Take a Successful Practice Test

It's common to hear that taking the SAT/ACT is like running a marathon.

And runners will agree that though physical, technical fitness is necessary, by mile 20 it's mental fitness that will get you through.

Here's how to use those components to make your next practice test a success:

1. technical fitness

How do you start a marathon? . . .

Set yourself up for success by reviewing.

To make this practice test worth something, you must review what you've learned (do this in the days before the PT, not the day of). Content knowledge - do you know the material? - and fluency - can you demonstrate it in a timely manner? - are necessary to succeed on these tests.

If you've put in the time to learn it in the first place, do everything you can to ensure you have something to show for it on the practice test. When those content gains are reflected in scores, you'll be glad you did.

Set yourself up for success in your environment.

Practice test scores are only helpful if they come from a representative testing experience. Prepare to work under testing conditions:

• Time yourself.

• Work in appropriate sittings.

• Minimize distractions.

And although you can't control the testing conditions, you can prepare to succeed within them. You should pick a date/time for the practice test where you can be:

• Well-rested and well-fed

• Focused and calm

• Rewarded with some fun or free time once it's over!

2. mental fitness

. . . and how do you finish a marathon?

Set "micro" goals.

When the going gets tough, you'll need little, bite-sized objectives to hold onto. Try giving yourself one such objective for each section: it can be a strategy, theme, or piece of advice that keeps you on the path. I tell students to use these micro-objectives like ports in a storm: anytime you're feeling lost or overwhelmed, re-center on just this one thing to keep moving forward.

Set one "macro" goal, too.

Be clear on what you're overall hoping to practice on this practice test. Anxiety breeds when expectations are too vague. If it's your first PT ever, don't ask yourself to get a fantastic score! Work instead for something achievable: to finish each section on time, see how much math you know, or identify the section you most prefer. If you've done some PTs before, be specific about what you've learned since the last one; how do you hope to implement that learning?

A note on "success" . . .

If you're deliberate about following these steps, you'll view your results not as feedback on how smart you are as a person, but as feedback on how well your systems, both technical (knowledge) and mental (headspace), are working for you. What went well? What didn't? Practice tests are about gathering experience and data. A "successful" PT is one that you can learn and grow from, no matter the results.

Happy running!