Standardized tests aren’t going to go away in your lifetime, so knowing how to get ready is the best defense. The more you know about the test you are about to take, the better prepared you will be. The SAT (www.collegeboard.com) and ACT (www.actstudent.org) websites have more information for your use then you can imagine—everything from sample tests to study guides for each section.

Here are some test-taking strategies:

• Save precious time on test day: In the days before you actually take the exam, read the directions on each section of the sample test and make sure you completely understand what is expected of you. This can save minutes during the test.
• Beware of your time. Don’t keep your eyes glued to the clock, but do pay attention. With five minutes remaining, you should review your questionable answers. In the last few seconds you might quickly bubble any unanswered questions. When they say pencils down, they mean pencils down.
• Skip the difficult questions. If you’re stumped, make a light pencil mark in the margin and move on. There’s no point spending time trying to answer a question you’re only going to guess at later. It would be a better use of your time to answer all the questions you know and then go back to the ones you don’t if there is time.
• Answer everything. Even if you randomly bubbled a question and get it right—it counts. Guessing wrong is better than not guessing at all, but of course this doesn’t mean that you should randomly bubble the entire test!
• Be neat. Fill in your bubbles completely and neatly. Erase any stray marks and smudges—you don’t want to have your test scored incorrectly. Review your answers if you have the time.

It is almost impossible to cram for an SAT or ACT. Get organized. The night before the test, put your admissions ticket, identification, calculator, pencils and erasers into your backpack so you aren’t scrambling around the morning of the test trying to gather these items. Get a good night’s sleep and set your alarm to wake up early. Dress in layers so you can control your personal climate even if you can’t control the classroom climate.