|
Believe it or not, the SAT is rooted in a revolutionary concept. The original thinkers behind the idea of a national "Census of Abilities" were tired of the ruling elite – white, high-Protestant, privately educated, East Coast men who traced their families to the early Puritans. They thought a new elite made up of the brightest minds from every part of the country would emerge to run America. And these brainiacs could be found, they fervently believed, through the administration of standardized mental exams. According to Nicholas Lemann and his book The Big Test: The Secret History of the American Meritocracy, these intelligent, public-spirited people would manage the large technical organizations that would be the background of the late-twentieth century United States and create – for the first time ever – an organized system that would provide opportunity to all Americans. |
|
|
The total testing time for the SAT is 3 hours and 45 minutes. That’s longer than the special extended edition of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.” Before you sit down to take the test, you should know what you’re getting into: First up is always the 25-minute essay. Last will always be the 10-minute multiple-choice writing section. What’s in between? You’re looking at six 25-minute sections peppered with two 20-minute sections. They will come in any order. So remember that your friend sitting next to you in the same testing session may have test books with totally different sections from yours. |
|
|
Imagine you are agonizing over what is stated vs. what is implied in a passage on paleontology, when the joker seated next to you pulls out a Clif bar and begins to chow. Not cool. And for that reason, food and drink are banned during the actual test taking. But fear not: You don’t have to starve yourself through the whole ordeal. Just pack all your favorite nibbles in a backpack and dive in during the breaks. What’s the best snack to pack? Try loading up on things that mix protein and carbohydrates, like an apple and peanut butter, or yogurt with fruit. This way, you’ll get an energy boost while also feeling full. |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
