The SAT is a big deal. Your score could help or hinder your entrance into college. Be thoughtful as you register and prepare for your SAT exam day. A little planning can relieve a lot of stress.
Don’t Give Yourself Only One Chance
Don’t wait until the last season before applying to colleges to take the SAT. This puts all the pressure on doing well the the first time. It is ideal to take the SAT in the spring of your Junior year. This way, you will have a chance to take it in the fall of your Senior year, before you apply to schools. If you weren’t happy with your score, you will have an entire summer to work on improving your skills. An excellent score will mean that the test is out of the way and it will be one less thing you have to worry about at the start of your senior year. When you look at your calendar to schedule your SAT, look at the big picture and determine what will be best for application dues dates and your study schedule.
Show Up Late
You studied, you prepared, and are you are ready to do awesome on the SAT. But, you forgot to pack up your stuff the night before, you didn’t find accurate directions to the testing site, or didn’t leave early enough to avoid traffic. Getting to the site even five minutes late may prevent you from taking the exam. Plan to be at the site at least 20 minutes before the start time. This will give you a generous cushion if anything unexpected happens along the way. It is not totally devastating if you can’t take the exam. You can pay a transfer fee to register for a different date. However, it will fell disappointing and stressful if you have been working hard to prepare and were ready for the exam.
Forget to Study
The SAT covers curriculum you should have learned in your high school coursework. However, it also tests critical thinking skills. You should hone these skills and practice reading SAT questions so that you understand exactly what the exam will be like. In addition, there is the added pressure of time. When you haven’t done practice exams, you won’t know how to pace yourself. None of your high school exams will require the mental stamina that the SAT does and that is why it is important to study long before the day of the test.
Practice and preparation will get you the score you need. Plan ahead so that you choose the best testing dates for your schedule. Knowing all of the details about times and sites will help you arrive on time and stress free. Finally, work hard to prepare. The more you put into preparation, the better you will perform, even if you are already really good at taking tests.
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