<p>After taking the SAT for the 3rd time this Saturday, I believe I have the perfect approach to the grueling 5 hour SAT.</p>
<li><p>Caffeine- Everyone needs caffeine for a test like this because it is physically and mentally exhausting. I used 2 Monsters (1 before test, 1 during the middle) to energize myself. Others like to use coffee or tea but those alternatives don’t provide the kick like an energy drink.</p></li>
<li><p>Snacks- Some people like snacks but I tend to think that a good breakfast consisting of eggs, fresh fruit, toast, and orange juice is a much better way to keep yourself going through the test.</p></li>
<li><p>Bathroom- The SAT is five hours long and after consuming a beverage with caffeine in it, you are bound to use the bathroom. Use the bathroom before the SAT so you are relieved before the test and you know where the bathroom is during the test. Use the bathroom again during the middle break because it’s good to get the blood flowing and relieve yourself. I would advise drinking another Monster or Red Bull at this time as well.</p></li>
<li><p>Sleep- Every SAT taker needs a substantial amount of sleep before the test to do well. The problem is how much… I would advise getting 1-2 more hours sleep than you normally get. For example, 6 hours normally would equate to about 8 hours of sleep. This means that you are refreshed but haven’t gotten so much sleep you are lethargic.</p></li>
<li><p>Materials- Nothing is more nerve racking that thinking that you won’t be admitted to take the SAT before you go in or you will bomb the Math Section. Lay out your admission ticket, ID, 3 #2 pencils, and graphing calculator with fresh batteries the night before.</p></li>
<li><p>Last Minute Prep- The test day has finally arrived and you are nervous as can be. I took a practice Writing section before the SAT that helped calm my nerves and assure that I would do well. Confidence is a huge part of test taking even though some people take it for granted. I know many people will say that you shouldn’t prep the day of the test or even the day before but I feel the last minute prep helps you think more clearly and calms nerves.</p></li>
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<p>Good Luck! </p>
<p>P.S. Please reply to this thread if you have more advice!</p>
<p>Completely and utterly disagree on points 1-3. Here is why.</p>
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<li><p>Caffeine can make you jittery and nervous, particularly if you don’t normally have it. Never try anything new on test day. I don’t ever have caffeine and I have no trouble keeping my stamina up for long tests. Why? Because I eat well. Which brings me to the next point.</p></li>
<li><p>Just like with caffeine, you can’t make a blanket statement that if you eat a good breakfast, you won’t need snacks. For one thing, if you eat too much at breakfast, it can make you physically and mentally sluggish. But the added stress of the test can more quickly deplete energy, and a mid-test snack is a good way to perk back up without running the risk that you make things worse by sucking down caffeine and sugar. I personally eat an apple followed by a granola bar that has nuts or peanut butter. A small snack with a combo of protein, natural sugars, fat and complex carbs works great. It gives you a complete boost, and you won’t crash later on.</p></li>
<li><p>Monsters and Red Bulls work for some people, but I have read many more horror stories about drinking them on test day than good ones. Eat a proper snack and you won’t need one.</p></li>
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<p>You other advice is pretty good, but your advice to take in a lot of caffeine and crap like Red Bull, not so much!</p>
<p>For the record, I am hypoglycemic and have had to learn a lot more about nutrition than I ever wanted to, but I can personally assure you that you’re less likely to crash and more likely to keep your mental and physical energy up if you use good foods, not caffeine and energy drinks.</p>
<p>Whatever you try, try it out while you’re doing practice tests, not on test day!</p>
<p>I liked the part about test performance by fatigue AFTER test. That’s good for me because after this last test I could barely drive home.</p>
<p>BTW, I forgot to include clothing. I think that a long sleeve shirt is the best solution because it works for hot or cold environments. Roll up the sleeves if it’s hot and leave them down if it’s cold.</p>
<p>NancyDrew, I certaintly agree with you to NOT try anything new on the test day. However, 99% of people have this energy drink phobia because they hear one story about a bad experience and they stay away from them. Advocates of energy drinks will tell you that there is nothing and I repeat nothing more invigorating than a cold, refreshing Monster or Red Bull. They don’t make you crash until 8+ hours after drinking them.</p>
<p>BTW, you are bragging about your vast knowledge on snacks but I think most people would agree that snacks such as granola bars contain complex carbohydrates which take at least 2 hours to gain the benefits from. Seeing as how you are eating them halfway through a 3 hour, 45 minute test, I don’t see the benefit.</p>
<p>Semantics, dude. Eat the granola bar right before the test if you must, but it doesn’t matter THAT much. The apple is what will give you the quick boost, and the granola bar will help you sustain it because it kicks in more gradually. Regardless, it is still a far healthier option than a Red Bull. Granola bars don’t give people the shakes. The key is to keep your blood sugar and energy levels as constant as possible.</p>
<p>I stay away from them not because of the horror stories, but because the caffeine and sugar would make me really sick. I suggest that others stay away from them because of the very real RISK that it could backfire, which is what many people say it does. Not worth finding out the hard way. Some people get rather jittery almost immediately from them. Not everyone processes caffeine and sugar the same way.</p>
<p>And most people who are big proponents of caffeine-laden drinks won’t listen to anything that the rest of us say about them! LOL.</p>