While any student can be well versed in what to expect on the SAT, the morning of the test is a stressful experience for most test takers. Students who have thought about the morning of the test and have everything prepared in advance experience less anxiety and feel more comfortable taking the SAT. Here’s what to expect on test day:

The morning of the test, you will need to bring your registration information along with an official form of photo identification (acceptable forms of ID can be found on the College Board website) to the test center you signed up for. Lines often form, so try to arrive a few minutes early. The administrators will assign you to a specific room, where that room’s proctor will seat you. Before the test begins, the proctor will explain the directions to the test, distribute the test, and ensure that students have pencils (you should bring at least three #2 pencils with erasers). Proctors may also check calculators to ensure that they comply with College Board regulations, so check on the SAT website to ensure that yours is allowed. Once the proctor has completed these steps, he/she will have you fill out your personal information on the answer sheet before beginning the actual test.

During the SAT, the first section will always be the 25 minute essay. Sections two through seven are all 25 minutes each, and will include a random assortment of Critical Reading, Math, and Writing sections. Sections eight and nine will be Critical Reading and Math, lasting 20 minutes apiece, while section ten is always a 10 minute Writing section. The specific order of the test sections varies from test to test, so the order is not predictable. You will receive a short break roughly halfway through the test, but otherwise you should expect to work continuously until the test has been completed. Be sure that you don’t do anything during the test that could be considered cheating; you may not talk to other students, look at other resources, or check your cell phone. When the test is over, the proctor will collect your materials and dismiss you.

Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind leading up to the SAT test date:

1) Get plenty of sleep. The SAT is long, exhausting test, and it can be difficult to be alert and ready to go at 8:30 in the morning. Make sure that you get to bed at a reasonable hour the night before the test, and aim for at least eight hours of sleep that night. For students who are used to getting up early for school, following a normal “school night” routine the night before the SAT can be a practical approach.

2) Don’t cram. If there are specific topics you’d like to review in the few days before the SAT, that’s fine, but don’t overdo it. You need to be fresh and rested by Saturday morning, so get any studying out of the way earlier in the week so you can take it easy on Thursday and Friday before the test.

3) Eat well. The night before, eat a big dinner that includes lots of carbohydrates. You’ll need plenty of brain fuel the next day, and a good dinner on Friday helps get you ready to go on Saturday morning. Eating breakfast the morning of the test is also crucial, even for students who don’t normally eat breakfast. The SAT doesn’t conclude until early in the afternoon, so students who do not eat that morning will probably be very hungry towards the end of the test.

4) Plan ahead. Lay out the materials you’ll need on Saturday morning before you go to bed on Friday night. You’ll need three pencils with erasers, an approved calculator with fresh batteries, your test registration, and photo ID. Print out directions to the test center as well if you’re not sure how to get there.

5) Turn off your cell phone. Proctors do not tolerate students checking phones or distracting other test takers, so double check that your phone is off before beginning the test.

6) Pay attention to the time. Wearing a watch (that doesn’t beep or make noise) is a good idea during the test so that you can keep track of the time and make sure your pace is appropriate. You can also ask the proctor how much time is remaining if you’re not sure.

Author Bio: This article is written & published on behalf of Georgetown Learning Centers. GLC provides Academic Tutoring & SAT Preparation in Northern Virginia (Mclean, Great Falls) and Charlottesville. For more details, please visit www.learnglc.com

Category: Education
Keywords: SAT prep, SAT tutoring, SAT preparation, SAT tutor,