<p>How important is it to take tests under strict conditions?</p>
<p>I’d say not very. So long as you don’t go over the time limit on each section and aren’t cheating in some way, your practice test results will be at worst an underestimate of your probable performance on the actual test.</p>
<p>In my opinion, the stricter, the better.</p>
<p>I would not be too concerned. Most of my prep was done while lying in bed. =P However, setting the right time constraints is extremely important. Furthermore, if nerves are your problem, definitely mimic testing conditions as much as possible.</p>
<p>After you become confident with the format of the test, it would be best to progressively enact more stringent time constraints.</p>
<p>As for other things, it is perfectly acceptable to use non-wooden writing utensils if you please (I used pen), and using the Scantron provided to you isn’t necessary (I used printer paper).</p>
<p>But most importantly, seek out a quiet atmosphere in which you can practice without the concern of being perturbed by any unwanted disturbances.</p>
<p>Forcing yourself to answer practice questions within a time limit is the worst way to study. You learn more by studying more. If you take a practice test without a time limit, you will learn more and thus score higher. If timing and pacing is an issue, you need to first work on your ability to answer the questions. After a certain point, timing will come natural. It is better to exercise your reasoning skills before you exercise your timing. If your reasoning is on point, you should finish each section with a lot of time left over.</p>
<p>^Yes, however, time limits MIMIC TESTING CONDITIONS. That’s key in getting a good score as I’ve learned.
I took a real practice test yesterday with like 200 other kids and realized that nerves is my biggest issue. So, now i know what i need to work on before may comes! : time limits. I need to get myself acquainted with my nerves better if that makes any sense. </p>
<p>So, mifune, If i just start to make time restrictions, how much time should i chop off?</p>
<p>Using real tests also helps I think. Most people on CC use the collegeboard blue book. I started taking tests under stricter conditions in the two weeks before the real SAT. It might help to use more time at first.</p>
<p>crazybandit: That’s just stupid. The biggest obstacle for most high-scoring students is having enough time to check. I guarantee most everyone here could answer every SAT question perfectly given sufficient time. So you need to practice the timing to do well.</p>
<p>if you were smart enough you wouldn’t have nerves. Nerves are the product of not being confident enough to know that you will answer all the questions correctly.</p>
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<p>Clearly not. Most of you people who have trouble scoring high are simply not competent enough. I can finish writing and math sections in less than half the given time because I know how to answer the questions upon initial review. I don’t have to think for too long and therefore have no trouble with my timing. Consistent high scorers finish with a lot of time to spare not because they are good at taking tests (i.e., timing and pacing), but because they have good reasoning skills.</p>
<p>In other words, if you work on your reasoning skills, you won’t have “nerves” or doubt or pacing issues. That’s why it is a standardized test. The time limit is only there to separate those that take too long to think and those that are skilled enough to reason a problem out quickly.</p>
<p>CR may be a different story though, because your state of mind can affect how much information you absorb from reading a passage. However, given enough skill (and pure practice), pacing should not be an issue when taking a reasoning test.</p>
<p>I never (NEVER) timed myself taking a practice test. And on the real test I ended up finish all the math sections with a combined 20 minutes to spare, for writing it wasn’t as much but probably about 10, and then for reading I only had a bit, if that. But I’m a naturally slow reader anyways</p>
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ROFL. I have “trouble” scoring high. Lets just see what April 1 brings.</p>
<p>Did I ever say I had “nerves” or “pacing” issues? </p>
<p>You entire post is just plain insulting and crude. You have absolutely no way of knowing my intelligence. What exactly is your score to justify pretending you’re better than everyone else?</p>
<p>For the record, I finish every section with >10 minutes to spare. I got an 80/73/73 on the PSAT without studying. So I’m not sure where your laughable assumptions are coming from, beyond your massive ego.</p>
<p>I wasn’t talking about you. I was talking about most of the people who have trouble scoring high.</p>
<p>“You” is a second person pronoun referring to the person being addressed. Considering you had just quoted me, it’s pretty reasonable to infer that you were addressing me.</p>
<p>So if you finish each section with 10 minutes to spare, why do you say timing is that important? The fact that you don’t (presumably) score perfectly yet you still have time left over for each section means that you probably have trouble with some of the content, as opposed to your test-taking skills.</p>
<p>
[You</a> | Define You at Dictionary.com](<a href=“http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/you]You”>YOU Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com)</p>
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That remains to be seen. I took my first SAT in March and haven’t gotten results back yet. If I don’t get a perfect score, it won’t be a matter of content. Rather, it will have been that I misread a question and made a stupid mistake.</p>
<p>Now the big question: do YOU have a perfect score?</p>
<p>P.S. The construction “you people” implies direct address.</p>
<p>The “who” in the phrase “most of you people who have trouble scoring high” signifies a restrictive clause, meaning the subject of the sentence does not include all people; rather, it includes only the people who have trouble scoring high. I purposely phrased it like that so as to not offend anyone who doesn’t relate.</p>
<p>Evidently, you don’t understand the point of my posts. I’m not challenging YOU or that YOU aren’t able to achieve a perfect score (you allegedly can). I’m only using your situation as an example to reflect those that DO have trouble with reasoning as opposed to timing. THOSE people should not take practice tests under timed conditions. Rather, they should practice what they need to practice and leave everything else alone. It’s unnecessary to take an entire 3.5 hour test or an entire 25 minute section if you only need help in one aspect.</p>
<p>You still haven’t answered my question.</p>
<p>Read what I said.</p>