The SAT is over 3 hours long and sometimes, I can feel my concentration dwindling as the test drags on. This can affect the performance of taking the test, especially for the SAT Reading section which over 1 hour long. How can maintain very solid concentration when taking the SAT, especially the Reading section?
Adderall. Just kidding. Do practice tests just like the actual test. Mimic the testing conditions and fully commit to it.
When you feel your attention wandering, pinch yourself. Shift your position. Take a couple of slow, deep breaths. Extra oxygen cn give you a boost. Skip ahead to another question and go back, but be sure to mark it so you don’t forgrt. For reading especially, try to do the passages you find most interesting first, so that you can maximize getting correct answers. A lot of students like the science or fiction passages. If you are interested in your reading, it’s easier to focus.
Be sure to bring high energy drinks and snack for the breaks, esepcially for the last break when your brain is fried.
You know that feeling when you’re taking a test and you have 7 minutes left but like 10 questions unanswered? You lean forward, tap your feet, pull your hair out of your face and actually concentrate? I usually try to go through the test with that feeling because it forces me to focus. That’s how I always finish on time. Of course, I don’t rush. I guess the feeling keeps me alert and paying attention. It may sound weird, but it’s worked for me every time.
My D had this problem during the last test. She can’t drink caffeine because of a medical problem, but normaly that would be my suggestion. I think staying hydrated and eating a meal with protein before the test would help, as well as avoiding sugar.
My D has been taking supplement to help her to focus better. She seems to have attention problem in middle school years. It seems the supplement help but not immediately.
I teach SAT English. I tell my students to be very ACTIVE in their reading - circle, underline, annotate, number, etc. The act of engaging the hand and the pencil in addition to the eyes keeps your whole body focused and more alert. When it is just your eyes wandering the page - it is easy to get distracted or lulled into a stupor!
When I studied for the SATs, I always took my practice exams as if I were taking the actual test. This meant that I actually cracked down and timed myself, and worked through the whole 3-hour long exam. While it may seem tedious, acclimating yourself to the standardized test setting will prepare yourself. This way, you aren’t as lost or fatigued near the end of the actual SAT exam.
During the actual exam, I think it’s always make a point to first check on the total number of questions and where the last page of the section is. Nothing is worse then only having a minute left, but then finding out you have a whole page of questions left!
Take a couple practice ACTs and you’ll think that the SAT gives you plenty of time.