Avoiding Trick Questions | SAT and ACT Tests

I bet you've heard this expression before, "If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is." That holds true for a lot of things, but it's also true for many of the questions on standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT. If you are about to take one of these tests, then there is a truth that you need to keep in mind when you get ready for the exam.

While these tests are widely and commonly accepted as the only way to compare the academic foundation of students across the country, that does not mean that smart people always score high and the high scores are always by the smart people. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work that way all the time. These tests allow colleges to have some sort of standardized method for comparison, but many times, the smart kid in school will do poorly and the student you wouldn't expect to do so will score really high.

That's in part because the test is really only designed to test how well you test. Many of the questions on the SAT and ACT exam have false cues in order to distract you from the right answer, and so sometimes, the answer that looks obvious, may not be the right answer. Many students, smart and otherwise, get caught in this trap. Chalk it up to nerves, failure to think it through, or a "hunch" response, but this kind of question often trips up students who rush through the test.

The test makers are not looking to make your job easy. Keep that in mind. If an answer looks completely obvious, never just pick that answer and move on. Always think it through, because it may be a trick. The only way to avoid these types of questions is to make sure that you carefully read every problem on the SAT or ACT exam, even the "easy" ones.

If you are doing a test prep course, be sure that you select a course or program that teaches you methods for avoiding these traps. With practice and attention to the questions, not only will you recognize them right away, but you'll cut down the nerves and pressure of taking this type of exam. I recommend, as do others, that you take multiple tests. For instance, you can take the SAT and ACT every year, even more than once each year, beginning in middle school or early in high school. The more often you take the exam, and practice your skills of testing, the higher the scores will be. Remember, these tests are testing how well you test!

So, don't get caught rushing, invest in a program that will teach you specialized test-taking strategies, not re-teach math and science, and take the time to practice your skills. Your scores will rise, as will your confidence!
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