Ava Wonsitler is a junior at THS this year, and by taking journalism, she hopes to inform students of upcoming events such as school events, fundraisers, and college opportunities, as well as topics of interest. After graduating, she plans to go to college to become a veterinarian and to volunteer regularly at an animal shelter. In her spare time, she enjoys doing anything involving art and listening to music.
With our midterm exams behind us, it’s time for studying once again. PSATs and SATs are being held April 1, so here are some tips to study!
Before you even start studying you need to figure out what you score you’re shooting for. Being able to have a clear, specific score in mind will help show improvement and give you something specific to work towards.
The next step in your study prep is to take a practice test. This will tell you both where and by how much you will need to improve to attain your targeted score.
After the practice test, start spending more time going over the sections that you struggle with, whether it’s math, reading or grammar. Improving these weak spots is the fastest way to raise your score and make actual progress.
Another thing to take note of is the way the SAT is structured and what type of questions are asked. Learning the test format will show you what to expect and knowing this can help ease some of the test-day nerves.
An important part of the test is the timing. The SAT is a timed test, so answering practice questions within similar time limits will help manage your pace during the actual test, making sure that you don’t run out of time or feel rushed.
One of the most important study habits to build is reviewing your mistakes instead of simply marking them wrong or right. Take time to understand why you got the question wrong to avoid making the same mistakes again.
For the reading and grammar portions of the test it’s important to reinforce your vocabulary and reading skills. Having a strong sense of reading comprehension will help in multiple sections of the test. Doing things such as reading books, articles and challenging texts can help improve your understanding of passages.
For the math portion of the test, it’s highly recommended that you memorize the key formulas, algebra rules and common problems. Being familiar with these concepts will also help you answer the questions quicker and more confidently.
Using official practice materials with real SAT questions help you get used to the style and difficulty of the test. By using these you’ll get the most realistic preparation of what the test will have.