10 Tips to Help You Score Your Best on College Entrance Exams

The ACT and SAT aren’t tests where you can memorize and regurgitate the content. College entrance exams require specific techniques and preparation if you want to earn a top score. These 10 simple tips will help you score your best on the ACT or SAT.

1. Keep your cool.

With adequate preparation, you can have a confident and positive attitude on your test date. However, if you deal with test anxiety, taking the right steps, such as starting to study early, can help you mitigate stress during your exam.

2. Know the basics.

From foundational math formulas to common grammar rules, you’ll need a firm grasp of the fundamentals and how to use them effectively. If you’ve taken the traditional courses for college-bound students, you’ve probably learned all of this. But if you took those classes a year or two ago, you might be a bit rusty.

For example, the SAT and PSAT provide you with common math formulas, but the ACT doesn’t – you’ll need to know them by heart.

Now is a good time to review the basics in math and grammar.

3. Learn the directions before the test.

The ACT and SAT tend to follow the same directions year after year, with minimal changes. It’s rare they do a complete overhaul. Understanding the directions and what’s expected of you ahead of time can help you avoid testing stress. While other students are getting oriented, you’ll already be answering questions and scoring points to get the best score.

4. Be kind to your body.

Late-night cram sessions fueled by soda, caffeine, and junk food won’t set you up for a successful test day. In fact, last minute studying isn’t really beneficial. The SAT and ACT are a marathon, not a sprint. You simply can’t learn and review all of the material you need for a college entrance exam in a single night. Experts recommend taking a breather on the day before your test to help your mind recharge.

Before your exam, get adequate sleep, water, and food. It’s going to be a long day whether you take the SAT or ACT, so bring snacks and water for your breaks. Be sure to run to the bathroom during these breaks.

Keep comfort in mind, too. Wear layers in case the testing room is too cold and wear comfortable clothing. You don’t have to dress to impress during college entrance exams!

5. Wear a watch.

Pixabay user lecroitg

Sure, there may be a clock in the testing room, but will it be working? Will you be able to see it from your seat? If you wear a watch, the status of the clock in the room becomes irrelevant.

Wearing a watch helps you better manage your time during your test. A simple $20 watch will do the trick. Turn off any alarms or noises to avoid distractions or getting dismissed from the test.

However, you can’t wear a smartwatch or a similar device, as it can store information and receive messages – the proctor will take it away from you when you enter the classroom. Never check your phone for the time either or you will likely end up disqualified from the test.

6. Mark up the test booklet!

If you’re taking a paper SAT or ACT, did you know you can write all over your test booklet? You’ve actually paid for it (but you can’t take it home). It can be excellent for highlighting passages, drawing lines, or creating diagrams to help you eliminate answer choices, solve math problems, or find information in the reading portions.

If you’re taking a digital test, you’ll be given scratch paper to use.

7. Manage your time carefully.

Time management is key to the SAT or ACT. First, you’ll want to get to the testing center early. You never know what type of traffic or other issues you’re going to run into. You don’t want to miss out on the exam because you were two minutes late!

Next, you’ll want to practice effective time management strategies during the test itself. For instance, the first questions in a section are the easiest. You only have so much time for each question. You don’t want to spend minutes on one of the first questions, leaving less time for each subsequent question. Instead, skip it and come back to it.

Planning realistic practice test sessions can help you get a handle on the time constraints and find the right speed for you.

8. Know the Sections.

The SAT covers Reading, Writing and Language, Math (no calculator), and Math (with calculator). The ACT includes sections on English, Math, Reading, and Science, as well as an optional writing section. Science will be removed from the ACT in 2025 and 2026.

You’ll likely encounter test-specific questions you’ve never seen before. You don’t want to run into these for the first time during the real deal. Practice tests help you get better acquainted with the sections and understand what’s being asked of you. There are even specific tips related to each subject. What might work on a Math section, for example, isn’t always ideal for the Reading portion.

9. Know how and when to guess.

You aren’t penalized for wrong answers, but you are penalized for non-answers. Therefore, you should never leave a question blank.

First, skip any questions you find difficult. You can return to these at the end of that section’s time. Then, when it’s time to come back to them, reread the question. You might find the answer comes to you right away.

If it doesn’t use the process of elimination. Cross out answers you know to be incorrect. If you’re still not sure, guess! If you crossed our two incorrect answers, you have a 50% chance of getting it right.

If you’re running out time and you have blank answers, write anything in. You still have a 25% chance of getting it correct and you won’t be penalized.

Never go back or forward to different sections. Once a section’s time has ended, you can’t review that part of the test again. Make sure you have all those answers in before the buzzer.

10. Read Each Question Carefully.

Questions on college entrance exams are worded in ways that aren’t always easy to understand. There may even be some trick questions on there! Read carefully and thoroughly. Even simple questions can get you if you’re rushing or not reading it all the way. Be sure you answer the entire question – you won’t get points for partial answers.

To score the best on the ACT or SAT, you need to prepare ahead of time. Just like any other test, you need to study for college entrance exams. However, your preparation schedule will be slightly different. Instead of memorizing facts, you’ll have to navigate time management strategies, focus on reading comprehension, and harness the skills you’ve learned during your K-12 education.

Scoring your best on the ACT or SAT could help you get an acceptance letter to your dream school. College Match gives you insight into each of your potential colleges and their average scores for accepted students. Find out more here!