For many high schoolers, the SAT/ACT is a heavy burden to carry. Most students begin to panic and uncover the ins and outs of these tests. Many wonder what would happen if they fail or don’t get accepted into their dream school — “What would our future be?”.
The SAT and ACT are very similar. Both are standardized tests that colleges use to estimate a student’s eligibility for admission. The better a student’s scores, the higher chance of them being accepted to their school of choice or a reputable college/university.
It’s easy to fall into the hole of anxiety and panic, but there are plenty of ways to tackle the SAT/ACT.
Have a good night’s rest and a fulfilling breakfast the next morning.
This advice has been passed down from teachers to their students for centuries, but that’s because it actually works. Getting enough sleep and eating a healthy breakfast will energize you throughout the day. Although some students tend to take this advice with a grain of salt, it is an important step in staying alert and being prepared for an exam.
To accomplish this, limit screen time a few hours before bedtime, have alarms set and ready to go for the morning, and start winding down at least an hour before you go to bed. Having food prepared for in the morning and waking up with enough time to get ready are important for test day.
Know what’s to come.
While preparing for the SAT/ACT, it’s best to know how much time each section has.
For example, the reading section will be 65 minutes with 52 questions, while the writing and language will be 35 minutes with 44 questions, and the math section will be 80 minutes with 58 questions.
Understanding the content of each portion is essential for knowing how to manage your time. If a student knows how long each section will take and the content required beforehand, they can prepare themselves and complete the section in a shorter amount of time. For example, knowing that the reading section will have questions such as determining the meaning of a word, pinpointing the main idea, and identifying the author’s use of details, can help students to tackle that particular section more efficiently.
Practice, practice, practice.
There are hundreds of websites that provide SAT/ACT practice tests. This will help with pacing and understanding what objectives are going to be on the exam. Practice books such as the Princeton Review and The Official ACT Prep Guide are available through Amazon and in public libraries. There are also free resources, such as Khan Academy and the ACT even offers a free full-length practice test and study guide on their website.
Don’t doubt yourself.
When taking an exam, never change an answer unless absolutely certain it is incorrect. Additionally, if an answer seems unclear, move on. Try to eliminate as many incorrect answer choices before deciding to move on. If all else fails, remember that making an educated guess is better than leaving a question blank.
Study before the test.
Though studying may be tedious, it is the best way to ensure a good score. There are countless way to study for the SAT/ACT. If retaking the SAT/AC, there should be an idea on which subjects to focus on that area’s score. Take into account both your strengths and weaknesses.
Stay sharp — it will be okay.
Anxiety tends to get the best of students. Standardized tests like these, that leave a great impact on student’s college admission chances, especially freak people out. However, these tests do not define a student’s future or themselves. When going to take an exam, stay positive. Allowing negative thoughts to take over your mindset will cause distractions and affect your true potential. If a student has studied and prepared to the best of their ability, then those test-taking worries should disappear.
Not to mention — these tests can be retaken at a later test date.
