Studying, of course, is essential to ace any test—there’s no doubt about that. However, when it comes to a big test like a college entrance exam, you can use every trick to help boost your score. What happens when you hit a wall with studying? Or you don’t have time to cram in another study session?
Wondering how to increase SAT scores? Or how to boost your ACT performance? Fortunately, there are ways to increase your exam readiness without sitting down and staring at a study book. Here are a few tips and tricks.
#1- Create and Stick to a Study Schedule
If you study whenever the mood strikes you, chances are many days may slip by without any studying getting done. Studying every day but in any random order may be just as unproductive as you are more likely to forget what you’ve studied. You have to be mindful about setting a study schedule and sticking to it.
There’s a lot of material to cover for these tests. Break up this material into smaller portions and put each portion down on your schedule. This will help you study more consistently while also ensuring that you remember what you’ve studied. So sit down, look at your schedule, and pencil in a few study sessions that work best for you.
#2 – Review Old Tests
Standardized tests are nothing like your high school tests. The format, techniques, scoring, and timing are rather unique. Going into test day without having seen an actual test paper can be a huge mistake.
Take time to review old ACT and SAT tests. This simple exercise will help familiarize you with the test and understand the mechanics of answering the questions. Reviewing old tests won’t take up too much time and the benefits you get are immeasurable.
#3 – Eat Healthy
It’s natural to want to reach out for junk food especially when you’re feeling stressed. Try not to indulge (all the time) though. Junk foods can leave your brain feeling nutrient-starved and fuzzy. That’s the last thing you need right now.
Do yourself, and your brain, a favor and eat plenty of brain-boosting foods. Walnuts, avocados, and blueberries are ideal choices. Dark chocolate helps too, if you need a little motivational treat. Additionally, keep hydrated. If you feel good, you can focus on the test.
#4 – Read, Read, Read
The more you read, the more you will improve your reading and comprehension skills. You’ll also learn new vocabulary words. Both of these will help you ace the reading and comprehension sections of these tests and boost your overall score.
Try and read a wide variety of materials so you get used to different styles. After you’re done, practice summarizing what you’ve read to boost your comprehension skills. What you read doesn’t even have to relate to academics. Read a novel, a comic, a memoir, whatever interests you! Just read, read, read.
#5 – Get Enough Sleep
The importance of getting enough sleep cannot be stressed enough. Everyone has different sleep requirements. Lack of sleep will leave you feeling groggy through the day, making it harder to retain anything that you study. Getting enough sleep is even more important closer to your test date. Going into the test sleep-deprived can be disastrous to your performance.
Life’s busy, but try your best to create a consistent sleep schedule. Additionally, do not stay up to cram the night before the test. It’ll do more harm than good. Catch those Zzzs!
#6 – Take Time To Relax
This tip may come as a surprise to you. Shouldn’t you be spending every available minute studying? Actually, no. If you do nothing else but study, you are likely to feel burnt out by the time the test date arrives.
Take a break from the books and spend time doing something fun. And definitely make time for family and friends. They are the ones who will support, motivate, and encourage you, and most of all, help you de-stress.
Do you have an idea on how to increase your SAT score? Made a plan for improving your ACT performance?
You got this.
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