Taking tests is never enjoyable. It’s even worse when the score you receive isn’t even close to the score you want. Most of us will just leave it at “I just suck at taking these kinds of tests.” But just like most things in life there is a way to get better.

Because underclassmen have received their test scores from the fall testing day, and juniors will receive theirs in December, news team offers these ideas for improving your score in the spring.

Understand the format of the tests. Going into the test you want to be as prepared as possible. It’s comforting to know what sections will be tested or how much time you have so nothing is a surprise.

Be knowledgeable about the scoring. For example, each subject on the ACT is scored on a scale from 1-36 (36 being the highest). From the individual subject scores a composite score is calculated by finding the average of all your scores. According to Dr. Frank Zhang, a SAT and ACT tutor, anything above a 24 is excellent, 17-23 is good and a score at or below 16 would put the student in the lowest quarter of test takers.

Once scores are released it is important to know where you are on the score scale. This way you will know where you are strong and where you need improvement. Getting a low score on the reading portion while receiving a phenomenal score in math will let you know that you need to work more on the reading section.

Is it possible to study too much? Even our most nerdy of friends will admit that too much studying can be harmful. Studying a lot will result in lack of concentration, increased amounts of stress, being unmotivated, struggling more than usual. The definition of “a lot” will vary from person to person, but you can be sure that once the symptoms listed above begin to surface you have reached your limit. Prairie Ridge junior Madelyn Norstrom says, “I like to make myself relax before the test by listening to my favorite music so it’s stuck in my head during the test.”

Know that it is possible to take the standardized test again. Taking the test just to get a baseline on yourself is perfectly reasonable. Junior Molly Matts says, “Knowing that I can have another try makes me more relaxed during testing. If I mess up it’s not the end of the world; I can always try again!” The only sacrifice with taking the exam more than once is the additional costs. But if this makes you comfortable and ensures a higher level of success then it could be the way to go!

Find resources. Prairie Ridge has a huge amount of resources to help students achieve the score they want. From preparation books in the library to discussing strategies with teachers, PR has them all! And as most of us already know, the internet can be a great place for help. PrepScholar is only one of the many websites dedicated to ACT and SAT. The website offers information ranging from how to get a perfect 36 to how to increase your score by only one point that just won’t budge. Resources such as these can seriously impact your score.

The most important tip, and perhaps the most irritating to some of us, is practice. You have to practice and work hard for everything, but especially for the things that are a challenge to us like standardized testing. To reiterate, there is absolutely no replacement for hard work. Practice the problems or the sections that are the hardest and most confusing. Make sure you are comfortable with timing for the exam. Ask questions to close any gaps you have in the material. All of this may seem lame now, but when your score comes back with an awesome number you’ll thank yourself!