9 Important Things to Remember for Saturday’s SAT

It’s that time again…SAT test day. While ideally, this may not be what you’d prefer to be doing on a spring Saturday, you know deep down that it’s part of the process for your next life adventure: college. As you count down the hours to this test, keep a few things in mind:

Pace Yourself
Timing is an art. Without mastery of how to pace yourself on a standardized test, you will run into countless problems, from misreading questions to speeding over logical ideas. Working on timing and understanding how long to take on each problem is important. As a general rule, look to spend approximately 1.25 minutes per question for Math and Reading, and about 45 seconds for Writing and Language questions. Of course, this can vary depending on your reading speed and other factors, but having a general idea of pacing underlies overall test success.

Take Breaks
You’ve heard it before: this test is a marathon, not a sprint. Clocking in at just under four hours, the SAT requires not only good pacing, but also a willingness to take a breather when you feel yourself getting “robotic.” This may be as simple as looking away from the page for a moment or taking a deep breath and “resetting” yourself. Remember, unless you actually are a robot, you simply cannot work for 3 hours and 50 minutes straight without cutting yourself some slack here and there. Don’t relegate yourself to the College Board’s built-in breaks; rather, take a moment when you need it. It will work out better for you in the long run.

Don’t Overthink
Standardized Test: the phrase itself sounds scary. Students, therefore, often have an innate reaction that is stress-filled and fraught with nerves. It is vital to remember that you’ve come this far in your academic career—and you didn’t do it by accident. You did it through mastery of skills such as algebra, geometry, grammar, reading, and writing. That being said, it can still be easy to assume you’ll do poorly on such an important test, so remember to stay logical, literal, and not to dig any deeper than you need to on any particular question. In the final analysis, the SAT is a reasoning test, so, more often than not the simple answer that doesn’t require “deep thinking” is the right one.  

Forget “Tricks”
Bad news for all those folks who love “shortcuts:” the SAT, as stated above, is really a logic test. So, while it may sound good to, for instance, read only the first and last sentence of a passage, chances are strategies like this will actually lead to more work for you in the end. So-called “tricks” are often nothing more than slick-sounding ways to avoid simply tackling the question before you in a logical fashion. While this doesn’t mean that there aren’t certain tweaks you can make to your approach, it hopefully reminds you that quick-fixes often fall flat on standardized tests, and that general understanding and use of skills are ultimately more important.

Stay Positive
It’s not the end of the world. It’s seriously not; while these tests can often feel like do-or-die exercises, the fact is that not only can you take the SAT as many times as you need to, but also colleges are looking at much more than just these scores. That’s not to say that the SAT isn’t important, but rather that it’s not the end-all-be-all, and that’s important to keep in mind so that you don’t become overwhelmed by negative thinking.

Stay Organized
Much like pacing, organization in test-taking is vital to success. Little things like knowing what order the sections are in, and how many questions are in each section are key to having a smooth experience on test day. If you’re not sure about the test’s layout, now is the time to look at it so that there are no surprises on Saturday. Additionally, keeping your bubble sheet neat and ordered and staying on point as you go through the test will help you to do well without a lot of unnecessary chaos.

Be Honest with Yourself
It’s not always easy to admit, but sometimes you simply won’t know the answer. This will not happen often, but when it does, be ok with it. Don’t linger on one question forever; rather, be ok with taking a guess so that you can move to the next one and make the most of your time. Not knowing is not a character flaw; it’s simply part of being human. And when it happens, let it happen, accept it, and make a good strategic decision so that you can put your energy into the ones you do know.  

Rest Up
Easier said than done, getting adequate rest is a no-brainer for succeeding on a standardized test. While getting a solid 8 hours of sleep might be a borderline impossible task for a high-school student, something as simple as relaxing on the Friday before the test can be a huge boost. While some students may be feverishly practicing questions the night before, you might actually be better served by taking it easy and relaxing. Letting yourself decompress before your test can help to provide the energy you need to succeed.

Close your Ears
It’s natural to want to share our achievements, but listening too much to other people talking about their test scores can create undue anxiety. It’s a good idea not to listen too closely so that you can focus on your test. This test is not about living up to anyone else’s standards; it’s about using your skills to get a result that works for you. Without being rude, remember to “look out for number one” when you take the SAT.

Trust Yourself
This is important not just for the SAT, but for everything you encounter in your academic career and beyond. Take the advice of psychologist Rick Hanson: “see what happens when you let yourself fall backward into your own arms, trusting that they will catch you.”

Written by Phil Lane

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