- Be equipped. Gather all you need the night before the test. Take the admission
ticket, at least two No. 2 pencils, an eraser, a calculator with
fresh batteries (SAT tests only), and a picture identification
- driver’s license, school picture I.D., current passport,
etc. Also take a watch to help pace yourself. It should not be
a watch that beeps.
- Don’t
cram. Get a good night’s sleep and eat a
healthy breakfast before the test. You have already prepared by
reviewing the content and familiarizing yourself with the set
up. Be rested, energized, and confident.
- Dress in layers. You need to be comfortable to concentrate, and test rooms may
be cold in summer or hot in winter.
- Arrive early. Scope out the location of the test days before, so you know where
it is. Ask someone reliable to drive you, so you don’t have
to worry about parking. Leave lots of time to get to the site.
If you’re early, you can get settled before the test starts.
- Don’t
spend too much time on any one question. Become familiar
with the test directions. Every minute you spend reading directions
takes away from time you can spend answering questions. Skip questions
that you don’t know. You don’t have to answer every
question correctly to score well. You can always return to questions
if you finish before time is up for that section.
- Guess carefully. On the SAT, you receive one point for each correct answer. Questions
you skip do not count against your score, but a fraction of a
point is subtracted for each wrong answer to multiple-choice questions.
If you can eliminate one or two choices, a calculated guess can
help your SAT scores. Use your test book for scratch work, to
cross off answers you know are wrong, and to mark questions you
did not answer so you can go back if time permits. On the ACT,
there is no penalty for guessing. You should answer every question,
even if you have to guess.
- Keep track
of where you are in a section. Answer all the questions
that seem easy before you spend time on the more difficult ones.
You get just as many points for easy questions as you do for hard.
Questions of the same type are grouped together. Usually, the
ones most people get right are the beginning of a section and
they gradually get more difficult. Obvious choices early in a
section may be correct. Obvious choices late in a section may
be a trap.
- Don’t
try to figure which section is unscored. The SAT “equating”
section is well camouflaged. On the ACT, experimental questions
are often scattered throughout scored sections. Do your best on
every question.
- Be careful
filling in answers. Learn how to navigate your answer
sheet. Mark only one answer for multiple-choice questions, and
be careful when filling in grids for math questions. Erase completely,
and don’t make any extra marks on your answer sheet.
- Relax. Confidence is the key. Concentrate on the positives, not the negatives.
Remember, an admissions test is just one factor in the larger
equation that gains you admission to college. Attitude and outlook
are crucial to doing your best on any test.
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