For juniors SATs are just around the corner. Specifically, March 19th days around the corner. Whether you are finishing up your prep, taking practice tests, or cramming it all last minute, there is little to no time left to prepare. As Mr. Scott states: “Always remember the SAT test is an aptitude test so any last minute cramming won’t help you on the test.” However there are some things you can do to improve your score by a few points

Take the SAT Test on Bluebook:

While you may not be able to take many with the few weeks we have less, just taking one practice test will help you get a feel for the test and remove some of that test-day anxiety. Try to fight the temptation to take an extended break between sections though, getting the full test experience is most conducive to your learning. Again, remember that the test is coming up soon so make sure you do this ASAP.

Take the Khan Academy Practice SAT Questions:

One thing to keep in mind is that taking a bunch of practice tests won’t improve your analytical skills all that much. Khan Academy provides free SAT prep here to help you with individual questions.The best thing to do is complete a question, and then attempt to understand why or why not you have the correct answer. 

This for one allows you to carefully reason through questions and review the answers: keep in mind that even if you get the answer correct, it’s best to look at explanations for that question. 

Secondly, it gives you the opportunity to target sections you struggle with the most whether it be math or english. 

Thirdly, it helps some of the fear-of-getting-it-wrong anxiety. When you take the test, it’s easy to worry about getting questions wrong. The Khan Academy practice lets you take each question step by step without having to worry about the total number of wrong questions.

Learn to Use your Calculator:

Though it’s impossible to memorize all the math formulas and know how to conquer every math skill at this point, you can still learn quick calculator techniques that may save you time on the SAT. Here is a video that breaks it down for you.

Also pro-tip, if you have your own personal calculator, you can write formulas or notes in it. Just don’t go too crazy.  

Use the Highlighter:

One thing that is never used quite enough is the highlight function. If you struggle with the English section, this is the perfect tool for you. While reading, highlight what you think are the most important scentances or phrases. The likelihood is that the section you highlight will have something to do with the next question.

Know your Vocab:

College Board leaks to sneak some common vocab words into their “aptitude” test. Make sure that you get the hang of them. Luckily, there’s only a few you’ll need to know, here’s a video breaking them down.

Overall Advice

Don’t worry about the SAT too much. As Mr. Scott puts it “think of the SAT as an opportunity to demonstrate what you’re capable of.” Make sure that you get good rest, sleep, and don’t cram the night before. Remember, you can always take the SAT again. Good luck Raiders, you got this!