The History of The Great American Smokeout

The History of The Great American Smokeout Addiction Nicotine Use Print All About The Great American Smokeout By Terry Martin facebook twitter Terry Martin quit smoking after 26 years and is now an advocate for those seeking freedom from nicotine addiction. Learn about our editorial policy Terry Martin Updated on October 22, 2017 Stockxpert More in Addiction Nicotine Use After You Quit How to Quit Smoking Nicotine Withdrawal Smoking-Related Diseases The Inside of Cigarettes Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Drug Use Coping and Recovery Statistics tell us that approximately 7 out of 10 smokers want to quit yet go on lighting up, day in and day out, unable to stop the vicious smoking cycle theyre stuck in. Such is the nature of nicotine addiction. As discouraging as that sounds, the good news is that there are approximately 46 million former smokers in the United States today, giving us proof positive that smoking cessation is an achievable goal. Back in the Day... When I was a young smoker back in the mid-70s, attitudes here in the U.S. about tobacco were a lot different than they are today. A person could light up just about anywhere, and while we all knew that cigarette smoking was hazardous to our health, we were in the dark ages about just how dangerous it really was. Today, in part due to anti-smoking initiatives like the Great American Smokeout (GASO), we are much more aware of the dangers cigarette smoke poses to our health. As a result, were more proactive about avoiding tobacco, whether were smokers trying to quit, or nonsmokers choosing to stay away from secondhand smoke. How The Great American Smokeout Began In 1971, Arthur P. Mullaney, a guidance counselor at Randolph High School in Randolph, Massachusetts organized an event that set the wheels in motion for the Great American Smokeout as we know it today. In an interview with the American Cancer Society (ACS) News Today, Mr. Mullaney said: Kids used to come into my office after school, and one day we were talking about college. I said, you know, if I could have a nickel for every cigarette butt I see outside wed have enough money to send all of you to college. He went on to say that if the smokers in the town of Randolph stopped smoking for a day and donated the money they would have spent on cigarettes, theyd have the makings for a college scholarship fund for students. Before long, the plan for the first Smokeout was underway with the tag line Light up a Students Future, Not a Cigarette. That first event, which took place in February of 1972, brought in $4500 and got enthusiastic support from the town of Randolph. The second annual Smokeout event raised $5000, and by the time year three rolled around, the ACS had come on board with marketing help, bringing in well-known sports figures from the Boston Celtics and the New England Patriots. Just a few years later in another part of the country, Lynn R. Smith, an editor of the Monticello Times in Minnesota launched an initiative called D-Day, which stood for Dont Smoke Day. The idea of a smoke-free day, the roots of which had likely been planted by Arthur Mullaney in Randolph, finally took off like wildfire, and in 1976, the California Division of the ACS succeeded in getting nearly one million of its smoking residents to put the butts down for one dayâ€"quite a feat. The Great American Smokeout had been born. The Great American Smokeout Today Every year since that first GASO event in 1976, the third Thursday in November has been reserved for the Great American Smokeout, hosted by the ACS. Americans are challenged to quit smoking for this one day, and from there, the hope is that they will permanently kick smoking out of their lives. Many thousands of people have done just that, using the Great American Smokeout as the start of a healthy, smoke-free lifestyle. Facts About Tobacco-Related Cancers Smoking is linked to 30 percent of all cancer deaths and upwards of 87 percent of lung cancer deaths in the U.S. today.Cigar smoking carries hazards for the user that are similar to cigarette smoking. Cancers associated with cigar smoking include lung, oral, larynx, esophagus and possibly pancreatic cancer as well.Smokeless tobacco increases the risk of cancer of the cheek and gums by nearly 50 percent for users. Smokeless tobacco is not a safe smoking alternative.Smoking is associated with numerous types of cancer, including: nasopharynx (back of nose and throat) cancer, cancer of the nasal cavity, lip, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, pancreatic cancer, uterine and cervical cancer, bladder cancer, kidney cancer, stomach cancer, and acute leukemia A Few Other Key Facts About Tobacco Use: Approximately 45 million U.S. adults (20.8 percent of the population) smoke and about 23 percent of U.S. high school students smoke.Life expectancy for long-term smokers is approximately 14 years shorter than for nonsmokers.Upwards of two million tobacco-related deaths occurred in the United States in the 5 years between 1997 and 2001. Given enough time, tobacco kills half of those who continue to use it. But long before that happens, it ruins our quality of life in the most horrific of ways. Theres No Time Like The Present... If youre thinking about quitting, why not team up with the thousands of other smokers who are planning to use the Great American Smokeout this year as the day they make smoking historyâ€"their history. In the meantime, start your preparations by gathering some supplies to help you manage nicotine withdrawal and reading up on what you can expect after you quit smoking. The links below will help you get started. Preparing for Your Quit DateQuit Smoking SuppliesAchieving the Mindset for Success A Word About Support Statistics show that people who quit smoking with a healthy support system in place have a much higher rate of long-term success with smoking cessation. Set yourself up for success by surrounding yourself with like-minded people who know exactly what you are going through. It makes a huge difference! Dont fear smoking cessationâ€"quitting tobacco is a gift beyond compare and one that only you can give yourself.

Fast Food and Childhood Obesity Essay - 1335 Words

Advertisement and Childhood Obesity ENGL/101-B25 Would you feed your children lard? The answer for most all of us is â€Å"No Way†. Most parents can safely say that they want healthy choices for their children and would never want to give them something that is bad for them. However, with many of the foods on fast food menus this is not far from the truth. We have all heard the statement that childhood obesity is on the rise, and has been for quite some time now. We have seen the heartbreaking stories of overweight children being bullied, made fun of, and even being subject to more diseases. According to the center for disease control the childhood obesity rate rose from 7% in 1980 to an unbelievable 20% in 2008 (CDC, 2011). Parents†¦show more content†¦The children they are mainly targeting are mostly those in the age 2 to age 6 range. An argument for fast food companies may be that in recent years they have started offering healthier options. Some menus now offer milk as a beverage and apples as a food. While these are healthier choices, there is still very few of these options as opposed to the unhealthy ones. Not to mention in advertisements the apples are always shown with a sugar filled dipping sauce. The fact that these companies still have mostly unhealthy choices, they should not target children in their advertisement. It is obvious that many factors play into the epidemic of childhood obesity. Factors that play into childhood obesity are things such as family income levels and restaurants that are in close proximity. Let me pose this question, what food places are the cheapest and have locations on almost every street corner? Yes, that is correct, fast food. When they already have those factors in their favor, these advertisements just seal the deal for them. Children between the ages of 8 and 18 spend a whopping 44.5 hours in front of media sources that are possibly displaying these ads. Research has shown that children less than age 8 cannot tell that the advertisements are merely trying to be persuasive. Children under age 6 cannot even tell the difference between an advertisement and a program. YetShow MoreRelatedFast Food And Childhood Obesity1166 Words   |  5 Pages â€Å"Childhood obesity is a serious epidemic, affecting children across the world. In our country alone, 17% of all children and adolescents are now obese, triple the rate from just a generation ago† (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). This drastic increase leads researchers and ordinary citizens alike to speculate about possible causes. Fast food consumption is one potential cause that has received widespread attention. Many researchers have looked at the relationshipRead MoreChildhood Obesity Is The Consumption Of Fast Food970 Words   |  4 Pages Childhood obesity in the United States has been increasing for the last thirty years. Obesity is defined as an excessive amount of fat located in the body and it varies with the individual s height and age. For example, what is considered obese weight for someone may be different to another person. In addition, some of the causes of obesity are excessive junk food, lack of motivation to exercise and lack of knowledge about nutrition and fitness. Often times, children do not consider the nutritionalRead MoreFast Food Advertising and Childhood Obesity1870 Words   |  8 PagesFast Food Advertising And Childhood Obesity A rise in obesity has been observed in the United States in the last two decades. Obesity is one problem that gives birth to numerous fatal diseases, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and depression. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted a survey and found that, â€Å"More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) and approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are obese†Read MoreFast Food and the Risk of Childhood Obesity Essay1774 Words   |  8 PagesThe fast food industry promotes childhood obesity by manipulating the young mind, putting them at risk for health complications such as hypertension and diabetes. The super-sizing of America is been a frequently talked about subject lately. Especially since it is seem to have negative effects on the health of children and adults alike through massive consumption of fast food. Health providers and other authority figures are now concerned abou t children’s obesity rates shown during the past 3-4 decadesRead MoreLinking Childhood Obesity to Fast Food Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pagesin the world. Our nation has slowly gravitated towards fast food, allowing for a new industry to explode and expand over the past few decades. This monumental fast food industry has become a symbol of America and our diets. Fast food is convenient, quick, and cheap, requiring hardly any effort. It is the perfect formula for our fast-paced nation and suffering economy. The problem is shown through our sky-high rate of obesity. Though fast food has some short-term benefits like saving time and a fewRead More Childhood Obesity and Fast Food Essay examples1643 Words   |  7 PagesIn recent years there has been a growing epidemic of obesity, especially in America. According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey posted on the Center for Disease Control website there are 12.5 million children from ages 2 through 19 that are o bese. Many people are starting to complain that the commercials and ads for these restaurants are the result of such an incline in obesity. Although there have been current ad campaigns aiming at children to live a healthy life style thereRead MoreIs Fast Food Really The Main Reason For Childhood Obesity?907 Words   |  4 PagesIs fast food really the main reason for the rise in childhood obesity? No, it is not their fault. In fact, I believe the main reason for childhood obesity is the parents. Most parents care about their kids but yet they allow them to eat unhealthy food, watch television for long periods of time, and reward them with food. Although, the cause of childhood obesity is debated. Two of the main causes is food choices and advertisements. Exercise is critical, it is an important part in keeping your bodyRead MoreChildhood Obesity: Fast Food Companies Are To Blame Essay897 Words   |  4 PagesSince the fast food industry is targeting America’s youth, provid ing healthier options on children’s menus will reduce the rate of childhood obesity and allow for a healthy future. According to â€Å"Burger Battles† from the Weekly Reader, obesity is defined as a person whose weight is 20 percent higher than recommended for their height (Burger Battles 1). When this condition begins to affect children lives, it is then known as childhood obesity. Within the United States of America, around 15 percentRead MoreMan Vs. Food : Fast Food Can Contribute To Childhood Obesity1267 Words   |  6 Pages Man vs. Food: Fast Food Can Contribute to Childhood Obesity The United States of America has always been a safe and well-constructed country. Over the past years, it has tried to progress in numerous ways. However, America is suffering daily from obesity issues that can be prevented. America is becoming uncontrollable when it comes down to the consumption of too much fast food. When fast food was introduced to Americans, it had many advantages. These advantages have suddenly converted into disadvantagesRead MoreFast Food Restaurants, Childhood Obesity, and Healthy Eating Habits3327 Words   |  13 Pages Fast Food Restaurants, Childhood Obesity, and Healthy Eating Habits Today, fast food restaurants are often blamed for childhood obesity. This is however a simplistic point of view, there are a number of factors that contribute to the current epidemic of childhood obesity. When all is said and done, the responsibly of teaching children healthy eating habits and encouraging regular exercise to mitigate this problem lies with parents. It is estimated that as many as one in five Americans is obese

Literary Appreciation Essay - 1347 Words

GEAS2103 Literary Appreciation: Term Essay Outline CUI KE JUN, April (13635670) Essay topic: Compare and contrast the conflicts faced by the protagonists in the two texts. Discuss how they are forced to submit to their parents. In literature, the conflict moves the story forward. When the story is to end the protagonist’s favor, the conflict occurs. It is what the major character must face with and hopefully defeat. What behind conflict is want. The author always creates situations where the characters crave something. Laura in The Glass Menagerie is the tragic heroine and so does the woman called Emily in the story of A Rose For Emily. Both of them have external conflicts with their parents, in other words, they are forced to submit to†¦show more content†¦She never understands the fear, the self-abasement in her daughter’s heart and just keeping pressing her. Similarly, the conflict occurs in A Rose For Emily. Emily’s father deliberately wants to keep his daughter single. So he has been chasing away all of his daughter’s suitors. The father wants her to company with him with full of attention. And after he died, Emily can find her love. However, it is to be regretted t hat she has already past her prime time. Her father took her to a quite solitary place forever. Emily has spent the past years living like a hermit. In this story, according to the comment by the narrator, there is a statement that is â€Å"after her father’s death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all†(Faulkner, 1930). In order to achieve the story goal, a writer is supposed to use the conflict as an important element in literary creative writing. It is useful to entertain his readers. Williams and Faulkner successfully did this by creating these conflicts. Conflict in The Glass Menagerie tells the theme about the difficulty of accepting reality and escape. Everyone in this family are facing with this difficulty. And Laura is the one who can not go into the reality most. She stays with her glass animals from day to night and just live in her own world full of illusion and even doesn’t touch the outside world. Just as the description from Bernard, sheShow MoreRelated My Development as a Writer Essays1352 Words   |  6 Pages My English Literature major has helped me to achieve an outstanding level of appreciation, enjoyment, and knowledge of both American and British Literature. As a high school AP English student, I struggled through great works like Hamlet and To the Lighthouse. My teacher’s daily lectures (there was no such thing as class discussion) taught me merely to interpret the works as critics had in the past. I did not enjoy the reading or writing process. As a freshman at Loras, I was enrolled in theRead MoreEssay about How to Read Literature Like a Professor1562 Words   |  7 PagesChapter Reflections Introduction: How’d He Do That? * How do memory, symbol, and pattern affect the reading of literature? How does the recognition of patterns make it easier to read complicated literature? Discuss a time when your appreciation of a literary work was enhanced by understanding symbol or pattern. * When reading literature: memory, symbol, and pattern help you understand the text better. If you don’t comprehend literature, then you won’t know the real meaning behind thatRead MoreLearning Competencies1019 Words   |  5 Pagesat different rates when listening to informative and argumentative texts 4.1 Determine what was left out and highlighted in informative and argumentative texts 4.2 Supply gaps in a listening text caused by acoustic disturbance 5. Express appreciation of award-winning protest and patriotic songs and radio plays 5.1 Listen to appreciate the sound effects and dramatic interpretations employed in radio plays 5.2 Listen to appreciate the melody, rhythm, and lyrics of award winning songs usedRead MoreWhen I Have Fears and Mezzo Cammin Essay783 Words   |  4 PagesComp 6 11 April 2011 Timed Essay Corrections—When I Have Fears and Mezzo Cammin As people near the time of their deaths, they begin to reflect upon the history and events of their own lives. Both John Keats’ â€Å"When I have Fears† and Henry Longfellow’s â€Å"Mezzo Cammin† reflect upon the speakers’ fears and thoughts of death. However, the conclusions between these two poems end quite differently. Although both reflect upon Death’s grasp, Keats’ displays an appreciation and subtle satisfaction withRead MoreOscar Wildes Criticalism : Literary Criticism1526 Words   |  7 PagesWhat does it mean to be a critic? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a true definition of criticism would be â€Å"the scholarly investigation of literary or historical texts to determine their origin or intended form† and yet this seems to be a too analytical approach to literary criticism, a genre which generally requires you to question, at the very least, your initial, emotional engagement to a text. In the extracts f rom Longinus and Wilde, there is evidence that the purpose of criticismRead MoreTang And Song Cultural Influences1180 Words   |  5 Pagesand poetry in particular. Poets of these periods, including Li Bo, Du Fu, and Su Shi, are well known throughout East Asia and are still regarded as revered models for later generations of poets. However, Tang and Song poets clearly had different literary orientations, reflecting differences between Tang and Song societies. During the Tang period, China was open to the outside world and embraced the new and exotic, whereas Song China was a comparatively closed society that became introspective andRead MoreAnalysis Of Tyler Perry s Movies And The Aspect Of Advertising And Kid902 Words   |  4 Pageschosen sources from the media, literature and interviews for supporting the essays. The topic â€Å"The power of advertising: its effects on Children† which was derived from an analysis of consumer practices. The negative position and observat ions on the topic is be supported by an interview where Doctor James Sargent’s perspective answers the question: what ethical implications arise from advertising to children? The second essay will be an analytical investigation on the issue of gender violence withRead MoreThe Souls of Black Folk1595 Words   |  7 PagesLynch is a writer and teacher in Northern New Mexico. In the following essay, she examines ways that the text of The Souls of Black Folk embodies Du Bois experience of duality as well as his peoples. In Du Bois Forethought to his essay collection, The Souls of Black Folk, he entreats the reader to receive his book in an attempt to understand the world of African Americans—in effect the souls of black folk. Implicit in this appeal is the assumption that the author is capable of representingRead MoreEmerson And Transcendentalism1009 Words   |  5 Pagesprofoundly influenced by Transcendentalism. Throughout her childhood, the family was quite poor but idealistic. In 1843, Alcott, her three sisters, and her parents joined the transcendentalist uprising commune Fruitlands, which she writes about in her essay Transcendental Wild Oats (1873). Alcott never left her liberal rising behind and, as an adult, she supported the abolition of slavery and womens suffrage. Still living in poverty, she took odd jobs writing, sewing, and teaching to earn money. HerRead MoreYolo1583 Words   |  7 Pagesworld. Students will gain an understanding of literary concepts to be able to interpret, analyze and evaluate various genres. Furthermore, students will have the opportunity to learn and appreciate the cultural heritage that is articulated from each literary text. II. Course Objectives: At the end of the semester, the students should be able to : 1. read and understand representative literary texts from various continents in the world. 2. analyze literary texts using the various approaches in literature

Letter from a Birmingham Jail Free Essays

In â€Å"Letter from a Birmingham Jail† Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uses several writing techniques. We will write a custom essay sample on Letter from a Birmingham Jail or any similar topic only for you Order Now There are two that are used predominately in his famous letter. To clarify his strategy the reader has to first understand the intended audience of his letter. The document is addressed to â€Å"My Dear Fellow Clergymen. † Then to look at the letter a little deeper – it is not only the who the letter is addressed – but the position of those to who the letter is addressed. The recipients of this letter do not agree with Dr. Marti Luther King Jr’s actions. Dr. King uses the writing techniques of exposition and description in this letter to his fellow pastors. Dr. King is defending his actions to his fellow pastors. To do this he has to describe why he is doing what he is doing and then expand on these ideas and actions. The first technique I will prevail on is that of expository writing. Dr. King is communicating to concerned clergy what he firmly believes. What his ideas and dreams are for the movement. Dr. King goes beyond description in this letter. He finds words to ensure the readers understand his ideas. Although the recipients of his letter disagree with his actions Dr. King draws out again that, â€Å"Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (King). He digs deep within his heart to share his readers what he is feeling, his pain, his torment, his anger, his joy, his hope – and even his love. Dr. King holds nothing back in sharing his ideas and his inner most feelings. The next technique used in this letter is that of description. Dr. King goes into great detail describing what he and the movement are doing. What and why they have done 1 things that some don’t agree with. He at no time apologizes for the actions he has taken – he is merely describing what led him to take these certain actions. At one point in the letter he describes his feeling of how he came to be at the front of the civil rights movement. He goes on to describe the event that led to his leadership role. He states â€Å"When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dr. King was very effective in his technique and strategy of writing. He relates many activities the movement has been involved in. He shares some of the stories of those he has met and stood side by side with. The letter describes his dreams of a better America. He describes not only a 72 year old lady in Alabama – bet expands on why she is doing what she is doing. Because her feet are tired†¦. In thirty nine paragraphs and using less than 7,000 words (6,898) – Dr. King shares from a single jail cell in central Alabama the very essence of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960‘s. He describes to his readers not only what he is doing as part of that movement and why he is doing these things. More importantly – through exposition writing the reader understands exactly who the movement is for. As a reader of this letter I could see the entire movement unfold up to that point from his cell. I could also from benefit of history see where that movement was going. From a bus ride in Montgomery, to a cell in Birmingham, on to speaking in front of a National Monument and a finally a wave from a balcony in Memphis. Was he successful in his writing strategy and techniques? The lunch counter signs are gone – there are not notes at water fountains – and let’s not forget who just moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 2 Bibliography King, M. L. Jr. (1963). University of Pennsylvania: African Studies Center. Letter from a Birmingham Jail. Retrieved February 18, 2009, from, http://www. africa. upenn. edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham. html How to cite Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Papers

Language In The Crucible Essays - Salem Witch Trials, The Crucible

Language In The Crucible language in the crucible - one of the most remarkable aspects of the crucible is miler's creation of believable dialogue for his 17th century puritans although partly based on what he found in salem records, most of it is his own invention it is convincingly old-fashioned without it being hard to understand the language carries echos of the king james bible; but word by word, apart from a few achatic terms - such as 'harlot' and 'poppet' - the vocabulary is mostly modern miller achieves his effects by linking words in an unusual way, using double negatives, chnging verb tenses, and other devices of the same kind here are some examples : pg 9 : he cannot discover no medicine for it in his books pg 10 : i know you have not opened with me pg 59 : seeing i do live so closely with you, they dismissed it pg 95 : i am thirty three time in court in my life pg 114 : you wonder yet if rebellion's spoke ? with this shared language miller varies the way his characters speak to suit their background and personality ministers and judges naturally use more elaborate phrases than the villages giles is blunt and coarse : pg 96 - a fart on thomas putnam, that is what i say to that john protor usues some of the most poetic lines, whether he is describing his delight in the massachusett's countryside (pg 51) or crying out in despair at the end of act 3 (pg 119) there is an element of comedy in the language between protor and mary in the scene where he told her to go to bed and she said she would not have him order her around but when he gave her a choice, she decided to go to bed after all this particular comic scene heightens the horrors of the situation as influential people like proctor are at the mercy of silly girls accusing everyone of witchcraft most characters use similie and metaphor example as follows pg 20 : there be no blush about my name pg 102 : a very augur bit will now be turned into your souls until your honesty is proved pg 10 : my daughter and my niece i discovered dancing like heathen in the forest pg 29 : i know how you....sweat like a stallion whenever i come near! on pg 132 where hale is speaking to elizabeth, he uses elaborated language and he talked a lot about himself before coming to the point his language reveals who he is as he was very full of himself when he first came to salem that he was blinded to the truth and when he finally came to the 'point' (turth) it was too late English Essays

XML and EDI essays

XML and EDI essays The internet is analogous to a very large library where all the books are scattered on the floor. This is because it contains so much information, but there is no organizational system for sorting through the information. "Many people have expended a lot of time and effort over the years to try to put some order into this chaos but with varying degrees of success." (Wiseman 113). The eXtensible Markup Language, or XML, aims to take on the electronic clutter and organize it in a way that everyone can use. Although XML promises to bring drastic organizational changes to the internet, it is not a new concept. In fact, businesses have been using "a collection of standard message formats and element dictionaries to exchange data" for the past twenty-five years (Wiseman 114). This type of formatting for electronic commerce is called Electronic Data InterchangeEDIand has allows businesses to trade information necessary to their functioning. It is for this reason that XML has sometimes been called "the poor man's EDI" or "EDI for everyone," XML brings organization to the common man's electronic world, while EDI has structured corporate commerce since the dawn of the information age. EDI's foundations can be traced back to 1948 "during the Berlin airlift when Ed Guilbert of the Department of Defense spearheaded the Transportation Data Coordinating Committee." (Rifkin 29). This group needed to get various modes of transportation to share data like schedules and coordinate with each other to effectively deliver supplies. The establishment of this group eventually led to the formation of the X12 committee, which was accredited by the American National Standards institute in 1979. "Large petroleum, banking, transportation, and retailing companies and the federal government soon began using X12 EDI to provide electronic forms and messages for shipping...

SAT Scoring Error Get Someone Elses Scores By Mistake

SAT Scoring Error Get Someone Else's Scores By Mistake SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Did you get your SAT scores back and were surprised by how low they were?Do you think that you may have gotten someone else’s scores by mistake or that there was another scoring error? SAT scoring mistakesare rare, but they do happen. This guide will go over the steps you need to take in order to verify your scores, as well as what you should do to improve your score on future SATs if there was no scoring error. Did the College Board Make an SAT Mistake? It’s very rare for the College Board, the organizationthat designs and distributes the SAT, to make a mistake, but it does happen.One recent example occurred in June 2016, when the College Board incorrectly printed the amount of time students had on a certain section of the SAT, resulting in a lot of stress and anxiety for test takers.In 2006, about 4,000 students received incorrectly low scoreson their SAT because of problems with the scanning of their answer sheets. So the College Board does make mistakes. However, it's important to know that these mistakes are very rare. The vast majority of students who take the SAT have a problem-free experience, both during the test and when receiving their scores.Before you begin the process of verifying your scores, you should be aware that it is very unlikely your test was scored incorrectly. The most likely scenario is that you simply didn’t do as well on the SAT as you expected to.This can be disappointing to hear, and you may wish this were a world where the College Board descends from the heavens and tells you that there's been a big mistake, and that you really scored 400 points higher than originally reported. However, at some point you do have to overcome denial and focus on improving your scores for future exams. It's also important to remember that, if there was a mistake, fixing it may not always raise your scores. Sometimes, correcting a scoring error will lower your SAT score, and there is no way to undo this, as all adjusted scores are final. Potential Causes of SAT Scoring Errors There are multiple reasons a test may have been scored incorrectly. Below are some of the most common causes of scoring errors. Errors Caused by the College Board Sending a test taker the wrong score report. Incorrectly printing a question or section time on a test booklet. Problems with scanning answer sheets or essays. Errors Caused by the Test Taker Filling answers in for the wrong section. Filling in the wrong test identifying code. Writing the essay with pen instead of pencil. Incorrectly filling in answer bubbles (e.g. not filling the bubble in all the way, not shading dark enough, etc.). (Josh Davis/Flickr) How to Learn If There Was a Scoring Error There are a couple of actions you can take to determine whether your score is really the result of an error. Review Your Free Score Report Before taking any action, you should carefully review your official score report, which you will receive about five weeks after you take the SAT.On your score report, you can see how many questions you answered correctly, how many you answered incorrectly, and how many questions you didn’t answer at all.It also allows you to see a copy of your essay. Your score report also breaks down your results based on SAT section, question type, and question difficulty.Check over these numbers and see if there is anything unusual about them. For example, does your score report state that you omitted four answers when you are certain you didn’t skip any questions?If you believe there is a mistake with your score report, proceed to the next step. Request Student Answer Verification If you believe your SAT scores are incorrect, College Board offers two student verification services, although only one is available for each test. Even if you don't suspect that your exam was graded incorrectly, these services can be very helpful for future studying because they can help you identify the specific areas where you need to improve. You can order these services when you register for the SAT or up to five months after you take the test.If you are ordering after you registered for the SAT, you can order online by visiting MySAT and selecting â€Å"Order Verification† under â€Å"My Scores.† You can also order byphone or via post. 1. Question and Answer Service This service is available for May test-takers worldwide and October and January test-takers in the US and Canada.If you order the Question and Answer Service, you will receive: A booklet containing the SAT questions from the exam, as well as your answers to each of the questions. The test answer key. Information for each question that states what subject the question is asking about and how difficult the question is. Question and Answer Service costs $18.00 (if you didn’t have a fee waiver), and materials will be mailed 6-8 weeks after the exam. 2. Student Answer Service This service is available for all other test dates that don't offer Question and Answer Service. If you order this service you'llreceive a computer generated report containing: Which question numbers you answered correctly, which you answered incorrectly, and which questions you didn’t answer. Information about the type of test questions and level of difficulty for each question. This information is more in-depth than your free score report because it tells you for each question if you got it right, wrong, or left it blank. However, unlike the Question and Answer Service, the actual test questions and answers are not included.Student Answer Service costs $13.50 (if you didn’t have a fee waiver), and materials will be mailed 6-8 weeks after the exam. If, after ordering a verification service, you still believe your SAT scores are incorrect, you can also request hand-scoring. Request Hand Scoring The final option you have is to request hand scoring of your exam. Hand scoring is the most rigorous score verification service that College Board offers, and ifyou order it, your entire multiple-choice answer sheet and/or your essay will be manually reviewed. You can request hand scoring if, after ordering student answer verification, you still believe your exam was graded incorrectly. In most cases you'll want to order student answer verification before hand scoring because student answer verification is cheaper and can give you a lot of useful information that, in most cases, convinces you that your test was graded properly.However, you can also order hand scoring without ordering student answer verification firstif you think there is an issue that will be solved by hand scoring. It's also important to note that, if you order hand scoring, you will be unable to order student answer verification services afterward if you hadn't already ordered them. Reasons to request hand scoring before student answer verification: You think you wrote your essay with pen instead of pencil. Your essay isn’t visible on your free score report. You think you bubbled youranswers in on the wrong section. You think youused the wrong test identifying code. You can request hand scoring for your multiple choice answers, your essay, or both. Having your multiple choice answers and your essay hand scored each cost $55, or $27.50 each if you had a fee waiver. Hand Scoring for Multiple-Choice Questions If you want to have your multiple-choice answers hand scored, your entire answer sheet will be reviewed; you cannot request hand scoring for only certain sections of the test.If the person hand scoring your exam finds that you marked your answers correctly, but there was a mistake in the scanning or scoring process, then your hand scoring fee will be refunded, and your score will be updated. If it’s found that you made an â€Å"obvious error† on your answer sheet, such as filling answers in on the wrong section or using the wrong test identifying code, then your score will be updated, but your hand scoring fee will not be refunded. If it’s found that you did not follow instructions for filling in answers (for example, you didn’t completely fill in answer bubbles or filled in multiple circles in a single row/column), your score will not be changed, and you will not be refunded the hand scoring fee. Hand Scoring for the Essay If you request hand scoring of your essay, be aware that your essay will NOT be reread.Hand scoring of your essay only includes determining whether there was an error in the scanning or processing of the essay scores assigned by the two graders who read your essay. If an error is found, your score will be adjusted and you will be refunded your hand scoring fee. If you wrote your essay in pen, it may not have scanned properly. You can check this by looking at your free online score report, where a scanned copy of your essay is visible. If the essay is unreadable or appears blank, you may want to request that it be hand scored.If you wrote your essay in pen, you will not have your hand scoring fee refunded, even if your essay score changes. Considerations to Keep in Mind if You Request Hand Scoring Hand scoring can be requested up to five months after taking the SAT.You can request it by completing and mailing a Request for SAT Score Verification form. If you have any information that you think would be helpful (such as if you know you wrote your essay in pen or think you used the wrong test identifying code), report it to the College Board's Customer Serviceat the same time you submit the form. If you order hand scoring, you will be mailed a letter confirming the results of your multiple-choice or essay hand score verification within five weeks after your request and payment are received. If you order hand score verification, you will no longer be able to see your free online score report and you will no longer have access to the Student Answer Service or Question-and-Answer Service.Hand scored reports can only be requested once per test, and once they are completed, they are final and cannot be appealed or reordered. After going through the above steps, you will know whether or not College Board made an error while grading or sending your scores. What if there was no mistake, and that really is the score you got? Read on to find out what to do. Don't despair if there wasn't a grading error. There are ways to raise your score! What to Do If There Wasn't a Scoring Error First of all, don’t feel like it is the end of the world if your SAT score is lower than you thought it would be. Your standardized test scores are only one component of your college applications, and you likely have time to retake the SAT and aim for a higher score. The College Board also offers a service called Score Choice that allows you to choose which SAT scores you send to schools. As long as the schools you’re applying to don’t require you to send all your SAT scores (and we have a complete list of schools that require all SAT scores sent), then a low SAT score will not affect your application if you retake the SAT and receive a higher score. It is also normal for your SAT scores to fluctuate a bit. Drops in score of up to 150 points are normal and can occur just due to chance. This is especially true if you had a high score (680+) on previous SAT sections. Check out our guide to learn more about changes in SAT scoresand what a normal drop is and isn’t. Read on to learn strategies to help improve your scores on future SATs. How to Improve Your SAT Score Identify and Focus on Your Weak Areas Take some time to look over your score report. It has a lot of useful information, including how many questions you got wrong in each section as well as how well you did on specific subject areas within those sections.For example, you’ll be able to see not only how well you did on the Math section, but how well you did in different subjects such as Algebra and Geometry. If you ordered one of the student answer verification services, you should review those materials as well to get more information. Make note of the areas where you answered the most questions incorrectly and focus on them for your future studying.How can you improve a low section score? Check out these section guides: SAT Critical Reading The Ultimate Guide for SAT Reading The 4 SAT Reading Strategies You Must Use SAT Math The Complete Guide to Fractions and Ratios The Critical SAT Math Strategy You Must Know SAT Writing The Complete Guide for SAT Writing The Top7 SAT Writing Tips to Boost Your Score Practice, Practice, Practice Don’t be under-prepared for your next try at the SAT! Even though you’ve already taken the test before, you’ll still need to study and practice for the next time.A great way to do this is to take complete, strictly timed practice tests.Doing so will help you track your progress over time and help you identify where you are improving and where you still need to practice. We have links to multiple official SAT practice tests. Taking complete practice SATs will also give you a more accurate estimate of what your score will be on a real SAT than taking one section at a time would.Review your results for these practice tests carefully so you learn what mistakes you made and how to avoid making them again in the future. Consider Hiring a Tutor or Taking a Prep Course Sometimes, having a study plan developed by someone else is the best way to effectively target your weak areas and raise your score.There are a lot of great tutors and prep courses.Read our guide on finding the best tutor for you. Be Ready for Test Day Simple logistics can be enough to have a significant impact on your test scores.On test day, make sure you are confident and prepared so you don’t let any outside circumstances affect your scores. Get enough sleep the night before the exam, bring a snack with you on test day, and know how to get to your test center. Having these things set will help you focus all your concentration on the test.Also, make sure you give yourself enough time before retaking the SAT. Around two-fourmonths is recommended so that you have enough time to practice and improve. Are you prepared? Summary It’s very rare for the College Board to send incorrect SAT scores, but it does happen. If you are surprised by how low your SAT scores are, there is a process you can go through to get your scores verified, but be aware that they are most likely correct. To verify your scores, order a Student Answer Verification service. If you are still not confident that your scores are correct, you can also request hand scoring of your multiple choice questions and essay. There is a fee for each of these services, and they must be requested within five months of taking the test. If there was no scoring error, there are multiple ways you can improve your score, including analyzing your score reports, taking practice tests, and using a tutor or prep program. You can find more information about SAT score verification on the College Board's website. What's Next? Are you interested in a test prep program? PrepScholar has the industry's leading SAT and ACT prep program.Built byHarvard grads and full scorers, the programlearns your strengths and weaknessesthrough advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so you get the most effective prep possible. Try a 5-day risk-free trial for theSATor ACT today! Also, check out our ultimate study guide to SAT prep. Covering every section of the SAT, this guide combines our best SAT study materials on one page. Disappointed with your scores? Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. 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