Test-taking tips

Here are some tips to improve scores on the SAT and ACT: Get to know the tests, their sections and how long you have to answer the questions, said Kristen Campbell, director of college preparation programs for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions in New York City.

Get realistic experience. Wake up early on a Saturday morning and take practice tests. Have your parents act as proctors, so you get a sense of the anxiety you might feel, Campbell said. Take as many tests as possible. There’s a limited pool of questions, so the more practice questions you answer, the more likely you will see the same or similar questions on the test, said Colleen Walpert, Fort Worth area director for Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services.

Guess. The ACT does not deduct for wrong answers. The SAT deducts a quarter point for every wrong answer, but if you can rule out one wrong answer in the multiple choice questions, the probability of getting the answer right is on your side, Campbell said.

Know formulas, said Gary Gruber, an author of a series of test preparation books. For example, “What percent of 20 is 200?” can be translated into a formula. The “what” becomes an x; the “percent” becomes a /100; the “of” becomes the multiplication sign X and the “is” becomes an =. You get x/100 X 20 = 200. Through a series of calculations, x = 1,000.

Read the passages before you read the questions. Watch for interesting sections or sentences because they will likely spark questions, Gruber said. If you see a statement such as “Einstein doesn’t believe that the universe plays dice with nature,” underline it. There’s sure to be a question on it.

Understand the roots of words. “Pre,” for example, means “before.” “Predict” means to “speak before,” “precursory” means to “go before.”

Sound it out. You and I are going to the store sounds better than the incorrect you and I is going to the store.

In the writing section, try to make the essay interesting. Having an engaged reader will likely translate to a higher score, Gruber said.

Over the long term, take rigorous courses. The SAT focuses on algebra I and II and geometry, but it includes upper-level questions, Walpert said

Buy the test preparation manuals produced by the ACT and SAT companies, since they write the questions, Walpert said.