Test Taking Tips

Since many Juniors have to take the ACT this year, here are some helpful test taking tips that can help you relax and maybe even increase your score.

1) A Positive Mental Attitude- Be confident in your test taking abilities, even if it is a hard test you can do it!

2) Have a Plan- Review the material that you will be tested on and pick a strategy that will help you take your test.

3) The Night Before- Cramming does not work! Reviewing the material briefly and then getting to sleep early is more effective.

4) The Morning of the Test- Eat a healthy breakfast; it helps you think better. [Mrs. Cross says: do not eat pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage, or greasy hashbrowns -- have juice, a filling whole-grain, and something non-greasy.]

5) Test Time- Be prepared for the test with all the material you will need to take it. Do another brief study period before the test to get your brain thinking.

6) Manage Your Time- Answer the easy questions first and do not spend too much time on the hard problems.

7) Your Stuck- If you are stuck on a problem and do not know what to do, reread the problem and attempt to do it. If you are still stuck circle the problem and move on, then you can come back to it in the end. If you are still stuck when you come back to it make an educated guess.

8) Multiple Choice Test- While taking a multiple choice test the process of elimination comes in handy. Normally you can eliminate one or two because they are filler answers that do not even make sense in terms of the problem.

9) Neatness Counts- Make sure that you write neatly so you do not misread your own writing and make a stupid mistake. Make sure you fill in the circles on the answer sheet fully and erase any unwanted marks.

10) Done- When you finish with time to spare go back and recheck your answers, making sure you did not make any stupid mistakes. After this go back and recheck the hardest problems.

-Keri