The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is the stepping stone for high school students to enter college life. Preparing for this test is crucial, but so is the rest of your school and social life. Therefore, it is important to balance your prep with the high academic and extracurricular demands of high school.
Why Is Balance Important?
Balance is vital in anything you do. It gives comfort and confidence and ensures a more optimistic approach to life. The same is true for balancing SAT prep and high school work, which many students see as a life-determining stage that induces stress.
Managing SAT prep, school work, extracurricular activities, social obligations and daily lives could be overwhelming and affect yourlifestyle and test scores. While you might be tempted to drop some activities to make room for SAT prep, continuing extracurriculars is still important to strengthen your college applications. At Stanford University, 69% of applications with perfect SAT scores are not admitted because the school also looks for passionate and unique students.
Balancing all these aspects is essential to avoid burnout and is possible with effective management strategies.
Eight Strategies for Better Balance
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing and balancing school and SATs because every student has different abilities and preferences. However, the strategies below could help you personalize your balancing tips for a more conducive learning environment. Take a look:
Set a Target
Before you start anything, spend some time thinking about your target score. This goal will be the foundation for your study methods, schedules and time management. You can estimate a target by considering the college you’d like to attend and researching the average SAT score of students there.
Prioritize Planning
A structured schedule can help you compartmentalize your day into doing impactful things in an orderly fashion. First, estimate how much time you need to study for the test using the targeted score. Then, get a planner and create a daily schedule outlining all your tasks. Be realistic when deciding the hours spent on each activity.
Stick to Your Schedule
Your schedule can be a lifeline for your prep efforts. It should prioritize every part of your life, including school work, extracurricular activities and SAT prep. Remember to use the schedule strictly to have ample time for everything, including nonstudy activities like lunch breaks. Little breaks between studies are essential, so include them in the planner and use them to rest and relax.
Your discipline in using the schedule can ensure you have time for school work, SAT prep and rest. However, your schedule should also be flexible to allow changes when needed.
Study Smart
More than studying hard, your SAT scores will only shine if you study smart. One way to do this is by applying smart techniques to your study hours. Time block methods like the Pomodoro technique, where you take a five-minute break for every 25 minutes of study, are effective in achieving productivity.
In addition, you could create small goals for motivation, such as a target score for your SAT math test by the end of the week. This method helps you reach your target, gives you a sense of focus and acts as a self-assessment.
Watch What You Eat
Adequate nutrition is important, especially during crucial times like SAT prep. Make sure you have three main meals a day enriched with balanced nutrients. Skipping meals may deprive you of focus, energy and good health. Eat healthy snacks in between your meals and drink a lot of water.
Getting good sleep is instrumental for improved efficiency. Try to get eight hours of sleep daily, and take naps if you need to. For quality sleep, keep your phone away, blocking social media and games for the night. It may be difficult — 54% of teenagers find it hard to put away their tech. But it's necessary for a good night’s sleep.
Know Your Limits
Prepping for the SATs while juggling school and social life could be tiring, so step back and take a moment when it gets overwhelming. Assess your commitments and reevaluate their importance. For example, you may attend soccer practice and violin class while volunteering at your parents’ convenience store. You could talk to your parents about reducing your volunteering time and ensure your extracurricular activities suit your needs.
When the going gets tough, remember that it's okay to take a break. Go for a walk, listen to some music, or watch a movie. Breathing techniques like pursed lips or lion’s breath can help immensely to reduce stress.
Seek Support if You Need It
Balancing everything yourself could impact your school life. Remember to seek help when you need it. Whether you could use tutor classes, mental health counseling sessions or study groups, recognize your need for help and act on it.
Balancing SAT Prep and School Is Vital for Ensured Success
Any student could feel exhausted mentally and physically managing multiple things, but good planning and management can empower better scores and SAT triumph.
