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5 Quick Test-Taking Strategies to Raise Your SAT or ACT

By Anthony Russomanno, Premier Tutor & Admissions Expert for The Princeton Review

 

  1. Know thy enemy!  It is crucial to know the specifics of any test you are taking.  The number of questions, time limits, guessing penalties, etc. will impact the attack plan.  Everything is public knowledge so a little research can go a long way to improve your test scores. So know the directions ahead of time.
     
  2. Pace yourself.  Sometimes, you may hurt yourself by rushing to finish each section as it may cause careless mistakes. Answering all the questions and having time to spare does you no good, if you’ve made errors in haste.  So, consider your goals and pace yourself accordingly.  Also keep track of time and don’t panic if you cannot answer every question.
     
  3. Learn when to guess! Because there is no penalty for wrong answers on the ACT, you must answer every question, whether you have read it or not. All right answers count the same, and you lose nothing for a wrong answer. The SAT has a ¼ point penalty for wrong answers (and 1 point for a correct answer) so you should guess only if you can eliminate a few choices.
     
  4. Practice!  Practice!  Practice!  Taking these exams successfully requires a set of acquired skills and by learning the rules you will increase your ability to master them. Full-length practice builds familiarity, speed, and accuracy.
     
  5. Determine your prep needs by taking a full-length practice exam without affecting your record and receive a personalized, detailed score report, analyzing your test taking strengths and weaknesses. To try a free practice test call 1-888-243-7737 or visit UnionPlus.org/CollegePrep.

Learn and use techniques. Skilled test-takers have a whole palette of techniques they use to deal with particular situations that arise.  Find a good step-by-step plan for each question type (or take a course to learn from The Princeton Review).
 

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To enroll, learn more or try a free practice test call 1-888-243-7737 or visit UnionPlus.org/CollegePrep.

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