Sat Test

The new school year is fast approaching and soon back to school shopping will begin in earnest. If you’re a junior or a senior in high school, then along with your pencils, protractors and pens, you may wish to add a few more items to your shopping list.

You’re going to be a high school student but you’re also going to be preparing for your college education at the same time. As you prepare, you’re going to need some help getting ready to take your SAT.

The SAT is an exam that is normally taken by juniors and seniors in high school and is used by university admission boards to help them determine your eligibility to be a student at their institution of higher learning. Most universities use the SAT scores to determine your eligibility.

The SAT is divided into several sections, including math, essay, vocabulary and sentence/grammar. For the most part these are things which you should have already learned in school. However, there are ways to improve your chances of getting a high SAT score and I’ll share some strategies with you that will help you.

You have basically two ways to prepare; paying or non- paying. You can study on your own with resources provided you by The College Board online. When you register for the SAT, you do so at www.collegeboard.com and make your payment for the exam there as well. While you’re there, sign up to receive their SAT question of day via your email box. Each day they’ll send you a question that is similar to the questions asked on the SAT. When you answer the question, it will tell you whether or not you got it right and if no, what the answer is and why. This will help you in learning how the SAT works. They also have SAT mock tests that you can take to see how you’ll do on the actual test.

Another free resource you can take advantage of in your quest for the perfect SAT score can be found in your library. Scores of books have been written on how to take the SAT, how to prepare for the SAT and how to score the perfect SAT. Check out the books that appeal to you and read them, study them and use their tips.

Your high school counselor is another resource you can talk to about SAT preparation. He or she should have materials available for you to use that will help you study.

There are also numerous websites online that are free to use regarding SAT prep. Sometimes these free websites will give you a few tips and strategies free of charge and then lead you to where they want to sell you either an online course for SAT prep or their books. If you don’t want to spend any money, use their free ideas and move on.

If you have some extra money, then you can find numerous ways to spend it on SAT preparation, from online courses, to books, to private tutors. www.kaplan.com is a company that offers one-on-one private tutoring and books to help their clients score higher on the SAT. They offer a money back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with your results.

There are other companies that offer tutoring and classes for SAT prep and if you’re going to spend your money (or your parent’s money) on getting ready to take the SAT, then you’ll want to look around and find the best fit for you. Ask around to see if you know anyone who has used a pay-for-prep company and see how they liked it and if it helped.

However you plan on getting ready for the SAT, remember that if you take the test early enough in your junior year and you don’t like your score you can retake the exam. It always pays to plan ahead for just such an occurrence. As always, study as hard as you can because your future depends on it.

Being in high school isn’t easy. Waking up in the morning early for class can sometimes be difficult, especially if you’re not going to bed early enough to get enough sleep.

Dr. Mary Carskadon, with Inside the Teenage Brain (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/interviews/carskadon.html) says that teenagers are starting their days with their tanks empty. Teenagers are getting between six and a half and seven and half hours of sleep a night when they should be getting a minimum of 9 ¾ of sleep. They’re running up enormous sleep deficits that they cannot repay and then they are doing things that require a well rested mind and they aren’t sleeping enough to be well rested. A great many teenagers drive themselves to school in a sleep deprived state and this is a dangerous activity. Research shows that reaction times are more sluggish in a brain that hasn’t had enough rest.

Studies have shown that teenagers are in need of a great deal of rest during their growing years. If they don’t get the necessary sleep in order to refuel their bodies, then things won’t go well. You’ll be drowsy in class and maybe even fall asleep during a lecture. Drooling or snoring during History won’t be something to live down easily. It might even be photographed and put into your high school year book.

If you are well rested then you’ll do better when you study, when you take tests and while taking notes in class.

Studying for your SAT and maintaining a high grade point average is something that must be done with a well rested brain.

Something that also distracts students from sleeping at night is having their cell phones with them. More and more teenagers are sending and receiving text messages late at night and interrupting their sleep patterns in the process.

Bottom line is that if want to do well in school, you’re going to need to get enough sleep in order for your brain to absorb all the information you’re receiving during the day.