How To Prepare for Standardized Tests in U.S.
Successful Tips for Studying for AP, SAT, GRE, and PRAXIS Exams
Sep 25, 2009
Standardized tests are an integral part of the American educational system. In the early grades, they are used to test the effectiveness of lesson delivery and rigor of a particular school. Sometimes, these examinations are used to divide student populations by capabilities and potentials, like gifted students for one example. By high school, however, standardized tests take on so much more meaning for those with ambitions of attending college. This continues onward even through degree programs and graduate-level education.
With so much at stake, it is no wonder many go looking for assistance. Tutoring and self-help practice books are widespread and commonly used. More cheaply, however, there are other things one may do to get started with preparing for these tests.
These tips may be useful for those taking Advanced Placement, SAT, GRE, and Praxis teaching exams, but may carry across to other standardized tests as well. This article does not support any of these exams, and one must consult with a counselor to see which if any are required or necessary for admissions consideration.
To Succeed With Standardized Tests, One Must Read
The first step with standardized tests is to be familiar with the different components of the test. Regardless of what subject area or purpose a given test serves, invariably, there will be reading requirements. These may be to test critical reading skills, deductive reasoning, comprehension, or similar skills.
That said, even if one dislikes reading, it is essential to carve time out for doing so. The more one reads, the easier it becomes to pick out the main idea and supporting evidence in a passage. The reading passages take less time to read, as speed reading abilities are improved with practice.
A good tip is to find out what types of books, magazines, and resources are typically used in the creation of the test. If it is for an AP History test for example, it may prove beneficial to have experience reading historical documents or biography passages. A Praxis exam may have passages dealing with educational theory or classroom practices. The more comfortable a student becomes with the types of passages, the more the focus can shift to eliminating distractor answers and more time on completing the test than having to reread passages multiple times in order to answer only a few questions.
Lastly, when it comes to reading, reading a lot has two benefits. It makes one focus more, thereby practicing critical thinking skills, as well as being cognizant of how important one word or phrase can be. Things like all answers but, except, not, require close examination and glossing over that can easily cost a student points. Secondly, reading a lot helps build vocabulary. Vocabulary fill-in-the-blanks and sentence completions are typically also parts of these standardized tests, so in essence, it is working on multiple sections of the test with the same practice exercise – reading.
The Importance of Building Memory for Standardized Tests
The reason why practice test books are so often used for review for standardized tests are that they truly represent the range of possible questions. By practicing, one can find the areas of grammar or content material which tends to trip a student up. With this knowledge, more specific focus and attention can be given to the clusters of confusing information or material.
From this, mneumonics can be made to remember the order of operations for the math section of a test, or for remembering the order of colonies to join the United States. Instead of memorizing everything, focus is only given to finding a way to figure out the answer come test day if that stubborn type of question comes up on test day. If one has trouble remembering where copper's abbreviation on the periodic table is Cu or Co, a student can come up with a little phrase or saying to help remember the correct answer.
Memorizing vocabulary word lists may not be a wise use of time for how much cramming goes in only not to be retained. However, brushing up on words seen repeatedly on practice tests along with prefixes and suffixes and some common root words expands vocabulary. This makes it easier to eliminate some of the answer options, thereby making guessing more educated.
Why Writing is Good Practice for Standardized Tests
Lastly, one main thing to continually practice is writing. All of these tests have timed essay sections. With practice, each student can form a particular writing style which fits them optimally. This creation of a template allows for less brainstorming time and more time on writing, proofreading, and full expansion and explanation of body paragraphs.
Rather than write all the practice essay questions in a review book, pick some and do them under the time restriction, do some free of any time restriction, and do some just as outlines or with the main focus on self-editing and revising one's own work. It is not feasible to memorize all those essays to spit them back out on an exam. Instead, the diversity of practicing sets aids in diagnosing areas to improve upon and ways to go faster during the stressful exam without compromising the score one may achieve.
Getting essays peer-reviewed helps assemble criticism to learn from and improvements can be made. Additionally, templates of how to structure an essay become more second-nature, thereby reducing some anxiety and likelihood for writer's block.
Therefore, practicing writing, designing memory aids, using study skills habits like note cards, and reading all help improve one's standardized test scores without requiring extensive investment in test review courses, materials, or tutoring. Some free sample questions are typically available online through the testing company, and some libraries may carry copies of the practice books for community members to check out or borrow.
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