Top 10 SAT Test-Taking Strategies
The SAT assesses a student’s ability and knowledge in reading, writing, and mathematics. Taking any test is stressful, but two primary elements contribute to increased stress when taking the SAT.
Firstly, the higher a student’s SAT score, the more likely they will be accepted into a prestigious university or college.
Secondly, there is your SAT preparation, which means you have to step aside from your general prep routine and embrace new strategies.
Fortunately, with some diligent preparation, you can do well on the test. We’ve compiled a list of 10 SAT test-taking techniques that will help you ace the exam. If you use these approaches and strategies in each test section, you should see your scores improve.
1. Use the process of elimination
If you can eliminate even one option from the list of probable responses, guess. It’s sometimes quicker to remove answers you already know are incorrect than to find the proper one. Frequently, removing all of the incorrect responses leads to the correct solution.
2. Take Timed Practice Tests
This is perhaps the most crucial thing you can do besides studying. Write practice exams while adhering to rigorous deadlines and replicating the test environment as accurately as possible. These mock exams are designed according to the SAT exam pattern; hence, they will help you learn how to manage your time and become familiar with the many questions you’ll encounter on the exam. They also assist you in identifying your shortcomings so that you can prepare for the actual exam.
3. Read Strategically
Clearing the SAT with good scores also necessitates strong comprehension. It is necessary to read and comprehend the sections correctly to achieve this. Skimming the passage first is the simplest method to accomplish this. This allows you to understand what it’s about and grasp its gist without wasting much time. This activity can also help you answer the main idea questions when the passage’s general message is clear.
4. Learn to identify Connotation and Context
This stage builds on the preceding one. Learn to detect phrases like “although,” “rather than,” “unless,” and other strong adjectives, which help generate a negative connotation or context once you’ve learned to skim through the paragraphs. Including these words can radically change the meaning of the next line, which, if read alone, can paint an altogether different picture. This is an excellent ability to have while answering the reading section because it can help you remove most of the erroneous alternatives independently.
5. Don’t Ignore Passage Introductions
Some students overlook the highlighted sentences that precede the reading passage. These openers provide crucial information about the passage’s environment or context, saving time in understanding the passage and answering questions. It’s always better to spend a few seconds on this rather than going through the full process again if you realize you’ve missed something towards the end of the section. Even during your SAT preparation, one should practice the same.
6. Understand Your Mistakes
No matter how many tips you utilize to improve your comprehension and speed up your work, you may never see any major improvement if you lack subject knowledge. When it comes to Math, this is especially true. While strategizing your SAT preparation, you should identify the areas you find difficult to deal with and concentrate on clearing your concepts and mastering these topics. After that, you can focus on improving your speed and comprehension.
7. Make sure you understand the question
Before you answer a question, make sure you know it completely. If you’ve taken many practice tests, you could be tempted to answer questions you remember from them. Respond to the questions, not the ones from the practice tests.
8. Budget your time
It can be a good idea to allocate your time evenly and limit your time on every question. However, it’s vital to note that questions are ordered from easy to toughest (except in the critical reading section). Answer the easier questions, saving time for the more difficult questions afterward. Regarding critical reading, please start with the details; this will acquaint you with the chapter and allow you to answer broad questions without rereading it.
9. Commit Formulas to Memory
This may appear unneeded, given that the math section has a list of formulas. Consider how much time you’d be wasting if you had to repeatedly go back to that page and look for the correct formula to answer a basic question. If the formula is lengthier, you need to return to it repeatedly. Memorizing formulas is one approach to saving time.
10. Think Before You Write
You will be expected to assess arguments in a passage and base your essay on them in the writing section. The goal is to check if you can grasp the points and clearly explain how the argument was constructed. The allotted time for this is 50 minutes, but you should spend roughly fifteen minutes comprehending and outlining your essay.
Also, make it a point to utilize particular evidence, such as exact quotes, to help you establish your claim. This demonstrates that you are basing your arguments on the facts rather than your opinions.
To wrap up, we hope this has provided you with an excellent starting point for your test preparation. While you may increase your score independently, working with an expert who can provide individualized assistance makes it much easier.
The ideal option to kick start your preparation is to opt for SAT online coaching, which can save time with extensive study sources. This way, you can start at your own pace and from your comfort.
