Foreword

Cracking the New SAT with 4 Practice Tests, 2016 Edition (2015)

Welcome to Cracking the New SAT, which has been updated to reflect the new SAT debuting in March 2016. The SAT is not a test of aptitude, how good of a person you are, or how successful you will be in life. The SAT simply tests how well you take the SAT. And performing well on the SAT is a skill, one that can be learned like any other. The Princeton Review was founded more than 30 years ago on this very simple idea, and—as our students’ test scores show—our approach is the one that works.

Sure, you want to do well on the SAT, but you don’t need to let the test intimidate you. As you prepare, remember two important things about the SAT:

•It doesn’t measure the stuff that matters. It measures neither intelligence nor the depth and breadth of what you’re learning in high school. It doesn’t predict college grades as well as your high school grades do. Colleges know there is more to you as a student—and as a person—than what you do at a single 3-hour test administered on a random Saturday morning.

•It underpredicts the college performance of women, minorities, and disadvantaged students. Historically, women have done better than men in college but worse on the SAT. For a test that is used to help predict performance in college, that’s a pretty poor record.

Your preparation for the SAT starts here. We at The Princeton Review spend millions of dollars every year improving our methods and materials so that students are always ready for the SAT, and we’ll get you ready too.

However, there is no magic pill: Just buying this book isn’t going to improve your scores. Solid score improvement takes commitment and effort from you. If you read this book carefully and work through the problems and practice tests included in the book, not only will you be well-versed in the format of the SAT and the concepts it tests, you will also have a sound overall strategy and a powerful arsenal of test-taking strategies that you can apply to whatever you encounter on test day.

In addition to the comprehensive review in Cracking the New SAT, we’ve included additional practice online, accessible through our website—PrincetonReview.com—to make it even more efficient at helping you to improve your scores. Before doing anything else, be sure to register your book at PrincetonReview.com/cracking. When you do, you’ll gain access to the most up-to-date information on the new SAT, as well as more SAT and college admissions resources.

The more you take advantage of the resources we’ve included in this book and the online student tools that go with it, the better you’ll do on the test. Read the book carefully and learn our strategies. Take the full-length practice tests under actual timed conditions. Analyze your performance and focus your efforts where you need improvement. Perhaps even study with a friend to stay motivated. Attend a free event at The Princeton Review to learn more about the SAT and how it is used in the college admissions process. Search our website for an event that will take place near you!

This test is challenging, but you’re on the right track. We’ll be with you all the way.

Good luck!

The Staff of The Princeton Review

1Go to PrincetonReview.com/cracking

2You’ll see a welcome page where you can register your book using the following ISBN: 9781101881866

3After placing this free order, you’ll either be asked to log in or to answer a few simple questions in order to set up a new Princeton Review account.

4Finally, click on the “Student Tools” tab located at the top of the screen. It may take an hour or two for your registration to go through, but after that, you’re good to go.

If you are experiencing book problems (potential content errors), please contact EditorialSupport@review.com with the full title of the book, its ISBN number (located above), and the page number of the error. Experiencing technical issues? Please e-mail TPRStudentTech@review.com with the following information:

•your full name

•e-mail address used to register the book

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•description of technical issue

Once you’ve registered, you can…

•Access and print out two more full-length practice tests as well as the corresponding answers and explanations

•Find any late-breaking information released about the SAT

•Read our special “SAT Insider” and get valuable advice about the college application process, including tips for writing a great essay and where to apply for financial aid

•Sort colleges by whatever you’re looking for (such as Best Theater or Dorm), learn more about your top choices, and see how they all rank according to The Best 380 Colleges

•Check out bonus features in your Premium Portal, including comprehensive study guides and short videos to help enhance your test prep

•Download printable resources such as score conversion tables, extra bubble sheets, and essay answer forms for the practice tests

•Check to see if there have been any corrections or updates to this edition

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