When I encounter a student who has recently taken the ACT or SAT, one of the first questions I ask is, “did you order the test questions when you registered?” They usually respond with confused looks indicating they are either not sure what I am asking or they weren’t aware that they could order the actual questions from the test. Students who immediately respond with a yes, often are confusing the test questions with the score report, which does not provide the test questions.
Because of this, I am setting out on a mission to make every unaware student aware of this secret weapon. Yes, I refer to the test questions as a weapon, because it withholds the power to conquer the SAT and many students and parents don’t know this. Keep reading and I'll tell you exactly how to unleash this power.
How do I order the test questions?
The answer differs based on the test you took because the test makers of each test use different services to provide the questions and answers. However, both the College Board (makers of SAT) and the ACT allow you to order the questions and answers when you register for the test. The option is usually presented once you are ready to check out and pay.
I’ve registered, took the test, but didn’t order the questions. Now what?
I now have my test questions and answers. How do I use this?
I’m so glad you asked! Most students think the most important factor of the results are their scores. True, scores are the end goal, but when you are working to improve your score, those numbers aren’t really that useful. What is most important is knowing exactly what you got wrong and understanding why you got it wrong. The questions and answers gives you access to this information which can be used to boost your score significantly. Here's how...
Note your timing. When you were taking the test, you were probably to busy focusing on the test rather than determining how much time you were spending on problems. Now that you can see the questions, identify the ones that took up a significant amount of your time. Try to determine ways you can save time on those kinds of questions.
Identify week subcategories. Its not as helpful to know you need to work on math as it is to know that you need to work on coordinate geometry problems. The more you can hone in on specific areas the more focused and impactful your test prep will be.
Identify “types” of questions you have trouble with. Each section of the ACT and SAT are made up of a handful of “types” of questions. Filter your questions by incorrect ones and observe what “types” of questions you are having trouble with. Every question type has a strategy. If you understand the strategy, you will always know how to answer that “type” of question even though it will look differently from test to test.
Understand every question that was incorrect or skipped.This is a crucial step in test prep. You must take the time to correct all your incorrect answers. Its easy to just look at the answer key and make note of the right answer choice. But this doesn’t help you at all. You must understand why you got the answer wrong, what makes the correct answer correct, and be able to successfully walk through the same steps with a similar question.
Journal your errors.This takes a little effort but can have a significant impact on your score. Get a composition notebook and record an entry for every error you make. You will likely begin to see trends that will inform you. Let your observations direct your test prep.
Practice, practice, practice.After you have combed through your test questions and answers, reworked your incorrect problems, and journaled your errors, you should have gathered some very useful information that will help you prepare for the next test. The most important thing you can do with this information is to apply it to practice. It’s important to practice consistently between tests.
Get help. If you don’t understand the question types, are not sure what strategies to use, do not understand the approach to some questions or cannot figure out the solutions for certain problems, make sure you get help. Tutors can help with test content, while test prep professionals can help with content, test strategy, and customized study plans.
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