My first SAT experience

I frantically tap my pencil as I stare at the question ahead of me. I know I am running out of time and I have 7 questions left to answer. I skip it and move onto the next question without much hesitation. Fifteen minutes left. I read the two page passage quickly and efficiently, writing down the major ideas of each section in the margins. Twelve minutes left. I answer the next six questions with ease because I could efficiently refer to my notes to see where each idea lay. I go back to the question I skipped and stare to try to have some sort of revelation as to what the answer is. “Labyrinthine” What did it mean? I remember seeing the word in my set of flashcards right behind “convoluted”. Oh! I remember now, it means complex and complicated! I rapidly solve the last question in the section before the proctor calls out to put our pencils down. All that I can think of now that it is finally over is how relieved I was.

This was my first experience with the SAT. I had taken a preparatory class in anticipation of taking the SAT in the spring. They taught us many techniques that I still use on my college exams today! Skipping questions is a great way to efficiently take a test because you are not wasting time trying to come up with an answer you might simply not know. After all, you cannot know everything. Skipping questions also helps because it is possible for one to get stuck on a question and become instantly panicked which may interfere with the future questions on the exam.

Another helpful technique in test-taking is to pace yourself. Give yourself enough time to read each question thoroughly as well as any sections the question might require you to read. You do not want to feel pressured to finish in time by any means, and I may have had a problem with this the first time I took the SAT, but resolved my issue by practice.

If you are stuck on one question, try to think of anything that might help you be reminded of what you need to know. This worked for me because I thought of “convoluted” being right next to the word I needed and since they almost have the same definition, I could remember the word. All in all, try to be relaxed and take your time, but be mindful that there is a time limit!