If you have read my previous article, you would have learned some strategies that can take the load off your mind for SAT test preparation. All these strategies bear fruit only when they are put into use. Just saying that you know these strategies would not guarantee even 1800 on the SAT. If you want to score high, you need to consciously use these strategies repeatedly until they come to you naturally. Continuing the discussion over those strategies, this article will cover the remaining strategies to work your way to a 2200-Plus SAT exam score. Make sure that you understand each technique carefully, and then implement the same every time you attempt a SAT practice test. I cannot emphasize how important these strategies are for maximizing your SAT exam score.

Guessing Smartly

Elimination is a smart way of solving SAT questions. However, you should eliminate an answer choice only on sound judgment and not only because you ‘feel’ it is incorrect. If your intuition is backed my logic, go ahead and eliminate the choice. When you eliminate an answer, you would be left with four answer choices. In other words, you would have one-in-four chance to guess the answer correctly. Now, for every four questions you attempt and answer, you may get one correct and three incorrect. One correct answer would fetch you one point, while three incorrect answers would deduct 3/4 points. By simple subtraction, you see that 1 - 3/4 = 1/4 or quarter points. Hence, by eliminating just one answer choice, and then guessing on the remaining four choices, you get quarter points. Wonderful, isn’t it? This pretty much explains the concept of smart guessing, and how to use it to your advantage.

Never miss a Student-Response Question

No matter what, try answering each question on the grid-in section. This is because there is no penalty for answering a question incorrectly. The worst scenario would be that you get no point for a question. It’s still better than getting a negative point, isn’t it?

Filling out the answer sheet correctly

College Board would not see how you solved a problem; it would just see the answer sheet and check whether you have registered the right answer in the right way. Students, during the last few minutes, get nervous and end up filling in the wrong answer in the appropriate bubble, or the wrong bubble for the right answer. How to ensure that you fill in the bubble properly? Here are some ways.

a) Mark the questions that you skip

You can circle the question that you want to skip. This would help you locate the question when you want to come back and answer it.

b) Mark your answers in the text book

This would help you fill in the answer on the answer sheet properly.

Time Tracking

You must keep track of time when you solve SAT questions. You should know how much time is remaining and how many questions must be attempted to maximize your score. This does not mean you will look at the watch every now and then. SAT practice tests can help you keep track of time. That is why you should solve a number of SAT practice tests keeping in mind (and implementing) the strategies mentioned in my articles.