Test Taking Strategies

Examinations are a fact of life in college. When you take a test, you are demonstrating your ability to understand course material. Here are some tips to help you develop great test taking skills.

Take a Note from the Past. Always try to analyze how you did on a similar type of test in the past, i.e. multiple choice, and as well try to review previous tests and sample tests provided by your teacher. Each test that you take can help you to prepare for the next one!

Be Prepared. Always try to arrive early for tests—this will give you time to do a last minute review of your notes, and to take a deep breath and relax before you have to write the test. Make a list and prepare what you need, i.e. pens, pencils, calculator, beforehand to avoid last minute panic.

Be comfortable but alert. Choose a comfortable location with enough space for your needs—if you require additional space, try choosing a seat at the back or on the end of a row as opposed to right in the middle of the class or area. Try not to slouch; maintain good posture and stay relaxed and confident.

Relax. Keep a good attitude and remind yourself that you are going to do your best. If you find yourself panicking, take a few deep breaths. Try not to talk to other students right before writing--stress can be contagious!

Avoid Careless Errors. Read the directions carefully, and if there is time, quickly look through the test for an overview. Previewing the test allows you to see how much time you need to allot for each section--if the test is all multiple choice questions, it is good to know that immediately. When answering essay questions, try to make an outline in the margin before you begin writing. Organization, clear thinking, and good writing is important, but so is neatness, so be sure to make your writing legible. Answer questions in a strategic order--easy questions first to build confidence, then those with the most point value. Allow yourself extra time for the more difficult parts, like essay questions if this is your area of weakness.

Review! If you have time, review your answers and ensure that you haven’t missed any questions. Resist the urge to leave when you complete the exam—a second review gives you a chance to change answers to questions if you made an error or misread the question.

High School Juniors – the “Golden Year” for College-Bound Students

It is in the junior year of high school that you'll make critical decisions that could have a major impact on the next five years of your life (and beyond!) as you start narrowing down lists of colleges and career paths. Here are some of those major decisions.

Classes and Grades. The junior year selection of classes--and the grades you receive in them--is very important because it is the last full year of grades that admissions will review while deciding your future. You'll want to stick to a tough regimen of college-prep classes, including some advanced-placement or other honors classes, if possible. Don't go crazy with the courses and overload yourself, but the courses and grades you receive in your junior year are very important. Some of the teachers you have for classes in your junior year may also play an important role for you in your senior year; you may need to ask them to write you a letter of recommendation for college.

Standardized Tests. The junior year, from start to end, is filled with standardized tests. Early in the year, you'll take the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). This test, which measures critical reading, math problem-solving and writing skills, is important for a few reasons. It’s a good indicator and excellent preparation for the SAT test that you will take at the end of your junior year, your score may qualify you for a select group of merit scholarships, and it's one of the first chances you have to begin requesting information from colleges.

College Planning. The junior year is also the time to get organized for handling the blitz of college material that will be coming your way. The whole college search can be a little unnerving, a bit daunting, so just relax and take your time during this year and the summer that follows to really focus on finding the right mix of colleges for you. It is a good idea to develop some sort of filing system so that the information from the colleges on your short list is easy to find when you need them.

Try to use your junior year as a time to get ahead and to start planning academically for your future. Remember that the more you accomplish in your junior year, the more you can relax and truly enjoy your senior year in high school!

Never Take the SAT or ACT Too Lightly

Everyone knows that an SAT or ACT score is an important part of the college admissions process, and yet many parents send their kids to take the test without any preparation at all.

Either test is a measuring gauge of what a child has learned up to that point in the education system. To achieve the best possible scores on either of these tests, regardless of how good your child's grades are, some preparation is highly recommended.

How important is the SAT or ACT to a college? It is considered the second most important factor in the application. Scores in high school based on the degree of difficulty and any special academic accomplishments beyond those required provides the primary focus of admissions, but poor SAT or ACT scores can be a debilitating factor affecting a college's decision.

Increase College Offers

Higher SAT/ACT scores mean more choices for majors in college as well as more colleges that will have an interest in the student's attendance. While every college is concerned about filling classrooms and receiving tuition, it is the intent to take the students who will be better able to finish the courses and graduate with honors.

Everyone benefits from added points on the test, and some colleges won't even consider a student for acceptance if their scores fall below a certain minimum.

Sponsors offer scholarships every year to students they deem deserving of their offers. They also use the scoring on the ACT or SAT when determining who receives scholarships.

Do Not Underachieve

The student who "settles" for a score rather than attempts to do their best is limiting their potential. This is also indicative of how the student will pursue higher education and life in general. The parent should instill the importance of academic achievement early in the education process and reinforce that concept throughout a child's academic life.

Some study materials for the SAT and ACT are free, but the better prep packages do cost money. Consider it an investment in the child's education that can make the difference in overall college costs and the level of achievement at that level. Sometimes your school's guidance counselor keeps study material on hand to lend to students.

There are four primary fields of study represented in the SAT or ACT; these are Math, Writing, Critical Reading, and Vocabulary. Concentrating more on the weakest subjects is a proven way to get higher scores and achieve more balanced scoring, which is another consideration during evaluation for college acceptance.

Preparing College Students for the ACT/SAT

Registering to take the ACT/SAT is only a small part of the testing process. There are some college bound high school students who register and show up on test day without any prior preparation.

Some of those students may still perform suitably on the tests, but your child's chances are greatly improved by properly preparing for the exams. This means you should register your student for a test date far enough in the future to give them time to prepare.

There are many study materials available at bookstores and on the internet to prepare students for either the ACT or SAT. These tests are different and materials should be obtained that pertain to the specific test your student will be taking.

Work with your child to set up a study plan so that all material is covered ongoing. Make sure he/she understands that waiting until the last minute to cram is ill advised. Sample tests are available and these are a good measure of how well prepared your student is for exam day.

Many parents have their students take both the ACT and the SAT. Some students do better on the ACT and others on the SAT. Check the entrance requirements at schools your student is considering attending to confirm which tests they accept. You also need to know what scores are required to enter specific colleges.

It is a good idea to start testing your student prior to their senior year. First, it gives them experience in testing, which will help them overcome anxiety and stress on future tests. Secondly, you can pay a little extra to obtain a report of your child's test results that shows how they performed in each area of the test.

This helps identify strengths and weaknesses so your child can work harder on the problem areas and perform better on future tests. Some parents register their students to start ACT/SAT testing in the middle school years.

It is important if you plan to have your student test multiple times that you don't automatically send test results to a potential college. Some colleges evaluate multiple test scores differently than others, and a low score can be detrimental at some schools even if a better score is submitted later.

There are many schools that simply view the best score and disregard the rest. Just be sure to research beforehand to avoid a complication. There is no need to be in a rush to submit these scores to colleges in the early high school years anyway, so it is best to test multiple times prior to the senior year and make decisions based on the results.

Preparing for College - Testing

Many parents don't realize the time to start planning for college is early in the high school years. You may think you have plenty of time to complete the tasks necessary for college entry in the senior year of high school, but the fact is the earlier you start college planning, the better.

One important consideration if your high school student is college bound is preparation for and the taking of the SAT or ACT college entrance exam.

ACT/SAT Scores - Make a Good Score Even Better

Some parents have their children take the ACT/SAT early in high school. Some even start testing their kids in middle school. You may ask what the benefits are of starting to test so early. Here are a few things to consider:

• Many students are very nervous when they go to take the ACT or SAT the first time. Because the tests are relatively inexpensive to take, the experience is worthwhile to help students perform better on future tests.
• High ACT and/or SAT scores are door openers at colleges and universities. Better scores can make a difference in being accepted or rejected at certain schools.
• High ACT/SAT scores qualify some students for scholarships they might not be eligible to apply for if their scores fall below a certain standard. While you may question the validity of paying multiple testing fees, consider also the money it could save you on qualifying for more scholarships.
• Some students perform better on the ACT and others perform better on the SAT. It is not a bad idea to give your student a chance at taking both exams, possibly multiple times.
• Make sure your child has the proper preparatory materials needed to study for the tests well in advance of the scheduled test days. Having the materials and using them are two different matters altogether. Make a schedule of study completion with milestones and dates, and follow up with your student to make sure he/she is progressing as required.
• There are sample tests online and in DVD format. Allow ample time for your student to go through the sample testing so weak areas can be isolated and additional effort applied toward any problem subjects.
• Don't be too hasty to designate colleges to receive your child's SAT/ACT scores. Some colleges evaluate multiple scores differently, and a low score could do more harm than good. Wait until your student has taken the tests at least twice. Then inquire at specific colleges you are targeting regarding their policy on ACT/SAT scores.
• Some colleges will admit students with substandard or below par ACT/SAT scores. This is usually termed conditional acceptance. Don't fret if your child doesn't score as high as you'd like on the SAT/ACT. It does not mean they cannot attend college, nor does it mean they are not college material. Every child is different and should be evaluated as such.