Most adults look back on their adolescent and teen years as being carefree - before a time of the seemingly countless responsibilities and stresses that adulthood can bring. However, one major stress that many teens worry about is taking and scoring well on the SAT college entrance exams. Because the test is viewed by teens as an iconic and crucial passageway into college and, hence, adulthood it is important for them to be confident and score well.
To achieve an ideal score, intensive studying and discipline in school is key. However, it also helps to know what the top SAT mistakes are so as to avoid them during your exam:
1. Not reading and answering the question thoroughly and correctly.
The SAT, like most standardized tests, are very literal and should be answered as such. Be sure to read the instructions and each question in detail before answering. If a math question asks you to "determine the value of 3x," for example, be sure that you do not answer for the value of "x" as you would in many common algebra problems.
2. Doing too much work in your head and not utilizing the test booklet that is provided.
Speed and overconfidence are not rewarded during the SATs. Completing the questions correctly within given amount of time is. Therefore, you should take advantage of the test booklet and write out as much work as you can in order to help ensure that your eventual answer has been arrived at thoroughly and with confidence.
3. Favoring flowery verbiage over straightforward thought on the essay.
The essay portion of the SAT exam is not meant to show off or gauge your creative writing skills. To be sure, proper spelling, grammar and skillful writing is needed, but keep focus on the argument and thesis. State your thesis early and clearly and stay with that single thesis throughout the entirety of your essay. This ensures that your writing does not sound like it is wandering or incomplete.
Avoid these common SAT mistakes and you can be on the road to an ideal SAT score.
Have you made any of these mistakes? What are some other common mistakes? Let us know in the comments below.
