As you prepare to take the SAT^® or ACT^® for college admissions, you’ll want to prepare as best you can. Set yourself up to get the highest score you possibly can on your first try, and then you can evaluate after you receive your scores to determine if you’d like to take the test again. We have seven key study tips below to guide you.

Use Quality Materials

There is no substitute for official SAT and ACT study materials, and these are widely available online and in book format. Third-party resources can be beneficial, but official test materials are an essential tool for any student preparing for testing.

Practice what is difficult

Too often students spend their time working through full sections, which is still worthwhile, but the real progress is made when you identify what content areas, question categories, and passage types are most challenging for you and focus your attention on these opportunities for growth.

Understand your mistakes

Doing a set of practice problems is just the beginning. After completing each set of questions, check your answers and then return to the questions you missed, working to identify what you should have done differently in order to correctly answer each question.

Periodically take full practice tests

The SAT and ACT are both tests of endurance, and you must build that endurance by completing a few full-length tests that prepare you for the marathon of test day.

Read to increase your vocabulary

Read fiction, non-fiction, new and old books, newspapers, magazines, and articles online.

Rest

Try your best to take it easy and stay healthy in the weeks leading up to the test.

Ask for help

There are wonderful resources, many of them free, that can help you prepare for the SAT and ACT. Friends, teachers, tutors, and reputable sources on the internet can each be a wealth of information, strategies, and guidance.