June Tips for the SAT

1. Fuel your mind. Even though you may be nervous or worried about a million other things that morning, it is important to make sure you have breakfast the morning of the test. Even if you don't normally eat breaskfast, you also don't normally take a four-hour long test on a Saturday morning! Be sure to have something, even if it's small, to give yourself the best chance to do well. You perform better with something in your stomach. Also keep in mind that you won't be allowed to eat in the test room but bring a small snack to eat on your break. And the people around you will thank you: no one else wants to listen to your stomach growl when they are taking an exam!

2. Remember where you are on the test. One of the most important things to remember on the SAT is that where you are on the test makes a big difference as to whether or not you should answer or omit a question. If you are not a strong math student and you are on #17 out of a 20 question math section, and you are having trouble with a problem, you may be better off leaving it blank because you know it is a hard question and there will be tricks and attractors. Remember: all the math goes in order of difficulty, as do the sentence completion questions.

3. Don't search for the Experimental section. There is no real way to tell which section is the experimental section. There is always one, and it can be either the math, the reading, or the writing. The problem arises when you try to guess and guess wrong; you could severely ruin your overall score. Some students feel that they can "tell" which one it is because it is significantly easier or harder, and they don't put effort into the section or leave it blank altogether. All the sections vary in difficulty level so even if you think you may know, don't ruin your chances for a great score.