The SAT exam is a crucial part of your college application. Despite the growing trend of colleges adopting a test-optional approach, the inside scoop is that these scores still carry significant weight in the admissions process.
They serve as a powerful tool to enhance your academic profile, compensate for weaker GPAs, and ultimately demonstrate your academic prowess. Excelling in these exams is a must, but the question remains: how?
While you’ve likely heard the basic suggestions—complete numerous SAT practice questions, allocate ample time for thorough preparation, and maintain consistency—this guide will delve deeper.
Here are my five targeted, proven, and impactful tips for preparing for the SAT:
Order Can Hide in Disorder
For most tests, you’re told to find the right answer straight away. You read the passage, check out the options, and pick the one that seems most correct. But this can be a waste of time on the SAT. Instead, try making a quick prediction of the answer as you read the question.
Keep it in the back of your mind while you skim the answer options. If nothing jumps out at you at first, eliminate wrong answers. Trying to prove each answer to be right takes a lot of time and can confuse you. Ruling out the wrong ones is more likely to lead you to the right answer faster.
Read Strategically
Students often feel overwhelmed by the reading section of the SAT. They get intimidated by the long passages and fear they aren’t fast enough readers.
The truth is, you don’t have to be a fast reader to ace this section of the SAT; you have to be a smart reader. Instead of repeatedly reading the passage, dissect it during your initial reading. Separate content from context, underline the main argument, circle crucial evidence, and annotate the passage as needed to break it down.
Another pro tip is to preview the questions beforehand to guide your focus as you read the passage. This proactive approach enables you to actively hunt for answers during your reading so you can save time!
Prioritize In-Depth Review
As you complete your practice questions and tests, avoid merely skimming over the correct responses. Dive into your mistakes. Pinpoint where the errors occurred and rework the question till you reach the correct conclusion. Revisit these questions repeatedly over time to ensure that any weaknesses are thoroughly addressed.
Spend More Time Memorizing Formulas
Give extra attention to memorizing formulas. Just flipping through your math formula flashcards a few times might seem like adequate preparation, but it’s not. Whatever timeframe you initially set for mastering these formulas, consider doubling it. It’s easy to forget an “x” here or an exponent there. These missed steps will cost you!
Balance Your Studies
While it might seem logical to allocate equal preparation time to every section of the SAT for optimal performance, this approach can backfire on you. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and prioritize addressing your weaknesses.
Don’t neglect your strengths; continue practicing them for those “easy” marks. But, ensure you invest more time in refining your weaknesses to score more evenly across all sections.
Final Thoughts
To save your time, energy, and sanity in your SAT preparation journey, consider following these five tips. Stick to the basics for a solid foundation, but incorporate these strategies to optimize your prep and increase your chances of nailing the SAT on your first try!
Good luck!
Author Bio
Mary Banks is the Director of Admissions Consulting at Quad Education. She is also the former Director of Admissions at the Columbia School of Nursing and former Director of Admissions for the School of Education, Nursing, and the Arts at NYU.
