The SAT and ACT are one of the exams every high school completer needs to take to get into the college or university of their choice. While these are measurements of all the subjects you’ve learned from elementary to high school, they are also used to determine the suitability of your skills and intelligence to the course program you’re planning to take.
As a graduating high school student, preparing for the SAT is essential. It will take most of your senior year in knowing everything there is to know – reading, writing, speech, mathematics, and all other relevant subjects. Here are tips and strategies that should prepare you for your upcoming SAT/ACT examinations.
1. Know How the SAT Works
In SATs, there is only one answer among the choices of four. You must eliminate the three incorrect answers. There is no consideration accepted for any answer. It must be the right answer and nothing else.
Mock exams are also given before the real deal. In this period, you can rule out your incorrect answers and see where you can improve. Most takers make mistakes in the exam due to the following reasons: time pressure, being careless in answering, lack of understanding about the question, and content weakness. Distinguish yourself in the following purposes and adjust your comprehension and composure in answering to ace the SAT exam.
2. Pay Close Attention to Details in the Reading Exam
It is where you assess your reading capacity. While skimming and scanning are excellent skills to hone for this exam, paying attention to all points in every passage allows you to understand the passages and answer the questions right. It is about training your eyes to find context words, stronger adjectives, and other essential aspects of a story presented in the exam. Get interested in the story, too. They can help you express your answers as you think about the scenarios in the passages.
3. Skim, Scan and Understand Every Passage Before A Question
While you are training your eyes to read fast and comprehend the content as quick as you can, you can take this detail-absorbing to the Find the Evidence segment. This part will ask for passages that will support your answers. Throughout the reading exam, you will be able to train yourself on how to pick up important details and easily understand passages, which are essential in collegiate learning.
4. Train Yourself on SAT Math
The best way to answer math is to never leave any content behind without training them beforehand. If you are good at geometry but flunks badly in calculus during mock exams, give yourself extra time in learning calculus. Content weakness is a common reason for failing the SAT, so know where you can improve and train more with it.
In answering math questions, try to solve it again, underline critical parts, and memorize formulas. While some mathematical equations are presented in text form, you can quickly form the solution when you practice these three strategies. Best way to master the SAT math is via regular practice. You can use popular materials from Kaplan, Magoosh and Kranse Institute. You can get these at an affordable price using exclusive coupons from JoinHoney or GoMonatana.
5. Train Yourself on SAT Grammar
The best start when honing your grammar is to memorize the rules. No matter how a statement sounds right, the rules of sentence construction, tenses, and word placements (i.e., subject-verb agreement, etc.) will always follow. Also, use your skimming skills in answering rhetorical questions about specific parts of the paragraph, your lessons in determining statements with correct grammar, choosing concise statements to match thoughts and ideas. Plus, know when there is NO CHANGE. These are the usual traps in the grammar section of the SAT.
6. Train Yourself on SAT Essay Writing
As an essay, you are free to express your thoughts and opinions. However, rules are laid down for you to communicate truth and relevance in your content. It is best to analyze, outline evidence (when proving a point), and write it down. You can describe evidence by underlining phrases or sentences in the given statement, read through the text, and use quotes when necessary.
7.Do All Preparations a Week Before the SAT Exams
If you are reading this the night before the exams, all it takes now is to prepare all the required materials and tools. Your admission slip, ID (with picture), the #2 pencil and rubber eraser, and your calculator should be prepared beforehand.
However, the real preparation begins on the day you are preparing for mock SATs. This way, you can train your mind to retain all information that could come out of the real SAT/ACT, hone all the skills required for reading, math, and writing exams, and come out confident enough to ace your SAT.
If you are adamant in getting into the university you’ve dreamt for, then take your SAT seriously and devote yourself to some preparation and practice exams. You will get the admission letter you’ve always wanted to hear soon.
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