What to Do 1 Month Before the SAT
It's become increasingly tricky to secure a test seat in Singapore, and you may be one of the lucky few who managed to book a spot just a month out from the test date. The trade-off? It's only 30 days to the test!
Most students budget 4-6 months to study for the SAT at leisure, but fret not! Although a month may not be the most ideal timeframe, there’s a lot to be done if you use your time wisely.
You may be used to winging it and hoping for the best, but since time is of the essence, you’re going to need some structure.
Create a study calendar
This simple yet effective tool will serve two purposes. The first is to keep you on track by reminding you of what you need to complete on any day. The second is to break down a large course load into smaller bite-sized chunks, making the subject matter easier to digest.
Take a practice test
Determine your baseline score by taking a practice test. With the results, you can assess your areas of improvement.
Analyzing your areas of weaknesses will help you to create your study calendar by focusing on certain concepts. For instance, if you’re having issues with the Writing section, you’ll want to examine the topics that you’re stumbling on. Perhaps you’re faltering on punctuation or conventional expressions. If so, then you’ll know that it's time to go back to the drawing board to relearn these specific concepts and attempt some practice questions before you go back to full length practice tests.
This pattern of practicing and reviewing will form the template of your preparation over the next month - by taking a practice test a week, you can track your progress and identify the concepts that you need to focus on for the next seven days - till your next practice test.
Weeks 1-3
Weeks 1 to 3 of your study calendar could look like this:
- You complete a full-length practice test on the first day
- On the next day, you review the test and highlight the areas you need to work on. Then, schedule your Reading revision for day 3, Writing for day 4, and Math for day 5, and 6.
Week 4
By now there’s only 7 days left to the test - the nerves are starting to set in, and your blood is pumping. Resist the urge to panic, and instead:
Take another practice test, just as you have been. This time outline only your largest areas for improvement and review those specific concepts in excruciating detail for the next three days.
The day before the test, take some time off. Go watch a movie or try out that new restaurant. Resist the urge to cram. Go to sleep early and rest well because sleep plays an important role in your memory. You’re going to be up early for the test, so don’t forget to set your alarm.
You wake up the day of the test, and smash the SAT. You’ve done it!