Test Questions, Single Passages, Entire Sections, and Full Practice Tests: What to Do When Preparing for the SAT or ACT

You should be intentional in how you use your SAT and ACT prep materials (and prep time)​. But knowing what to do and when to do it can be confusing. In this blog, I’ll break down the four main ways you might use prep materials—individual test questions, single passages, entire test sections, and full practice tests— and when to use each one.

Test Questions: Individual questions are good to review once you’ve already completed a practice section. Take a photo of questions you found challenging, add them to an album on your phone, and look through the album when you have down time.

Single Passages*: There are two great reasons to do single passages. 

First: you’re refining your test-taking taking techniques and strategies and getting a sense of micro-pacing (how long one passage should take).

Second: You’re trying to maintain your skills while focusing the bulk of your prep time on other subjects or are particularly limited in your prep hours. You probably won't improve as much this way as you would doing multiple passages by virtue of exposing yourself to fewer questions. But it is a valid strategy when you simply want to maintain your skills.

Do not limit yourself to single passages! Doing so creates an extra hurdle once you're taking full-length tests.

*Within the Math sections (which don't have passages), you might focus on the first half if you’re trying to minimize careless errors or the second half if you want to get better with the harder questions.

Entire Sections: Entire sections should be your default when doing test prep during the week. They give you the chance to practice the full length of the section and get a sense of overall pacing—how it feels to move through the section in its entirety. With longer sections like the SAT Reading section or the ACT Math section, it also gives you practice concentrating for an extended period of time. For an added challenge, do two sections back-to-back to strengthen your ability to focus for even longer stretches.

Full Tests: Do full-length tests on the weekend when you have enough time to take the full 3-4 hour test. This is your chance to build endurance for the official test day. Give yourself the opportunity to notice the challenges that arise two-and-a-half hours into the test so that you can experiment with different ways to manage your attention and energy on future full-length tests.

But that’s not all… Always schedule time to review what you’ve already done! It’s the only way to optimize for the time you invested when doing the passage, section, or test so that you can be better next time!

If you find it challenging to review questions, have trouble transitioning to working for longer periods of time, want expert guidance on what to do relative to your strengths and weaknesses, or simply want to elevate your test prep, now is a great time to reach out to a tutor or coach. Find information about my test prep programs here and ask your parent to sign up for a free consultation here. Once I've spoken with your parent, you and I can schedule a free consultation, too!

If you find this blog helpful, please share it with friends!

If you have thoughts or questions, drop a comment below or write me an email.

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Want more guidance from me? Here are a few resources and offerings you might consider:

• Acing It! A Mindful Guide to Maximum Results on Your College Admissions Test: 
  ​My book, in which I walk you through all the steps of the test prep process from beginning to end. It also includes descriptions of different drills you can do with practice test materials.
• Test Prep Coaching: 
  Work with me for a single session or a package of 12 sessions to get your SAT or ACT prep into top shape! Coaching packages include a review of what you need to know for the SAT or ACT using my math and grammar outlines, opportunities to take and review official SATs and ACTs, and opportunities to learn mindset and study habits that facilitate top performance. I've lowered my rates for online coaching! Ask your parent to schedule a complimentary consultation—it's the first step to working with me.
• One Month SAT & ACT Prep Plans:  A week-by-week breakdown of what to study and which practice sections to take, enhanced with exercises and habits to improve your ability to work effectively during the official test. Free when you sign up for email updates!

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