SLE vs. SAT

USNA2020

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I just got accepted to USMA's SLE session 1, but the session runs from May 30-June 5 and I'm taking the SAT on June 6. Anyone who's been through SLE: is this a recipe for failure? Should I just skip out on SLE? It's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I really would like to experience West Point and see all it has to offer. I know this is probably a weird topic but I'm really conflicted! Haha thanks so much in advance :)
 
You've taken the SAT before then? That's not the only date for SAT testing? They offer it monthly, basically? https://sat.collegeboard.org/home
I would personally take the SLE being that you are accepted and then sign up for the next SAT's!!!
 
Yikes that's also part of the issue! I've never taken the SAT before so I really need to take the June one :/
 
It would honestly depend on your current practice SAT scores. If you have cracked maybe 100 points above your original goal, or seen the test and can say that you can quite easily crack 100 points over your goal, (I say 100 points because you can easily fluctuate about that many points if you are not consistently studying the week leading up) then I would suggest go to SLE. If not, then I would be a little hesitant. The SAT is no joke. When I took the SAT, usually the week before I was taking at least one practice SAT a day and rereading all my vocabulary everyday as well. Just be prepared to be cramming the SAT in October and November if you don't do well this time.
 
And get this book and read it....! Helped my dd raise her SAT score over 100 points. Great info (for the not new SAT)......but you have to put in the effort. http://perfectscoreproject.com/the-book/
The SAT is no joke, that is for sure. Don't take it for granted that you will do well without practicing. They say take all of the practice tests in the big book before wasting your time. I say take it to have a benchmark and work from there on the big book and find out where you need to improve!!
 
Thank you all for your advice, I'm definitely studying hard for this SAT! My parents are iffy on this and I'm starting to think SLE may jeopardize my SAT score.. Is SLE stressful for people?

I guess where my insecurities lie are what it will look like to USMA if I denied an acceptance to SLE.. especially since it's because of poor planning on my part! (definitely should have taken an SAT sooner..) Only 1,000 people are accepted and I feel like I'm throwing away this golden opportunity (especially because I've heard that 40% of SLE attendees end up going to USMA) Any other thoughts on this? Thanks again.
 
Well, I've read that there is only about an hour of free time every night... take it as you will...

As for denying SLE, I believe it does not really factor in. Many people choose to go to Boys State over SLE without given USMA a notice that they are going to Boys State (I hope you can follow what I just said; the grammar is a bit off)
 
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I'd encourage you to do both. Enjoy every minute of SLE.
You'll be tired after SLE, but you'll go home and sleep so you really can be rested for Sat morning SAT.
And then schedule your second SAT. And your score will probably go up which will show that you worked hard to improve, so that looks good also.
Really, it will all work out just fine.
 
Students who do well on the SAT are used to rigorous schedules. Do both the SLE & SAT. It will prepare you for the rigor ahead if you get accepted to the Academy!
 
yea, but there's a difference between study rigorously and having enough time to study. in my opinion the SAT is one of those tests where you actually have to spend time not only rigor in studying, and in my humble opinion I don't think studying for only one or two hours a night is going to cut it. my brother tried doing that and he got a significantly lower score than me.
 
also, remember in my last post I took one SAT per night the week leading up and it worked. the average time for one SAT is 4 hours... definitely not enough time to do in only one or two hours (essay takes like 25 minutes already).
 
I don't think studying for only one or two hours a night is going to cut it.
Only one or two hours a night ? That is a significant amount of studying.... What are you studying that takes so long? The ACT doesn't test that many concepts, you could easily learn all of them in a week if you did one hour a day... There aren't even enough practice questions out there to keep you worked for several hours a night either... What are you even studying?
 
OP, I think you could do both but you probably wouldn't perform your very best on the SAT. After SLE I would guess that you would be exhausted. I've taken the ACT the morning after I had a football game that ran till like 10:30. Didn't get to sleep until 11:30 or so. I did alright on the ACT, but I could have done a lot better. On the science section I didn't even get to bubble in the last 6 questions(I somehow still got a 28 in science though....) and I think part of that was because I was burned out before I had even started the test.
 
no no the SAT not ACT. I was taking one SAT per night remember? And each SAT is 4 hours long.
Um, where are you getting all these SATs and how on earth do you have enough time to take a four hour test every single night? If you did that for just one month you would need 30 SATs and to my knowledge there are not 30 released SATs in existence....
 
Collegeboard's 11 practice real-SATs, Kaplan's 11 practice SATs, Princeton Review 11 Practice SATs, supplemented with Barron's Vocabulary, Guide to Perfect 2400, Webster's Dictionary, and the Moby Dick Challenge
 
I'm not saying to do a practice SAT a night for a month. But I would suggest doing 1 per night the week before. i had a lot of time to do all the studying i listed and not everyone has that sort of time
 
So I've been doing SAT prep (with a course and taking practice tests from books and such) for many months now. Would going to SLE and returning the night before the SAT ruin my score? If any of you have gone to SLE, what were your experiences there like?
 
Collegeboard's 11 practice real-SATs, Kaplan's 11 practice SATs, Princeton Review 11 Practice SATs, supplemented with Barron's Vocabulary, Guide to Perfect 2400, Webster's Dictionary, and the Moby Dick Challenge
I would advise against using Kaplan or any other SAT prep book for the purpose of taking practice tests. They are fine for learning concepts, but the tests by Kaplan and the other companies are extremely inaccurate. If you do use one of them though I would suggest McGraw Hill.
 
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