The Day Before the Test
Our advice for the day before the test is:
- Don’t do any SAT prep work!
- Don’t do any SAT prep work!
- Don’t do any SAT prep work!
Whatever factoid you might gain the night before will
be more than outweighed by the anxiety you’ll be producing. Watch
a movie. Hang out with friends. Read a book. Play a video game.
Go for a run. Do something other than studying for the SAT.
Run through the following checklist and put everything
in your bag or backpack the night before so you won’t have
to worry about it in the morning:
| Timepiece |
|
| Approved calculator with fresh
batteries |
|
| Approved backup calculator with
fresh batteries |
|
| More fresh batteries |
|
| At least four sharpened No.
2 pencils |
|
| A small pencil sharpener |
|
| An extra big eraser that really
works |
|
| A photo ID |
|
| Your admissions ticket |
|
| A snack |
|
| Tissues, even if you’re not
sniffly |
|
| Layers, in case it’s cold in
the room |
|
| A portable CD or mp3 player,
if you think music will calm or focus you during breaks |
|
Remember:
- You can’t use an alarm during the test.
- You can’t eat or drink during the test inside the testing
room.
- You can’t bring in any scratch paper, notes, books, highlighters, pens,
protractors, etc. Check out the full list of accepted and prohibited
materials at: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/testday/bring.html
- You can’t use your mp3 player or CD player inside the
test room.
- You must turn off your cell phone.
Go to bed at your usual time. If you can’t fall asleep,
don’t worry about it. Worrying is what keeps you awake. Try some
deep-breathing exercises and realize that no matter how little sleep
you end up getting, you’ll be revved up for the test, come morning.
