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We’ve identified nine strategies to help you achieve the highest SAT score. The preparation of a thorough day and meditation is essential to a successful test day.
The SAT is an examination for college entrance test which is passed by more than one million students every year. One of the best ways to getting a high SAT scores is to focus on studying specifically for the SAT that is specially designed to assess your college preparation.
The majority the time, your SAT preparation should be completed months ahead of time and most experts do not suggest making use of the last-minute SAT advice. The focus of any day should be on ensuring that you arrive at the test site in time and feeling refreshed for the long, tiring day ahead.
Below, we will break down the nine methods in which you could prepare to take the SAT With suggestions from test prep experts.
1. Create an SAT Study Schedule
It might sound intuitive however your score will increase by studying to prepare for SAT. A lot of students attempt a few tests and then go back to their studies. A plan, however, can help keep you in the right direction and ensure that you are studying consistently.
“Create a strategic study plan based on your strengths and weaknesses of test content,” suggested Bara Sapir, CEO and the founder of City Test Prep. “Focus on learning the material you’ve not performed well on, but also continue to practice material you have mastered.”
To develop your study plan Begin by selecting the SAT exam date. Once you know the time when the test will be held it is time to begin planning regularly scheduled study time. Make sure you budget at least 2 hours a week to study. You’ll want to ensure that the material is on your plate without burning out prior to exam day.
“Think of this as a marathon you’re preparing for rather than a sprint,” Sapir advised. Sapir.
2. Use Quality Prep Materials
The quality of the materials that you study with for the SAT will impact the score you get and how well you are prepared on the day of your test.
It is recommended that the College Board website should be your first stop for information. You have the option to get a copy of their cost-free the SAT Study Guide and get access to the practice questions, complete-length practice test, answers and strategies. Also, you can access Khan Academy, which is a affiliate with the College Board, to access hundreds of official SAT practice questions as well as video explanations.
Other sources include highly evaluated SAT preparation books applications, SAT preparation classes, as well as private tutors.
3. Increase Your Reading Speed
A large part of the SAT is taking the test quickly and with accuracy. In the Reading section it is important to go through long sections quickly and without losing sight of important elements. By reducing the amount of time you take to read the questions and passages on the test You’ll be able to take more time to think about the solutions.
“On reading-based questions, around 80% of what you are tested on comes from around 20% of what you read,” Sapir explained. Sapir. “Being a more efficient reader means you have more time for critical thinking and answering questions.”
The act of reading and rehearsing SAT questions can help you get more comfortable with the format of the question and its language. It is also possible to research methods to improve your reading and comprehension speed. For instance, you could consider a method like word-chunking, or work on reducing the tendency to read the same sentence over and over.
4. Target the Mistakes You Can Control
Although you cannot know or anticipate the answer However, there are other mistakes that you can manage including timing pressure, comprehension of the question and naive mistakes.
A lot of students fail the SAT due to the pressure of time. By taking a timed test, you can help you adjust to the pressure and speed. While you’re taking practice SAT tests, you should set timers to determine the length of time you’ll be given to complete the test.
It is also possible to increase your speed by timing each of the questions. As you become more familiar with time limitations you’ll be less likely to commit a mishap.
Section | Time Limit | Number of Questions | Time per Question |
Reading | 65 minutes | 52 | 75 seconds |
Writing and Language | 35 minutes | 44 | 48 seconds |
Math — No Calculator | 25 minutes | 20 | 75 seconds |
Math — Calculator | 55 minutes | 38 | 87 seconds |
The difficulty of the test isn’t simply understanding the answer, but also comprehending the test question. “The SAT has to find peculiar ways to create difficulty,” stated Travis Minor, founder of Open Door Education. “To do this, the SAT targets the most common mistakes students make: overlooking double negatives, using too many commas, reading too quickly, and forgetting to pay attention to what the question is actually asking.”
When you study the kinds of questions that are asked on the SAT You’ll get comfortable with the language. Be attentive to questions that make use of terms such as “except,” “least,” “however,” and “rather than.”
5. Come to Test Day Prepared
The day-of-preparation must be focused on putting yourself in the right frame of mind and energize your body for a long day. As Sapir stated, “Test day is game on. Your only job and purpose is to be present.”
It is important to get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast, if possible. You might want to treat yourself to your favourite tea or coffee drink to keep your spirits up. We suggest layering your clothes to be able to be able to adapt if the test room is cold or warm.
A brief review of math formulas and test strategies could be a great idea to stimulate your brain. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to squeeze in many hours of study during the time of taking the exam. Be sure to be there early to avoid delays due to traffic or other factors in getting to the test location.
“All the study and practice you’ve done led you to this moment — so you don’t want to game the system at this point,” Sapir said. Sapir. “You want to be in the moment and the mental zone of test-taking.”
6. Answer the Questions You Know First
An effective test-taking method for test-taking on the SAT is to review the section you’re currently taking and complete all questions you’ve already answered. If you’re able to answer the questions that you’re familiar with then you’ll have more time to tackle the ones you’re not confident about.
If a test is taking more than a few minutes to comprehend, you should leave the question out and note it on your test booklet to remind you to return to it in the future.
7. Eliminate Incorrect Answers
When you’re working on SAT questions that you’re not sure of the correct answer, you can try getting rid of answers that you know are not correct. If you can eliminate any of the four possibilities the chances of predicting the correct answer increase.
In the words of Minor, “Students should know that the SAT is masterful in creating answer choices that are convincing but incorrect, and so it is often easier to find the wrong answers than to find the ‘flawless’ answer.”
If you do not have a clue as to what the correct response is, it’s possible that you are able to decide on answers based upon the situation that the issue is in. “Process of elimination is your best friend,” Minor said. Minor.
8. Don’t Leave Any Questions Blank
Try to answer each question. Set aside time to return to the questions you missed and don’t be afraid to begin filling in circles in case you run out of time.
Even even if you don’t know the answer, you must at least try to guess. Your score will not be penalized for mistakes however, it will be calculated by correct answers. That means your score stands a chance of being correct if making a make a guess, whereas you’ll have zero chance of earning points If you do not fill it in.
9. Take the SAT More Than Once, If Possible
The majority of people view that SAT as a once-in-a-lifetime test that you have to take and you’re done. However, the truth is that a lot of students have to take the test at least twice.
Why? Studies have shown that repeating the SAT can result in better scores.
It could be that you are familiar with what to expect next time next time. It could also be because you spent more time in preparation for the test and working on your weak points.
Retaking the SAT will require you to pay the entire cost of the test all over for the second time. If you are able to meet the College Board’s standards however, you might be eligible to receive a fee waiver.