Boost Your Test Scores
The key to succeeding on test day? Sure, there are certain academic standards you’ll need to know and intellectual skills you can perfect with practice over time. But if you’re down to the wire and looking for some quick and dirty tips for how to boost your scores quickly, here are three easy fixes to improve your results.
1. Find free practice tests online.
Most of the major required tests will have a handful of full-length practice exams (or at least a few sample questions) available to the public. This will give you a sense of the difficulty and format of the questions you will face on test day so you are that much better prepared. Work through as many as you have time for, and check your answers just in case that kind of question shows up again.
2. Play to your strengths.
A lot of success with standardized tests comes down to understanding how to allocate your time, so answer all the questions you’re sure about with a quick glance. This will ensure you don’t run out of time to fill in answers where you will definitely get points. Once that’s done, return to questions you struggle with more so you can spend the remaining time thinking more slowly. And if you notice a single question is taking you more than a few minutes, just move on.
3. Control your fight-or-flight response.
If you believe that you have the ability to score well, you will reduce your stress hormones, boost your focus, and be able to breathe more calmly. Even if you’re faking it, these things will help you do your best on the day that you need to bring your A-game. Try power posing before walking into the test environment. You can do this!
Most of all, remember that your scores don’t define you. This is only one aspect of college admissions that you can control. Do your best with the time frame you have.
If you want to strategize for your future and start planning now, schedule a free profile review and get matched with your best-fit counselor today!
