“When I wrote my first Bluebook practice test, my score was 1360. I spent the next two months preparing hard. Now my score is always in the 1460 to 1500 range and doesn’t go past 1520.”
Sounds familiar? You are not alone.
Stop blaming yourself. The test is designed that way.
So, how do we break that barrier?
The “Skill Knob” vs. The “Psychology Knob”
The SAT uses a bunch of different “knobs” to tune each question. Solving hundreds of Algebra problems won’t get you past a certain score, because that’s where the skill knob ends and the psychology knob starts turning.
Yes—the SAT is a form of psychometric test.
The test uses time pressure, topic familiarity, vocabulary, and even question placement to make a simple question seem difficult. It’s all perspective.
Confused? Let’s look at an example.
How the SAT Manufactures “Difficulty”
Both questions below follow the exact same logical structure. The first sentence makes a statement, and the second elaborates on it. The answer to both is (c).
Example 1: The “Easy” Question
People describe two common ways to stay healthy: eating well and exercising. _______, some say food choices matter most, while others believe regular workouts are more important.
(a) However (b) Likewise (c) Specifically (d) Moreover
Example 2: The “Hard” Question
In debates over why lithium-metal batteries fail prematurely, explanations typically polarize around electrode instability and electrolyte breakdown. _______, some claim the anode’s dendrite formation is decisive, while others insist solvent decomposition is. Materials scientist Luis Arancibia urges a more integrated view.
(a) However (b) Likewise (c) Specifically (d) Moreover
Example 2 feels “hard” not because it’s trickier, but because of topic unfamiliarity, dense phrasing, and complex vocabulary. That’s the SAT’s psychology at work.
To add insult to injury, if this question is placed towards the end of Module 2 when students don’t have much time left, many are going to get it wrong.
Stop Practicing the Wrong Way
When you are trying to break a score plateau, you need to practice “Hard” questions that are made to look hard—not questions that are built on complex skills you’ll never be tested on.
Have you heard popular courses say, “Practice harder questions, so the SAT feels easier”?
NO! That’s not how it works! Especially not on the Digital SAT.
Break the Plateau with JustLockedIn
At JustLockedIn, we have hundreds of questions of the same pattern and type but varying in psychological difficulty—just like the Digital SAT does.
We help you practice the right way, so you can see past the test-maker’s “tricks” and finally break your plateau.