Preparation is the key to success

Preparation is the Key to Success

Preparation is the Key to Success

Whether you’re taking your ACT, SAT, AP tests or your History final, when it comes to education and testing, preparation is the key to success.  Here are some ways to be prepared for any class or test:

1)      Get organized.

Have a dedicated binder or folder for each class you are taking. File each class’ notes followed by the assignments related to that material. By keeping your school work organized, you will be able to refer back to your class notes and materials to review the concepts. When you finish your assignment, put it in the appropriate binder to avoid forgetting to take it with you.

It’s also a good idea to keep a calendar at the front of your binder with all your assignment due dates written down. For long term assignments, set a reminder to go off on your phone 2 weeks, 1 week and 3 days before the assignment is due to avoid procrastinating on the project.

2)      Put pencil to paper.

While you’re in class, take notes. When you do your assignments, take notes and show your work. There’s no point in taking notes if you can’t understand them later.

3)      Prepare your materials.

When you do your homework, find an uncluttered work surface, and organize your materials before you begin. Have a pencil (or two) and an eraser handy. Make sure your calculator batteries are working. Get some scratch paper.

4)      Give yourself some time and some quiet.

I know you’re busy. Volunteer hours and extracurricular activities don’t leave as much time for homework as you might like. Write a homework appointment in your schedule, and don’t stand yourself up! By setting aside time for homework each day, you won’t overbook yourself. (Share your calendar with your parents, so they know not to schedule activities over your homework time).

When it’s time to do your assignments, turn off the TV. Silence your phone. Focusing on one thing at a time is a lost art in our multi-tasking, over-stimulated culture, but focusing on one task at a time and eliminating distractions makes you more efficient. Because we aren’t used to focusing on one thing for an extended period of time, this might be hard for you at first. Try this: set a timer for 15 minutes, and work diligently during that time. When the timer goes off, set another timer for 5 minutes, and take a break. Repeat. When focusing for 15 minutes gets easier, gradually increase the work time by five minute increments.

Since everyone has a different learning style, your best method of preparation might look a little different than this. You can learn what your learning style is and learn how to best apply that style to all your classes throughout high school (and on into college) with one of the many Study Skills Tests found online. Study skills like time management, organization, and homework planning will serve you throughout high school and college, and will even be great skills when you enter the work force. Study skills can also cover speed reading, reading comprehension, and writing skills.

For more information about Get Smarter Prep, contact one of our tutors

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Week Leading up to the test

Planning for the Week Leading Up to the Test

The week leading up to the ACT can be very stressful. Here are some tips for focusing on the most important things to help ensure your success!

  • Sleep.

I know, you’ve got a thousand things to do and it’s Simply. Not. Possible. But here’s the truth: there are an immutable number of hours in each day. Only a certain number of things can fit into those hours. If you have more things than hours, you have to prioritize. Making a decision to sacrifice sleep is also a decision to sacrifice test performance. This is science, and you’re not exempt from scientific reality.

If you’re already in the habit of ruthlessly going to bed on time, that’s fantastic! If you aren’t, it’s time to begin to cut down on your sleep debt this week. Please don’t think you can stay up all week studying and go to bed at 8:00 PM on Friday night and make it all up. The math just doesn’t work. Think about what you might be able to skip or postpone until after the test, and get to bed earlier.

  • Keep studying.

If you’ve been preparing, you should feel pretty ready by the week before the test. (If you haven’t been studying, and you know you’re not prepared, consider not taking the test.)

Continuing to practice your strategies this week is a great idea. Pick a couple of specific things that you feel you could still improve on. This isn’t the time for radical changes, but maybe you want to decrease your time per Reading passage by one minute. Maybe you need to review punctuation questions one more time, or spend some more time with geometry formulas.

Spend a bit of time each day studying, if you can. But don’t skip sleep to study, don’t plan to take eighteen practice tests this week, and don’t practice when you’re not feeling at least mostly calm, focused, and alert.

  • Eat well. (But don’t make drastic changes).

This is not the week to start a juice cleanse or to cut out sugar completely. It won’t hurt, however, to eat a few more fruits and vegetables. And if you’re not in the habit of eating breakfast, start now! Breakfast on test day is important, and starting a week ahead will give you a chance to see what works best for you. Does cereal leave you hungry ninety minutes later? Do eggs and bacon make you feel sluggish? Maybe smoothies are more your speed?

  • Get everything ready ahead of time.

Make sure your admission ticket, ID, pencils, calculator, watch, and snacks are all ready to go, well in advance. Double-check batteries in anything that needs batteries. Make sure your calculator is approved by ACT. Put everything in one place Friday evening, so that the morning is as simple as can be.

  •  Take it easy on Friday, and wake up early on test day.

Don’t plan to spend Friday working on ACT prep. Use Friday to relax and get to bed early.

In the morning, leave yourself plenty of time to wake up, eat breakfast, and get to the testing center. If you end up with extra time, take a quick walk or read a bit – anything to make sure you’re fully awake, especially if you’re not a morning person!

The ACT can be a stressful experience, but preparation is key! Having a clear plan and getting plenty of rest can ensure that you’re ready to face the test and reach your goals.

By: Audrey Hazzard, Premier-Level Tutor

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