5 SAT Stress Management Strategies

SAT test day is stress-inducing if you aren’t ready for the stress beforehand. Thankfully, you can minimize this problem with a few SAT stress management tips well before test day.

Use these SAT stress management tips when planning to take it and skip all the worries and fears that students everywhere handle.

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Plan Your Timeline

Start planning out when you want to take it ahead of time.

The best time to start preparing for the SAT is your sophomore year. The earlier you can map out your plan, the less stress you’ll have about what to do what and when.

If possible, use your sophomore year to determine: When you want to take the test, How much time you have to prepare before each test date, Figure out if you want to take it during the school year or vacations.

Building out a timeline you can stick with eases a lot of stress with how to get started.

Set Score Goals

Figure out what scores you need to hit.

If you have a list of schools you want to apply to, then find out what their SAT acceptance scores are as soon as possible. Why? Because now you’ve given yourself target scores to go after during your test preparation.

Lots of students see reduced stress levels by knowing they don’t have to get a perfect score to get into their dream schools. All they have to do is get scores within the acceptance ranges. Even if you have to take the test multiple times, you have specific targets to hit.

Get Used To Time Constraints

Time each practice test realistically.

The SAT is a carefully-timed exam with plenty of material you have to cover. If it’s Math-related, then you are going to have to interpret the information provided, perform the necessary calculations quickly, and then choose a correct answer from provided choices.

If it’s Reading-related, then you need to ingest entire passages of information to then refer back and pull the necessary material to answer questions. Either way, you have to practice performing all of these steps within strict time limits.

Taking multiple practice tests under realistically timed conditions will help discover your pace, how to improve on it, and how to answer questions correctly at that pace. All of that practice naturally breeds confidence and kills anxiety.

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Prepare Everything The Night Before

Reduce test day anxiety by having all of your necessary gear ready the night before.

That way, when you wake up, you won’t have to scramble and can calm your mind. Things to do the night before include:

• Laying out your clothes
• Packing your bag with necessary materials
  • (ID, Approved calculator, snacks, water, Admission ticket)
• Planning out your route to get to the test center

When you wake up in the morning then, everything is set to put on and then go. Your brain stays focused on the task at hand, and you won’t burn energy on what to wear or if you’ve forgotten to take anything along.

Get Enough Sleep

Rest your mind properly by giving your body the sleep it needs.

Don’t try and cram before the SAT if you can help it. The reason being that you won’t be able to prepare yourself for that full exam in one night.

More importantly, your brain will grow anxious by trying to recall last second information, rather than keeping it calm. Get a full eight hours of sleep and meditate before bed. You will wake up refreshed and mentally agile.

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SAT Stress Management FAQ

What’s the first thing I can do to avoid SAT stress?

Start planning out when you want to take it ahead of time. The best time to start preparing for the SAT is your sophomore year. The earlier you can map out your plan, the less stress you’ll have about what to do what and when.

What should I do next after planning out when to study?

Figure out what scores you need to hit. If you have a list of schools you want to apply to, then find out what their SAT acceptance scores are as soon as possible. Why? Because now you’ve given yourself target scores to go after during your test preparation. Lots of students see reduced stress levels by knowing they don’t have to get a perfect score to get into their dream schools.

How should I best prepare for taking the SAT itself?

Taking multiple practice tests under realistically timed conditions will help discover your pace, how to improve on it, and how to answer questions correctly at that pace. All of that practice naturally breeds confidence and kills anxiety.

What should I do the night before the SAT to relax?

Things to do the night before include: Laying out your clothes, Packing your bag with necessary materials, (ID, Approved calculator, snacks, water, Admission ticket), and Planning out your route to get to the test center.