Scholastic Aptitude Tests, known commonly as the SATs, leave a trail of high school students under copious amounts of stress. SATs are tests that challenge and score a student’s academic skill set. Almost every student goes through the SAT jitters.

“Honestly, my main concern was, am I going to test well enough for the colleges I want to get into?” said Ian Garman, a senior at CHS. “I did get myself worked up over the test, but when I got there and tested it wasn’t too bad.”

SAT testing can be crucial when it comes to college scholarships or choosing a college. Students often question what is considered a good SAT score and that varies depending on what college a student is planning on applying for.

“It’s easier said than done, but don’t stress yourself too much,” said Emily Weitoish, a senior at CHS. “You are able to retake the tests, so if you don’t get the best score you will have another chance.”

The saying always goes: practice makes perfect. Although preparing for the tests is beneficial, students should avoid putting too much strain on their schedule to the point where they are mentally exhausted. Studying or prepping doesn’t always mean staying up at all hours trying to understand topics that will be on the SATs.

“Practice tests, lots of them,” said Caitlin Fay, a junior at CHS. “Use the AP College Board to register your PSAT scores and you can get personalized help on Khan Academy. Take it early too, like in August [or] October of your junior year and be sure to know if you need the essay or subject test.”

There are many forms of studying, but students should not feel accustomed to just one way of studying topics. Using different resources, such as College Board, that take your test scores and finds topics that students struggle with can be extremely beneficial in optimizing results. Khan Academy provides support to the students as well and focuses on subjects that need to be reviewed more in detail.

Consulting with teachers and counselors on test prep can be very beneficial to a students test score. Teachers have a good idea when it comes to preparing for tests and may have advice to share.

“Be sure to get a good night’s sleep,” said Weitoish. “Try doing practice questions, the more practice the better.”

SATs are an unavoidable aspect of high school, and so it is important to be ready for them. Preparation can be the difference between a low score and a high one.