Hey Teens, Choose Test Wise Over Test Dark

By Shaunna Crossen Ph.D.

Waking up on test day without preparation is like walking through a pitch-black room and

hoping to find your way. You may think, “Well, I’ll just take the test and see how I do.” Taking

this blind approach often leads to discouragement and disappointment. Imagine walking

through your dark bedroom searching for keys and finding yourself wasting time bumping into

furniture and tripping over your backpack. Now, imagine turning on the lights first. Suddenly,

you know where to look, how to navigate the room, and what to avoid. Test prep turns on the

lights, so you become test wise. With test prep, it’s like you’re walking into the testing room

with a flashlight, blueprint, and plan of action.

Preparation Builds Confidence

Students who strategically prepare learn how to navigate the test by memorizing rules,

recognizing patterns, and identifying traps. Knowing how to steer through each question with

pacing strategies and word clues prepares students to then take official online practice tests

with confidence.

Mistakes Identify Red Flags

Taking practice tests offers opportunities for error analysis, which represents the fast map to

achieving score improvements. Every mistake serves as a red flag landmark on the road to

achieving your target score. Error analysis highlights areas of misunderstanding, so you can re-route and stay on course.

Life Lessons

Choosing to prepare for important outcomes in life puts you in the driver’s seat of your future.

Life is full of tests, academic and personal. While learning how to anticipate challenges,

strategize for success, and reflect on outcomes, you’re building successful life habits.

If you’re contemplating taking the test blind and hoping for the best, consider this: effective

preparation leads to maximum results. Knowing how the test is structured and how to attack

each question provides essential information to approach your testing experience with

confidence and laser beam focus.

Choose test wise and unlock doors to your future.