Preparing For The National PSAT Day With Pro Test Taking Tips
Bella Breakdown
The nation commemorates and commiserates the national PSAT day with students dreading taking the PSAT we offer some relief. Prep for the PSAT with these proven test-taking tips to relax during the test while improving your score.
The PSAT might seem like only a prep test for the SAT but the PSAT offers a preview of the SAT that will be important for applying to college. It might sound cliche but using a tutoring app or book to prepare for the PSAT will help you navigate challenging questions while getting a better sense of how much time you’ll need to complete.
You’ll want to consider a tutoring program for a couple of weeks leading up to the test and prepare for the night before to ensure a smooth test-taking day. Ensure you get a good night of sleep for 9-11 hours and eat a healthy breakfast on test day drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated.
Try getting to school early to ensure that you’ll be on time relieving some stress before starting the test. Approach taking the test with a positive mental attitude thinking of positive self-affirmations.
Take the test focusing on one question at a time and considering the time limits. Read all the directions and answers carefully before picking the best answer looking for important terms like never, true, always, or false.
Consider the process of elimination crossing out obvious incorrect answers to focus on the potential correct answers. Don’t spend too much time on complicated questions and opt to skip the question to revisit at the end that will help to pace yourself.
If you feel like you’re starting to lose your focus take a moment to pause and quiet your mind to focus better. Take a moment to give yourself a reassuring hug, arm massage, temple massage, massage the top of your head, stretch your fingers, push your palms together, or take a couple of mindful breaths but be mindful of the time.
Once you’ve completed the test, use the remaining time to look over your answers and double-check all your answers. This will also give you the chance to ensure that you answered every question including the harder ones you might have previously skipped and circle or bubble all your answers properly.
