools you
will apply to. The SAT I assesses several important
skills that college professors think incoming freshmen
should have, like critical reading, persuasive writing,
and mathematical problem-solving skills. The ETS
doesn’t write the SAT I in isolation. In 2002, the Uni-
versity of California suggested that the SAT I incorpo-
rate an essay and do away with some of the more
“artificial” questions so that it would better reflect ac-
tual college work. The College Board and the ETS
agreed to change the SAT I accordingly.
Isn’t it unfair that so much rides on just a
single three-hour test?
It may seem unfair that a three-hour test is so impor-
tant. Remember, though, that the SAT I is not a one-
shot, all-or-nothing affair. You can take it many
times, and colleges will consider only the top individ-
ual scores from all of your tests. In other words, if you
take the SAT I twice, and get scores of 460 Critical
Reading, 530 Math and 500 Writing on the first test,
and 540 Critical Reading, and 490 Math and 400 Writ-
ing on the second test, then your score is, for all prac-
tical purposes, 540 Critical Reading, 530 Math and
500 Writing. Colleges won’t average the scores, or pe-
nalize you for being a bit inconsistent. They do this
for their own benefit as well as yours: they do better
in the college rankings if they report higher scores.
The SAT I is only “unfair” if you allow it to be by
not taking it seriously. If, instead, you look at it as an
opportunity to hone important academic reasoning

CHAPTER 1 / WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW SAT I 3
skills, and prepare for it meaningfully, you’ll find the
process rewarding rather than nerve-racking.
Are SAT I scores declining?
Every once in a while, you may hear someone claim
that “declining SAT scores” show the declining qual-
ity of our schools. Claims such as these are generally
uninformed and demonstrate a lack of understanding
about the SAT I. Trends in average SAT scores mean
nothing unless comparable populations of students
take the test each year, and unless the difficulty of
each SAT I can be measured independently of the stu-
dents who take it. Changes in the student populations
who take the SAT I and the evolution of the test itself
make it hard to infer anything about trends in scores.
The first SAT I was administered to a few thou-
sand students, virtually all white males. Today, the
SAT I is administered each year to more than one mil-
lion students of both sexes representing all races and
socioeconomic backgrounds in many countries. In
addition, each year, the SAT I is administered to a
broader and more varied student population. In 2002,
over one-third of all students taking the SAT I were
first-generation college applicants, and over one-third
were minorities. These changes in demographics
alone account for much of the year-to-year variations
in test scores.
A fascinating study illustrates the dangers of
drawing broad conclusions about trends in SAT I
scores. In 1997, the College Board conducted a study

and discovered that, although overall verbal SAT I
scores had declined slightly over the previous decade,
the verbal SAT I scores of every significant racial
group had actually improved over that time period.
The scores of African-Americans had improved, the
scores of Asian-Americans had improved, the scores
of European-Americans had improved, and the scores
of Hispanics had improved. How could the average
score of every group improve, yet the overall score de-
cline? Because the test-taking population was chang-
ing. A larger portion of students with historically
lower scores took the SAT I, thereby bringing the
overall average down, even though the scores of each
group were improving! In other words, 100% of the
decline in scores was attributable to demographics.
From these data, a case can be made that schools are
actually doing a better job teaching students, since vir-
tually every subgroup is improving.
Isn’t the SAT I unfair to minorities and
biased toward rich white males?
The SAT I was originally intended as a means of
opening Ivy League admissions to more racial and
socioeconomic minorities. It was intended to find the
“best and brightest” students for the Ivy League, re-
gardless of their backgrounds. The elite colleges of
New England had become the exclusive domain of
wealthy white males from elite New England prep
schools, many of whom had dubious academic skills.
The president of Harvard, James Bryant Conant,
wanted to change that system to make American

higher education a true meritocracy. The SAT I was
designed as a tool for achieving that goal. (You may
question whether the SAT I has really had its desired
effects, or whether everyone who used the SAT I used
it in the same way, but these were the goals of its
chief proponents.)
Critics of the SAT I have never provided much evi-
dence that the content of the SAT I is culturally biased
toward rich white males. In fact, the ETS carefully re-
views each test to minimize references to the American
cultural elite and to ensure that historically under-
represented populations are frequently mentioned.
Many political groups have long complained that
the SAT I is unfair simply because certain minority
groups have scored, on average, lower than whites.
These discrepancies in scores, however, may reveal
less about bias in the test than about bias in educa-
tional opportunity and about the ill effects of certain
environments on academic achievement.
Don’t wealthy students who can afford
expensive coaching have an unfair advantage?
Undoubtedly, the ability to afford the best coaching is
an advantage. This should come as no surprise. Ath-
letes and musicians certainly benefit from good per-
sonal coaching, and students are no different. This
fact does not impugn the integrity of the SAT I. On the
contrary.
The SAT I does not assess the innate limits of your
ability. It is not just an “aptitude” test but rather a test
of reasoning skills, which can be learned. The right

kind of training will pay off. If you follow the College
Hill approach and take your preparation seriously,
your efforts will be rewarded.
Is the SAT I an intelligence test?
This isn’t a simple question, so there’s no simple an-
swer. “Intelligence” can be used to refer to many dif-
ferent qualities, and certainly the SAT I does not
assess all of them. The common definition of intelli-
gence as “an innate, general, and stable cognitive
ability that determines one’s ability to reason across
a wide range of tasks” is outmoded and unhelpful.
Most psychologists agree that humans possess many
different “intelligences” that can improve or atrophy
with use or disuse. Theses include musical intelli-
gence, interpersonal intelligence, mechanical intelli-
gence, verbal intelligence, mathematical intelligence,
and analytical intelligence. The SAT I measures only
certain aspects of verbal, mathematical and analyti-
cal intelligence.
When people ask whether the SAT I is an “intel-
ligence” test, usually they really mean: “Do my SAT
I scores put limits on how successful I can be?” The
answer is: only if you misinterpret them. Rather
than a measure of your innate “limits” for success,
the SAT I indicates your mastery of a few basic but
essential academic skills. If you improve these skills,
you will be more successful academically. Of course,
academic success isn’t the only kind of success. We
can all find wonderful success stories about people
who have become successful artists, politicians, and

business leaders despite having low SAT I scores.
The SAT I doesn’t measure artistic, athletic, intra-
personal, or interpersonal skills, and these are often
key elements to non-academic success. You will
find, however, that success in academic fields corre-
lates quite highly (but not, of course, perfectly) with
SAT I scores.
Doesn’t the College Board claim that you
can’t study for the SAT I?
They used to suggest this, but no longer. They openly
acknowledge the fact that the SAT I assesses very
learnable skills. In fact, the College Board itself pub-
lishes materials to help students study for the SAT I.
What their research does show, however, is that just
learning test-taking tricks doesn’t help much. Only
solid preparation in fundamental reasoning skills
produces dramatic score improvements.
Do I have to take the SAT I?
Consult the web sites or publications of the colleges
you are interested in to see if they require the SAT I.
Most competitive schools will require the SAT I or a
test like it (such as the ACT), but some colleges do not.
Even if your college does not require the SAT I, you
might consider taking it anyway. If you do well, your
scores can make your application more attractive by
demonstrating your reasoning skills. If you don’t do
well, just don’t send the scores.
Do the colleges see all of my SAT I Scores?
No college will see any of your SAT I scores until you
give the College Board permission to send the scores

to that specific school. You will be given the opportu-
nity to release your scores to specific schools when
you register for the test, but you should be cautious
4 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT I
about doing this. Don’t release your scores until either
you’re satisfied with your entire score report or you
have no other choice (such as when a deadline is ap-
proaching).
When you release your score report to a college,
the report will contain all of the scores of the SAT Is
and SAT IIs that you have taken up to that point. But
remember: if you have taken any test more than once,
the college will consider only the top score among all
of the results.
Do I have to take SAT II: Subject Tests?
The SAT IIs are one-hour subject area tests. They are
offered in most academic subjects, like mathematics,
physics, chemistry, biology, literature, history, lan-
guages, and so on. Some colleges do not require you
to submit any SAT II scores, while others may require
you to submit up to three SAT II scores. (But you may
submit more than three if you wish.) If you are plan-
ning to apply to highly competitive colleges, you
should plan to take three or more.
If you believe you have academic strengths that
are not shown by your class grades, the SAT IIs are an
excellent way of showing colleges those strengths.
When should I take the SAT I and SAT IIs?
Plan to take an SAT II in June for any course you’ve
finished successfully. If you do well in freshman biol-

ogy, for instance, take the SAT II biology in June of
your freshman year. Likewise, consider taking the
Math Level IC after completing algebra II success-
fully, the Math Level IIC after precalculus, etc. You
will want to take any SAT II in a subject when you feel
you are “at your peak” in that subject. Learn which
SAT IIs your colleges require, and try to complete
them by June of your junior year. You can take up to
three SAT IIs on any one test date.
After you take the PSAT in October of your junior
year, you can take the SAT I in late January, late
March (or early April), or early May of your junior
year and in early November, early December, and late
January of your senior year. To give yourself ample
time to prepare, you may wish to take the SAT I
in March and May of your junior year and again in
October of your senior year if necessary. Remember,
you can take the SAT I more than once, and colleges
will use only your top scores.
Test Date Regular Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline
March 12, 2005 (SAT I only) February 7, 2005 February 16, 2005
May 7, 2005 (SAT I or SAT IIs) March 25, 2005 April 6, 2005
June 4, 2005 (SAT I or SAT IIs) April 29, 2005 May 11, 2005
CHAPTER 1 / WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW SAT I 5
How do I register for the SAT I or SAT IIs?
If you have a credit card and don’t need special test-
ing arrangements (such as extended time or Sunday
testing), you can register online at -
legeboard.com/student/testing/sat/reg.html. If you do
need special arrangements, you must register by

mail. A mail registration form can be found in the
SAT I: Reasoning Test Bulletin or SAT II: Subject
Tests Bulletin, which you can get from your guidance
counselor. If you don’t have a guidance counselor,
request a bulletin by calling (609) 771-7600. Read
the bulletin carefully so that you know your many
options.
If you’ve already registered for a previous test, you
can register by phone for a $10 fee at (800) 728-7267 or
(609) 771-7600. The TTY number is (609) 882-4118.
Explore the College Board web site at http://www
.collegeboard.com. It has lots of useful information
and can answer most of the technical questions you
may have about the SAT I and other tests.
Are my SAT I and SAT II scores the most
important part of my college application?
In most cases, no, but these scores are becoming more
important as college admissions become more selec-
tive. Without exception, high SAT I scores will provide
you with an admission advantage regardless of what
kind of school you are applying to. Most colleges are
also very interested in your high school curriculum,
your high school grades, your essay, your teacher rec-
ommendations, your special talents or experiences,
and your extracurricular activities. Generally, the
more selective a college is, the more important the per-
sonal factors are, such as extracurricular activities and
special talents. Some large or specialized schools will
weigh the SAT I or ACT scores more heavily than oth-
ers, and even declare a cutoff score for applicants. If

you have any questions about how heavily a certain
college weighs your SAT I or ACT scores, call the ad-
missions office and ask.
How is the SAT I scored? Should I guess if I
don’t know the answer to a question?
Each of your three SAT I scores (Critical Reading,
Math and Writing) will be between 200 and 800.
Each scaled score is based on a raw score for that
section.
On any multiple-choice question, if you get the
question right, your raw score increases by 1 point.
If you get it wrong, your raw score decreases by
1
⁄
4
point. If you skip it, your raw score remains the
same. Therefore, on multiple-choice questions,
blind guessing will likely harm your score in the
short run. If you are guessing on no more than five
questions, be conservative and guess only when
you can eliminate two or more choices. If you are
guessing on more than ten questions, though, be
more aggressive and just try to eliminate at least
one choice before guessing.
On any math question in which you must “grid in”
a numerical answer, if you get the question right,
your raw score increases by 1 point. If you get it
wrong or skip it, your raw score remains the same.
Therefore,on grid-in questions, blind guessing
won’t harm you any more than leaving the ques-

tion blank. This means that if you have any kind
of guess, you should fill it in.
Can I take the SAT I with extended time?
Some students with special needs can take the SAT I
with extended time. These administrations are avail-
able only to students with a formal recommendation
and are strictly proctored. If you have a learning dis-
ability that has been diagnosed by a psychologist and
feel that an extended-time SAT I would benefit you,
talk to your guidance counselor about how to qualify
and register.
When will I receive my scores?
You can get your SAT I or SAT II scores by phone or
on the web about two weeks after you take the test
for a $13 fee. About ten days later, a written report
will be mailed to you free of charge. Any schools to
which you release your scores will receive them by
mail at about the same time you do. If a college
needs your scores sooner, you can “rush” them for a
$20 fee.
Can I get the actual test back when
I receive my scores?
On some SAT I administrations (usually those in
October, January, and May), the College Board pro-
vides the Question and Answer Service for a $12 fee.
This service provides you with a copy of the test book-
let, a record of your answers, the answer key, scoring
instructions, and information about the types and dif-
ficulty of each question. You may order this service
when you register or up to five months after the date

of the test. You may also order a copy of your answer
sheet only for a $10 fee.
Are some SAT Is easier than others?
SAT Is are “equated” so that one test should be, on av-
erage, just as difficult as any other. Many people think
that, since the SAT I is “graded on a curve,” it is best
to take the test when the “smart” kids are not taking
the test, so the curve will be in your favor. They are
wrong. The grading curves are determined ahead of
time for each test.
Don’t let such misconceptions dictate when you
take the test. Take it when you are best prepared
for it.
Since its inception in 1925, the SAT has undergone at
least ten significant “overhauls” to keep up with re-
search in standardized testing, trends in education,
and the needs of College Board member schools. It
will almost certainly change again in the future. The
2005 SAT I will differ from its predecessors in several
important ways:
• The name of the Verbal section of the SAT I has
been changed to the Critical Reading section.
• The Critical Reading section of the test has been
expanded to include a wider range of passages, in-
cluding shorter, single-paragraph passages.
• Analogy questions like MENDICANT : BEG :: brag-
gart : boast have been eliminated.
6 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT I
• You will be required to write a short (20-minute)
essay on a general topic, to be graded on substance,

organization, clarity, and style.
• One 35-minute section has been added consisting
of multiple-choice questions regarding standard
English grammar and usage.
• The Math section of the SAT I now includes more
advanced topics from Algebra II, such as absolute
value, rational equations, radical equations, ratio-
nal exponents, direct and inverse variation, func-
tion notation, domain and range, and quadratic
functions.
• Quantitative comparison questions, asking you
to determine which of two quantities (“Column A
vs. Column B”) is greater, have been eliminated.
2 HOW THE SAT I HAS CHANGED FOR 2005
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
1. Find Out Where You Are
2. Write Out a Plan and Commit to It
3. Working with College Hill Lessons
4. Two Sample Plans: The 10-Week Study Plan and the 2-Week Crash Plan
CHAPTER 2
✓
7
Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Click here for terms of use
I FIND OUT WHERE YOU ARE
The first step in Smart Training is to assess yourself.
Evaluate yourself with the following quiz:
DISAGREE STRONGLY AGREE STRONGLY
1 2 3 4 5
1. I feel confident in my test-taking abilities.
1 2 3 4 5

If you feel very confident about your test-taking
skills, great. If you don’t, then you’ll need to take
a lot of practice tests to build your familiarity
with and confidence in the test. These are found
in Chapter 19. Also, after each test, review any
lessons in this book that focus on problem
areas. This book provides the most focused and
substantial skill-building system available for the
SAT I. Just do the lessons you need, and your skills
will improve dramatically.
2. My nerves sometimes get the better of me on tests.
1 2 3 4 5
If your nerves are a problem, then carefully read
section 3 of Chapter 4: Learn the Mind-Body
Connection. This section discusses concrete prac-
tices for managing your nerves. Remember, it’s
very natural to feel nervous before a big test. This
is your body’s way of preparing for a challenging
task. If you learn good nerve management prac-
tices as you prepare for the test, you will be
focused and relaxed on test day, ready to do your
best.
3. I know a lot about how the SAT I is formatted,
scored, and used by colleges.
1 2 3 4 5
If you don’t know everything about how the SAT I
is formatted, scored, and used by colleges, care-
fully read Chapter 1: What You Need to Know
About the New SAT I.
4. I love to read.

1 2 3 4 5
If you love to read, and continually read chal-
lenging fiction as well as nonfiction, then you
will have an advantage on the SAT I Critical
Reading section. If you are a good reader, use
your skills on the SAT I. In other words, don’t
change your reading approach dramatically
to try to “crack” the SAT I. If you are a good
reader, this approach will probably harm you.
You should still do Lessons 1, 2, 3, and 5 in Chap-
ter 7: Critical Reading Skills. If you don’t feel
8 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT I
that you are a strong reader, then do all of the
Lessons in Chapter 7, and review them contin-
ually after each practice test.
5. I love to do math and logic puzzles.
1 2 3 4 5
Those who love math and logic puzzles have an
advantage on the SAT I Math section. This is be-
cause the SAT I is a reasoning test rather than an
achievement test, so it tests your ability to think
creatively even more than your ability to apply a
memorized procedure. If you don’t think solving
math and logic puzzles is fun, then carefully do
the lessons in Chapter 9: SAT I Math and MAPS-
CATCH to work on your reasoning skills, then
work carefully through the math lessons in Chap-
ters 9–14 as needed.
6. I love to do word puzzles.
1 2 3 4 5

If you do a lot of word puzzles like crosswords,
you will probably have an advantage on the
vocabulary-intensive questions on the SAT I, par-
ticularly the Sentence Completion questions. If
not, then carefully read the introduction to Chap-
ter 6: How to Build an Impressive Vocabulary
with MAPS-CATCH and work on your vocabu-
lary skills daily using the strategies discussed
there. Also, carefully complete Chapter 8: Sen-
tence Completion Skills, to hone your verbal in-
ference skills.
7. I know specifically which skills or problems types
I want to work on for the SAT I.
1 2 3 4 5
If you know that you have specific “problem spots,”
like working with fractions, or 3-D geometry prob-
lems, or tough sentence completion questions, or
“spacing out” on the reading passages, then this
book provides the right tools: skill-specific lessons
that focus on every problem type and skill that is
tested on the SAT I. Simply scan the Table of Con-
tents or the subheadings under each chapter title
page to find the skill you want to focus on, and do
the appropriate lessons.
8. My scores are already good, and I need to focus
only on the most challenging SAT I questions.
1 2 3 4 5
Every Lesson in Chapters 7–18 contains problems
to challenge even the best test-takers. If you feel
that your scores are already good, and you want to

focus on only the toughest questions, then do the
CHAPTER 2 / HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 9
last few questions on each SAT I Practice work-
sheet and review the corresponding lessons to re-
view any concepts. Also, take plenty of practice
tests in Chapter 19, focusing on the last few ques-
tions in each section. If your goals are more mod-
est, and you’d like to practice on the easy to
moderate questions also, work through all prob-
lems on the Concept Review worksheets and all
of the SAT I Practice worksheets, and review the
Lessons and Answer Key explanations when nec-
essary
9. I have a plan for when I will take all of my college
admissions tests, and I know my options.
1 2 3 4 5
If you’re not sure when you will be taking all of
your college admissions tests, read Chapter 1:
What You Need to Know about the New SAT I.
It will answer all your questions about what, why,
how, where, and when. Also, find out which tests
your prospective colleges require and which are
optional.
10. How many hours per week will I commit to SAT I
prep?
1 2 3 4 5 or more
Intelligent preparation requires time, and it should
not be time that you merely “squeeze in” among
your other tasks. Rather, you should plan your
study time carefully, and commit to it as you would

to other important tasks, like doctor’s appoint-
ments, team practice, club meetings, and so on. If
you want to see the 300- to 400-point improve-
ments that are common among our private stu-
dents, then you’ll have to work. (That’s right—it’s
not just a quick bag of tricks to memorize.) To see
that kind of improvement, you will probably need
to commit at least 5 hours per week for 10 weeks.
Nevertheless, many students see over 200-point
increases with just 3 good hours a week for six
weeks. Of course, any time you put into this book
will pay off, even if you do the one- or two-week
“crash course.”
11. How many weeks do I have to prepare?
1 or less 2 4 6 8 or more
If you have 8 or more weeks to prepare, you can
probably complete a full preparation program for
the SAT I and “max out” your potential, learning
lots of vocabulary and doing lots of focused and
mindful practice. The following pages lay out a
10-week plan for those students who have the time
and commitment for it. We also give you a 2-week
“crash” plan, if time is at a premium. But you
don’t have to use these; make a schedule to fit your
needs.
3 WORKING WITH COLLEGE HILL
®
LESSONS
College Hill Coaching
®

has spent fifteen years devel-
oping the most effective self-guided lessons in edu-
cation. The College Hill Lessons found throughout
this book are especially designed to promote mind-
ful workflow, which optimizes your understanding
of essential skills and practices. These lessons are
effective, but only if you use them properly. Fol-
low the instructions below carefully to make your
work as productive as possible.
Each College Hill Lesson is designed to be com-
pleted in about 30–45 minutes. This should allow you
enough time to check your work thoroughly and
be sure that you understand the key concepts. Col-
lege Hill Lessons generally have a four-page format.
2 WRITE OUT A PLAN AND COMMIT TO IT
Determine when you will take your SAT I and SAT IIs
and put these important deadlines in your calendar.
(See the test dates on page 4.) In a few pages you will
see the College Hill 10-Week SAT I Study Plan and
the College Hill 2-Week SAT I Crash Plan. You can
use these, or modify them to meet your needs and
your schedule. Write your plan down in your daily
planner or your weekly calendar. Commit to this
work schedule just as you would commit to a doctor’s
appointment or a date with a friend. Tell the people
around you about your study plans, so they will re-
spect them and help you to commit to them.
Dedicate a minimum of 30 minutes for each
four-page lesson you plan to complete in Chap-
ters 7–16. Also, you will need at least 3 hours and

10 minutes to complete any practice SAT I (or
3 hours and 25 minutes if you include the “experi-
mental” section).
The Lesson
This presents the important concepts and gives key
examples and sample problems and explanations,
Always read each Lesson and examples completely
and carefully and take notes before moving on to
the exercises that follow.
The Concept Review
Many of the Lessons will be followed immediately
by a Concept Review worksheet. This will reinforce
your understanding of the key concepts in the Les-
son. Work through each Concept Review problem
without peeking back at the Lesson. As you work,
circle the difficult questions. Only after complet-
ing the entire Concept Review, go to the Answer
Key and check your work. Mark wrong answers
with an “x,” but try to understand what mistakes
you made and why so you can avoid them in the
future.
10 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT I
The Practice
Most of the Concept Review worksheets are followed
by Practice worksheets. These provide you with prac-
tice, usually in the form of SAT I questions, in apply-
ing the key concepts as they will actually be tested on
the SAT I. As with the Concept Review worksheet
answer all of the questions on the Practice work-
sheet before checking your work on the Answer

Key. If you get a question wrong, read the Answer
Key explanation carefully so that you can avoid
the mistake in the future.
The Answer Key
This provides detailed explanations of the answers
and often shows different ways to approach the ques-
tions. Read the Answer Key solution to every ques-
tion, even for those questions you get right. Often
it will provide options for solving questions even
more efficiently than you did.
4
TWO SAMPLE PLANS: THE 10-WEEK STUDY PLAN
AND THE 2-WEEK CRASH PLAN
On the next few pages, you will find two sample study
plans: a complete 10-week plan that will give you plenty
of practice in every skill area tested on the SAT I,
and a 2-week crash plan that will hit the most com-
mon problem areas for most students. A smart plan,
however, must take your own individual needs,
strengths, and weaknesses into account. Perhaps
you can’t devote an hour a day for 10 weeks to SAT I
preparation. Perhaps you only have three or four
days each week to devote to it. Also, perhaps you
don’t need to worry about certain aspects of the test,
because your PSAT scores in those areas are satis-
factory. Think carefully about each of these fac-
tors, and draw up your own personal study plan.
Use those on the following pages as guides.
When making your plan, remember to be rea-
sonable. Don’t plan on doing an entire chapter in a

day, or even a couple of days. You should devote at
least 30 minutes to each lesson, and for particu-
larly difficult ones, perhaps as much as an hour.
Whatever you decide to do, write your plan down
on a calendar or day planner. If you don’t keep track
of your work, it will probably get away from you. Also,
use your planner to keep track of your progress on
the practice tests. Seeing this progress can be a great
motivator when the work gets tough.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
CHAPTER 2 / HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 11
• Read and
annotate
Chapters 1
and 3
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 9
Lessons 1 and 2
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 7

Lesson 1
• Chapter 10
Lesson 1
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 7
Lesson 6
• Chapter 10
Lesson 6
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 11
Lesson 3
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 12
Lesson 2
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 13
Lesson 2
• Chapter 8
Lesson 1
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 13
Lesson 7
• Chapter 8
Lesson 1

• Vocab Review
• Chapter 14
Lesson 6
Correct mistakes
in an old SAT I
The College Hill
®
10-Week SAT I Study Plan
• Read Chapter 6
and begin
Vocabulary
Lesson 1
• Read Chapter 4
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 17
Lessons 1 and 2
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 7
Lesson 2
• Chapter 10
Lesson 2
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 7
Lesson 7
• Chapter 10
Lesson 7
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 11
Lesson 4
• Lesson from

Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 12
Lesson 3
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 13
Lesson 3
• Chapter 8
Lesson 2
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 14
Lesson 1
• Lesson from
Chapter 16
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 14
Lesson 7
Correct mistakes
in an old SAT I
• Complete 30–
40 Vocabulary
study cards
from Unit 1
and Review
• 30–40 Unit 1–2

study cards
• Chapter 9
Lessons 3
and 4
• 30–40 Unit 2–3
study cards
• Chapter 7
Lesson 3
• Chapter 10
Lesson 3
• 30–40 Unit 3–4
study cards
• Chapter 7
Lesson 8
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• 30–40 Unit 4–5
study cards
• Chapter 11
Lesson 5
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• 30–40 Unit 5–6
study cards
• Chapter 12
Lesson 4
• Lesson from
Chapter 15

or 18
• 30–40 Unit 6–7
study cards
• Chapter 13
Lesson 4
• Chapter 8
Lesson 3
• 30–40 study
cards
• Chapter 14
Lesson 2
• Lesson from
Chapter 16
or 18
• Complete
Vocab Review
• Problem-area
math review
Correct mistakes
in an old SAT I
• 10 minutes
Vocabulary
Review
• Chapter 15
Lessons 1 and 2
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 17
Lessons 3 and 4
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 7

Lesson 4
• Chapter 10
Lesson 4
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 7
Lesson 9
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 11
Lesson 6
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 12
Lesson 5
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 13
Lesson 5
• Chapter 8
Lesson 4
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 14
Lesson 3
• Lesson from

Chapter 16
or 18
• Complete
Vocab Review
• Problem-area
math review
• Drive to test
site (if
unfamiliar)
• 10 minutes
Vocabulary
Review
• Chapter 15
Lessons 3 and 4
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 9
Lessons 5 and 6
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 7
Lesson 5
• Chapter 10
Lesson 5
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 11
Lesson 1
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 11

Lesson 7
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 12
Lesson 6
• Lesson from
Chapter 15
or 18
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 13
Lesson 6
• Chapter 8
Lesson 5
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 14
Lesson 4
• Lesson from
Chapter 16
or 18
• Write down a
“game plan” for
your SAT I,
one week away
• Relax
• Get materials
ready for test
Take and score
Diagnostic Test in

Chapter 5
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 1 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 2 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 3 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 4 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 5 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 6 in

Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 7 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
Practice Test 8 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
SAT I
Catch-up or rest
• Vocabulary
Unit 1
• Review
Exercises in
Chapter 6
• Vocabulary
Unit 2
• Review
Exercises in
Chapter 6
• Chapter 11
Lesson 2
• Vocabulary
Unit 3

• Review
Exercises in
Chapter 6
• Chapter 12
Lesson 1
• Vocabulary
Unit 4
• Review
Exercises in
Chapter 6
• Chapter 13
Lesson 1
• Vocabulary
Unit 5
• Review
Exercises in
Chapter 6
• Chapter 8
Lesson 6
• Vocabulary
Unit 6
• Review
Exercises in
Chapter 6
• Chapter 14
Lesson 5
• Vocabulary
Unit 7
• Review
Exercises in

Chapter 6
• Catch-up
or rest
• Review
vocabulary
Celebrate!
12 MCGRAW-HILL’S SAT I
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Week 1
Week 2
• Read and
annotate
Chapters 1
and 3
• Take and score
Diagnostic Test
in Chapter 5
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 12
Lessons 1–2
• Chapter 8
Lesson 3
• Review
answers to
Practice SAT I
The College Hill
®

2-Week SAT I Crash Plan
• Study Vocab
Unit 1, Lessons
1–7 and
complete
Exercise Sets I,
II, and III at the
end of Unit 1
• Read Chapter 9
• Review answers
to Diagnostic
SAT I
• Chapter 12
Lesson 3
• Chapter 8
Lesson 4
• Chapter 7
Lesson 5
• Study Vocab
from Unit 1
• Chapter 7
Lesson 1
(4 pages)
• Chapter 10
Lesson 1
(4 pages)
• Vocab review
• Chapter 12
Lessons 4–5
• Chapter 7

Lesson 2
• Chapter 10
Lessons 2–3
•Vocab Review
• Chapter 11
Lessons 1–2
• Chapter 8
Lesson 5
• Review Vocab
• Chapter 17
Lessons 1–2
• Chapter 10
Lesson 4
• Vocab Review
• Chapter 7
Lessons 6–7
• Chapter 13
Lesson 1
• Chapter 8
Lessons 1–2
• Chapter 10
Lesson 5
• Complete and
score two
“problem
sections” from
Practice Test 2
in Chapter 19
• Get all materials
ready for

tomorrow's test
• Get to bed at a
reasonable time
• Take and
score Practice
Test 1 in
Chapter 19
M:_____
CR:_____
W:_____
• Chapter 17
Lessons 3–4
SAT I
CHAPTER 3
✓
13
THE COLLEGE
HILL METHOD
Helping your mind work better
1. The College Hill Method in a Nutshell
2. What is MAPS-CATCH?
Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Click here for terms of use