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TACKLE STANDARDIZED TESTS
by the student editors of CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLLEGE & GET ACCEPTED!, a Students Helping Students® guide
Standardized tests, and particularly the SAT I, are a source of a lot of anxiety for most of us. It’s a lot of pressure to study and do well because admissions committees do take the results into account. What’s important to remember is that standardized test scores are never the sole or most important factor that will determine your acceptance or rejection from a certain school. Instead, these scores are considered as another data point about your qualifications, and if they aren’t great, you can make it up with stellar grades or strong and eclectic extracurricular involvement.
The SAT I and the ACT are the most important tests for your college application. Most college-bound students take one of these exams during the spring of their junior year and we suggest that you do this as well. One of the most important pieces of advice we can share with you is to PRACTICE. A lot of what goes into a good standardized test score is being familiar with the format of the test and being used to the specific way in which each type of question is asked. The more you practice, the more comfortable you become with the test and the more likely you’ll be to focus, think clearly, and avoid getting too stressed out.
As you practice for the tests, it’s a good idea to first focus on getting the right answers and then make sure that you can complete the test in the specified amount of time. Work through the problems, check your answers, figure out why you got a question right or wrong, and don’t worry about the time limit too much. You need to develop a strategy for answering each question and it’s best to work it out without the pressure of time. Once you feel more comfortable and have your approach, work on timing yourself to make sure that you get through the entire test.
You don’t have endless hours of free time to practice so it’s a good idea to prioritize what you’ll study and practice most vigorously. If verbal questions are your strength, spend more time on the math section and vice versa. If a certain type of question—such as reading comprehension—gives you the most trouble, spend more time practicing those sections than others. You know what you need to improve, so create a plan for study and focus on those areas where you need the most work.
Definitely take at least two or three full-length practice tests before you go in for the real thing. Follow the rules—time yourself and take the test in a quiet space and during the same time of day when you’d be taking the real test. The closer you can make your experience to the real one, the better prepared you’ll be.
It’s pretty easy to get caught up with your standardized test scores and obsess about doing well. But if you make yourself overly anxious about the outcome you’ll be stressed out when taking the test and won’t be able to concentrate as well as you should. Instead of stressing out, remember that you’ve learned a lot in high school and have taken the time to practice and prepare—you’re capable of translating all that work into a good score. Besides, standardized test scores are just one component of what the admissions people will look at when considering your application. Not doing well on these tests doesn’t automatically mean that you won’t get into the college of your choice, so try not to drive yourself crazy over them.
“Although SATs are extremely intimidating—they terrified me!—I’ve realized that stressing out about them is really a waste of time. It worries you and definitely doesn’t improve your chances of getting a higher score. My advice is to try and approach this test with confidence and stay calm. This will help you avoid freaking out or going blank, which does happen if you stress out too much.”
Freshman,
Fordham University
Copyright © by NATAVI GUIDES.
For more student advice like this, buy CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLLEGE & GET ACCEPTED!!
Check out more student advice on college and your apps...
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• MAKE THE MOST OF EACH CAMPUS VISIT
• CONSIDER EARLY DECISION
• APPLY TO A DIVERSE SET OF COLLEGES
• ACE YOUR COLLEGE INTERVIEW
• LEARN HOW TO GET GREAT RECS
• WRITE KILLER COLLEGE APPLICATION ESSAYS
• DEAL WITH COLLEGE APPLICATIONS STRESS
Go to >>> Choose the Right College & Get Accepted! - Home
For more helpful tips and proven strategies from students and recent grads on choosing the right college and acing every aspect of your applications, buy the Students Helping Students® guide titled CHOOSE THE RIGHT COLLEGE & GET ACCEPTED!, available at bookstores and online stores, such as Amazon.com.
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