<p>I think the ‘#2-pencil-only’ syndrome is what prevents most students from scoring well on the SAT’s and ACT’s, not the material difficulty itself - which most people agree is very simple. </p>
<p>Test anxiety, as it pertains to timed tests, is a very real problem for a lot of people. These tests are highly stressful in the sense that your entire future can be decided based on the outcome, and for some people, that stress is overbearing. Therefore, how a person copes with this stress is ultimately what determines his/her scores. That being said, I believe SAT/ACT scores are a better indicator of a students ability to think and perform under pressure, rather than a test of intelligence or aptitude. </p>
<p>With practice, self-discipline, and the right mindset, anyone with a normal functioning brain can do well on these tests. They really aren’t that bad.</p>