Customer Reviews

How to Prepare for Sat II: World History (Barron's How to Prepare for the Sat II World History)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I am a student from Romania and I studied for the test using *only* this book (I got 750). True, the dimensions of the book seem a bit overwhelming, but at least 90% of it is material which is necessary for the test. In fact, out of the 95 questions asked, there was one which wasn't answered by the book (which is a great ratio, I say: there were 94 covered by it). I also agree that some generalizations are not subtle, but that is exactly what a world history book is supposed to contain, parallels -justified or partly forced- between peoples and their cultures.

The practice tests are indeed over the level of the real SAT II, but I disagree with the Korean critic who implied that they are wrong (and that would mean that the book is bad). Yes, there are some questions needing interpretation and maybe ones with more correct answers, but that happens in the real test too. I think it is better this way (and the mistakes aren't numerous).

I recommend it to anyone curious about world history, not only SAT II trainees. The book is just a great read.

This is a great book to study from if you are taking the SAT II's for World History. It has about 350 pages of detailed information. I just took the test today, and I saw that about 50% of the questions were almost word for word from this book. If you buy this book, make sure that you have enough time to study because there is a lot of information packed into every page. If you can learn/memorize all of the stuff in this book, I can almost guarantee that you will get over 720 (out of 800).

I used this book last year to prepare for the World History SAT II in conjunction with the Kaplan book, and I thought it was really helpful, and I did pretty good on the test as well, since I found the practice tests to be harder than the actual test itself. The tests at the end of each chapter were also pretty helpful in reviewing the material. Totally go for it...

This book a great information, though the information given is a bit too much to prepare for a test in under 3 months. Luckily I am naturally smart in history and geography, but what really helped me on the test were the practice quizzes and tests. The World History test really includes more than you will learn in the classroom. It covers art, music, archaeology, general history, anthropology, and economic history. The questions that this book gave basically reappeared on the test. I was a little disappointed in my grade(720) and I should have studied harder. I guarantee at least a 650 on the test if you read this book. Overall the book is great.

Af first glance, this book seems to have everything that is needed to acheive a high score on the SAT II: World History test. However, after reading the first few chapters, you realize this book is too detailed. This book seems great for a person that has 3+ months to study. However, if your under three months and you've already purchased this book, really focus on units V-VIII, since most of practice test in the back focus on those four units.

Let me tell you something about the SAT II in World Hisotry: This is actually a test in Modern European History with a few questions on Greece, Rome, China, and Japan, and maybe one question on India, American Indians, or some other non-Western civilization. Calling it "World History" and having a few token non European questions is probably the ETS's attempt to be PC or something.

This book has a lot of information, none of which you will need to know for the test. It goes into great length about the histories of China, Japan, India, the Middle East, American Indians (i.e. Mayans, Aztecs, Incas, etc) but barely deals with European history at all. I think the majority of people who would take this test (as opposed to the SAT II in US History) are also the people who took AP European History in high school. Fortunately having taken AP European History will be a pretty good preparation for this test.

As a teacher of World and European History I am concerned that many students purchase Marilynn Hitchens' SAT II World History (I refer to the 1996 edition) simply because the abbreviation SAT II features in capital letters on the cover and it is part of a widely used series of SAT II preparation books. Let us take a look at Model test 2 : Q 1 offers two wrong choices where there is supposed to be only one - D is the intended wrong answer, but B is wrong two. Adolf Hitler's NSDAP became the strongest party in the 1933 elections, but in order to govern it had to form a coalition with other parties; only that coalition then had a majority; the NSDAP never won a majority in free elections. Q 3 offers either no or 3 correct answers, depending on how you interprete it - all countries mentioned had colonies in Africa from the 1880es to 1914, the British, French and Spanish had a colonial Empire in Africa before and only expanded it in those years. Q 56 the intended answer is D - chronological order Berlin Wall, Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis. The author here seems to confuse the construction of the Berlin Wall (1961) with the erection of the Iron Curtain (1949) Q 86 intended answer E Curus the Great Empire in 486 B.C. Cyrus ruled 559-529; in 486 Darius I. was sitting on the throne of the Persian Empire. The map shows the Persian Empire with Egypt (conquered after Cyrus), but without India (part of Darius' Empire). 4 questions make quite a difference in an SAT II test. The text section of the book is similarily unreliable, the 'maps' or should I say geographical sketches are very sloppy. The book is in my view unprofessional; spreading often incorrect knowledge, it is confusing rather than informing.

I recently took the CLEP history of the western world I & II exams. However, as far as I can tell, no one makes a study guide for "these" CLEP exams (not enough history lovers taking CLEP test I suppose). So, I purchased "this" book too study for the CLEP tests. I figured any world history book made by Barrons would do the job. I was right! I took my time and studied for two months, using only this book as my study guide. I got a sore of 64 (50 is passing, 80 is the highest score you can get). That translates into a B- or an A-, depending on which school you apply too with your test results. I had too keep on reminding myself not too read "ALL" of this books world's history (the test was on history of the "western" world). Also, I took only one chapter-ending test. Since I did not read the whole chapter, the scoring process was more trouble than it was worth. A test guide just for these CLEP tests would have been my first choice. However, this did the job just fine.

I studied the 2 weeks before the test using this book and I scored a 740. The questions at the end of the units and the two practice tests are tough-a lot tougher than the actual thing which is why if you read the book and do all the questions you are guaranteed a good score, but you have to be dedicated.

Contains only two practice exams without annotated answer key. Reader is directed by pg # back to the text for any explanation of the right answer only.