Learning
from the October 30, 2001 edition

Test-taking tips

Record numbers of college-bound seniors readied their No. 2 pencils for the SAT and ACT in 2001; the numbers of graduate school applicants taking the computerized GRE also rose. The 2002 tests are expected to draw the highest numbers yet; Sylvan Learning Center offers 10 tips for these test takers:

1. Don't waste time reading the instructions on the day of the test; you should be familiar with them already.

E-mail this story
Write a letter to the Editor
Printer-friendly version

2. Focus on the content of the test, not the frequency of the answer letters.

3. Never spend too much time on any single question.

4. Work at a good pace, but don't rush. Keep track of the time remaining for each section.

5. If you are unsure of how to answer a question, circle it and come back to it if time permits.

6. Trust your instincts on the easy questions. Never leave an easy question blank.

7. Use the process of elimination. If you spend time on a problem and eliminate 2 answers, make an educated guess.

8. Read the questions and answers thoughtfully and critically.

9. Use any extra time to revisit questions that you circled in the section.

10. Check, after every few questions, to make sure the question number on the answer sheet corresponds with the one you're answering in the booklet.

Source: Sylvan Learning Center








For further information:
Taking Standardized Tests FamilyEducation.com
Educational Testing Service Network
FairTest: The National Center for Fair & Open Testing
Please Note: The Monitor does not endorse the sites behind these links. We offer them for your additional research. Following these links will open a new browser window.



Get Monitor stories by e-mail:
(Your e-mail address will be protected by csmonitor.com's tough privacy policy.)
(Lionel Cironneau/AP/File) When the Berlin Wall came down
Twenty years later, the rest of the world is a different place because of that event.

POLITICS Patchwork Nation
The American voter beyond red and blue


Daily podcast

Monitor Reports

Discussions with Monitor reporters from around the world


Today

Pat Murphy

Life and duty continues at Ft. Hood.




Making a difference
Making a Difference

What happens when ordinary people decide to pay it forward? Extraordinary change. See how individuals are making a difference, finding solutions, overcoming adversity, and giving back globally.

To address South Africa's huge education gap, José Bright helps students achieve, one by one.

Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff

Educating South Africa's kids, one by one

José Bright flew in as a consultant, but decided to stay and become a real force for change.