Standardized tests are no walk in the park – they are designed to ascertain not only your knowledge base, but also your ability to read and comprehend, your capacity to formulate your own thoughts, and your overall preparedness to enter the college arena. Every parent wants their kids to go to college, but those that aren’t willing to take standardized testing seriously are bound to have trouble with these tricky exams.

However, those teens that are set on attending college in order to better themselves will find that the scores they get on the SATs, PSATs, and/or ACTs can greatly influence their college choices. So being prepared is imperative. And here are just a few standardized test tips that will help.

1. Check your required items. Registering for an exam date and paying your fees are only the beginning of the process when it comes to being prepared. You also need to show up on test day with all the things you’ll need to successfully ace the exam. For example, you’ll need to provide your ID and an admission ticket to gain entrance to the testing facility. And once you’re inside you’d better have the proper supplies on hand, including number 2 pencils and in some cases a calculator (SATs) – don’t forget the batteries. You might also want snacks, since these tests can be rather long, a watch to track your time (no cell phones allowed), and layered clothes in case you get warm or cold.
2. Get your zzzzs. The absolute worst thing you can do is burn the midnight oil cramming for your upcoming test. Students that take exams on a sleep deficit are likely to have trouble with focus, memory, and comprehension, which means you might read the same sentence three times before you figure out what it says, and even then you won’t be able to remember the answer that you swear you knew a couple of hours ago. So do yourself a favor and go to bed so you can wake up refreshed, rested, and ready to ace the test.
3. Be thorough and budget time. The biggest mistakes that most students make during standardized tests have to do with timing. If you’re in too much of a hurry, you are likely to misread questions, so take the time to read through each question once slowly to ensure that you catch the meaning the first time around. However, don’t waste time reading through the same question over and over if you don’t get it; move on to complete the questions you know and then come back if you have time left over when you’re done.
4. Use study guides and sample tests. Studying is an important part of test-taking because it helps you to retain pertinent information. But sample tests go the extra mile by letting you time yourself and helping you to gain an understanding of how the actually test might progress.
5. Hire a tutor. Once standardized tests have become old hat you may not need a tutor (say for GMAT or LSAT test preparation). But since the SATs (and other entrance exams) are your first rodeo, so to speak, it couldn’t hurt to get a little extra help from the pros, especially since your score on the test will go a long way towards determining which colleges will grant you admission.