WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STANDARDIZED TESTS!
ACT SAT PSAT/NMSQT
The KEY to obtaining satisfactory results on these tests is this:
You MUST take them EARLY and OFTEN!
Most high school students wait until their Junior or Senior year to take these tests for the very first time. This is absolutely too late IF your goal is to earn an impressive score.
The earlier, the better, when it comes to taking the ACT and the SAT.
The more times the student takes a particular test, the better his or her score. The main reason for this is that the student becomes more comfortable, more knowledgeable, and thus, MORE CONFIDENT! Your BEST score is the ONLY one that counts on the ACT and the SAT. So take them AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN!
The PSAT/NMSQT is perhaps the most MISUNDERSTOOD of the Standardized Tests. This is the Preliminary SAT, and its SOLE purpose is to QUALIFY High School Juniors for National Merit Scholarships, National Achievement Scholarships, etc. This is NOT a PRACTICE test for the SAT; rather, it is a STAND ALONE test whereby a student can compete for and obtain one of MANY merit-based Scholarships. Thus, DON’T take it lightly! Take this one EARLY AND OFTEN, too…it does not count until taken in the 11th grade.
The most helpful thing that a student can do to obtain a good score on these tests, besides taking them early and often, is to take PRACTICE tests at home. These practice tests should be setup just like the REAL tests. A parent or guardian should act as the Test Administrator. The conditions should be the same as those for the Real Tests. The student should be TIMED with a clock or watch, and the student should NOT be allowed to take any breaks during the tests.
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