Preparing for the sat? Get familiar with some tips and tricks to get yourself through the hurdles.

According to the College Board, 1.7 million students in the class of 2022 took the SAT at least once in their high school career. The SAT, a standardized test used for college admissions, is one of the biggest tests student’s take. Many students, mainly juniors, stress about the test and for some, it is scary to start. Here are some tips and a guideline to getting ready for the exam. 

Sign up

First thing that should be done is picking a date and signing up. Lot of people sign up for the SAT, so in order to secure a spot at a school closest to you, make sure to sign up as early as possible. Not only does this check one thing off the todo list, it also sets a studying schedule. According to the College Board, it is best to start studying two to three months before the exam. While deciding on a date, keep in mind the events surrounding the date and anticipate how busy you may be around the test. 

Khan Academy 

When it comes to studying for the SAT, there are many options available. While tutors and prep books are great resources, Khan Academy is an amazing resource for SAT prep and it’s free. Khan Academy is able to connect with a student’s College Board account and access PSAT scores. With the data from the student’s PSAT score, Khan Academy is then able to go off your results and give personalized practice questions and lessons. Not only does the website include lessons and practice questions, it also includes full length practice tests for students to complete. With this free website, students are better able to prepare for the test.

Set Aside Some Test

One of the biggest challenges students face with SAT preparation is setting aside time to study. Students already have such busy schedules and adding on studying for the exam doesn’t help. The “I will do it later” or the “when I have free time” mentality often end up in not having enough time to study. In order to prevent this, students should set aside a certain amount of time each week or day that is dedicated to SAT prep. The amount of time does not have to be a lot of time. A simple 20-30 minute practice a day can be sufficient enough for many students. While 30 minutes a day may not seem effective at first, overtime it adds up and is much better than cramming a couple days before. 

Take a Break

SAT prep and the SAT itself can be very stressful in general. While it is important to stay productive, breaks are necessary in order to stay productive and to keep the mind and body happy. Remember to take breaks and to destress. While it is almost human nature to want to cram the day before, try to relax and do something fun. According to the Princeton Review, one of the best things to do the night before is to simply relax. On a similar note, the Princeton Review does say that “if you insist on studying the night before, limit it to 30 minutes.” 

Whether you choose to prepare three months in advance, or choose to go in with no preparation, take a second and be proud of yourself. With taking the SAT, a milestone has been passed and you are one step closer to College.