start assignments early

if you have an important essay or test coming up, start working on it early so that you have time to meet with your teacher if need be. if you leave everything for the night before, you won’t be able to have any questions answered. give yourself time to formulate questions and go get help.

take notes on slides

if your teacher provides you with the slides from class, print them out and take notes directly on them. this makes taking notes during class easier, as you don’t need to waste time writing down information that is already provided to you. but more importantly, taking notes on slides makes it easier to study because your notes will likely be a lot simpler and easier to understand. from personal experience, i can say that i tend to do a lot better on tests when i’ve taken notes on the slides, than when i have to decipher my illegible notes from months ago.

keep everything

keep all of your old worksheets and papers, no matter how pointless they seem. you never know when you might need help reviewing a topic. when you do, you’ll be able to pull out that old assignment and practice it in order to improve your understanding.

study alone

in many cases, studying with friends can be a distraction. i think most people tend to be more productive when they do work on their own. i wish i had separated myself from my friends more. i recommend finding a study spot where you are very productive and frequently going there by yourself.

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mock sat tests become more useful when you take them in realistic test conditions. the better the conditions, the better the learning experience. and better learning results in higher scores!

create a classroom setting for your mock sat test

make sure the room is quiet and there are no distractions. if you are taking the practice test at home, let your family know that you are not to be disturbed. it’s helpful to have a clock in the room. you’ll also need a timer of course. make sure your phone is off and any sat prep materials are out of the room. you don’t want any temptation to cheat.

it’s also important that you are in a good mental state to take a practice test. if you’re tired or hungry, you won’t be getting a realistic simulation of test day. you won’t be performing your best.

be thorough

it helps to be as thorough as possible on your mock sat test. a lot of practice tests even allow you to practice filling out the personal information you’ll have to provide on test day. this will help to familiarize you with the experience of taking the test. on the day you take the sat, you’ll probably be nervous, so knowing what to expect can help calm you down.

simulate the full sat

take the whole practice test at once, not just certain sections. use strict timing and take only the scheduled breaks you would have on the actual test. bubble in the answers instead of just circling them, as this affects your timing.

you may be tempted to be a little lax with yourself when you’re simulating the test conditions, but remember that you want a realistic idea of what your score would be. you won’t get a realistic representation if you don’t accurately simulate test day.

take only one mock sat test in a day

do not take more than one test in a day. the sat is long, and it will tire you out. if you try to take another practice test, you won’t be able to do as well as you would if your brain was fresh. if you’ve been focusing for nearly four hours straight, you’ve earned a break from testing for at least a few days.

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secret #1: retaking the test is a good thing.

take the test as many times as you think you need to. don’t be ashamed to retake it, because that’s how you’ll get the best possible score. over time, you learn from your mistakes and figure out what you should have done differently.

secret #2: guess if you need to.

on the new sat, there are no points off for wrong answers. if you have no idea how to answer a question, don’t leave it blank. take a guess!

secret #3: answer the easiest questions first.

before answering any questions, skim through to figure out which ones are easiest. answer those first to ensure you get those easy points. afterward, move on to the harder questions.

secret #4: mental and physical wellness are necessary for a great score.

your mental and physical wellness is just as important as your test preparation. if you’re tired or hungry while taking the test, you won’t be doing your best. take care of yourself. eating a healthy breakfast on the morning of the sat is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

secret #5: the more practice tests, the better.

the more practice tests you take, the more you’ll get used to the content on the test. the format is standardized, so learn it well and get accustomed to it. practice tests also help if you simulate the physical conditions of taking the test. test day will feel more familiar and less stressful.

secret #6: manage your time.

one of the most important parts of getting a good score is managing your time. don’t dwell too long on any one question. if you’re unsure, circle it and come back if you have time at the end. also, make use of all the time given to you. don’t leave early. instead, use that extra time to check over your work. this will give you the upper hand over all of the students that don’t utilize all of their time.

secret #7: sat scores do not equal intelligence.

everyone seems to think that high sat scores equate intelligence, while low sat scores equate lack of it. this is not the case. the test doesn’t measure critical thinking abilities. your test taking skills often play a much larger role in your score than your knowledge. so your sat score definitely should not determine how you view your own intelligence.

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don’t worry too much

when you begin a new section, you may get nervous that you aren’t going fast enough in order to finish. don’t worry too much about running out of time, because this will just make you go slower. you’ll freak yourself out, which will distract you and hinder your focus. it will harm rather than help. so relax and trust yourself. everything is going to be fine. remember that if you budget your time wisely, finishing should be no problem.

plan out your time

set tiny goals for yourself. for example, in a multiple-choice section, you may decide that you want to complete one question per minute. you can then watch the clock and make sure you stay on track. you’ll be able to see when your pace is too slow. if you find that you need to move faster, you may have to skip some questions or guess so that you can answer as many as possible. don’t dwell too long on anything.

on the essay, plan your time beforehand. decide how long you need to spend outlining, writing and editing. remember to always leave a little bit of extra time for yourself just in case.

use the process of elimination

you may be able to quickly eliminate clearly wrong answers as soon as you look at the question. this will save you time because the right answer may become apparent without you doing much work. you shouldn’t depend on this strategy too much, but it may help to speed things up if you’re falling behind.

practice, practice, practice

use practice tests in order to train yourself to go at a certain pace. you can see which sections you complete slowest. this will allow you to see which areas you need to work on.

don’t overthink

don’t spend too long double-checking your answers. once you’ve chosen what you think is the correct option, move on. you can double-check everything at the end if you have extra time.

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the whole process can be pretty stressful and complicated. but i’ve been through it, and i survived. i’ll go through an sat test timeline, from freshman to senior year, which will allow you to get the highest score you possibly can. you never know what you can achieve if you have enough time to study.

freshman year

don’t worry about standardized testing at all. instead, focus on your grades. you have quite a while before you need to start thinking about the sat.

sophomore year

take the psat

most high schools provide the psat to sophomores. this allows you to practice for the junior year psat and the sat itself. if you’ve never taken a standardized test, you can familiarize yourself with the format. you’ll know what to expect and feel a lot more confident. don’t worry about the psat too much because it’s shorter and easier than the real sat.

junior year

take the psat

in the fall, juniors take the psat a second time. again, this is good practice for the sat test, which most juniors take in the spring. high scores can also earn you national merit recognition and potential scholarships.

research schools

in the spring, most juniors have begun researching colleges. start creating your college list. find out the average scores of accepted students at these schools. you should know what score range you’re aiming towards. be realistic when choosing schools. if the average scores are way higher than what you think you can get, that college may not be a good fit for you.

pick a sat test date

most juniors take the sat in march, may or june. pick an sat test date that will give you plenty of time to study, but will also allow you to retake the test if needed. taking the test in the spring of junior year is usually less stressful than taking it in the fall of senior year, because in the fall, you’ll be busy writing college applications.

study for the sat

now that you’ve picked a date, you can begin preparing for the test. plan your studying wisely depending on the amount of time you have. make sure that you focus on your problem areas, rather than studying all of the sections equally.

take the sat

if you choose to take the sat in the spring of your junior year, you’ll be left with plenty of time to take the test as many times as you want.

senior year

you can also take the sat in the fall of your senior year if you are unhappy with junior year scores. the october, november, and december test dates all allow you to meet regular decision deadlines. once you’ve sent in your scores to all of the colleges on your list, you’ll be done with the sat testing process!

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one way of measuring the difficulty of subject tests is by looking at which tests students scored best on. but remember that there are a variety of factors that could account for these scores. for example, students might score higher in certain subjects because the type of student who chooses to take that test generally excels in that field. these high scores don’t mean that the test will be easy for someone who doesn’t excel in that field.

and keep in mind the tests are scaled! so you are compared against other students taking the test, not 100% correct answers.

nevertheless, let’s look at the 2015 data from the college board.

average percentage correct (highest to lowest)

– korean with listening (84-87)
– chinese with listening (83-87)
– modern hebrew (77-82)
– japanese with listening (73-85)
– spanish with listening (72-73)
– spanish (68-72)
– biology m (64-74)
– math level 2 (65-69)
– german with listening (65-69)
– chemistry (62-71)
– italian (63-70)
– literature (62-70)
– biology e (61-70)
– math level 1 (62-67)
– latin (62-66)
– french with listening (61-66)
– german (61-65)
– u.s. history (57-68)
– french (59-63)
– physics (55-65)
– world history (51-62)

take the tests that align with your interests

it’s best if you take the tests that best reflect your interests and/or your potential college major. the difficulty of these tests is totally subjective for every single person because everyone has different personal strengths and weaknesses. so although difficulty is an important factor, you should focus on picking a test that shows colleges you are particularly skilled in your chosen field of study.

take the tests that you think you can score the best in

if you’re unsure what you want to major in (which is totally fine), choose the sat subject test that you think you can score the highest on. it’s important to show which subjects you excel in, even if you don’t think you would actually consider majoring in those subjects. take practice tests in a few subjects to see which might be best for you.

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how long is the sat?

the new sat is three hours long, with an extra 50 minutes if you choose to take the optional essay. some colleges require the essay, so it’s probably a safe choice to take it if you’re unsure which schools you will be applying to. during the test, you get one 10-minute and one five-minute break. it’s a good idea to bring snacks to eat at this time so that you don’t get distracted by hunger while taking the test.
 

when and where do i take the sat?

the sat is administered several dates a year, so you have many opportunities to take the test. it’s usually offered in january, march, may, june, october, november, and december. (starting in 2017, it will be offered in august and not january). specific dates vary depending on the year, but tend to be around the same time in the month. upcoming 2016 test dates are june 4th, october 1st, november 5th, and december 3rd.

use the college board website to find the test centers closest to you. try to pick a testing center you’re familiar with so you don’t feel uncomfortable on test day. ideally, the test site would be as close to your home as possible.
 

how much do my sat scores matter?

this question depends on which colleges you are applying to. some schools weight sat scores very highly when they are reviewing applications. others might look at grades and extracurricular activities first. but you can’t know how schools value your scores, so your best bet is to look at the average sat scores for admitted students and try to aim for scores in that range.
 

when should i start studying for the sat?

most students take the test in the spring of their junior year, and they’ll begin studying a few months before. giving yourself plenty of time to study allows you to identify your strengths and weaknesses, take lots of practice tests, and ensure that you get the best possible score. try to start studying at the beginning of the year, so that you can take the january or march test, then potentially take the test a second time in may or june if you need to.
 

how do i register for the sat?

registering for the sat online is a pretty straightforward process. make a college board account, provide your personal information and pick a test date and location. you’ll also need to upload a photo for your admission ticket and pay a registration fee. the fee is $54.50 with the essay and $43 without it. finally, print your admission ticket and remember to bring it to the test center (along with your id). you’re done!
 

what are the biggest changes to the new sat?

the college board has made several big changes to the test. first of all, it’s three hours plus an optional 50 minutes, rather than three hours and 45 minutes (all mandatory). the content of the sat has changed, as it now features “evidence-based reading and writing,” in which you’ll have to read passages and answer questions about them. the math section has been redesigned, and the essay will now be evidence-based rather than persuasive. also, the new sat won’t test the obscure vocabulary that the old test did. instead, it will test more commonly used words in different contexts. another big change is that there is no penalty for guessing. with the old test, students got points taken off for incorrect answers. lastly, the scoring system has changed from a 2400 scale to a 1600 scale.
 

is the new sat harder?

it may be harder or it may be easier, depending on your strengths and weaknesses. for example, if you are better at persuasive essay writing, the old sat may have been easier for you. if you hated the obscure vocabulary on the old test, then perhaps the new test will be easier for you. the answer to this question will be different for every student.
 

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i’ll go through several demographics of 2015 sat test takers and examine patterns in the data to figure out the answers to these questions.

all data is from the college board.

gender

the average male score was 1502 while the average female score was 1479. with an overall mean score of 1490, the average male scored above the mean and the average female scored below. does gender still play a role in determining who has access to academic resources? or are there other factors at work?

type of high school

private school students tend to receive higher scores than public school students. for public schools, the average score was 1462, below the national average. for religious schools, the average was 1586, while for independent schools the average was 1649, well above the national average.

ethnicity

i’ve listed four of the largest ethnic groups to take the sat in 2015, as well as their total mean scores from greatest to least.

asian, asian american, or pacific islander: 1654
white: 1576
mexican or mexican american: 1343
black or african american: 1277

as you can see, asians tend to score highest, while african americans score lowest. what can this tell us about which ethnic groups face the largest barriers to education and why?

first language

students whose first language is english scored a mean of 1512, while students whose first language is another language scored a mean of 1455. this statistic makes sense, as those who are more likely to be accustomed to speaking english will probably score higher on the sat critical reading and writing sections.

citizenship

citizenship is an interesting demographic to look at because citizens of other countries actually score higher than u.s. citizens, even though the sat is an american test. the mean score is 1499 for u.s. citizens, 1408 for u.s. permanent residents or refugees, and 1576 for citizens of another country. this could be because international students who plan to study in the united states tend to be highly motivated, because they want to travel across the world in order to attend the best schools.

family income and financial aid

as one might expect, students with higher incomes usually perform better than students with lower incomes. the average for students whose family income is between $0 and $20,000 is 1314, while the average for students whose family income is greater than $200,000 is 1720. when students can afford more test prep resources, they are obviously going to get higher scores.

financial aid statistics show a similar trend. students who planned to apply for financial aid got a mean of 1492, close to the national average. those who didn’t plan to apply for financial aid got a mean score of 1613.

level of parental education

when students’ parents had not received a high school diploma, their score average was 1278. on the other end of the spectrum, students whose parents received graduate degrees received an average of 1685. level of education is usually closely correlated to socioeconomic status, so these statistics closely follow the family income and financial aid statistics.

the psat

obviously, taking the psat will increase your likelihood of getting a higher score because the test is designed to help you practice for the sat. students who took the test as a junior and as a sophomore (or younger) got a mean score of 1613. those who didn’t take the psat got a mean score of 1407, below the national average. so take your psats both sophomore and junior years to ensure you get the best score possible!

high school rank and gpa

this is another obvious correlation, but students with better grades and higher class rankings usually get higher sat scores. the average for the highest tenth of the high school class was 1747, while the lowest three fifths got a mean of 1304. students with gpas in the a+ range got a 1796 average, and students with gpas in the d through f range got an 1162 average.

what can this data show us?

people who come from certain schools, races, genders, and incomes are at a disadvantage when it comes to taking the sat. and this is likely because they don’t have as many resources available to them. we all know that sat prep is expensive, and those who can afford to pay more will do better on the test. this data reinforces that yet again.

if you’re looking for a more affordable test prep option, try getting help from your high school teachers, buying or renting sat books, using the free resources available from khan academy, or using affordable online prep like magoosh. you don’t need expensive tutors to do well on the test.

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similarities

show off your skills

both sat subject tests and ap tests allow you to show your knowledge of a particular subject. depending on which test you take, you can show admissions officers your skills in your potential major. with both types of tests, the difficulty will vary depending on which subject you take.

retake the tests over and over

if you are unsatisfied with your score, you can retake both the sat subject tests and the ap tests. so don’t worry too much if you don’t get the score you had hoped for. you’ll have other chances.

boost your application

high scores on either of the two tests will increase your chances of getting into colleges. admissions officers will love to see that you put in the extra effort to perform well these tests. although they won’t be looking at these scores as closely as they’ll be looking at your sat scores, subject tests and ap tests can definitely have a positive impact.

differences

ap tests are generally more challenging

most students find ap tests to be more challenging than sat subject tests. keep that in mind when you’re deciding which tests to take and how much to study. the ap physics test is definitely not going to be the same as the physics sat subject test.

ap tests are based on ap classes

one of the main differences between sat subject tests and ap tests is that ap tests are based on ap classes. most students who take ap tests have been taking an ap class in the same subject and have been studying that subject throughout the whole year. this can help explain why ap tests are generally harder than sat subject tests. ap classes are formatted to help students prepare for ap tests.

different formats

a lot of students consider sat subject tests easier than ap tests because subject tests are all multiple choice and no essays. ap tests will have a multiple-choice section plus an essay or problem solving section. so ap tests tend to require more preparation.

different scoring systems

ap tests are scored from one to five. a score of three means passing, but to receive college credit, you’ll usually have to get a four or a five. sat subject tests are scored on an 800 scale, just like sections on the sat.

ap tests are technically not required

although most competitive college applicants have taken at least one ap test, they’re not required. the tests look good on an application, but they are mostly used for college credit. meanwhile, two or three sat subject tests are recommended or required for some competitive colleges.

less chances to take the ap test

ap tests are only given once a year in may, at the end of the ap course. sat subject tests are given throughout the year. so you have more flexibility about retaking the sat subject tests.

you can take ap tests later

because ap tests can be used for college credit, you can take them as late as the spring of your senior year. sat subject tests are different. because they need to go on your college application, they’ll have to be completed before you send your applications first semester.

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1. hanging bedside organizer

dorms usually have very limited space, so you probably won’t have a bedside table like you had at home. a hanging organizer is great for storing anything you’ll need easy access to during the night, such as glasses, a book, or water.

2. step stool

whether you’re putting up posters or trying to reach the higher shelves in your closet, a step stool comes in handy, especially if you’re short.

3. towel wrap

most students aren’t lucky enough to have their own bathroom, so they’ll usually have to walk down the hall when they want to take a shower. juggling a shower caddy while trying to hold up a towel can be challenging, so find a towel wrap with elastic to keep it up on its own.

4. hot water boiler

a hot water boiler takes up less space than a keurig and is also very multipurpose. you’ll find yourself always needing boiling water, whether it’s for tea, oatmeal or ramen.

5. sleeping bag and pad

you can’t host friends in your dorm without somewhere for them to sleep. if you think you’ll ever have visitors at some point during the year, a sleeping bag and pad are essentials.

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