This article is a guest post in collaboration with VisionIn Education Centre:

When should I start preparing for my SAT/ACT?’ ‘How do I prepare?’ These are only a few of the questions we receive from students nervous about the SAT or ACT. Regardless of the test you choose, the answers we give our students are always the same: ‘start early, plan your schedule and practice makes perfect’.

Here are some top tips to help you plan and prepare for the exam:

  • Planning: Before focusing on study materials or practice papers, look through some sample questions online and remember to read the questions properly. We tell our students that it is important to plan ahead before you start anything. This type of planning will familiarize you with the format of how the tests will be conducted, so you will have a clearer idea of timing required when making a revision schedule.
  • Revision Schedules: Yes, revision schedules of how many hours you are planning to study are essential and they will help you a lot – trust us! If you fall behind your initial schedule, especially during exam period or when your schoolwork is loading up, remake a new schedule to keep yourself motivated and on track.
  • Time Management: If you have 6 months before the SAT or ACT exam, ideally spend around 5-7 hours a week on each subject, then plan out which day you will be able to go through the questions carefully and review. If you get behind schedule, re-plan and be devoted, so that you have enough time to finish learning all of the material with time for final review before the exam.
  • Practice: Now that you have planned your schedule, 1-2 times a week take mini tests using a timer to ensure you get used of time constraints. For example, if you have finished studying Linear Algebra, take a test on Linear Algebra, using the same time allocated to you on the SAT or ACT exam. Remember sometimes what you plan doesn’t go accordingly, so the key is really to be able to time manage yourself and be determined.
  • Focus: When you get closer to the exams (less than 3 months) spend at least 10 hours per week per subject. Think outside the box too – reading, even if it is the news and fiction books, will improve your world knowledge and cultural awareness. Reading analytically will also exercise your brain for finer details on critical reading and writing.

For more information on preparing for SAT and ACT tests, please visit us at Visionin Education Centre www.visionin.hk or call us at 2660-0966 / whatsapp 90165020.