Many immigrants fall into this category. They’re confident in math but held back by English, which prevents a major score increase. In this case, you should first master Writing and Math. Because Reading scores are very hard to raise in a short time, you should secure 750–800 in Math to offset a lower Reading score, and master Writing so that (for example, 14 questions in 10 minutes with ≤ 3 wrong) you leave plenty of time for Reading on test day. Immigrant students who are strong in math often underperform on the SAT Math section for two main reasons: Insufficient proficiency with calculators like Desmos Insufficient command of math-related English terminology First, Desmos (The calculator that you can use during the test) is an extremely important tool on SAT Math for cutting solution time, so you must master how to use it . (To learn Desmos systematically, I recommend this YouTube channel. ) Next, while you could memorize math terms one by one from a glossary, in my experience, that approach is inefficient. It’s better to solve lots of SAT Math problems and get used to the terms in context. Whenever you miss a question because of terminology, mark it and record the term. This sticks better in your memory and helps prevent repeat mistakes. (For SAT Math practice, I recommend the following resources: SAT Panda / Alpha Test / OnePrep. ) Now, Writing study is almost like memorizing formulas. SAT Writing contains various rules and grammatical patterns, and if you practice and internalize them, you can solve the problems without major difficulty. (For Writing study, I recommend: summaries of grammatical pattern types / a YouTube channel / practice problem sets. ) Finally, Reading. If you’ve reached a decent level in Math and Writing as above, it’s time to focus on the final boss: Reading. For immigrant students, vocabulary and contextual comprehension are crucial. Without this foundation, even the best strategies and methods won’t raise your score. Therefore, you must memorize a large number of English words to expand your core vocabulary. If you don’t know the words, you won’t naturally be able to interpret the passage, and if you can’t interpret it, you can’t apply the strategies you learned. Because of this, jumping straight into heavy problem-solving without the foundation is essentially wasting problems. Early on, do practice sets primarily to adapt to the format and style, but avoid excessive volume. The SAT also has vocabulary questions. These often require not just the dictionary meaning but the implied nuance as well. So rather than memorizing only a translation into your native language, I recommend learning English definitions and memorizing synonyms together. With native-language translations, nuance can get lost. Moreover, SAT Reading often includes rephrasing items, where the correct answer restates the passage using different vocabulary. To handle these, you must know not only word meanings but also synonyms and near-synonyms, so you can quickly recognize that the correct answer expresses the same idea as the passage. (To build vocabulary, I recommend this book . It includes pronunciation, English definitions, synonyms, and example sentences, so you can capture both nuance and synonym sets.) Contextual comprehension refers to situations where “you know the words but still can’t understand the sentence.” This comes from unfamiliarity with complex sentence structures. To fix it, expose yourself to many complex sentences and practice unpacking them directly. It can also help to read one science magazine article a day on topics you find interesting. (For building contextual comprehension, I recommend: BBC News / The New York Times / Smithsonian Magazine / ScienceNews. ) Once you’ve completed the foundational build-up (vocabulary + context) and have mastered Writing/Math, it’s time to develop problem-solving strategies in earnest. DSAT Reading includes a variety of question types, and each requires slightly different approaches and procedures. Look up type-specific strategies, apply them, and refine your own solving routine . For high scores, an error log is especially important. The SAT is famous for recycling prior questions (including similar variants), so simply understanding your mistakes thoroughly and not repeating them will naturally raise your score. When writing your error log, always record the following in full sentences: Why did I choose this (wrong) answer? Why is this answer wrong? Why is the other answer right? Through this process, you internalize the logical flow and evidence that the SAT expects. No one else can do this part for you—you must do it yourself for it to be effective. Even if it feels tedious, analyze your errors carefully, flag your weaknesses clearly, and ensure you don’t miss the same way next time. (For SAT Reading, I recommend: Erica’s SAT Reading book / Alpha Test / OnePrep. / Settele Tutoring ) When you feel reasonably proficient and like you’re getting the hang of it, start solving questions under time limits. Since the real test is timed, practicing under test-like conditions is essential. (Recommended per-question limits: easy–medium: 1 min 30 sec / medium–hard to hard: 2 min.)  Also, take practice tests periodically to adapt to the actual testing experience. There are third-party tests and Bluebook tests created by the official organization. Third-party tests may differ somewhat in difficulty and style from the real exam, so Bluebook tests are extremely important—but there are currently only seven, so use them sparingly. After each practice, write down which types you were weak on, what exactly caused problems, and what to improve. Of course, an error log is mandatory. (※ This article is based on the author’s experience and collected sources. If anything is inaccurate or uncertain, please feel free to point it out so it can be corrected or supplemented. ※)

Many colleges place significant weight on extracurricular activities (ECs). Students sometimes ask, “ECs aren’t academic—why do they matter?”  It’s true that ECs don’t measure achievement the way GPA or SAT scores do, but they can reveal other dimensions even more clearly. ECs act as a mirror of your identity and interests . Through them, colleges see what you care about and which strengths—like leadership, service, initiative, creativity, perseverance—stand out. In that sense, ECs become a powerful way to answer the question, “Why should a college choose you?” Colleges don’t want students who only study well. They want people who will do meaningful work on campus and contribute to the community . Strong grades show you can handle coursework and have a work ethic, but they don’t by themselves show what distinctive impact you’ll make. ECs fill that gap by highlighting what’s unique and hard to replace about you. This matters even more at highly selective universities. Most applicants there already have excellent academics. Among thousands of high achievers, admissions officers look for those who are truly exceptional and differentiated, not just “another student with high scores.” If your profile shows only grades, it can be hard for them to see why they should admit you. So if you’re aiming for top-tier schools, ECs are critical . If you’re content with upper-middle-tier options, focusing primarily on academics can still work—though ECs never hurt. But for the most selective colleges, use ECs to refine and showcase your uniqueness, so you’re not just one among thousands but a candidate with a clear, compelling story.

Most colleges place a high value on academic achievement, and in particular, they treat GPA as both strict and important . But why does it have to be GPA, and why is it often considered more important than SAT or AP exams? First, we have to consider why colleges evaluate academic performance in the first place. Colleges are learning institutions. Therefore, admissions offices must gauge whether an applicant can keep up with the school’s curriculum and course rigor. While the SAT can help assess this, colleges look beyond mere readiness. They also use academic records to infer a student’s potential and effort. In this respect, GPA reflects not only academic ability but also consistency, diligence, and perseverance—qualities colleges value highly. If we consider the difference between GPA and the SAT, at most colleges, applicants can choose which SAT score to submit (superscore). However, GPA must cover all semesters from 9th through 12th grade. In other words, colleges use GPA to see how steadily a student engaged with academics across four years and whether they quit or slacked off along the way. GPA cannot be cherry-picked by year; it shows the entire growth arc from 9th to 12th grade and therefore provides far richer information than a single test score. For that reason, protecting your GPA is essential even when it’s difficult. While truly extraordinary activities or achievements can sometimes bolster a lower GPA or persuade admissions officers, they must be truly extraordinary or unique, which is why, for most students, prioritizing and maintaining a strong GPA is the far easier and wiser path. And if your GPA is low right now, don’t be discouraged.  As noted above, colleges read GPA not only as a measure of academic achievement but also as a signal of persistence and effort. If you can show sustained upward momentum, you can build the kind of “growth GPA” that admissions officers appreciate. (※ This article is based on the author’s experience and collected sources. If anything is inaccurate or uncertain, please feel free to point it out so it can be corrected or supplemented. ※)

(This article assumes a student who is an immigrant with weaker English but strong math skills. If you also feel weak in math, it may be advisable to start SAT preparation one grade earlier.) You can take the SAT multiple times a year. Tests taken as early as 9th grade can later be used for college applications, so there’s an advantage to starting relatively early. So, when and how should you prepare for the SAT? The timing depends largely on your background: If you have lived in the U.S. for a long time or are proficient in English (R/W score 650–700) Even if you won’t prepare intensively yet , it’s beneficial to start early —as early as middle school. Light exposure to SAT-style vocabulary, complex sentence structures, and the test’s argument logic (claim → evidence → reasoning) helps you enter high school with the right habits. This early ramp makes 9th–10th grade smoother and lets you focus on timed practice in 11th grade. With a solid English base, beginning serious SAT study in 10~11th grade is still generally sufficient. Most students struggle most with Reading, which depends heavily on overall English proficiency and vocabulary; if you can grasp meanings and nuance, Reading won’t be a major obstacle. Apart from Reading, Writing and Math can usually be raised significantly in a shorter period, so building fundamentals in 9~10th and concentrating on Reading in 10~11th remains an effective plan—starting earlier simply gives you a higher ceiling. If you immigrated later and are not proficient in English (R/W score 500–600) Start as early as possible . If you transferred around 9th–10th grade and aren’t confident in English, you must first build vocabulary and reading comprehension. The SAT targets U.S. students, yet even native speakers often find Reading difficult. If English is a weakness, raising your score is even harder, so it’s crucial to master vocabulary and contextual understanding during 9th–10th grade. Without vocabulary and contextual understanding, problem solving and analysis are not meaningful. If you don’t know the words, you can’t interpret the passage; and if you can’t interpret it, any “strategy” is useless. If you arrive in 11th grade, you must leverage the summer break. During the school year, it’s hard to focus solely on the SAT, so use the term to build the basics (vocabulary and reading) and devote most of the summer to SAT study. Scores in the 1500s are certainly attainable, but 1550+ depends heavily on English proficiency, so an objective self-assessment is necessary. Conclusion Ultimately, the SAT comes down to whether you can lock in 800 in Math and surpass 700 in English. Because English is difficult to raise in a short time, your start time and current English level determine your ceiling. Assess your English realistically and prepare strategically at the right time for your situation. (※ This article is based on the author’s experience and collected sources. If anything is inaccurate or uncertain, please feel free to point it out so it can be corrected or supplemented. ※)

AP courses are the clearest indicator of a student’s academic rigor. Top universities use them to assess a student’s readiness for college coursework, intellectual drive, and willingness to take on challenges . Therefore, taking APs whenever the opportunity is available is the optimal strategy. When is the best time to take APs? 11th grade is the ideal timing.  AP courses (and the exam scores tied to them) taken in 11th grade will typically be available by the time applications are reviewed, allowing you to demonstrate objective achievement. This is especially important at schools with GPA inflation or where the school average/ class rank is not disclosed; external indicators like AP exam scores and the SAT help validate academic level. APs taken in 12th grade are tested after applications are submitted, so the exam scores themselves are unlikely to be considered in the initial review. Even so, maintaining a course load similar to or slightly lighter than 11th grade still signals continuity of rigor , and there is the added benefit of earning college credit after admission. In 9th–10th grade, if permitted by the school, consider 1–2 APs primarily for acclimation and difficulty testing. Rather than overloading, use this stage to set a baseline for full-scale AP enrollment in 11th grade. Strategy for transfer/immigrant students entering in 11th grade Avoid excessive course loads, but take as many APs as you can responsibly handle . For most students, that’s 3–4 courses; if conditions allow, 5–6 is possible—but GPA protection remains the top priority. Prioritize APs that align with your intended major , for example: AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Computer Science, AP Language/US History, so you can demonstrate both fit and academic readiness. Why 11th grade matters most to colleges Many students assemble their most challenging curriculum in 11th grade, and c olleges review the most recent, mature academic performance . AP coursework + confirmed exam scores provide both context for transcript rigor and objective evidence , offsetting differences in school standards and concerns about GPA inflation. In short 11th grade: Go all-in on APs and secure exam scores (core) 9th–10th grade: Take a small number for acclimation/prep 12th grade: Maintain rigor + treat APs as a college credit bonus (※ This article is based on the author’s experience and collected sources. If anything is inaccurate or uncertain, please feel free to point it out so it can be corrected or supplemented. ※)