If you are a high school student, especially a junior approaching your SAT date, it is important to start preparing. Though many schools are placing less emphasis on SAT and ACT scores now than just a few years ago, these tests are still very important factors in your application and academic profile. Just because many colleges no longer require SAT/ACT scores, doesn’t mean you should take these tests lightly.
A strong SAT/ACT score can get you that spot in your dream college!
With all that being said, it is also important to note that SAT/ACT scores are not your only determining factor. Academic profiles should be well-rounded (extracurricular experience, GPA, testing, programs, etc.) to be considered an ideal candidate. This means that your test score alone will not make or break the decision of the admissions officer.
The key takeaway from this is that you should strive to utilize an abundance of resources to prepare for your exams- putting your best effort forth to show your potential to colleges. At the same time, do not be discouraged if your scores do not meet your expectations. Make sure your goals are realistic and not coming from a perspective of perfectionism or comparison. Be compassionate with yourself throughout the process, you can do it!
Let's dive into some of the most popular tips online and some tips from my personal experience as a senior. What worked for me will be below the popular tips.
POPULAR TIPS: STUDYING
1. SET YOUR GOALS
Set a target score. Your SAT/ACT score goal will reflect things like the score range for colleges you are interested in attending and the score you receive on one of the practice tests available on the College Board website, which can serve as a set point.
When setting your goals, you should reflect on what your strengths and weaknesses are to know what to review and practice.
2. SET A STUDY SCHEDULE + PRACTICE.
Use resources. There are so many excellent resources for no charge online that students can take advantage of. Most offer SAT/ACT practice tests as well as video lessons and comprehensive reviews. Some examples include:
· Khan Academy
· Youtube channels and videos
· Varsity Tutors
· The Princeton Review
· Magoosh
· Kaplan
· PrepScholar
After exploring resources, create a study schedule. Your study schedule should be personalized and consistent to achieve the best results. Stick to your schedule, and don’t allow yourself to push off studying, even though it is tempting.
3. WORK ON TIME MANAGEMENT
With the SAT and ACT, time is of the essence, so make sure that before test day you have mastered managing your time so you can answer as many questions as efficiently as possible. A good way to work on time management is to take timed practice tests or set timers for shorter sections of practice. You want to work up to a pace that matches the allotted time you will have to take the exam on test day.
If skimming text works for you, you can use this strategy on the reading and grammar sections to save time, but be aware of missing keywords in the questions and texts that may affect answers.
POPULAR TIPS: TEST-TAKING
1. ELIMINATION
Whenever you come across a question on your exam that you do not know the answer to, try eliminating the answers you know aren’t true. This is a great strategy to improve your chances of getting the right answer, especially because there is at least one answer that can quickly be eliminated using common sense.
2. FILL OUT ALL THE BUBBLES
If you are down to the last 5-10 minutes of your exam and realize you will not have time to finish all the questions on a section, start bubbling out the rest of the answers. Many people use the Letter of The Day Method, where you choose one letter (A, B, C, or D) to guess every question you don’t know (assuming you haven’t eliminated your letter of the day). This strategy is proven to improve your chances of guessing correctly.
Remember that you don’t get penalized for incorrect answers, but you do get points for every correct answer, so make sure every question on your sheet has an answer bubbled in!
3. MANAGE STRESS AND ANXIETY
Use methods to calm you down before the test. It is normal to feel nervous- don’t try to fight the feeling, just accept that you are nervous, take a deep breath or count backward from 10, and continue your exam. Test-taking anxiety is a universal experience, but you will be okay no matter how intense it may feel in the moment. Be compassionate with yourself when experiencing test-related stress and acknowledge your successes along the way.
picture from honors.nmsu.edu
LEADING UP TO YOUR TEST…
Get a full night of sleep. Your body and mind NEED to be rested to work efficiently.
Eat a healthy breakfast and drink water before you sit down for your exam.
Participate in some stress management strategies like a short morning meditation or words of affirmation.
Have all your materials prepared 2 days before so you don’t have to stress over getting everything together last minute.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Skimming text didn’t work for me because I felt like I needed the whole picture to be able to answer the subsequent questions. When I skimmed the text, It took me longer to process each question and go back to the text to search for answers. If you think you relate to this, read the whole text.
Elimination is an amazing strategy I would recommend to any test-taker. Each time you eliminate just one answer choice you are improving your chances by 25%. It is also easier to spot what choices are wrong than which ones are right when you come across a confusing question.
Skip the sticky questions: If you get stuck on a question or know in advance that it will be time-consuming, skip the question (mark it with a star or circle) and come back to it after you’ve answered the easier questions. Remember that all questions are worth the same.
ANSWER EVERY QUESTION!!!
Immerse yourself in the test taking process. Really focus on the material and think about the fastest methods to answer questions. For example, In the math sections I found that oftentimes I didn’t have to take time to do any work because the question could be answered by logic. If presented with a graph and asked to find the slope, don’t spend time writing out y/x. Just look at the graph, mentally count, and answer.
I hope these tips are helpful to all your future test-takers. Testing can be a stressful time, so be patient with yourself and once again remember not to base your intellect on your scores or judge yourself by the comparison of your scores with your peers. If you have put in the time and effort to succeed, you should be endlessly proud of yourself. I wish you all the best of luck!
Comments