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College Planning Essentials for Rising Seniors

As you go through your high school years, it is important to look toward your plans for after high school. If you intend to go to college, you need to make sure you take the classes you will need to get into the college of your choice. You must also prepare for the SAT test so you know what to expect and increase your chances of doing well on the test. Doing well on the SAT can make the difference in getting into the school of your choice.

While some organizations offer college testing preparation classes that help you prepare for the SAT, not everyone can afford to pay for the service. However, proper preparation is still important for everyone. Even if you can't afford to pay for any of the classes, you can still use free resources available on the Internet or at your local library to help you prepare instead. These resources can work just as well as the classes that require a fee as long as you work hard.

Some of the free online tools (just Google "free SAT prep tools" for a host of sites to visit; if you live in RI, we recommend WaytoGoRI) and library books which you can use to help prepare for the SAT tests work as guides that walk you through the contents of the test and how it is administered. When you go into the test knowing what to expect, you will feel more comfortable. When you are comfortable in your surroundings, you are more likely to focus on the material and do better on the tests. The better you do on the tests, the better your chances of getting into the college of your choice after high school or getting merit based scholarships.

Taking a practice test or two can also help familiarize yourself with the test and help you do better. The questions found on the practice tests are not the exact same questions you will find on the actual test, but they can help you prepare for the SAT. The questions will be similar to the ones you will find on the actual test in format, but the questions and answers will be different. Taking more than one practice test provides you with the chance to become more familiar with the format of each section, thus increasing your comfort level.

Tip guides can also be a useful tool as you prepare for the SAT. None of the resources will give you the answers for the test, but they can help you understand how the test works. Reading through the tip guides will lead you through your preparations for test day, what you need to bring, what you should know and other useful information about the test. If you typically panic when it comes to testing time, you can even find tip sheets that help you learn to deal with test-taking anxiety so you can do the best you are capable of doing.

If you are struggling in specific areas covered on the tests, you can utilize different online tools, such as games and study guides. These tools help you prepare for the SAT and the various subjects covered within the test. Choose tools in the areas in which you often struggle so you can improve your chances of doing well in all of the areas of the test. While colleges will look at your individual scores from the test, having a strong overall score will help ensure that you can get into the college you want to go to.

While it may seem like a lot of work just to prepare for the SAT, the SAT is important to your future. Without it, you may not get into the school of your choice.