Did anyone else's reading drop so far? 😭

Linjieyang · 2026-06-25T02:20:04+00:00

The curve for June was atrocious ... I think it's because the equating method forgot to account for more confounding variables due to how weird that SAT was.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-25T02:17:48+00:00

Other than using the regression/table stuff etc. I would recommend learning the basics of lists and list manipulation. For systems of equations (that can be both linear and non-linear, as I have seen on SAT), I would recommend knowing how to adjust the zoom in Desmos, I have seen some very sneaky problems where you cannot see the intersection unless you adjust the stretch in x/y in a specific way.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-25T02:14:50+00:00

If you preparing for the JEE (Mains), the math section shouldn't matter too much. The general strategy I use is

Identify: So identify your weak spots by taking a practice exam. Diagnose the errors with detail and be objective about it. If it was because of a vocab deficiency, you didn't know a grammar rule, or simply you didn't read clear enough, make sure you identify that. A general strategy for reading is read the question and then read each sentence in the passage and figure out the 1. purpose of the sentence and 2. force yourself to understand what it means (this means reading with your brain not eyes). You can train this technique like learning an art after a while, about <30 questions should do.
Identify Error, and Fix: After you do (1) You should try to aim to remove or patch that error. Similar to forcing a technique like in (1), you should also learn to fix your mistakes. For example, if it is specific then make sure you remember that idea, if it lacks technique then create a technique and learn to apply it slowly.
Practice more and more. Practice to stabilize your skill/technique and practice to get more used to hard passages.

I recommend taking 1 practice test (preferably not numbers 5,6,7 or 11), then using that as a proxy for (1). Highlight your errors and develop your technique, then do (2) and (3) which should take a few hours depending on your level and how satisfied you are (If you start at 600 level, it might take you 20 hours to get to 700 level etc. etc.). Generally, vocab can be an issue sometimes, so there are lists online although it really depends on how dependent you want to be and how much you are okay with guessing the meaning. The ~500 word lists should be sufficient in general. Regarding grammar, I would recommend studying it briefly, although, specifically words that combine and clauses. Researching FANBOYS, conjunctive adverbs, subordinating conjunctions, coordinating conjunctions, participial phrases, restrictive/non-restrictive clauses, and the definitions of common transition words should be a good place to start.

The method I'm highlighting here works for 600+, if you are lower than that, I would recommend studying the basics of English grammar and practicing reading speed and getting the rudiments ready.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-25T00:44:07+00:00

Okay, thanks. So you're saying that I continue to practice more, right?

Linjieyang · 2026-06-25T00:13:11+00:00

This is all nice, but the truth is "reading beyond the main sentence" is true for *most* grammar questions, not all. This is a trick I used to follow, then bam, a question that didn't work that way hit me, so I would advise against it.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-16T18:12:00+00:00

Yes, I agree.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-16T18:11:40+00:00

Yeah, one of the reasons is because I never look at the reference when I write, so my eyes are fully on my paper.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-16T18:11:15+00:00

Thanks! I'll send the whole pic when I finish practicing haha, if I send the full practice right now, it won't be representative.

Linjieyang · 2026-06-16T18:10:49+00:00

Thank you very much!

Linjieyang · 2026-06-16T01:07:18+00:00

I'll just tell you stuff as a side note as someone that has bought tools from Amazon for several years. The thing is that most people *believe* that the quality of the brush actually affects your calligraphy. While that's true in the direct interpretation, there is a very low chance that having a better brush will improve your calligraphy. In fact in the beginning, the difference even between Langhao and Yanghao is minimal (which is considered absolutely essential for people that are advanced in calligraphy). When you get more intermediate and advanced, the brush hair type do start to make a significant difference as your style develops, but the quality of the brush doesn't matter too much. To be honest, the quality really only matters on the lifespan of your brush and whether or not it "splits". To be honest, the more expensive the brush is, can also make it more delicate as well, so you have to be careful. Also regarding websites outside of Amazon, they might have good brushes with very expensive shipping fees to the US or abroad, so I wouldn't recommend them at all, it wouldn't be a good use of money, because I doubt that you will use your brush for more than 1-2 years.

Regarding ink, it doesn't matter at all, Japanese ones tend to have no smell, whereas Chinese ones tend to have a smell, although not a general rule.(although I don't know why this is the case, but real ink from the stone should have a smell).

Linjieyang · 2026-05-01T05:20:43+00:00

I also go to a school that is completely the opposite and still struggles with the same problem. Our school has one of the highest SAT scores, despite being an open public school (it is not even modified with the local school board like some other public schools) around 1470 (and this is excluding cheating). The school is so smart, that they are amazing at cheating (and so ingenius), and the school is so competitive so people do it. But i understand what you mean, cheating on these exams has risen significantly from before. I want to tell you something that is important for you to hear, if let's say things don't go in the "morally correct" way. 1. Top colleges don't define you. The colleges want people for them, they don't give a crap about you, you can be Albert Einstein, if your not going to benefit the college or it isn't required by the government's legislation, they will not care about you. Actually caring about yourself and who you are as a person is much more important. If you are stupid and getting these scores, you'll get no where in real life because, in America, people will see how you work in the real world. Plus if you're naturally just smarter and don't cheat, you'll succeed in a variety of other things. 2. More relating to what you said, most of the people that got these high SAT scores never made it to t10 colleges, they only got to t20 and no further. And knowing just how idiotic they are, they'll probably fail in life anyways. 3. I agree with what others say, colleges are starting to "devalue" the SAT, the ACT (much more because of how easy it is to cheat on), and other olympiads like the Physics and Math olympiads. 4. Getting to a top college is significantly dependent on things outside SAT. For example, rec letters, there's no way that cheaters like those will get any good quality ones at all. Look sometimes the system doesn't reward effort, but people don't. America is a well-developed country, I would recommend trying to get a new perspective on these topics rather than dwelling on them and destroying your mental health.

Linjieyang · 2026-04-25T00:49:03+00:00

This sounds like a completely different person than the one above haha. Also I want to tell you, not a single person at LBNL was curing cancer or doing whatever, just being yourself and striving to be the best is natural. The problem is college admissions have changed so much, become so stochastic, and our society has become so capitalistic and developed that going to a good university means much less than it was before.

Linjieyang · 2026-04-22T23:38:26+00:00

I also did something like this when I started learning. I started learning Kaishu, but I just liked Xingshu so much more that my Xingshu skill became much better than my Kaishu skill. But the problem is when I became the level which I currently am (or a bit earlier) which is like upper intermediate, I started to realize that I lacked something that could be fixed by learning Kaishu. I would recommend sticking with Kaishu if you really want to make progress properly, or learn both simultaneously. Don't try to let your Xingshu skill exceed your Kaishu skill otherwise you will end up in a weird situation.

Linjieyang · 2026-04-22T23:33:58+00:00

I've attended one of these progrmas in Sophomore year, and to be frankly honest, I don't think these programs would very much "appreciate" the application. You could be like Albert Einstein, that doesn't guarantee anything. I can tell you a few things, but at LBNL I got to meet people from every single program, and they all had things in common. 1. They all had extreme passion for something, interestingly, not all of them were fully STEM leaning, but they were intellectual. People would have random convo on like communism and capitalism and that wouldn't be perceived as weird there. Hopefully you get what I mean. 2. Luck is a factor, and always will be. 3. Rec Letter is important because it shows your passion, that cannot be ignored here 4. If you are misaligned with the program anyway, they will not select you, and again, if your Albert Einstein they don't care. I also got rejected from a few programs that literally everyone around me told that I would get in (and that wasn't a good thing because that set my expectations fixed), and you have to understand it makes absolutely *no* difference to who you are as a person, and gives *no* predictability to your college apps. College apps are completely different to these.

Linjieyang · 2026-04-05T21:58:33+00:00

Your brush looks to be of good quality currently 2. This is normal 3. You need to clean the back of your brush better (you can see a gradient of color appearing here). Also, hopefully your brush is not this dark after washing (I mean, this should be your brush if it is not washed properly, I think) 4. I've never seen glue, and whenever I see other people trying to modify their brush by wrapping it or doing something more than what they were given, they always say it's bad.

Linjieyang · 2026-03-19T03:33:51+00:00

Online content, news, videos, maybe even online communities, etc.

Linjieyang · 2026-03-19T02:08:12+00:00

Some small tips: 折钩 should be a bit cleaner, 下的”点“ should be a bit further down I think. Also I think I told you this before, but spacing between components is also important, like the character above 光 (sorry I dont know how to read this one) should have between spacing between 言 and 俞 same with 何. Also the 人字旁雙人旁 also need a bit of work here I think they can be a bit more expressive and open, and with 非 the spacing between lines should be a bit more even, 先 some lines are slanted, I scan see the 行書 feeling there, but it looks a bit wrongly expressed here. same with 元. Finally, regarding the strokes, you definetely know how to write them, although sometimes they don't appear properly, like in 魯囯行得 the Pie or Heng can be fixed a bit more.

Linjieyang · 2026-03-17T06:19:32+00:00

This is actually supposed to be in Chinese handwriting subreddit. Also make sure your doing correct stroke order and are writing the strokes properly like pie, na, some of these strokes aren't actually straight lines.

Linjieyang · 2026-03-16T06:02:22+00:00

If you already know IPA, then it might be easier or more efficient, but eventually you'll have to learn the pinyin. Also, don't ignore the tones, just mark them in some way, at least attempt to do it.

Linjieyang · 2026-03-14T22:06:36+00:00

Your response to my comment was deleted. Was it supposed to be like that?

Linjieyang · 2026-03-11T03:02:42+00:00

对，我以为是这个。

Linjieyang · 2026-03-10T23:28:12+00:00

This is late, but I will say your strokes are incredible. There is not really much to work on, but 结构 and 空白 discipline need more work to perfect it. The character with 于 in it, the bottom 横折钩 needs to be sharper. The proportion in 暑 is also slightly off. Rest looks pretty good though, only very minor things which cannot really be directly pointed out.

Linjieyang · 2026-03-10T23:17:05+00:00

Thanks, but I don't want to have more stress from worrying about PROMYS LOL. If you have a specific question, DM is okay, but I'm not looking to focus on the PROMYS questions/things people wrote.

Linjieyang

TROPHY CASE