1) Take a few practice tests. Try to imitate real test conditions as much as possible. Don't skip the essay! Take pride if you are meeting your target score. Get to work if you are not!
2) Prioritize! With only a little time before the test, you must tailor your efforts to the areas where you are most likely to see improvement. Don't get stuck on a particular concept if you are having difficulty with it. You can always come back to it later. You want to be able to answer as many different kinds of questions as possible.
3) Improve your vocabulary. At this point you should be hitting those word lists with considerable intensity. Keep words you don't know with you at all times (flash cards, iPhone apps, etc.). Learn a new word while you're in the car, waiting in line at Starbucks, or, dare I say, in the bathroom. Think how many words you could have learned in the time it took you to send those 863 texts today.
4) Make sure you get enough rest and proper nutrition in the weeks leading up to the test. You cannot catch up on weeks of sleeplessness in one or two nights. Determine what snacks to bring to the test. (Think banana, nuts, protein bar, not candy bar, soda, chips.) Practice your breathing and relaxation before test. If the adrenalin rush during the SAT turns to panic, stop what you are doing, start taking deep breaths, and relax your muscles. This will help you calm down and get the oxygen to your brain that it needs to perform.
5) Get help. If you are clear that you are not going to perform the way that you want to, it is not to late to hire an SAT tutor. One or two months, while not ideal, is certainly enough time for someone to assess your progress, teach you tips and tricks, and develop a plan to maximize your efforts and your score. There are hundreds of test prep companies and individual tutors in New York City. If you don't know where to start, inquire at school or ask friend who's been through it. Of course, we are partial to the talented group of test prep tutors that we've assembled at Partners with Parents.
