by Jean Burk
Taking the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT tests can be a very scary experience. Stress can be a giant that freezes students in their tracks. But there’s nothing to fear! Preparation and knowledge can help alleviate the test anxiety that many students face. Here are some important steps to help relieve the fear that seems to lurk in the minds of many students:
1. Create a similar test environment when practicing for the real test.
Many students don’t realize that these tests are very long and require mental endurance to finish them without running out of steam. The SAT itself is around 3 ½ hours long. One way to prepare for this academic marathon is to practice just like the real test. By creating a test environment like the actual test, surprises can be eliminated and test success can be achieved. Practice like this:
1. Start the practice test around 9:00 am.
2. Take only a five minute break between sections.
3. Use the same watch and calculator that will be used at the real test.
4. Make sure the testing area is free of distractions.
5. Time each section correctly.
6. Use a watch with a chronometer or set a second-hand watch at 12:00 for each section.
7. Keep several sharpened pencils nearby.
2. Know the rules for each section ahead of time.
The rules for all three sections of the tests are always the same. Students need to make it a point to learn them long before they take the real SAT and PSAT/NMSQT. This not only saves time, but also will allow them to know what to expect in each section.
3. Take PSAT/NMSQT for practice in both freshman and sophomore years.
The score will not count for scholarships before the junior year, but taking it early will help familiarize students with the test. The College Board will send the test booklet back to each student in the mail which usually arrives a few weeks after the October test, and the individual scores will arrive sometime later. When students receive the booklet, they should go over their mistakes and find the patterns that were missed. It is also possible to use the booklet to retake the test later to see how much they’ve improved. (Retaking this same test again can be beneficial since most students forget the questions.)
4. Take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year for big scholarships.
In many schools, guidance counselors and teachers have mistakenly told their students that this test is not a big deal and should only be used for measurement on how well they might do on the SAT test. This is faulty counseling since this one test can give students amazing scholarship offers from colleges all over the nation. If a student scores in the semi-finalist range, they can literally get a full-ride to numerous colleges because they are in the top 1% of the nation. But, this tests only counts in the junior year or the third year that they take it.
5. Take the SAT many times.
There are no penalties for taking the SAT many times, so a student should take it until they get their desired score. Colleges do not average the tests but take the highest scores. Many colleges will even take the highest score from each section from different tests to get the student’s best overall score. Every college is different when it comes to their desired entrance score as well as entry level for starting scholarships, so make sure to check with the college(s) that are being considered.
6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
The key to doing just about everything well is to practice. Someone who plays a sport cannot expect to win a game without training, nor can someone learning an instrument perform their best concert without practicing. The same applies with these standardized tests. After learning test-taking strategies, students should practice with actual College Board practice tests. The more they do this, the quicker they can find the recurring patterns and the faster they can answer the questions. The students, who usually score the highest, have made practicing a priority; they have put at least three to fours hours a week into practicing, over the entire year, and a few months leading up to the real test, they have treated it like a marathon. Here is a basic time guideline for students for the year:
Freshman - thirty minutes to an hour per week
Sophomore - one to two hours per week
Junior - three to four hours per week several weeks before the October PSAT/NMSQT
Senior - three to four hours per week
The heaviest studying should be at least three months before the actual test. Students should put in at least two hours a day during the week (studying and practicing) and ten hours on the weekend. (Remember - you are working toward a desired test score and/or amazing scholarships.)
Taming this so-called behemoth is attainable. Confidence and preparation can take the fear out of taking standardized tests. It doesn’t have to be an experience that makes students tremble or run and hide. When a student scores high, The College Board will be the only ones frightened out of their wits.
Jean Burk is a published author, speaker and teacher. Her “Master The SAT Class” has been featured on NBC, CBS and Fox. To sign-up for her free report, “Good-bye Student Loans, Hello Free College, go to www.collegeprepgenius.com Contact info: jean@collegeprepgenius.com 81-SAT-2-PREP
Taking the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT tests can be a very scary experience. Stress can be a giant that freezes students in their tracks. But there’s nothing to fear! Preparation and knowledge can help alleviate the test anxiety that many students face. Here are some important steps to help relieve the fear that seems to lurk in the minds of many students:
1. Create a similar test environment when practicing for the real test.
Many students don’t realize that these tests are very long and require mental endurance to finish them without running out of steam. The SAT itself is around 3 ½ hours long. One way to prepare for this academic marathon is to practice just like the real test. By creating a test environment like the actual test, surprises can be eliminated and test success can be achieved. Practice like this:
1. Start the practice test around 9:00 am.
2. Take only a five minute break between sections.
3. Use the same watch and calculator that will be used at the real test.
4. Make sure the testing area is free of distractions.
5. Time each section correctly.
6. Use a watch with a chronometer or set a second-hand watch at 12:00 for each section.
7. Keep several sharpened pencils nearby.
2. Know the rules for each section ahead of time.
The rules for all three sections of the tests are always the same. Students need to make it a point to learn them long before they take the real SAT and PSAT/NMSQT. This not only saves time, but also will allow them to know what to expect in each section.
3. Take PSAT/NMSQT for practice in both freshman and sophomore years.
The score will not count for scholarships before the junior year, but taking it early will help familiarize students with the test. The College Board will send the test booklet back to each student in the mail which usually arrives a few weeks after the October test, and the individual scores will arrive sometime later. When students receive the booklet, they should go over their mistakes and find the patterns that were missed. It is also possible to use the booklet to retake the test later to see how much they’ve improved. (Retaking this same test again can be beneficial since most students forget the questions.)
4. Take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year for big scholarships.
In many schools, guidance counselors and teachers have mistakenly told their students that this test is not a big deal and should only be used for measurement on how well they might do on the SAT test. This is faulty counseling since this one test can give students amazing scholarship offers from colleges all over the nation. If a student scores in the semi-finalist range, they can literally get a full-ride to numerous colleges because they are in the top 1% of the nation. But, this tests only counts in the junior year or the third year that they take it.
5. Take the SAT many times.
There are no penalties for taking the SAT many times, so a student should take it until they get their desired score. Colleges do not average the tests but take the highest scores. Many colleges will even take the highest score from each section from different tests to get the student’s best overall score. Every college is different when it comes to their desired entrance score as well as entry level for starting scholarships, so make sure to check with the college(s) that are being considered.
6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE!
The key to doing just about everything well is to practice. Someone who plays a sport cannot expect to win a game without training, nor can someone learning an instrument perform their best concert without practicing. The same applies with these standardized tests. After learning test-taking strategies, students should practice with actual College Board practice tests. The more they do this, the quicker they can find the recurring patterns and the faster they can answer the questions. The students, who usually score the highest, have made practicing a priority; they have put at least three to fours hours a week into practicing, over the entire year, and a few months leading up to the real test, they have treated it like a marathon. Here is a basic time guideline for students for the year:
Freshman - thirty minutes to an hour per week
Sophomore - one to two hours per week
Junior - three to four hours per week several weeks before the October PSAT/NMSQT
Senior - three to four hours per week
The heaviest studying should be at least three months before the actual test. Students should put in at least two hours a day during the week (studying and practicing) and ten hours on the weekend. (Remember - you are working toward a desired test score and/or amazing scholarships.)
Taming this so-called behemoth is attainable. Confidence and preparation can take the fear out of taking standardized tests. It doesn’t have to be an experience that makes students tremble or run and hide. When a student scores high, The College Board will be the only ones frightened out of their wits.
Jean Burk is a published author, speaker and teacher. Her “Master The SAT Class” has been featured on NBC, CBS and Fox. To sign-up for her free report, “Good-bye Student Loans, Hello Free College, go to www.collegeprepgenius.com Contact info: jean@collegeprepgenius.com 81-SAT-2-PREP
