HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE SAT’S

By JADE CURTIS

As junior year is in full swing and registration deadlines still seem far away, students should begin to consider studying for their SAT’s. The SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to aid in making admissions decisions. The format of the exam is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test and is administered by the College Board. The general purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and it is used as a baseline to compare students. 

For starters, most students struggle with deciding what studying plan works best for them, and which plan will help them best succeed.  Studying plans are different for everybody, and should be geared towards study preferences, goals, and resources available.  Time management plays a big role in studying for the SAT. 

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Washingtonville Senior Noah Paperny took his SAT for his second time in May of his junior year. He expressed, “For one, when it comes to studying, the practice is only beneficial if you put the effort in. Khan Academy is great for review.”  He went on to say, “Don’t wait until the last minute to study; take it seriously. I personally did well, but I could have done better if I scheduled my time better.” A recommended time window to being preparing is about three months before the test to allow for experimenting with test approaches, and to gain familiarity with the exam format itself. 

Senior Heidy Moncion claims that she waited too long to take her exam. She wishes that she took it as a junior to give herself that preparation time. She plans on taking the exam this Saturday, Nov 3rd. She stated, “I’m nervous for my exam. I really want to improve by about 200 points. As the test date is approaching I realize I should have made a schedule and prepared more. I’ve been using the SAT book available in the library to study.” 

Overall, exam preparation is extremely necessary for maximum success.  Here are some tips for preparation and success:

Take the PSAT.  Taking a practice test allows students to diagnostically asses their strengths and weaknesses. This is crucial for setting a baseline while reviewing. Students don't need to review the information they already know, so systematically seeing how far they are from their intended goal will help them assess how much review they must do before the exam. Students taking the PSAT as juniors are eligible to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship based on their performance. This is a very honorable scholarship and can be redeemed in the spring of their senior year.

Time Yourself.  Given that the test runs on a schedule, students should center their attention towards accustoming their work ethic to the allotted time. Consider taking a full-length practice test to provide a realistic sense of how long the test is and where students tend to get tired or mentally blocked.  Manage your time!

Use Khan Academy. Khan Academy SAT prep is a free online review tool and is quite simple to commence. This form of preparation allows test takers to create a study schedule that revolves around their everyday tasks, and to review nightly. Students can focus their review on specific skills they intend to improve, and they can practice full-length tests. It is truly great preparation at no cost! 

Set yourself up for success on test day.  Students should be cognitive about the time they go to sleep before the exam. Fatigue the morning of the test can act as a distraction, and can hinder academic achievement. Eating a good breakfast is also of equal importance. Hunger can be distracting and uncomfortable during an exam. Feeling well rested and prepared for the exam will allow students to focus more on success. 

Don’t Settle. Practice makes perfect. Take the SAT more than once if you are unsatisfied with your score. Most colleges superscore. This means they will combine your highest math section score with the evidence based reading and writing to formulate the highest possible score.  Most students take the exam multiple times. Take the chance!

Scoring well on the exam is all about the preparation.  A feeling of confidence before beginning the SAT is often linked to satisfactory exam scores. Hopefully these tips were found to be helpful. Good luck and let the studying begin!