Category: SAT

By Blaise P.

Episode 10, Season 34 of NBC’s hit show Saturday Night Live was, without a doubt, the most glorious moment in television history. At least, it was for me.

John Malkovich — known for his roles in Bird Box (a recent Netflix horror hit) and Warm Bodies (the only dystopian rom-com I’ve ever seen) — hosted, with rapper T.I. as the musical guest. But I didn’t care for Malkovich’s designer stubble or T.I.’s contagious rhymes. Episode 10 earned a special place in my heart with its “Calculator Christmas Gift” sketch.

If you haven’t seen “Calculator Christmas,” you’re missing out. In the sketch, Malkovich and Fred Armisen play Aiden and Glenn, twin brothers who won’t stop yapping about what they want for Christmas. They have just one request for Santa — a calculator.

Maybe it was their enthusiasm (“Hey ma’! I’m gonna add so many numbers,” promises Malkovich) or their curiosity (“do 89 times 56… Woah!” hollers Armisen), but I saw myself in those characters. When I opened my first TI-84 Graphing Calculator in 8th grade, I felt a rush of joy. The new buttons piqued my interest. What was sin, or cos? I didn’t want to be a lumberjack, why was there a “log?” And don’t even get me started on the graphing.

I’m an unapologetic calculator fiend. But when I first sat through my standardized exams and heard about the tons of acceptable or (gasp!) forbidden calculators, I wondered if my trusty TI-84 was the best out there. This post seeks to answer that question: what is the best calculator for the SAT or ACT?

So buckle up, nerds. Let’s do this.

No Calculator:
Both the SAT and ACT state that all of their math problems can be solved without a calculator. And if you have infinite time and you were trained as a NASA scientist in the era of Hidden Figures, they might be right. Although a portion of the SAT requires you to ditch your mechanical best friend, you’ll probably need a calculator to solve a majority of the math problems. Even if you don’t, you have a limited time for each section (55 minutes for the SAT and 60 minutes for the ACT), and using a calculator to compute massive addition problems will save you lots of necessary seconds.

Given the difficulty of the math sections, many may wonder why the SAT and ACT even argue that their tests can be completed without a calculator. It’s likely because the SAT and ACT are standardized exams and therefore can’t discriminate between students fortunate enough to have an advanced calculator and those who can’t afford it.

Knowing that the SAT and ACT are technically designed to be calculator-free exams can actually be an advantage. It’ll save you from what many esteemed professors have dubbed the “Wait… That’s Too Hard” Effect. Suppose you stumble upon a square root but none of the answers contain square roots in root form. For instance, if you find that a cube has sides of √10 units and you’re asked to calculate volume. But all of the answers are in decimals and none shows 10√10. That discrepancy — needing to calculate the exact decimal value of a radical — might indicate that you’re on the wrong track, since you’d probably need a calculator to simplify.

Scientific Calculators: TI-30X / Casio Fx-300MS
When the porridge is just right. Scientific calculators perfectly balance capability and affordability. These bad boys offer a plethora of bang for your buck. While they can add, subtract, multiply, and divide (like traditional “four-function” calculators), scientific calculators can also evaluate trigonometric and logarithmic expressions. And for under $20, I’d wager that Goldilocks would be pleased! Find the TI-30X and Casio on Amazon.

A few more facts for mega-nerds: scientific calculators are typically solar-powered, so you won’t have to worry about bringing extra batteries. Some also have a small amount of memory where you can store your variables. If you’re interested in purchasing a scientific calculator, most die-hard mathers will recommend either the TI-30X and the Casio Fx-300MS as the best scientific calculators.

These calculators don’t get the love that they deserve. When you’re the Luigi to the Ti-84’s Mario, it’s hard not to be cast aside. Although scientific calculators are undeniably less powerful than their more advanced cousins, scientific calculators might actually be more helpful than you’d think. For one, they’re inexpensive. More importantly, you’re less likely to become reliant on a scientific calculator than you would be if you used a more advanced calculator. Let’s explore why.

Graphing Calculators: TI-84 / Casio Fx-9750GII
El clásico. In addition to all the functionality of the scientific calculator, graphing calculators can do what the name suggests — they graph. With calculators like the TI-84 and the Casio Fx-9750GII, students can input equations and watch (in awe) as the calculator draws that graph. Be warned, however. If they’re anything like me, they may try and graph the Mandelbrot set only to crash their calculator. I assume that also happened to other people. Right?

Graphing equations is pretty, but most graphing calculators can also analyze those graphs. You can evaluate the zeroes, or roots, of an equation; you can calculate the intersection of two graphs; you can graph derivatives and integrals; you can even find local maxima and minima without ever deriving!

The graphing, however, can be a tad frustrating. The TI-84 and Casio Fx-9750GII can graph in only four coordinate planes — just rectangular, polar, parametric, and sequential. Hold your disappointment, because it gets worse: you can’t graph non-functions in rectangular coordinates! Budding Gauss-ians looking to graph conic sections like with the “normal,” x-y equations for hyperbolas or ellipses (basically, anything not in the form of “y=”) might run into trouble with the TI-84. Better warm up those parametric and polar conversions.

I’m obviously joking. A graphing calculator will be more than enough for either the SAT or ACT. And for a whooping price of around $100, they’d better be.

Graphing calculators have oodles of memory. You can save any of your calculations, define up to 26 different variables, and (my favorite feature) type in longer equations without having to press the equals sign after each term. Statistics aficionados would be excited to use the “Stat” button, which transports students to the wonderful world of standard deviation and mean. I’ve breezed through calculations involving definite integrals, infinite sums, and probabilities: just try the “Math” button.

I bet we could use a graphing calculator to quantify and graph your excitement from reading these features, but I’ve left out one very important aspect. Graphing calculators can run programs. You heard me. Programming your graphing calculator can greatly reduce the time it might take you to solve problems — and be sure to check out our recommendations for programs you can put into your calculator. Why remember the quadratic formula when you can just program it?

Well, there’s a glaring reason. Plugging numbers into a program isn’t a substitute for understanding the complicated mathematical nuance behind it. In other words, you can’t become reliant on your calculator. You still need to comprehend what you’re doing so you can work through the unexpected problems that your program might not be able to solve.

Whether you can use programmed calculators on the SAT or ACT isn’t clear. Our poor intern pored over each exam’s policy and found that on the ACT, all programs must be removed from your calculator. And even if the proctor doesn’t clear your calculators, the ACT still considers using calculator programs to be cheating. The SAT, however, hasn’t stated anything definitive that explicitly condones or prohibits programs. Regardless of whether you can use your programs on exam day, though, they’re helpful.

I’ve also been able to calculate a matrix on the TI-84. Unfortunately, however, you can’t download The Matrix movie onto a graphing calculator. But you probably can with these next calculators.

CAS Calculators: TI-89 Titanium / Ti-Nspire
Calculators on steroids. Blaise Pascal’s dream come true. More like US Army gadgets than SAT devices. On top of containing all the functionality of a graphing calculator, these beasts might just be able to land another rocket on the moon.

These calculators remind me of Emperor Palpatine’s bone-chilling screams in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. “Unlimited power!” he bellows, as volts of electricity shoot Mace Windu. So, too, possess the TI-89 Titanium and TI-Nspire. They’re called “CAS” — Computer Algebra System — calculators, and are essentially pocket computers. Students can plug any equation and the screen will spit back the solved equation. They can also evaluate indefinite integrals and graph in three dimensions. Wow.

The ACT has banned most of these mechanical rhinos on their exams, but the SAT still allows most CAS Calculators. If you’re unsure about your specific calculator, be sure to check the official calculator policies on the SAT’s or ACT’s websites.

Abacus:
Surprisingly, neither exam’s policy speaks on whether you can use an abacus. But I’d recommend that you stick to calculators invented after 500BCE.

So, which calculator is best for the SAT or ACT? It depends on your budget, level of comfort with math, and your learning style. Each option — scientific, graphing, CAS, or even none — can either strengthen or weaken your math ability. You’ll have access to incredibly useful functions on more advanced systems, but you’ll still need to retain your creativity and rigorous understanding of mathematical reasoning.

It’s like what Uncle Ben said: “with a great calculator, comes great responsibility.” Or something similar. I didn’t pay attention. I was too busy dreaming about which calculator I’d get for Christmas.

* This post was not sponsored. Money couldn’t inspire this level of nerdiness.

Guest blog post by Pierre F.

Think back to the classic cartoons, where an unlucky antagonist gets caught in an avalanche before plunging downhill as a colossal snowball accrues around him. It might be fitting to compare this hilarious moment to the stress that many students feel the night before their big test. Months of preparation coalesce into one giant snowball — a culmination that can seem overwhelming as many students, ever-conscious of the pressures awaiting them on test day, struggle to fall asleep.

This post seeks to mitigate those worries by providing some simple steps to answer that sometimes-neglected question: what should you do the night before the SAT or ACT?
 

Step 1: Take care of business
You don’t want to rush around on test morning. It’s best to prepare the various materials you’ll need to enter your testing center before you hit the hay. So, what might those materials be?

Firstly, you should confirm the time and location of your test center. Those can be found on your admission ticket, which you should also have already printed (in color, if possible). You’ll need a valid ID — school IDs are sufficient — to doubly-verify your identity.

Secondly, be sure to take stock of all the testing materials you’ll need. Pack two #2 pencils, some extra erasers, and an approved calculator. You should consider taking backup batteries if your calculator is battery-powered. Owners of solar-powered calculators aren’t off the hook. Please be sure to pack an extra sun, should the sun stop working during the test.

If possible, you might want to bring a watch. Although your proctor will call out the time at various intervals, your test center is not guaranteed to have a clock. We’d recommend a digital watch without an alarm. Both the SAT and ACT prohibit watches with alarms, and that constant ticking can be distracting.

You might want to store all of these materials in a clear, plastic bag. Break out some of those Ziploc bags; they work just fine!

To save time in the morning, lay out your clothes the night before. Please remember that what you wear to the testing center will not be the highlight of Paris Fashion Week. Dress comfortably, with breathable fabrics and perhaps an embracing hoodie. And if you show up to the test center with pants made of pudding, wake up. That’s a dream.

 
Step 2: Feed the machine
Food is essential. Harvard psychiatrists have argued that “what you eat directly affects the structure of your brain,” so let’s explore some healthy — and scrumptious — options.

On the night before the exam, be sure to eat a healthy, nutritious meal, full of carbohydrates, vegetables, and proteins. You might feel tempted to scarf down tons of what dubious scientific magazines call the “healthiest foods,” but that probably won’t help you. The benefits of healthy eating accumulate over time and eating edamame one night won’t immediately transform you into a super-genius. Even carb-loading, the supposedly-helpful ritual where runners scarf down carbohydrates the night before their big race, doesn’t always work.

It’s perhaps best to eat a full meal of healthy foods, rather than give into unfounded myths. Turn down the Doritos for some pasta and vegetables!

On the morning of the exam, be sure to continue eating healthily. A meal full of proteins (eggs, for instance) is essential to supporting your brain through its difficult work. Consider, furthermore, shaking off the morning grogginess with some light reading, crosswords, or Sudoku.

 
Step 3: Hey, chillax.
Try not to study the night before the exam. Cramming in extra information during the wee hours of the morning likely won’t really help. If you feel stressed, looking over your notes or a few complicated formulae can help calm your nerves — but try to not exceed a quick review. Trust in your prior preparation and ability to recall knowledge!

So, how to relax? Well, it’s different for everyone. In case you’re stuck, we’ve provided links to the best 40 comedies on Netflix and Spotify’s relaxation playlist.

Sleep is crucial to success on test day. Many studies suggest that poor sleep habits — especially prolonged ones — can reduce students’ abilities to both understand material and perform well on exams. Try to sleep a little more than you normally do; 30-60 extra minutes can be helpful. Make sure to set plenty of alarms, too!

Some scientists argue that phone usage is linked to insomnia; they recommend that you stay off of your phone for 2-3 hours before sleeping. Given those ideas, maybe consider limiting your fervent Instagram scrolling a bit on the night before your exam. Trust me, the World Record Egg can wait.

Ultimately, you should remain calm on the night before the SAT or ACT. Prepare for the day ahead, but don’t forget to relax. To get a little philosophical, the piling snowball is only as dangerous as the mountain will allow. Armed with a helpful night-before routine, your ample preparation and agile thinking will help you navigate whatever question comes your way.

Guest blog post by J.K. Halsted

It’s a feeling that every high school student dreads: opening the results of your SAT or ACT and not seeing the perfect score you wanted. Whether that goal was a 1500 or a 1250, there’s an inevitable swell of disappointment, insecurity, and worry. Your mind somehow conjures up the harrowing image of your college dreams washing away.

Don’t worry. Silence your neural inquisitor. You will be okay.

Taking standardized exams is almost never like slaying Dracula: one stake through the heart isn’t enough to stop the vampire. Hardly anyone achieves his or her dream score in a single attempt. Most students, no matter their initial level of satisfaction with their first score, end up retaking the SAT or ACT at least once.[i]

But retaking an exam comes fraught with uncertainty. Many parents and students fret about the extra preparation, doing worse on a retake than on the original, and how schools might potentially penalize them. This post seeks to soothe some of those worries, debunk the gold standard set by the one-and-done testing triumph, and answer that oft-asked question: does retaking the SAT or ACT look bad to colleges?

The short answer is no. Retaking the SAT or ACT does not look bad to colleges; it may actually demonstrate your perseverance and improve your score.

Chances are, you’ll do better on the retake than on your first try. Most students do. In a 2015 study, the ACT found that high school seniors who first took the test in their sophomore year achieved a final score that averaged 2.7 points higher than their first score. The SAT hasn’t published comparable statistics recently, but a 2014 study (completed when SAT scores were calculated out of 2400) showed that students retaking the SAT raised their score by 90 points on average.

So… that’s it! The numbers say that you’ll do better if you retake the exam. Fork over that Nobel Prize, Einstein!

Well, not exactly. You’re more likely to see an improvement in your scores because you’ll figure out what topics to spend more study time on, and you’ll know what taking a standardized exam is actually like.

Actually sitting for a standardized exam is the best form of test preparation that you can get. Once you’ve been through the trenches — crunched in a tiny desk, surrounded by dozens of peers, hammered by the persistent hum of a fan — and still powered through an exam, you’ll be able to accurately say what you can achieve under those circumstances. You’ll also find out what exactly you do (and do not) understand. Suppose you flew through rational functions while studying but floundered when it came time to do them on the exam. That’s an indication that you probably cut a few corners in your studying, and you should practice more rational functions in preparation for your retake.

Furthermore, the first time anyone sits for a standardized exam, they’re bound to be nervous. First-time frights are real. Retaking the exam will let you approach the test with more confidence than you had in your first attempt.

Typically, these two advantages — more thorough preparation and increased confidence — are why some SAT consultants may recommend taking your first SAT in March and another SAT in May. After you reevaluate the way you prepare for the exam, your score will likely increase.

Most colleges won’t even consider your original scores. Colleges get it. They understand that we’re human, that we all have rough days, and that one number does not reflect our overall ability. Many colleges, therefore, have adopted a practice called “superscoring.” Superscoring involves dividing your standardized exams into their constituent parts and, in order to evaluate you at your best, considering only the highest of those sections.

For the purpose of retaking an exam, the majority of colleges will ignore your lower score and consider only the higher, especially for the SAT. Policies vary from school to school, so be sure to check each school’s official policy, but the majority of colleges have adopted some form of superscoring. Each of the Ivy League schools, for instance, superscores the SAT. [ii]

The ACT is a little different — schools are more reluctant to superscore the ACT because of its smaller score range and its composite average score — but that’s not to say no school superscores the ACT. Some do, and most others have official “considerations” that seem like superscoring in all but name. Cornell and the University of Pennsylvania, for instance, superscore the ACT; five other Ivy League schools have “consideration” policies, where they consider a student’s ACT superscore but do not officially calculate it.[iii]

But continually retaking exams might not be the best idea. If retaking an exam typically increases scores, some students might want to sign up for every SAT or ACT administration that they can. But if you’ve been preparing effectively, retaking an exam for the fourth of fifth time is unlikely to make any substantial difference.

For one, it’s expensive. Although the SAT and ACT offer fee waivers, exams cost around $50 each per sitting, and costs can rack up quick. But more importantly, scores tend to taper out over time.

So, should you keep retaking the SAT or ACT to improve your score?

Probably not. To borrow some mathematical language, standardized exam scores follow a logarithmic trend (if you already understood that, keep slaying those math sections). In other words, there are major score increases in the beginning, but these dwindle as time goes on. The Collegeboard reports that students see the highest score increase when they take the SAT for the second time — but, after the second testing, a student’s increase in score between exams becomes smaller and smaller. You’re unlikely to see your score jump up 200 points after you’ve prepared and sat for the SAT three times already.

It’s also crucial to weigh the psychological toils of taking another exam. With each exam you take, you’ll have to restudy and give up more time that could be used composing college applications, leading extracurriculars, or working outside of school. Your well-being is more important than any score on an exam.

Have the myths been busted? Retaking an exam will certainly not hinder your college chances. With adequate preparation, your score will typically increase — and that will make you even more competitive in the admissions process. And with superscoring, colleges probably won’t even consider your lower scores.

One-and-done is done. Perhaps we should rewrite Dracula. It’s about time that we slay the vampire not with the single wooden stake, but instead with perseverance highlighted by long-term persistence and practice.

On second thought, that would be pretty bloody.