Up Your Score

Workman Publishing is seeking a bright, articulate high school student who has received a near-perfect SAT score to help revise, update, and publicize the 2009-2010 edition of the book. Click here for details.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THIS BOOK

INTRODUCTION: ONE AFTERNOON IN THE ITHACA HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA WAY BACK IN THE LATE ‘80S

This book really sucks,” Paul yawned as he pulled the crust off his sandwich, scattering Miracle Whip all over page 12 of Barron’s SAT guide.
“ Yeah, what’s the point of the SAT anyway?”
“ To cause us pain and suffering,” Manek mumbled.
“ You know what’s wrong with these SAT review books?”
“ No, what?” asked Larry.
“ They’re all written by embalmed educators who were born before the invention of the number 2 pencil, before the SAT itself, and before The Brady Bunch went on the air.”
“ If I wrote an SAT review book, it wouldn’t be so boring.”
“ I know what you mean. If I wrote an SAT review book, it would be erudite, yet not bombastic, it would elucidate the turbid depths of this baneful examination, and carry students to new heights of academic self-actualization . . .”
“ Yeah, and have lots of skin.”
“ You know, Larry’s right. If we could write a kick-ass manual telling confused, bored, and sexually frustrated students like us across this great land how to rock on the SAT we would—” “ We would be making a contribution to society that . . .”
“ . . . that could bring us enough funds to pay for college.”
“ . . . and a chance to get on Conan O’Brien.”
“ Conan? Do you really think so?”

A few months later, after Larry, Manek, and Paul each scored over 1500 on the SAT (excellent scores at the time), they began work on a review book that shared their secrets of SAT success. It was called Up Your Score, and it helped many students get into prestigious colleges that cost more than they could afford.

YEARS LATER
Over the next six years, Larry, Manek, and Paul grew old and joined bingo and shuffleboard leagues, and the SAT also changed. Because too many students had read Up Your Score and outsmarted the test, the SAT was revised. In order to meet this new challenge, Larry, Manek, and Paul decided to seek out some young blood, and searched long and hard for a new co-author to update the book. Eventually, they decided upon Michael Colton, a brilliant young rebel from Massachusetts who had achieved a perfect 1600 by reading Up Your Score and who also baked award-winning chocolate chip cookies.

Michael’s revision of the book enabled a generation of youngsters to follow in his footsteps at Harvard, but age eventually took its toll on him, too. His hair grayed, and he forgot who Sarah Michelle Gellar was. Students reading Up Your Score were confused by his references to the Cosby Show and Vanilla Ice. The book was losing its edge. To keep the book fresh, the by-now creaking, wheezing Up Your Score crew decided that every two years they would bring in a guest author who would sweep away the cobwebs, add his or her own SAT strategies, and report on the latest changes to the test.

Grabbing his cane, Michael embarked upon a nationwide quest to find the next SAT genius. He met Lisa Exler, an Up Your Score disciple who had also used the book and earned a 1600. Lisa revitalized Up Your Score and gave it a much-needed feminine perspective.

Nonetheless, the inevitable happened. Even Lisa grew staid and stale. So Michael, now too old to search for fresh talent, convinced the publisher to hold a national contest to find the next guest author. Countless whiz kids submitted applications and many were exemplary. The finalists were given a series of horrific tasks that included marathon 24-hour practice testing and calculating pi to the 57th decimal.

Only two applicants made it through the grueling process: Hannah Bowen and Adam Jed, both of whom had used Up Your Score to achieve 1600s. Adam and Hannah were a dynamic duo, but before long, sections in the book like “Rush Scores by Pony Express” and “Slide Rule Tricks” became outdated. Another contest was announced on the Up Your Score Web site.

From the masses emerged Joe Jewell, the one destined to lead Up Your Score into the twenty-first century. Soon, however, Joe noticed his peers at college referring to him as ye olde Master Jewell. Aged as he got, he didn’t totally lose touch; he went on to co-found PrepMe (see page 328).

A new search located Jason Abaluck and Smitha Prabhuswamy. These two multiple-choice marvels so comprehensively decimated the SAT that the ETS admitted defeat and changed the test! Janet Xu then rose up from the masses of forlorn students and defeated the reincarnation of the SAT . . . but the task was so straining, that afterwards she completely forgot how to read. (Miraculously, she’s still getting by at Yale.) Once again, Up Your Score was in need of a fearless leader. And, dear reader, we ask: what could be better than a 2400 on the new SAT? Try two 2400s.

Hey guys, what’s up? We’re Jean Huang and Swetha Kambhampati, and we’ve spent the last several months revamping Up Your Score. We’ve thrown out the old SAT stuff (adiós, analogies!), helped expand sections, and added our own ideas and tips for surviving the longer, more vicious test. Also, now that Nick and Jessica have gone their separate ways, the world is a very different place. For those of us who realize that Friends is over, we’ve updated the cultural references. Plus, Up Your Score has been updated for the digital age. This edition includes an online diagnostic test from PrepMe.com, and you can even download our vocab section to your iPod® (see page 328). Studying for the SAT might not be as entertaining as watching Lost, but stay with us here, and you’ll have a way more rewarding score report. So tune in and get ready to rock the SAT!