Ways to Stay Calm and Focused During the SAT

If you’re feeling anxious ahead of taking the SAT, you’re not alone. Test anxiety is a real phenomenon for thousands of students every year. It’s easy to put a lot of pressure on yourself when the stakes feel sky high—as high, in fact, as getting into the college of your dreams. 

Thankfully, there are test-taking strategies you can use to reduce this inconvenient wave of anxiety. Minimizing stress and staying calm and focused during the SAT will help you give your best testing performance and achieve your target score. 

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the SAT exam itself, and give you five steps you can take to keep your SAT concentration on track. 

The SAT is an entrance exam that many U.S. colleges and universities use to determine a student’s readiness for higher education. 

Of course, your exam score is not the only factor used in the college admissions process; other key factors include GPA, a personal essay, and extracurricular activities, among others. Nonetheless, it is considered crucial to get the best score possible to maximize your chances of getting into the schools of your choice. 

Here’s an overall look at what the SAT entails:

• Exam duration: 3 hours
• Number of exam questions: 154
• Exam components: 65-minute reading test, 35-minute writing and language test, 80-minute math section
• Use of calculator during math sections: allowed for one of the two sections
• Scored on a scale of 400 - 1600
• Cost: $60

In short, the SAT measures your reading, writing, and math skills using 154 multiple-choice questions. The highest score possible is 1600. 

You know what the SAT will look like, and you’ve registered for the exam. If you’re feeling anxious about the next step, here are some steps you can take to minimize the stress:

1. Identify the right SAT study strategies for you

Getting ready to ace the SAT starts long before you ever get to the exam room. Every student is different, so adapt your plan accordingly. Taking time to find SAT study strategies that fit with your learning style will help you gain familiarity with the test and its contents. Knowing what you’ll encounter when you sit for the test is a proven way to reduce test anxiety and improve SAT concentration. 

Common SAT study strategies include reading the official SAT preparation guide, studying with a group of fellow students, working with a tutor, and more. Ultimately, any kind of preparation is better than being thrown off by seeing unusual instructions for the first time.

1. Ask for help

Feeling like you’re alone in your SAT journey can increase test anxiety. The good news is, you’re not alone. There are thousands of other students across the country who are also taking the SAT. There are also tutors and mentors who are there to help answer your questions or work with you to identify test-taking strategies. 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the looming test day, seek out those around you who are also focused on the SAT and ask for help. The Empowerly team can connect you to SAT preparation experts we trust if you aren’t sure where to start.

1. Get a good night’s sleep

You’ve studied hard and worked with good mentors to prepare. Now it’s time to take the SAT. But before you do, be sure that the night before you’re able to get a good night’s sleep. 

Walking into the testing room fully rested and refreshed helps to manage test anxiety. When you feel your best, you can boost your SAT concentration, staying calm and focused. The night before the exam, go to bed at a reasonable time, do some relaxation techniques (like putting away that cell phone), and let your mind relax. 

1. Follow your normal routine on exam day

After you wake up from your good night’s sleep, it’s important to keep your pre-test routine as familiar as possible. Wake up at your normal time (this involves scheduling the exam at a time that facilitates your full sleep schedule). Eat your usual breakfast. Talk to friends and family about things other than the test.

The last hours before the test are an opportunity to keep your headspace in a comfortable state, free from anxiety, and ready to perform on the SAT. 

1. Take deep breaths—and know that you got this! 

Once you’re in the testing room, if stress is getting the best of you, practice some relaxation techniques. One of the most common and effective ways to reduce anxiety is to take 10 slow, deep breaths. This practice can slow your heart rate and bring you back to a calmer state. Other techniques include visualization, meditation, and shaking out your stress—literally! 

Also, if you’ve followed steps 1-4 already, have faith: you got this! Approach the test with the confidence of someone who has put in the work to get there. Knowing you prepared the best you could is a great way to stay calm and focused. 

The SAT is a well-studied, frequently-taken exam. As a result, test-takers, tutors, and teachers have developed a set of SAT-specific test-taking strategies that will help you manage the different sections of the exam in the most efficient way possible. 

Here are some test-taking tips to help you maximize your SAT concentration and overall exam performance.

1. Bring a watch or timer.
2. Read section directions carefully.
3. Answer the easier and/or quicker questions first.
4. Eliminate answers you know are incorrect.
5. Don’t skip answers—guess.
6. Do your best.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the facts, tips, and tricks involved in sitting for the SAT. Our college admissions experts share their entrance exam expertise on the Empowerly blog. 

ACT vs. SAT: What’s the difference? Get to know these two college entrance exams before deciding which one to take. 

Before you start studying for the SAT, be sure to review our 10 crucial test-prep tips so you can streamline the process. 

Can I get a perfect SAT score? We break down your chances and give you advice on how to maximize your test performance. 

Not happy with your SAT results? Here are our experts’ suggestions on what to do if you get a low SAT score.