Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT 2009-2010 Edition [Paperback]

Larry Berger (Author), Michael Colton (Author), Manek Mistry (Author), Paul Rossi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0761149422 | ISBN-13: 978-0761149422

It's the SAT guide that kids will actually enjoy using. And it's the one that works: The students who developed Up Your Score all aced the SAT and went to the colleges of their choice. Irreverent, credible, delivered with attitude, Up Your Score combines the best math, critical reading, and essay preparation with strategies and tips designed to help kids psych out The Test. Its witty, peer-to-peer voice—like getting advice from a good (and really smart) friend—makes the material so much easier to retain than the dry text of traditional test guides. And priced at $11.95, it's an economical alternative to expensive test-preparation courses, and an affordable addition, breath of fresh air, and reality check for the student who has a Princeton Review or Kaplan book.

Includes: How to think like the SAT. How to prepare the essay in advance. Six hundred key vocabulary words (and proven tricks for actually remembering them). Insider math tricks. The best way to fill in answer circles, and other strategies to save precious minutes. Plus, tips for maintaining concentration, why it's always better to guess than to leave a question unanswered, and a recipe for energy-boosting Sweet & Tasty 800 Bars (and how to smuggle them into the testing hall).

FREE: An online diagnostic test from PrepMe.com and an iPod download that helps students learn the 600 key vocabulary words.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A guerilla manual to fighting the enemy…It takes no prisoners.” –The New York Times (The New York Times )

“This is big news. Shows other sweaty-palmed teenagers how to outsmart the SAT before it outsmarts them.” –The Boston Globe (Boston Globe )

“Everything you need to give ‘em hell.” –Sassy magazine (Sassy )

From the Back Cover

You’ve been hearing about the SAT since they day you entered high school. Guess what? It’s time. So when you walk into that testing hall, will it be with a case of nerves—or attitude? A guerrilla guide written by six students who destroyed the SAT, Up Your Score combines the best math and verbal preparation with the strategies and tips you need to psyche out—and not be psyched out by—the Test.

Six kids who’ve aced it show you how to:
Think like the SAT
Improve memory and maintain peak concentration
Master insider math tricks
Learn 600 key vocabulary words
Hone your speed and timing
Be a better guesser (and why it’s almost always better to guess)
Do sections in the best order
Prepare your essay in advance

But wait! There’s more:
Insider college admissions advice
What to do if you have a nasty proctor
The Up Your Score Lower Your Stress Plan
The SAT and the internet
A recipe for Sweet and Tasty 800 Bars and how to smuggle them into the testing hall
How best to fill in the answer circles and save nearly 6 minutes

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (July 2, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761149422
• ISBN-13: 978-0761149422
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,277 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Colton, a Harvard University graduate, is a screenwriter and co-editor of ModernHumorist.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious But Not Helpful, November 22, 2008

By 

SM (NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT 2009-2010 Edition (Paperback)

Up Your Score is an amazingly fun book to read about the SAT. With that being said, it will barely prepare you for the SAT. Yes, it may make the SAT bearable with funny passages and pop culture references, but beyond that, the book holds no prowess. The only useful think about this book is the Vocabulary Section. The sentences are full of puns so they make the words easier to remember. However, this book has NO practice problems or tests. I would not recommend buying this book solely if you're serious about prepping for the SAT. Although, I do recommend it as a fun read when you're stressed about the ETS/SAT.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best SAT strategy guide, April 29, 2009

By 

N. Apolinar "Ammej" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT 2009-2010 Edition (Paperback)

This is the most amazing book for the SAT i've seen so far after simply glancing over the writing section a couple of days before I received a 630 on the sat writing section. After my first sat i really read it through and noticed just how amazing it is. It's a great read, keeps you entertained, and has amazing tips. I can't wait to take the sat test this saturday and impale the evil testing serpent. Pair this book with the college board book and you'll be on your way to success.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is amazing!, November 19, 2008

By 

Torie "cougarette" (Evansville, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT 2009-2010 Edition (Paperback)

Though I haven't read this 09-10 version, I've read the 05-06 version and it was amazing! The book is so funny- honestly, no one will want to stop reading! It has a "teenager attitude"- it goes along with the fact that yes, the SAT sucks, and yes, everyone hates it, that kind of thing. It kicks butt- I love it! I would recommend it to everyone! =]