Practical Tips on How to Study for the SHSAT Exam

Taking the SHSAT is one of the most stressful moments for many teenagers. This one exam is the factor determining whether they can get access to an elite school to further their education.

Statistics show that the percentage of students that get a score in the SHSAT high enough to meet the criteria of elite school admissions is extremely low. Understandably, anxiety, and nerves may be many individuals’ downfall.

However, it can also be due to a lack of effective preparation and revision for this particular test. Revision is the only way to feel prepared to take a test and an effective studying routine will increase your likelihood of achieving a high score.

In this article, we will discuss a few tips on how to effectively study for the SHSAT exam.

Revision Materials

As mentioned above, revision is important, but having the right tools is crucial. Not all revision guides available to you are as effective or accurate as others. It is essential to know that the materials that you use during your revision period come from reliable sources.

Experts from CaddellPrep.com have compiled a set of online educational support that students can access online in order to allow effective revision plans. This will provide you with a better opportunity to familiarize yourself with what the exam entails, making you feel more at ease and prepared during the real exam.

Start Your Revision Early

You may think that you have a lot of time to start studying for the exam, but it is never too early to prepare yourself. Trying to learn a whole subject in a couple of weeks is not an effective revision strategy and it will only create more stress. The sooner you start, the more organized and prepared you will be.

If you start to revise early, this will give you time to really understand the material, and if there is anything you feel you cannot learn alone,  you will have time to get additional support.

Organize Your Time

Spending time organizing what you have to learn may sound like an inefficient way to spend your time. However, this can make a significant difference to your revision overall. If you spend a couple of hours finding out what material you will need to know for the exam and organize a revision timetable will make you more efficient and productive and reduce any procrastination.

You should try to make your revision timetable as detailed as possible, and write specifically what any tasks you need to do each day, for how long, and ensure you do not forget to add regular study breaks as well. Having regular breaks is essential so that you do not feel overly stressed and burnout, which will definitely not help you succeed. 

Identify How You Learn Best

People learn in different ways. Some people prefer color-coded spider diagrams whilst others are able to learn only by reading and copying. Some individuals learn through listening to others speak whilst others prefer to be practical.

Revision is very personal and you may have to test different methods until you find the one that best works for you. You should also consider when your energy levels are higher and you are more productive and take advantage of these periods to learn as much as you can effectively. This is why it is important to start your revision early, as we discussed above.

Create Your Learning Environment 

Along the same lines as what we discussed above, you should recreate an environment where you will be productive. Everyone will have different preferences when it comes to revision. Some people prefer to study in their room alone, whereas others like to be in public places such as the library or even coffee shops.

Along the same lines, some people need absolute silence in order to fully focus on revision, whereas some people like to have background noise, such as music or even leaving the TV on.

You need to find out what is best for you and experiment until you are comfortable and feel productive. You can even change your revision venues every now and then, and this may work for you too.

Have Discipline

Revision is a difficult process, if it were easy, everyone would get the grades they want with little effort.

You have to have discipline and be strict with yourself in order to stick to revision requirements. Remove all distractions and adhere to your revision timetable as best as possible. Do not have your phone near you and do not use the internet for anything other than revision purposes.  

Taking the SHSAT is a stressful experience and in order to achieve the best results, you must ensure you adopt effective revision strategies. If you follow the tips discussed above, you are sure to be on the best path to success in your revision as well as in your exam.