When preparing for the SSAT, parents often focus on learning and practice. However, we routinely overlook the impact of student emotions on performance. Stress, anxiety, and anxiousness all affect exam performance.
Read on to discover helpful SSAT preparation tips to help your youngster avoid stress and achieve peak performance.
Begin Your SSAT Preparation Timeline as Soon as Possible
The application deadline for private schools is in mid-January. As a result, many students must juggle SSAT prep with end-of-semester homework, winter concerts and recitals, sports, and holiday parties. Standardized tests add to the stress of the holiday season!
Begin in the spring, giving your child nearly a year to finish the task. If your seventh-grader desires to apply to ninth grade, they should take the Upper Level SSAT in the spring. If ideal conditions cannot be met, begin your child’s education as soon as possible.
Students can also relax during the first SSAT. This is because there is less pressure when there are chances of test retakes. Research shows that retesters outperform.
Practice with Official SSAT Resources
What distinguishes The Enrollment Management Association’s official SSAT preparation materials from the competition? Because the same organization created them, the practice exams closely resemble the actual SSAT.
Only the Official SSAT Online Practice allows you to take the tests through the same interface as the at-home SSAT. The practice tests in the Official SSAT Study Guide books are also like the paper tests.
You can reduce anxiety induced by the need to reorient by taking SSAT practice tests in the same format as your actual exam.
Avoid Mistakes and Beat Murphy’s Law
To avoid making a mistake, use the Preparation Checklist and Test-Day Tips. On-test support inquiries are generally the result of at-home testers failing to perform the system check and install the secure browser three to four days before the exam. If you do not have access to a computer and/or internet, check out an Equity Test Kit.
The SSAT at Home needs you and your kid to become acquainted with the Technology and Room Requirements. At home, you are the administrator! It is also a good idea to plan an activity for siblings and other family members that takes place away from home and does not require internet access during the exam.
If you are not taking the SSAT at Home, plan your route to the paper or Prometric test location and leave at least 30 minutes early to allow for traffic.
Make Overall Health Improvements
Physical activity, a healthy diet, and enough sleep improve mental and intellectual clarity. Avoid fast food, turn off devices before bed, and go outside for some fresh air and exercise. Developing positive behaviors on a consistent basis is more likely to improve SSAT scores than changing behavior the night before.
To reduce worry, help your child create a timed study plan for SSAT preparation. Tension and tiredness are the side effects of cramming the day and night before the SSAT.
Aim for the Best but Keep Expectations Realistic
Parents may become visibly upset if technical issues or transportation delays arise. Remember that our children are watching us and will become concerned if we are upset.
Set expectations with your youngster. While schools utilize the SSAT to assess students, if you address it as such, you risk placing your child under undue stress, which could harm their test results.
Instead, place the role of the SSAT in the greater context. Admission also requires essays, interviews, letters of recommendation, transcripts, and a Character Skills Snapshot.
Conclusion
Nothing good ever comes from fear or stress. As a parent, this is something you must instill in your child, especially as they take big tests and commit to significant transitions. After all, your child is more than just a standardized exam score. With all that being said, make sure getting an education is still enjoyable for your child at the end of the day.
Are you looking for an SSAT tutor? Kenny Tan Test Prep offers quality tutoring services to help students get into the best schools in the country. Schedule a FREE consultation with us today!
