Spring has sprung! All the signs are here: the warmer weather, flowers blooming…and your students in the home stretch before SAT/ACT Test Day. While many educators have been guiding their students through test prep for months (or even years!), the final few weeks and days can feel crucial to both students and teachers alike. But what last-minute tips, tricks, and advice can you offer your students before Test Day? Let’s have a look:

One Last Review

While it’s probably a bad idea to dive into new or unfamiliar material in the home stretch of test prep, now would be a good time to go over one last all-around review with your students, and perhaps a final full practice test. This will ensure that they have a chance to not only go over the material they most struggle with, but also to review the portions of the text where they feel most confident — confirming that they haven’t forgotten or neglected anything before the test itself. A practice exam will also be a good chance to make the test environment feel a little more familiar for your students before they actually have to take the test.

If your students stumble upon a question or concern with the material during their final review, be sure to go over it with them thoroughly, and remind them that they shouldn’t feel bad. Asking questions and getting answers means that the review and test prep is doing its job!

Teaching De-Stressing Techniques

For many students, the weeks and days leading up to the test are a challenge not because of anything related to the material, but because of stress and test anxiety. If this is the case for your students, it’s time to teach them some de-stressing techniques. This can be anything from breathing exercises and stretches to tips for self-care and reminders that it’s only one test.

Test anxiety can be a difficult thing for your students to tackle, but with your help, they can beat it. The important thing is to make sure your students are walking into Test Day focused and ready to succeed, but not afraid.

Tips for the Night Before

Your students will be thinking about Test Day, but what about the day before? As many educators know, what students do in the hours leading up to a big exam can greatly impact their test performance. Make sure your students know the importance of getting rest, eating a nutritious dinner and a solid breakfast before the test, and having a relatively relaxing run-up to test day.

Be sure you also impress upon your students the importance of getting organized before Test Day. This means having all the materials they need, including an ID, writing implements, a permitted calculator, and a snack for later. This is not only important because they will need these materials on Test Day, but to ensure that Test Day morning runs smoothly. If your students spend the hour before the test frantically searching for their ID, they’re more likely to arrive at the test anxious and frazzled. On the other hand, a smooth morning leading up to the test will have them calm and ready to crush it!

Ask for Help From an Expert

When in doubt, it’s always a good idea to ask an expert for advice! If your students are struggling with their test prep, and Test Day is drawing near, reaching out to test prep specialists like the team at A-List can be the best thing for everyone. In fact, A-List has an SAT/ACT test prep bootcamp tailored specifically for schools. Check out the A-List website to learn more and see if this is the right fit for you and your students.

A-List is experienced in partnering with educators, schools, and nonprofits to ensure all students' success. Contact us to learn more.