A Mental Approach to Your Second SAT

Facing the SAT after you have already taken it has advantages and disadvantages. It is possible that your confidence is shaken because you didn’t achieve your goal score. Maybe you feel better about the exam because you have experience now. No matter how you feel about the SAT, your mental state can have a huge impact on your score. You need to develop the right mental approach to your second SAT.

Build Confidence

If you weren’t all that confident going into the first exam, develop a way to boost your confidence. For many students, plenty of preparation and practice amounts to greater confidence. Negative self talk and anxiety can also get in the way of confidence. Surround yourself with positive ideas and encouraging people in the days approaching your second exam. The more time you spend thinking positively, the easier it will be to maintain a positive outlook even in the face of anxiety. Meditation and mindfulness can also help relieve anxiety and negative thoughts. Meditation helps you develop focus and concentration, as well as relieves stress. If you didn’t develop any tools to manage stress and anxiety before you took the test the first time, think about how you plan to address these issues for your second try. Give meditation a try with a free class at Mr. Test Prep.

Not a Disadvantage for Applications

Many students go into their second SAT thinking they have already lost because colleges will see that they needed to take the test twice. CollegeRaptor points out that this is not true. Some colleges use superscoring, which refers to compiling your highest section scores from each exam. This means they anticipate that most students will have to take the test more than once to achieve their goal score. Taking the SAT again is not a failure, it is commitment to work for the best. Taking the SAT again will showcase your ability to improve and your determination. Don’t get down about taking the exam twice, it won’t help you improve your score and a second test can work to your advantage.

You Are Likely to Improve

Data provided by the College Board in 2011 found that 50% of the students that retook the exam did better the second time and 10% saw no change at all. The students with the lowest scores the first time around saw the greatest gains in score on the second exam. So, if you didn’t perform to your fullest potential on the first exam you are very likely to exceed your previous score. Keep this in mind as you enter your second exam, the odds are in your favor.

Mental Preparation

The SAT requires mental preparation whether you take it once or twice. The second time around, you know what the test is like and can mentally prepare for how you will feel during the exam. Employ tools such as positive thinking, meditation, and simply knowing things are usually better the second time around to banish anxiety and boost confidence.

 

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Our Testimonials : 187 to Date

I take this job personally. For more than 26 years, I’ve done everything I can to make a genuine connection with each student that “walks through the doors “of Mr. Test Prep Headquarters. Seeking to leave a lasting impact, beyond an increased test score, I have poured my heart and soul into the business, so I am humbled and grateful for the kind words both students and their parents have been willing to share on my behalf.

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Maria Ayala
Many people are good at what they do, less are great and then there are those rare few who were born to do what they do; Michael Romano was born to help students. His enigmatic, vibrant and intellectual personality iexudes positivity and comfort. I discovered Michael’s SAT Prep last summer as I continuously banged my head on my desk while drowning in a pile of SAT books filled with questions that made no sense to me. I never thought myself capable of excelling on standardized tests or of even attending a top university but upon meeting Michael my whole life changed. Michael is so much more than a tutor, he’s an inspiration, an unsung hero, a friend who’s there to bring out the best in you, to introduce you to your uncapped potential, which you were so blindly unaware of. It is with no exaggeration that I can say that each and every one of the 40 sessions that I attended with Michael were both a blend of academic triumph and hysterical laughter, for he is the only person that can make any SAT problem into the funniest joke you’ve ever heard. With time, his inspirational jargon will resonate with you wherever you go, to the point that “Dazzle me, don’t frazzle me” will become a common melody in your ear. In the short time I’ve known Michael, I’ve grown equally as a person as I have as an SAT test taker and I owe him much more than just a thank you for helping increase my score by 300 points! I owe him my sincerest and most genuine gratitude for giving me a future, for encouraging the highest of excellence and for proving to me as well as every single student that has ever walked through his doors, that absolutely anything is possible if one is willing to work hard enough for it. Despite my effort this testimonial still doesn’t even come close to the magic, the music, the jokes, the charisma of the greatest tutor you’ll ever meet. Choosing to work with Michael Romano was the best decision I’ve ever made and I can guarantee that it will be yours too. So to all reading this, I wish you good luck with your academic endeavors and to Michael, I applaud you on all you have done for me and every other student you’ve ever met. You truly are one of a kind : )

Maria Avalya
Middle College 2014
UCLA 2018
Julia López
Mr. Romano is the best tutor I have ever worked with… EVER!! I had gone to previous SAT prep centers, but none of them gave me the help and results that Mr. Romano did! One thing that was different with Mr. Romano, was that I actually enjoyed attending his test preps, and would even look forward to them!! As a busy student, with multiple extra curricular activities, his flexible schedule and no homework policy made prepping for the SAT less stressful! Mr. Test Prep’s one-on-one assistance helped me to not only identify my mistakes, but understand, and correct them as well. Also, Mr. Romano’s relaxed demeanor and constant positive attitude created a wonderful learning environment, which helped me improve my score by 500+ points! I also scored in the 700s on my SAT Subject Tests too! Mr. Romano totally prepared me for these exams, and I know I would not have been able to do as well as I did without him! Because of Mr. Romano, I am more confident in my test taking and academic abilities! Mr. Test Prep is more than a tutor! He is a mentor, and a pretty incredible one at that! It is safe to say that Mr. Romano is the one of the reasons why I was accepted to UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Cornell University, and Georgetown University, where I will be attending in the fall!! THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. TEST PREP!! YOU’RE THE BEST!!!

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Lincoln High School (San José) ‘13
Georgetown University ‘17
HOYA SAXA!
Guillermo Lopez
Mr. Romano is simply the best. Upon entering Mr. Romano’s test prep, I knew little about the SAT. The knowledge and wisdom that I inherited from Michael is truly priceless. While at Mr. Test Prep’s, Michael helped me zone in and conquer the areas in which I was struggling. Mr. Romano was very encouraging and supportive to me every time I was in his presence. Mr. Romano would carefully evaluate my progress and generously give me tips on any of my consistent confidence shortcomings. Michael’s years of experience and great social skills has enabled him to express his knowledge in ways that would help me better understand any given material. My scores, in all sections of the SAT, had climbed very significantly. Along with my growth in confidence, the appreciation I have for Mr. Romano and all his hard work grew even more. For anyone who has worked with Mr. Romano, it is clear that MICHAEL ROMANO IS THE “GO TO” GUY FOR ANYTHING RELATING TO THE SAT. Mr. Romano goes far beyond that of a SAT prep teacher. Michael has become to me more of a mentor and good friend. Other than being a great teacher, Mr. Romano is also a great person; a likable person. Michael Romano ranks among the highest all around great individuals I have had the honor of knowing. It meant all the more to me that Mr. Romano was always someone I can turn to for valuable insight on things that might be giving me trouble; both in and out of the classroom. I struggled a lot with academics in high school and often worried about my ability to continue education in a college setting, but Mr. Romano made all the difference. After I was taken under Michael’s wing, my academics made a significant change for the better. My grades began to soar hand-in-hand with my SAT scores. Mr. Romano helped me the way nobody else could. I owe a lot to Michael and thank God that He has blessed me in coming to know Mr. Romano. With all that he has done for me, Michael has helped my once far-fetched dream of continuing my studies in Santa Barbara a reality.

Guillermo Lopez
Lincoln High School '14
Sanat Barabra College '18
Veronica Louise Mendoza
I had gone to over three different standardized testing tutors in the Bay Area since my freshman year. All left me unsatisfied, with mediocre results and my mother constantly reprimanding me for spending so much money on multiple exams and different tutors. On a whim, we tried Mr. Test Prep. Many of my friends had gone to him and raved about how his tutoring style is unique, effective, and definitely worth the money. They all succeeded in their standardized test preps, why shouldn’t I?
I can clearly remember Mr. Test Prep’s response when I said, “I’m no good at math and science.” He said, “Don’t think that way! These questions are easy if you think of them as easy. Let me break ‘em down for you…” Ever since then, the ACT has not intimidated me with the daunting math and science sections. His tricks to make sure I didn’t make any “silly” mistakes even increased my scores to near-perfection in the subjects that I was stronger in – reading, writing, and English! Additionally, the group testing environment was insanely helpful in practicing what to expect during test day. Mr. Test Prep’s unpredictable outbursts of songs and people’s sneezing and coughing inevitably allowed me to block out the irrelevant and focus on the test. I also still do his meditations today before a big event or test! They have assisted me greatly in becoming more centered, and have me diving into any task headfirst with steady hands and tranquility.
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Veronica Louise Mendoza (Mountain View, CA)
Sacred Heart Preparatory, Class of 2015
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Maxwell “M-Bizzle” Bernstein
Michael Romano is the best. No exceptions. My first experience with SAT prep was with a not-so-great company, so I was at first reluctant to try Mr Test Prep. Boy, was I wrong — I should have started with him from the beginning! In the first half hour of the trial session he told me that I was probably better suited for the ACT. I tried my hand at that instead, and scored significantly higher. Mr Test Prep also helped me prepare for the PSAT, and now I am a National Merit Scholar. I definitely could not have done it without him. Michael is relaxed and funny, but don't let that fool you! He is a class A++ tutor. Thank you!!

Maxwell "M-Bizzle" Bernstein
PALY 2014
Tufts University 2018
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