Standardized Test Taking (ACT & SAT)

Standardized Test Taking (ACT & SAT)
Standardized test taking can be a major pain, and i'm positive we all agree. I assume most of us are from the ages of 15-17, so this guide will help you surpass your own expectation pre-test. The main tests you should be taking are the SAT's (10th and 11th grade) and the ACT (10th and 11th grade).

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Mental Preparation:
The best mental preparation anyone can get is solid schoolwork. However, there are certain steps which you can do to better prepare for standardized tests to boost your confidence.
Organization- Always begin preparing in advance no matter what the case. Leaving things to the last minute always turns out for the worst. Practice specific test-taking strategies that you have learned.
Refresh Your Knowledge- Once you have a good idea of the content inside the test, review those content areas you have studied but aren't particularly fresh in your mind.
Content Areas You Have Not Studied- Make sure you identify the content areas which you are unfamiliar with or weakest in. Consider taking courses to help you gain knowledge in those areas which you are unfamiliar with.
Planned Study Time- Set nights in which you should be studying. For instance set aside 2 nights a week to study for these standardized tests so that you can prepare for all of the content which you are going to be faced with. If the test is very far away then set away small periods of time to study such as an hour a week, which is harmless, but will give you an increased knowledge of the topic.

Physical Preparation:
Rest- Get plenty of sleep the night before so you won't be tired and in a great physical condition to take the test. Follow the routine you normally go by, for instance, if you go to bed at 10:00pm then go to be at 10:00pm, otherwise you could be overtired or end up getting less sleep than normal. You should use a normal routine for about 2 weeks to get into that routine so it's normal for you by the time the test arrives.

Test-Taking Strategies:
Practice Tests- The best way to anticipate what a test will most be like is to take a practice test. This will help you with your time management and the materials that will be on the test. You can find practice booklets in the college section of your high school, or basically any library. There are books which you can buy which have old tests that show you exactly what the test is like.
Pace Yourself- Rushing could lead to you answering questions wrong and getting all out of form. You must be able to work quickly and efficiently, which is a problem for many. Don't let time get in the way of your work, because that can easily lead to errors within your work. If you finish quickly you may have time to go back and check over some questions you were not absolutely sure about.
Knowing Directions- Ignoring directions can lead to answering the question wrongly and not precisely what they are looking for. Don't surpass the directions and make sure you read them throughly so you know exactly what they are asking for. Try to read directions in advance before the test, the directions are the same for every test and they will tell you exactly what to do.
Plan To Check Your Work- Once you get to the end of an individual section of the test with several minutes to spare, you should go back and go over questions which you were unsure about before.

• For multiple choice questions make sure you have marked all of your answers clearly so that nothing is questionable.

• Be certain you have answered all of the questions on your answer sheet, even the ones you weren't sure about whether it's the ACT or SAT.

• When you reach the end of a mathematics section,, go back and check your calculations to make sure everything you have worked out, actually is correct.

• Be sure you have marked one answer per question on your answer sheet.

• If there are too many questions for you to check with the amount of time left, make sure you check the ones you were most uncertain about first to ensure that you have corrected the ones you were unsure of.

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*You should take the SAT 3 times, and no more. You should take the ACT 2 times, and no more. Colleges don't like to see these tests taken more than those specified numbers.

 

Sw33t. As a junior in HS, this is the perfect guide for me. I scored terribly on my first SAT and I'm waiting to take it again.

 

hm, are these tests mandatory? im in second symester grade 11, and havnt done either of these, i did the literacy test last year, but havnt heard a word about either of these. are these american required tests

 

If you want to go to college you better have taken at least, and thats the very least, one of these tests.

 

either 1 of them have been offered at all.. i do want to go to college lol, but i dont understand why they arent offered if they are so important

 

SATs are pushed on you although you have a choise in my school. but we have a manditory CAPT (Connecicut Apptitude Test) which is very hard. you need it to graduate high school. im sure these tips will help me out a lot. thanks brandeis

 

Great guide, very helpful. The black font is hard to read though.

 

Yeah i agree, black font kinda hard to read, i basically knew all the information. The chart is crazy helpful tho thanks.

 

i just retook my sat's last weekend, im hoping to score more in the 1850 range this time

i got 1650 last time, without any preparing....this time, ive spent months studying my ass off

 

Alright is you cant get a good score on the SAT then your an idiot! I got a perfect 100% on my FCAT's (Same as SAT just in Florida) for about three years now i don't do anything at all to prepare. Well, my math tests at least.

 

best part of Canada is I dont have to take the SAT's to graduate. This is helpful though.

 

In my honest opinion, those study books for sat doesn't help at all , you just have to use those stock knowledge.

But your tips really help alot, thanks

 

SATs are no longer existant in the UK from 2009. - Thanks for the guide though.

 

I'm in the 8th grade and I take SATs I also took one in the 7th grade. It's probably because I go to a private school (which is gay)

 

You don't take the same tests as them. Every middle school has to take a standardized test, but it is not for the same purposes as the one high school students take. Under the 'No Child Left Behind Act' every school must take one. So therefore, you are not special, nor are you extremely intelligent. Stop exclaiming yourself as superior.

 

Wrong! I know like 10 people that took the SAT in 7th grade, or are going to. I have not taken any standardized testing for 5 years except for the SAT. Why? Because I go to a private school... We are not required to take any of the utterly stupid testing the governments forces public school folks to take.

 

Government Funded School, Correction*

 

Practice a lot
I went to SAT prep and went from 1540 to 1910.
In one month

 

Yeah, I too know a lot of people who took them at younger ages. But, the only problem is that the black font is a bit hard to read, I'm sure many of you have had that problem. I'm also in the same boat as SuF, I attend private school as well and I haven't taken any tests other than the ACT & SAT. I think the content is good though.

 

I'm taking the ACT this Saturday. This guide really didn't help me, because the ideas are simple, but made me focus a bit more.