PSATs/SATs

Post Reply New Topic

How do you manage them? It's always something I have dreaded since I have a slight learning disability, also HFA/AS, Severe anxiety and ADHD. I realize how much harder it would be for me to do them, since I get so stressed by just thinking about them and I was wondering if anyone has coped with this. If they were able to get away with not doing them and taking a different easier test... or what?

you can take these exams in 'quiet rooms' if you inform the place you take the tests in of your social anxiety issues.

Also, you dont necessarily need to take the SAT to enter a university as most will have their own alternative exams for math and english (much shorter and easier than the SAT).

When I came into the US I was told either take the SAT or the college's version of the test. Since I had not been in a classroom for a year or so and the practice SAT test results were coming in bad I opted for the college test and ended up scoring highly in it.

The SAT tests your ability to take tests and follow rules. It doesn't test intelligence. That's it.

That being said, a lot of universities do require them. I took an SAT prep class to help me out, and my Math and Verbal scores went up a few hundred points. I think they're worthy investments if you can afford them.

What would you like to go to school for? Colleges look at a lot more than SAT scores. My college hardly took notice of them. If you can write a good, heartfelt essay you should be fine.

Yeah but the only thing I would have the hardest time with his the Math and essay portions. I can write well but when it comes to specific essay topics I have to do and my mind will lockdown. It would be nearly impossible doing the math portion due to my learning difficulties... that's why I have a hard time.

But wait, is it only unversities that do those tests or do community colleges have them too?

Since I have an obsessive love for multiple choice quizzes, I got myself stuck doing large numbers of practice SAT's for fun. I must have done around 200 of them in a row. When it came time to take the actual SAT, I breezed through it in half the time of anyone else being tested. And it was so familiar that I was immune to getting nervous. So perhaps lots of practice is the answer to getting good at these things.

Oh and I forgot to add: I already knew my score in advance, because it was bound to be the same as all the other scores I got the last 50 times I practiced it.

Treat exams as games. That's what I do.

Or don't take said exams. They're really useless and no one cares except for the ivy leagues.

The only way to overcome your fear of the PSAT is to prepare for it so thoroughly that that you’ll walk into the test with an unshakeable sense of confidence. I was terrified of it too so I started using this online study guide called Shmoop well in advance. It explained concepts very clearly, had really cool vocabulary tips and tricks, a seemingly endless collection of practice exercises, as well as a few full length practice exams. All the PSAT practice paid off; I answered every question with a clear head, without feeling even slightly nervous and did pretty well. Don’t let your fear deny you all the options that a good PSAT and eventually SAT score will open up for you. If I can do it, anyone can.