The Lumina SAT blog will spend plenty of time reviewing strategies for the test itself, but we thought some practical tips for test day would be helpful as well.

What to Bring on SAT test day:

* At least two #2 pencils (non-mechanical)
* A snack and water (you will not be able to eat during the test but bring a snack to munch on during the breaks)
* Graphing calculator and extra batteries
* A watch (not your phone, as you won’t be able to have that out during the exam)
* Valid photo identification—your school I.D. is fine, as long as it has your photo

Other tips: keep your routine

Don’t break your sleep routine the two nights before the test.  If you normally go to sleep at a certain time, keep it up, even if you think it’s too late or too early.

The key here is routine: if you normally drink coffee, tea or Mountain Dew in the morning, do the same on test day.  But if you don’t, consuming three espresso shots will only make you jittery (not to mention putting serious stress on your bladder!).

Try not to study the morning of or the night before the test.  Preparation is best done over the long haul, and you need focus and relaxation—not more vocabulary words swimming in your head.  There’s very little that can be gained by continuing to cram the evening before the SAT, so take that time to get some sleep, do something fun or focus on other things in your life.

If you keep to your routine and come in to the test well rested, you’ll be ready to do your best!

Because the SAT and ACT are such important pieces of the college admissions process, advice about the tests seems to take on a life of its own. We often speak with parents or students who have some misconceived notions about the tests and their associated strategies. Mark recently updated a presentation on the subject and shares his slides below.