In the world of SAT and college preparation, practice exams are often looked at as just bitter medicine, a way to help students simulate the environment of high-pressure tests without the risk of failing. But some students often opt out of them due to the perception of it being less important. The fields of science and psychology tell us those practice exams are just as important as taking your very first SAT or AP test. Taking a look at what the research has to say may help students see the benefits of taking practice tests and learn the best ways to use and implement them into their study schedule.
So, What are the Benefits of Taking Practice Tests?
Endurance & Mental Fortitude
- SAT, ACT, and AP tests are about 3 hours long, with scientists suggesting one can only maintain optimal focus for 90 minutes before needing a break. Fortunately, by practicing, one can increase the amount of time they can study and test.
- Students can start by taking 2 hours of their day to complete some practice problems in an SAT, ACT, or AP book and slowly increase the amount of time they can study. Then, taking a standardized practice test should be no problem.
- This strategy will help with endurance and stamina, so tiredness will not set in too soon when students take the actual test. Maintaining focus for the entire exam can make a huge difference, and practice is at the heart of it.
Reinforce Learning & Fill Knowledge Gaps
- Psychologist Malcolm Gladwell proposed that one can become an expert in a field by practicing for 10,000 hours. Now, one does not need to become an expert to get a good SAT score, but by taking multiple practice tests in various subjects, one can figure out which areas they struggle in and which ones they have mastered. Then, they can direct more attention to topics they find more challenging and spend less time on easier ones.
- It is easier to retain information by taking a test, even a practice one, rather than studying. Studying is passive learning while taking an exam is active learning. A way to drill the active learning habit of taking practice exams into students is to go to a test prep center to learn from teachers, but this isn’t always a practical or cheap solution.Â
Constructive Criticism & Feedback
- When students receive their SAT score, they want to know what areas they can improve on and what areas they did well on. Performance breakdown by subject helps students understand how they should prepare in the future. Objective, timely, and specific feedback help students learn better. Â
- Once students determine what subjects they need to work on, they can see if they progressed by taking another practice exam. Then they can pick more things they need to work on before the next test, and so on. We call this the feedback loop, and this repetition allows for considerable learning of the subject material.
Reducing Test Stress
- A 2010 study revealed that stress from the SAT negatively impacts test scores because it leaves less room for working memory. The fact that these scores are also standardized gives more pressure because students from all around the country can compare scores.
- Practice tests allow for a pretty good simulation of the stress of the real exam while also giving students the confidence they need to perform their absolute best. The more practice tests a student takes, the more comfortable they should be with the stress.
How Can You Experience the Benefits of Taking Practice Tests?
Whether you’re preparing for the first time you take the SAT or the only time you take an AP exam, practice tests help students stay focused, have the most knowledge possible, know where to improve and stay stress-free when it comes to taking the real deal. These are only some of the many benefits practice tests bring to the table, and we recommend taking them.