STRESSED ABOUT THIS TEST

It's the most important test we'll ever take, right? So why do we wait until the last minute to start preparing for the SAT?

Experts say that, ideally, you should study for three months before taking the test.

Well, that's a great plan if you have that kind of time, but if you're taking the test this Saturday and haven't given it much thought, here are some tips to help you cram. You might be surprised that scoring well on the test has less to do with how much you actually know and more with how much you know about taking such tests. We culled these tips from a host of places including books, Internet sites, classes and anywhere we could find them. * Get a how-to book. A book can show you how to avoid the traps set by test-makers and help you get a better score. Be sure to find a book with a practice test so you become familiar with the format of the test. * Practice. Three days before the SAT take a practice test giving yourself only the amount of time for each section that you will be allowed during the real thing. Memorize the directions, otherwise you'll have to read them carefully and waste valuable test time. Two days before the test, check the practice test you took. Go over the correct answers to the questions you missed and study the areas you seem to need the most work in. The day before the test, don't study at all. Instead do something fun, forget the test. Put together an SAT Survival Kit, which should include a calculator with new batteries (make sure you know how to use the calculator), a watch, four or more sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers, photo ID and admission ticket, and a snack such as a sandwich to keep you alert. The morning of the test be sure to get up early enough to have a good breakfast and read a magazine or newspaper to warm up your brain. Get to the testing site early enough to take a deep breath and settle in. Dress in layers so you can adjust to the temperature of the room. We know it is difficult but try to stay calm, focused and confident. Think about each question and try to predict the answer before you look over the given choices. Keep in mind that the SATs are easy in the sense that the answer is right in front of you, all you have to do is find it. Always read all the answers before selecting your choice. The test makers like to trick you by putting two or more possible answers, but remember you need to find the most correct answer. After reading a question, if it seems too time consuming, skip it. Circle it in your test book and then come back to it later. Remember if you skip a question, be sure to leave it blank on the test form so you don't get mixed up. Check your answer grid every five questions to make sure your answers correspond with their questions. You won't have time to fix all of your answers if they get mismatched. Some experts recommend circling all your answers in the test booklet and then leave yourself a few minutes at the end to go back and bubble them in on the sheet. If you want to do this, be sure to practice at home to make sure you can do it in time, otherwise that would be disastrous. Use process of elimination to find the right answer. Always guess if you can rule out just one answer, then the odds are in your favor. Don't leave any question blank unless you absolutely cannot guess. Pace yourself. Use your practice test to determine how much time you should spend on each question. The first questions are supposed to be easy, so they will have easy answers. Go with your gut instinct, it's probably right. Get through these quickly so you will have more time for the more difficult questions. Don't freak out if time runs out, and you have to leave the last few answers blank. You need to remain calm and focused for the other sections. Remember that the answer you don't know is sometimes the right one. After all, you can't eliminate it if you don't know what it means.

Copyright 1998 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.