How to Cram for College Exams during the Final Weeks of Summer
August is steadily approaching and that means one major thing: the school year is just around the corner. While some students have spent most of their summer studying for upcoming college entrance exams, some may have used their vacations in other ways. If you are someone who hasn’t quite found time to sit down and study for the fall SAT or ACT, have no fear! Here is a guide to study these tests without getting stressed out.
1) Get test-prep materials.
The best way to prepare for college entrance exams is with physical test prep materials. Do not solely do your studying online, even though there are some good resources with College Board and Khan Academy. The Internet and online sites are nice, but it is too easy to get distracted with other activities on your computer. Focus with pencil and paper!
2) Make a daily schedule and stick to it.
You may not come up with a daily schedule, but you should at least make a course of action for the next few weeks. If you don’t have a plan, then it is easy to forget about studying and do something else. Netflix easily becomes your friend when you have work to do. Be accountable!
3) Set reasonable goals for the time you have.
You have about one more month until school will undoubtedly take away most of your focus, so you need to plan on making the most of this month. If your score is sitting around an 1800, it will be challenging to work hard to get a perfect score. The jump isn’t impossible, but don’t aim so high that you become discouraged and give up altogether.
4) Take practice tests at least once a week.
Practice tests are your friend (not Netflix). You need to make sure that you have a clear idea of what you score in an actual test-taking scenario. That means you need to take the test in one sitting and time yourself appropriately. The scores you get in this format will be incredibly helpful for adjusting your studies.
5) Make a plan for the school year.
Even though this is a summer study plan, you should decide how you will continue to prepare for these tests during the school year. While you may overestimate your free time, it is better to try to fit the tests into your schedule than completely disregard them. Even a month of zero studying can have dire effects on your official score.
The summer is coming to a close, but that does not mean you should forgo studying for college entrance exams. Come up with a plan and stick to it! Otherwise, fall may be a gloomy time.
(image credit: taylorstudymethod.com)
