Somewhere around the middle of junior year, if not sooner, you might start wondering how and when to start studying for the big college entrance exams. There’s a lot of information out there and a lot of it costs money. There are many strategies to prepare and each student has their own preferences, but this is a general self-study plan that 1) doesn’t cost anything, and 2) is designed to get you the highest score boost in the least amount of studying. The plan below takes about 3-6 hours per week, but can be easily adjusted based on your actual available time.
Month 1
December OF JUNIOR YEAR
Decide which test you want to take. Some students study for, and take, both the SAT and ACT. The tests are different enough that you’re better off picking the one that suits you best and focusing on that one. Read about the differences between the two tests and decide which one you prefer. If you can’t decide, take a timed practice test of each. See which score is higher on this comparison chart. Think about which one felt more comfortable.
Read about the different sections. Look at the type of questions, the number of questions, and the time allowed. Learn some basic strategies for approaching the English, Math, and Reading sections.
Register for the test. March of junior year is a good time to take the test, because it allows time to get your scores back, take it again in May or June if you want to, and still have time to take it again during senior year.
Get a watch. Many test prep professionals swear by the Testing Timer (SAT version). I prefer a classic Timex Ironman.
Take a practice test to get a baseline score. Many test prep companies offer free proctored practice tests. Make sure they are offering official SAT practice tests (tests that have been given in the past), rather than tests written by the test prep company, because the official tests are more like the official test you’ll be taking. Expect to meet with a salesperson to get your full score report. If your schedule or the pandemic doesn’t allow you to take a proctored practice test, try it on your own. Print out a practice test and use a timer to self-proctor.
Month 2
January OF JUNIOR YEAR
Review your practice test. This is a huge source of data for you, so make sure you take your time on it. Here are some things you should do:
Make a list of all the content you need to learn. Make a list of all the content you’ve learned but need to review. Make a list of all the formulas you need to memorize.
Make a list of all the question types you are missing.
Make note of all the careless errors you can address.
Think through time management concerns.
Fill gaps in content. It’s important to have a good foundation of content before you dive into test strategy. Use free websites such as Khan Academy or inexpensive specialty books like
Learn specific strategies to manage time and accuracy in your weakest sections. The books listed above can help, as can websites such as Reddit and STEMsmart. There are many strategies out there and it takes a little bit of trial-and-error to find the ones that works best for you.
Take another practice test. Review it. A good basic study plan repeats this test-review cycle every other week, which means two practice test and review cycles in January. If you have more time, do more cycles. Your priority in January is to make sure you know all the content that may be tested on the SAT. If you’ve covered content and have extra time, start test driving some strategies.
Month 3
February OF JUNIOR YEAR
Lather, rinse, repeat. Repeat the test-review cycle as many times as you can, at least once every other week. By this time, you should be comfortable with all the content that will be on the SAT. After 3 or 4 practice tests, you have likely seen all (or nearly all) types of questions.
Refine your strategies. Figure out the right speed and depth for reading. Figure out the amount of time you should spend on each passage. Figure out when you should be reaching the halfway point on each section. Try many new strategies and keep what works for you. By the time you wake up on test day, you should know exactly what your plan is.
While you’re thinking about test day test strategy, you should also think about test day not-test strategy. Use your practice tests to figure out how much sleep you need, how early you need to wake up, and what you need to eat for breakfast in order to be at your best by test time.
Month 4
March OF JUNIOR YEAR
This is NOT the time to start a study plan. This is a time to end a study plan. You should be finishing up reviewing your last practice test. Try to take an entire week off of test prep so your brain will be fresh and well-rested. Try to get all big homework assignments done before test week. Try to get as much sleep as you can during test week. Read about managing test anxiety. Most of all, relax as much as you can. You’ve already done the hard work.
Test day! You’ve got this.
After the test, sit back and wait for the score to come in. You’re about to receive the most accurate data on your test-taking ability you can get. Wait for the real data before making any decisions.
Month 5 and Beyond
Decide whether to take the test again. If yes, register and then dive back into a test-review cycle. If no, celebrate the end of this very stressful part of your life.
What other test prep guides would you like to see on STEMsmart?
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