If you have not already done so, the spring of your sophomore year is the ideal time for you to start working on standardized exam prep. Let’s face it, standardized exams are incredibly important when it comes to the college application process. A few points difference on the ACT or SAT can easily translate into the difference between rejection or acceptance at a university, or between paying “retail” value for your education and receiving a full scholarship. The importance of these tests is even greater for homeschoolers, as many universities will place a greater weight on your test scores, and discount your reported grades. If you are interested in getting into college, and especially if you would like to not pay “sticker price,” preparation for these exams is absolutely essential. So here are a few tips and pointers for you to keep in mind when preparing for the different standardized exams.

SAT

The SAT, one of the two standardized entrance exams, is a crucial element in the college application.  One of the biggest areas of confusion regarding the test is whether or not an individual should guess on the exam when the answer to a question isn’t known.  Unlike the ACT, the SAT does penalize testers for incorrect responses, and as a result many individuals avoid guessing entirely. However, statistically it is to your advantage to guess if you can eliminate one of the answer choices.  If you can rule out one option as false, a random guess is actually in your favor.

TIP:  Choosing a random response on the SAT is not as easy as it sounds.  The test designers know that many students end up guessing, and intentionally plan for this by including wrong answers that look correct as a sort of “trap” to catch individuals who are only guessing on a question rather than fully working it out. To avoid these traps, choose ahead of time what your response will be in all of these situations and stick to your plan. For instance, you might decide that you will always pick “A” unless it is ruled out, in which case you will then pick “B.” Which letter does not matter, but having a plan like this allows you to bypass the traps that are so carefully laid throughout the exam.

ACT

The ACT is the other standardized entrance exam that colleges use to evaluate applicants.

TIP:  There is no penalty for guessing on the ACT, so it is to your advantage to make sure that you answer every question on the test.

For a majority of students, the most dreaded part of the ACT is the Science Reasoning section. Don’t be misled by the first part of the name. This section actually is concerned much more with reasoning. The questions that are asked only require a rudimentary knowledge of science, generally nothing more than what you would have encountered by eighth grade.

TIP:  To perform well on this section, practice is going to be required. Use a test prep book and an online program to practice this section thoroughly. This is a race against the clock, so skip the formality of reading the entire article. Instead, get in the habit of reading the questions first, and then skim the information presented to you, searching for terms relevant to the questions asked. The goal is to identify the relevant information in the articles as quickly as possible, so that you can then reason your way through to the correct answer.

As you can see, whether or not science is your strongest subject has little impact on your performance on the Science Reasoning portion of the ACT, yet another testimony to the importance of preparing for the exam.

General Test-Taking Tips

1.  The ACT and SAT are not “Knowledge Based” Exams!

As you just saw illustrated with the Science Reasoning section of the ACT, standardized exams such as the ACT and SAT are really tests to see how well you take the ACT and SAT. They gauge test-taking and reasoning abilities, not your knowledge on a subject. There are plenty of individuals who are extremely talented in a subject whose test grade does not in any way reflect that ability, and other individuals whose highest score are in the subjects they are weakest in. Keep that in mind when approaching these exams! At the same time, having knowledge on a particular subject will benefit you when it comes to other parts of the test, especially in math and English grammar.

2. Know Your Schools’ Score Requirements

Few things are more intimidating than trying to get a perfect score on a test. Instead of trying for that perfect 36 or 2400, instead do some research and identify what score (or range of scores) you will need for each university you are considering. Take a practice test to evaluate where you are, and then check the university’s website or talk with an admissions counselor to determine what scores are needed to be admitted and to receive scholarships. Some schools offer scholarships automatically for students with certain scores. This makes the preparation part much easier, when you can translate an improvement in your scores directly into admission to a university or, better yet, a certain dollar amount of scholarships.

3. Preparation is Essential

The vast majority of individuals will have to actively prepare for these exams in order to perform well. In addition, more and more students are preparing for the exams through the use of books, online materials, classes, and even private tutors. This means that taking the ACT or SAT without any practice puts you at a greater disadvantage than it would have a few years ago, and the gap is continuing to widen, so to remain competitive you must prepare.

4. Start Preparing Early, and Develop a Habit

The earlier you start, the less intimidating it will be. Take a practice test, and set a goal for the score you are trying for. Seek out resources to use, and schedule yourself so that you are practicing daily for the exam. Work sample problems and read materials on study habits. One of the most important steps is to take several practice tests (the more the better), practicing with time constraints and distractions (you will most likely not have a perfect testing environment on the day of the test, so don’t become accustomed to one).

5. Finally, Start Now

If you begin working on test prep in your sophomore year, and make a regular habit of working practice problems and taking practice tests, you will have gone a long ways towards making your junior and senior years more manageable. There will be plenty of things to do towards the end of highschool without having to worry about figuring out and preparing for the exams. A few minutes a day can break the daunting task of test prep into a manageable task.  Join us at www.UniversityReady.com as we discuss more about how you can prepare for the ACT and SAT, and get started today!

You can read Matthew’s review of John Baylor Test Prep over at our review site. There’s a discount and GIVEAWAY there, too!