<p>Do score usually improve or drop and by how much? And how can you battle the anxiety and stressed of 'game day'? </p>
<p>What are some tips and advice for a first time taker to NAIL the SAT and score higher or the same as what he or she does in practice BB tests? </p>
<p>Also, I read somewhere that waking up the morning of the test really early and working on a couple sections of a practice test helps....is this a truth or myth? What are things to do the nigh before, the week before, or the day of (really early in the morning) to optimize your output and get the highest score possible? </p>
<p>Let's discuss...and for May SAT people, like me, we can use this as a general thread to advise each other/talk strategy, etc.</p>
<p>wait, so are energy drinks good? i never drink energy drinks, but i do fatigue at about section 6-7, so would something like that be good for me? should i try it out at home?</p>
<p>and what about the idea of waking up early on test day to practice a few sections? did anyone do that and did it work out for you?</p>
<p>If you’ve been practicing, there’s no need to wake up early. Actually, there’s no point of waking up early. A few practice sections won’t be much of a help if you’ve been practicing for the last month or so. Some people hve been preparing for over a year. </p>
<p>Lastly, I don’t think an energy drink can help you maintain focus. Just practice.</p>
<p>If you want to optimize your output, then don’t do anything the night before, get a good night’s rest and a good solid breakfast, and don’t sweat thinking about the test.</p>
<p>There’s another thread nearby called “Blue Book Conspiracy” that touches on the same topic.</p>
<p>Whenever I did practice tests (and I only did about three on my own–I’ve heard of a lot of 2400ers who have taken over fifteen), I did them the “wrong way”–right as I got home from school, I’d just start them and blur through all of the sections in one sitting (no breaks, and I always finish early, so the entire test takes less than 2 hours). Why? To save time.</p>
<p>I actually scored higher on the real exam (overall, that is: my CR dropped from practice). Would I recommend practicing this way? Only if you absolutely needed to rush. I’m retaking the SAT in October and since that means I have the summer to study, I’ll do the practice tests the real way this time. I’m looking to improve that CR…</p>
<p>As for what I did the day of the exam…I didn’t go to bed early the previous night or the night before that night (though I do recommend doing so). Woke up refreshed and ready–not really that nervous, even though I mentally knew how important that day was. Ate a pretty good breakfast.</p>
<p>I didn’t eat snacks during the break, but I did drink plenty of water, and since I had friends in the same testing center, we all talked a bit. I think it’s pretty important to be “happy” while taking the test…it sounds lame but yeah. As for eating, I wouldn’t do anything totally out of the ordinary, though I do have an AP teacher who swears by power bars. (Nothing too sugary for sure, your blood sugar will spike and then deflate.)
As for my score, CR and essay was lower than I’d expected, but I was pleased with my Math score and overall Writing score. I felt as if I had made a lot of silly errors once I received my score report and re-read my essay, though I remained calm and focused throughout taking the test.</p>
<p>*Just to clarify my post, which may have been worded oddly: I do recommend getting a lot of sleep. I read somewhere that it’s not just the night before, but just in case, also the night before the night before.</p>
<p>And what are ideal snacks? I mean, I would get pretty hungry near the end and I eat a lot (not fat or anything, but i’m athletic and require lots of energy from food), so what should i eat during the breaks? (a 6’’ sub from Subway…is this a good idea?).</p>
<p>also, timing during the real test. I am finally not doing bad with timing and can finish section within the time limit easily. But, during the test, how do you make sure you work efficiently like you do during practice tests? During my PR prep class, I stress out and look at the clock a lot and run out of time = bad score on diagnostic tests…but at home, I score much better.</p>
<p>I practiced a fair amount, got a good night’s sleep before the test, woke up, took a shower, ate, felt awake, got to the testing center with plenty of time, and in general, felt like I had put myself in the best position to take the test.</p>
<p>And I must have bared down and focused harder, b/c I achieved my high score in M and W (W by 40 pts! M by 20), and missed my high score in CR by 20.</p>
<p>wow^, that’s awesome! Usually I like more pressure because I, too, focus more. But, for some reason, at the Prep class, I do worse on tests than when i take tests at my own house…it’d odd.</p>
<p>I recommend getting a digital watch, so you know exactly what the time it is.</p>
<p>If you’re really stressed about time, calm down. Think of the test as just another practice test. Odds are, you’ll do exactly the same. </p>
<p>On the day before, I usually practice the grammar, and go over vocab words. Don’t fret about it. It’s the SATs, you can take multiple shots at it.</p>