Flickr user Bryon Lippincott
When preparing for the SAT, you may have found you have particular weak spots that you could improve on before the test date. While you may feel confident in the subjects, you may not be particularly strong in time restrictions or the format of the test. Or it could work the other way around; You may be fine with time restrictions but struggle with some of the math questions. Here are a few ways you can improve your weak spots.
Take Practice Tests
If you’re not quite sure where your weak spots lie, whether in an entire subject, parts within the subject, or an aspect of the test itself, taking practice tests can help you pinpoint exactly what you should be focusing on. Take the test under the same guidelines as the real deal, time restrictions and all, to get an accurate picture of how you perform.
Once you’ve completed a practice test, go over it and score yourself. Take note of what you did wrong, questions you spent too much time on, questions you skipped, or what parts you weren’t able to get to.
Study and Practice to Improve Your Weak Spots
Once you’ve taken the practice test, it’s time to study on what needs improvement. Don’t just dive into another test. You know what you did wrong or what questions took up too much of your time, so focus on those areas and study less on your stronger points.
You may want to practice particular math questions or study up on parts of English, but you may also need to work on improving your test times in order to get through the exam. Once you feel confident enough, it’s time to take another practice test and see where you still need more work.
Find a Tutor or a Study Partner
While studying alone can absolutely be beneficial, you may also benefit from finding a tutor or a study partner. A tutor can help you narrow down the aspects of the test you’re having trouble with. They will then design a study program for you, in order to ensure you’re improving in this particular area. You can ask a teacher, another adult, or fellow student to be your tutor, but you may also want to look down professional avenues.
Study partners can also be helpful. By working together, you can quiz one another on each other’s weak spots. If your partner is strong in an area you’re weak, they can also act as a tutor and perhaps you can work as one for them as well.
Also, feel free to do a combination of the two if that works for you!
Taking a practice test for the SAT is absolutely helpful, but don’t stop there. You have to do more than discover your weak spots. Once you know where they lie, it’s time to focus the majority of your study time on those subjects or areas to ensure you’re ready for the test date. You can do this by studying alone, reviewing your work, taking more practice tests, hiring a tutor, or finding a study buddy. Track your improvement.
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