Proven Methods to Increase SAT Scores

Vocabulary is a key part of the Critical Reading section of the SAT. On a typical SAT, the sentence completions, critical reading passages, and questions contain approximately 150 different vocabulary words. Knowing these words is essential to achieving high Critical Reading scores.

Most students believe that learning new words is a tedious chore that involves memorizing long lists of "big" but useless vocabulary words. Students across the country and around the world are praising Direct Hits for its vivid, relevant examples and extraordinary number of words that appear on the SAT. The words are all gathered from real SATs. SAT test writers draw upon a relatively small pool of words that are used repeatedly on the test. As a result, Direct Hits vocabulary books consistently produce a large number of "hits."

Direct Hits Publishing offers two of the most effective SAT preparation guides on the market: Direct Hits Core Vocabulary of the SAT and Direct Hits Toughest Vocabulary of the SAT. Together, the two volumes have been the best-performing books on the SAT and PSAT for most tests since August of 2008, when the books were first published. Students who have used the books have been able to achieve impressive gains on their Critical Reading scores and have in many cases raised their scores by 100 to 200 points.

Written the Way Teens Talk

A great list of words is important, but it is just the first step. Since many SAT words are difficult, it is essential to illustrate them with vivid, relevant examples. Vividness is closely related to retention. We remember memorable and relevant experiences, forgetting boring experiences more quickly.

Direct Hits' vocabulary is defined with vivid pop culture and academic examples drawn from movies, television programs, historical events, and books that students are currently studying in school. Students remember a word because they can remember the context. This makes Direct Hits one of the most effective learning tools for SAT preparation.