SAT Test Taking Tips and Techniques

OVERALL SAT TEST TACTICS

• Study and review each SAT section direction now. Use the your alloted time for the test to work on the SAT questions.
• Go through the each section and answer all of the questions you know the answers to first. Mark all the questions you don't immediately know the answer to and return and answer them later.
• If you're able to eliminate even on choice for the selection of possible answers then guess.
• Don't be sloppy when filling in the answer grid for student-produced response questions.
• Since you're allowed to write in the test book, cross out answers you know are wrong and do scratch work.
• Since a machine scores your test, make sure not to put any stray marks on your answer sheet. SAT scoring machines frequently can't differentiate between a correct answer and an accidental stray mark.
• Your first response to a question is usually correct. Don't change an answer unless you're certain you've made an error.
• Only select one answer for each question -- as there is only one correct answer.
• If you don't have any idea what the answer is then skip it. You're aren't penalized for not answering questions.
• SAT tests are scored differently than other types of standardized tests. Make sure you understand how they are scored. You get one point for every correct answer. You lose a fraction of a point for each question you answer incorrectly. You don't lose any points for questions that you don't answer and you don't lose any points for incorrect answers in the math section's student-produced response questions.
• Make sure you're placing placing your answers in the correct number space and section on your answer sheet. Its easy to place your answer in the wrong place if you're not paying close attention.
• Pace yourself! This test is timed. Only spend a few moments on the easy questions and no more than a minute or two on the harder questions. Don't forget that the SAT consists of several small, timed, tests. Its easy to loose track of time so make sure to pay attention to how much time is alloted for each test and how much time is remaining as you proceed through each section. Pacing yourself requires practice so practice, practice, practice.
• A rule of thumb is that easy questions harder questions.
• Make sure that you fully understand each question before you answer it. If you've taken a lot of practice tests you'll be tempted to answer questions you recall from practice tests. Make sure to answer the questions asked and not those from practice tests.
• Don't forget to bring your own stop watch to the testing center. There isn't always an accurate clock at the testing center.
• You need to know the types of questions to expect on the SAT. There are 19 sentence completion, 40 reading comprehension, 35 math multiple-choice and 10 student-produced response questions.

Shared from www.educationcorner.com