How to Study for Standardized Tests Throughout the Year

Standardized tests can be the bane of your existence—studying for them, taking them, or even waiting for your score. But, sadly, no matter how much you hate them, you still have to take them. While we can’t make the annoyance go away, we can help you study for them to make sure you get the highest score possible.

1. See where you are now

In the weeks or even months before your standardized test—PSAT, SAT, ACT, AP Exam, etc—take a single practice test. Don’t cheat or use outside sources, just take the test. Then, score yourself to see what you got right or wrong. Don’t just use this score as a number, but look at exactly what you missed. What areas do you need help with? What should you practice a little more? This test will serve as a way to determine what you should focus on in the coming weeks or months, rather than cram studying the night(s) before.

2. Practice in little amounts

Don’t try to learn everything right before your test. As you wait for your test day, work on different concepts. Spend 20-30 minutes every few days working on a single topic area or idea. For example, if you got a lot of geometry questions on your practice test, then spend a few select days over a period of time (again, not all at once) reviewing geometry concepts. This method helps you learn and practice little pieces of information over time so that you can feel confident in those skills long before it’s test time.

3. Sign up for subscriptions

There are a multitude of free subscriptions that help you practice for your standardized test in little amounts every day or week. We love the SAT Word of the Day email subscription that we use, and there are others online as well. You can also try out College Board’s official SAT question of the day

4. Test repetitively

While being a practice test zombie is only going to tire you out, taking practice tests once in a while will be a huge help. We suggest once a month, though you can see what works best for you. Similarly to steps 1 and 2, analyze your weaknesses for each of these tests to see what you should keep working on.

While a long, multi-hour test can seem like the most dreadful thing in the world, the way you choose to study can help alleviate that pain. Maybe it can even become the second most dreadful thing in the world if you play your cards right. And, if you liked this, check out our other posts below or in the Blog page.