by Dominique Padurano, Ph.D.

Many teens have been busy studying for weeks for Advanced Placement exams, the SAT and ACT.  Recent college graduates are also hard at work studying for entrance exams like the LSAT, MCAT, or GMAT, while slightly older grads might be drilling for their boards or the bar.  Whatever your stage of life, five key tips will help you survive and maybe even thrive during your upcoming test preparation period.

1.    Take a practice exam at least six months prior to the test date. 

When you begin studying depends on the difference between your actual practice test score and the score you want to get.  The bigger the gap, the sooner you should begin studying.  I never advocate studying more than six months before a test — more than that just leads to burn out.  However, for the SAT, my own general rule of thumb is that students scoring less than 1000 on the SAT will generally need to study for about 6 months; less than 1100, 5 months; less than 1200, 4 months; less than 1300, 3 months; less than 1400, 2 months; and less than 1500, one month.

2.     Make sure you have a relatively uninterrupted block of time between the start of studying and the test date. 

Some high school students’ school years are jam-packed with challenging coursework and extracurricular activities.  These students will often find it easier to concentrate on preparing for a high-stakes exam like the ACT or SAT during the summer.  However, internships, volunteer work, and travel often populate these same students’ summers.  Choose a period when you can devote three-four hours per week to studying for as many weeks as necessary (see #1) in order to perform your best on test day.

3.    Schedule regular, weekly study time on the calendar as you would a job, class, or any other important activity you cannot miss. 

It’s easy to push studying off till “later.”  However, learning new skills and content that the test may evaluate is best accomplished in small bouts over an extended period of time, rather than once per month in a single, marathon study session.  Managing time wisely now will pay big dividends on test day!

4.    Gauge progress at regular intervals. 

Whether it’s taking another whole test or a part of a test, make sure that you’re making progress well before the test date.  I’m often shocked when parents tell me that they stayed with another tutor for six months while their child made no gains before coming to me.  While every child is different, you should be able to measure some progress within six weeks of starting any program, especially if you’re studying under the guidance of a tutor.  If you don’t see any progress within that timeframe, consider hiring another tutor or switch your study methods if you’re preparing solo.

5.     Rest, commit for the long haul, and mentally prepare for at least two test tries.  

At physical therapy last week, I was pleased when I advanced to more difficult Theraband work after not having done my shoulder exercises for 6 days.  My physical therapist affirmed that, “Recovery is part of getting stronger.”  Likewise, our brains need a short hiatus from test prep every now and again – especially if our plan requires more than three months worth of work.  By starting early, we can build occasional respite into our schedule and still meet our goals.  Taking a short break immediately after the first test and prior to subsequent study is especially important.  Most studies demonstrate that high school students’ scores generally increase between test attempt number one and number two, so don’t forget to budget time (and potentially, money for a coach) to continue studying prior to a second try.

Preparing for big tests is never fun, whether you’re fifteen or forty-five!  With a little planning, however, you can make the process less stressful and hopefully a successful step toward your future.

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© 2021, Dominique Padurano, Ph.D.

Dominique Padurano, M.S., Ed., Ph.D. (“Dr. P.”), is the Founder and President of Crimson Coaching LLC.  After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard College, Dr. P. has helped hundreds of students learn academic content and skills in middle and high school; achieve their goals on tests like the SAT and ACT; and write meaningful personal statements on the Common Application for college. 

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