The Ultimate Student Guide to Standardized Tests (By Students, For Students)

By the Acely High School Intern Team (Divya ’27, Yash ’27, Rhea ’27, Kaitlyn ’26, Leah ’25, Marina ’25, Ari ’26)

Hey everyone! If you’re currently drowning in acronyms like DSAT, ACT, and PSAT, you’re not alone. When we started high school, navigating all the standardized tests felt incredibly confusing. We’ve been through the study sessions, the burnout, and the test-day anxiety. Now that we’re on the other side, we’re sharing our combined experience. This is our honest, student-to-student guide to studying, managing stress, and ultimately acing your standardized tests.

1. When to Start & Which Test: The Decision

Choosing the right test and timeline is the first, and most crucial, step in effective preparation. You don’t need to take every test; you need to take the right test at the right time.

What Standardized Tests Should I Even Care About?

The main college-admissions tests are the SAT/DSAT and the ACT, usually taken during Junior year, while the PSAT is used for practice and scholarship qualification in 10th and 11th grade. (Rhea ’27)

• PSAT (Preliminary SAT): Taken by 10th and 11th graders. It’s shorter and serves as practice for the SAT. Most importantly, it can qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
• SAT/DSAT (Digital Scholastic Aptitude Test): The current digital, adaptive version. It features two Reading/Writing and two Math modules, with the difficulty of the second module adjusting based on your performance. It includes a built-in Desmos calculator.
• ACT (American College Test): Another widely used college admissions test. Its unique feature is the Science section (data interpretation) and generally more direct grammar questions compared to the SAT. You can take either the paper or digital ACT.

How Do I Choose Between the SAT and ACT?

The best way to choose is to take a full-length, timed practice test for both to compare your scores and which test’s pacing or format feels more natural to you. (Leah F. ’25, Rhea ’27)

Colleges do not favor one test over the other, so your decision should be based purely on which test best highlights your personal strengths (Leah F. ’25). After you take both practice tests, compare your scores accurately by converting your ACT score into the equivalent SAT score.

SAT vs. ACT: Key Differences	SAT (Digital)	ACT
Pacing	More time per question; generally slower-paced.	Faster-paced.
Question Style	Often logic-based questions requiring critical thinking.	Often more direct, knowledge-based questions.
Sections	Math and Reading & Writing.	English, Math, and Reading (plus optional Science and/or Writing).
Math Focus	Less advanced concepts; Desmos calculator available.	Can be slightly more advanced; more breadth of topics. Desmos calculator available for digital test takers.

When Should I Plan to Take the SAT or ACT?

Most students take their first official test in Junior year, leaving room for retakes and score optimization (superscoring) during Senior year.

• Superscoring: Check if your target colleges accept superscoring (taking your best section scores from multiple attempts). This is a huge advantage and often makes retaking a good strategic move (Rhea ’27, Kaitlyn H. ’26).
• When Not to Retake: If you’ve already reached a score in the 1500–1550 range, trust us, you should stop. “Instead of chasing small SAT score gains, work on your extracurriculars, and essays…” (Yash ’27). Focus your limited time on other critical parts of your application.

---

2. The 1500+ Study Strategy: The Execution

“I spent weeks studying without a clear strategy, and it was exhausting. Over time, I learned how to study smarter, not harder.” (Divya ’27) Success is about consistency and strategy, not just hours logged.

The Ultimate 4-Month SAT/ACT Prep Timeline (for Busy Students)

Success comes from studying smarter and consistently, not just longer, starting 3-4 months before test day with a diagnostic test and scheduled, focused sessions. (Divya ’27)

1. 3–4 Months Before: Take a full-length practice test to find your baseline and weaknesses. Create a study schedule with 2-3 focused sessions each week. Fully relearn concepts you’ve forgotten.
2. 2 Months Before: Practice every day to build on your weaknesses. Join a study group or find a partner for accountability. Practice is key in this phase.
3. 1 Month Before: Practice SAT questions and memorize key formulas. Review every mistake thoroughly—understand exactly why you got the question wrong. Start timing yourself for pacing strategies.
4. 1–2 Weeks Before: Continue taking timed practice tests, focusing only on pacing and stress management. Avoid cramming new concepts. Get ample rest. The goal is to feel prepared and calm.

Balancing Test Prep with a Challenging Schedule

The key to balancing test prep with academics is to find and maximize all small pockets of free time (e.g., 20-minute breaks) and be willing to temporarily prioritize test prep over non-essential extracurriculars. (Ari ’26)

• Micro-Studying: “I show up early, break open the laptop, and get whatever tiny amount of work that I can get done until the activity starts.” (Ari ’26). Use small breaks (lunch, transition time) to chip away at homework, freeing up larger blocks for focused test prep later.
• Strategic Prioritization: Don’t be afraid to take a short hiatus from a less crucial club or activity. “I took two months off from writing and editing [the school newspaper]… I devoted that extra couple hours… to studying.” (Ari ’26). It’s temporary, and your goals are worth it.
• Holiday Damage: Use winter and spring breaks to do “serious damage” on your standardized tests, free from the stress of daily schoolwork.

Why Reading is the Best “Passive” Prep

Reading helps indirectly by training your brain to recognize proper sentence structure and practice using context clues to figure out new vocabulary—the core skills needed for the Reading & Writing section. (Kaitlyn H. ’26)

Reading constantly makes distinguishing correct sentence structure easier. Additionally, practicing finding the meaning of an unknown word through context clues is exactly the skill you need to ace the vocab on the SAT.

---

3. Mental Health & Test Day Habits: The Finish Line

The final stretch is all about strategy and self-care. Don’t let a logistical mistake or poor mindset undo weeks of hard work.

H2: Weird Habits That Actually Boost Focus

Associating a neutral stimulus (like a specific scent or music) with your focused study state can trigger better recall and concentration on test day (classical conditioning). (Yash ’27)

Here are a few personal strategies that worked for us—find your own!

• The Power of Smell: “Whenever I studied, I wore the same cologne. This is classical conditioning…” (Yash ’27). The scent then becomes associated with a study mindset.
• The FIFA Reward: “One FIFA Game for every 50 questions.” Use short, fun breaks to get your mind off intense questions and prevent burnout.
• Pre-Test Carbs: Eating chocolate or drinking Coke on test day helps provide carbohydrates, which can combat “test fog.” (Yash ’27). Find what healthy routine fuels your brain best.

Essential Digital SAT Day Logistics

Critical test day logistics include bringing your physical ID, fully charging all devices (laptop and calculator), and completely powering off your phone to avoid having your score invalidated. (Kaitlyn H. ’26, Marina ’25)

⚠️ Test Day Checklist (Do Not Miss!)

• Physical Student ID: DO NOT FORGET THIS. “I almost didn’t get let into my testing center because I left my ID at home.” (Kaitlyn H. ’26)
• Charged Devices: Charge your testing device and your approved calculator the night before.
• Phone Power: Actually turn your phone OFF (power off button), not just on Do Not Disturb. A soft buzz can still cause the proctor to report everyone’s scores.
• Light Snack: Bring a small snack (fruit, granola bar) for the break. You’ll likely be hungrier than anticipated.

Dealing with Stress and Bad Scores

Prioritize physical and mental health by taking breaks, sleeping well, and talking out your stress. If you get a bad score, review the score report for weak areas and remember that retaking is common. (Kaitlyn H. ’26, Leah F. ’25)

• Prioritize Health: “Your health is not worth sacrificing for a grade.” (Kaitlyn H. ’26). Take a sick day when needed, and always ask for extensions if you’re sleeping past midnight working on assignments.
• Post-Score Action Plan: When your score comes back, review the score report immediately. It breaks down your weak points and tells you exactly how to improve for the retake.
• Self-Care: Don’t beat yourself up over a low score. Take a ten-minute walk, talk it out with a trusted friend, eat your favorite dessert, and simply allow yourself to accept your emotions. “Because they will [pass]!” (Leah F. ’25).

---

Ready to put these student-tested strategies into action? Acely can help you focus your practice on the exact weak areas identified in your score report, saving you time and preventing burnout.

Ready for the next step? Head back to our College Application Timeline to see where standardized testing fits into your bigger plan!