Ace the SAT, Part 2: Test-Day Strategies

Giving it your best shot

Once the test begins, you're in the race full swing, and you need to be cool, calm and clear-headed. Here are a few things to keep in mind. Some may seem simplistic, but together they make your test go a little smoother and easier.

First of all, check the current rules for your test and arrive with everything you're required to bring. Mark each answer clearly and carefully, and if you change your mind, make sure your final choice is the one that's recorded.

Make absolutely sure you are answering the right question. If you find you're spending too much time on one question, mark it, leave it and move on. You can always come back to it later. Check the official scoring rules for your test, too: if wrong answers aren't penalized, it makes sense to answer every question, using educated guesses where you have to.

Use a process of elimination and choose the answer you think is most likely. Do the easy questions, the ones you're sure of, first, and then go on to the tougher ones. Use scratch paper to work through the hard problems. Finally, keep a cool head; that's half the battle won!

For more general advice, see how to pass a test or exam.