Should I Be Worried About the SAT?

Besides studying for the SATs and ACTs, many of you Sparklers are balancing heavy course loads of AP and honors classes. So will those advanced courses help you when it comes to the SAT? Take a look at this comment we received recently from motley_:

So I'm just wondering, how hard are the SATs? I'm a freshman right now, so they are in a couple of years but I have no idea whether or not to stress out about them. I know they are important but I have been in advanced classes all of my life and got straight A's and near perfect scores on all placement and other important tests (of course, I don't know how hard they were) my whole life. So now, I am just wondering if I should be really worried for the SATs or if I should just take them calmly, study and I'll be fine.

In theory, motley_, your ability to master advanced material bodes well for your performance on the SAT. For example, an AP English teacher is going to expect you to write more sophisticated analysis in your essays. That’s a skill you’ll be able to put to good use on your SAT essay. Advanced classes should also mean that you’re used to reading more challenging material, know more advanced vocabulary words, and understand tricky math concepts—all of which can help you out on the test.

Keep in mind, however, that the SAT is designed to test your cumulative knowledge. If you took Algebra I back in eighth grade, you might have to review some of those basic formulas before you take the SAT. Unless you remember every vocab word you’ve ever encountered, you’ll still have to make a set of SAT vocab flashcards. And with a heavy load of advanced courses, you'll want to plan ahead to make sure you carve out enough time to study for the SAT.

Now, on to your main question: Should you worry about the SATs? We say no. Your plan to keep calm and study sounds good to us. Worrying implies feeling anxious over something, and anxiety rarely makes for better SAT grades. (Unless, of course, anxiety is the emotion that makes you finally get off of your duff and do some studying.) But should you treat the test as something that you need to study for, even with AP deadlines breathing down your neck? Absolutely. And if you're wondering whether the SAT is hard, try a practice test and see for yourself!

And now we’d like to ask the rest of you Sparklers to share your experiences with motley_: Have your AP and honors classes made the SAT seem easier? Have those classes made it harder to find time to study for the SAT? Should motley_ to be scared of it? Leave a comment and let us know.

Related Post: Is the SAT Way Harder than the PSAT?