Stressing Out Over The SAT/ACTs? Here's Some Advice

Preparing for college is sometimes rather exciting, and sometimes just really scary. You have a fun adventure ahead of you, but there is a lot you must do and prepare for you to get there. The admissions process is the most daunting aspect of college prep, but getting into that school you’ve always wanted to go to can be the most exhilarating feeling you’ve ever felt. Colleges mainly decide on this through two things, high school GPA and SAT/ACT scores. Everybody has probably already told you just to study, but there are more things you can do to help increase your score, and we can help!

Work Out of Order
These tests are timed, so try your best not to spend too much time on one question. If you don’t know it at the moment, skip it and come back to it. Also, sometimes other questions can refresh your memory and help you answer a question you previously couldn’t answer.

If you don’t know what to skip, here’s a good guideline to follow:
Now: If you can confidently answer the question, do it now.
Later: Are you second-guessing a question? Come back to it but leave a mark next to the number for reference.

Guess: Everybody has a weakness. If there is no way, you can answer confidently, just guess! There’s no penalty for wrong answers.

Process of Elimination
There might be a time where you can’t seem to figure out what the right answer is. Don’t fret, if you can’t find the right answer, get rid of the wrong ones first. Once you do this, you increase your chances of getting the answer right. The correct answer might become clearer.

Know Your Mistakes
If this isn’t your first time taking the test, you can look over your score to see where you lacked in last time. Spend most of your time studying and looking up more tips for that specific subject. This can increase your score easily by a few points.

There are a lot of ways to decrease stress during test time. The main method is just to be more confident in yourself. Following these tips will make you more prepared, which in turn will make you more confident. Don’t get stuck on a question, just go with the flow. Another thing, don’t be afraid to take the test more than once. The more times you take it, the less stress you’ll have. Eventually, you’ll become a natural at test taking. You can alter your strategy for more success the next time you take it.

Once you’ve passed the SAT/ACT test, you’re ready to prepare for applying to colleges. College may seem like a daunting step to take in your life but with these tips to guide you, college will be a great experience for you to enjoy!

References:
The Princeton Review
International Connections Academy
Peterson’s