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SAT Success? This Is What I Did



Welcome to the first blog post of our new series "Test Prep Tip Sheet" ! At FrogTutoring, we're all about nurturing hidden potential, so we decided to start this blog post series for all those high school students that are focused on acing their SAT and ACT.


The first SAT of 2015 is coming up this Saturday, and as a former high school student (now college student), I know most of you are feeling all sorts of nervous and excited for the exam. I'm here to tell you what I did the week before I took the SAT for the first time, and how you can achieve success like I did. Why should you believe what I have to say? I got accepted to all of the 13 colleges I applied to! Without further ado, these are my tips for SAT prep on the week of the exam:


Before the test: 


Cover the basics Admission ticket? Check. Photo ID? Got it. I recommend gathering everything you need the night before, and place everything in a small backpack so you can take to the testing location. This is the check list of things you need (and some I recommend):


  •  Admission ticket & photo ID-At least two no. 2 pencils, an eraser, and sharpener
  •  Permitted calculator (the College Board allows scientific and graphing calculators)
  •  Recommended items include: snacks (for the breaks), watch (but make sure it doesn't have an alarm!), extra batteries for your calculator (just in case)






Get a good rest. This might seem like a no-brainer to most of you, but I've heard of people who want to cream some studying on the day before the SAT. Don't do it! Studies show that teens who stay up at late at night cramming are more likely to have academic problems the following day (read more here). I would recommend going to bed 9 hours before the exam because some of us will find it hard to fall asleep because we're nervous for the exam. 


Have a healthy breakfast On the day of the exam, a healthy, energizing breakfast can make a difference. A healthy exam day breakfast might include protein, fruits, and whole-grains. Avoid sugars at all costs because you don't really want to have a sugar rush during the exam.



During the test: 


Remember the grading format The College Board will penalize you 1/4 point if you get a wrong answer, but no points will be deducted for blank answers. If you can narrow your choices to 2, then it's okay to guess. However, if you have no idea what to answer then it's better to leave that question blank. Also remember that the math grid-in questions will not be penalized 1/4 point if they're wrong (you will get 0 points if the answer is wrong). 


Every second counts If you're stuck in a question, skip it and move to the next. Remember that the questions are in order of easiest to most difficult (except CR section) , so if you feel you're going too fast, it might be because you are answering the easier questions. 


Use the test booklet In my experience, scratching out the wrong answers and circling the right answer was a great benefit. This way, when you're passing your answers from the booklet to the scantron, you will avoid mistakes. 

Don't rush So I know I said that every second counts, but if you're answering the exam in a hurried pace, you might make a mistake (especially in the Math section). Sometimes the numbers will be the same but there will be a negative sign on one of the options, so be aware of what answer you're circling! 


I hope these tips will help you on your exam! Best of luck to all of you!


Cinthia P
FrogTutoring Social Media Intern
Texas Christian University
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