Trust yourself. Your first instinct is usually the correct answer. If you put in the work, you will see the results, even if they might not be as high as you were hoping or beat your classmate’s scores. There are one hundred fifty-four multiple-choice questions on the SAT, and each simplifies the world into a binary of right and wrong with no room for interpretation. The math and grammar sections are inherently straightforward, prioritize concision, and always try to plug the answers in. However, the reading section cannot be treated as an interpretation, as is most people’s inclination, because if that were the case, it would appear as though there were multiple correct answers instead of just one. A standardized test should not be treated as a test of knowledge; instead, it should be treated as an assessment of your test-taking abilities. Those who spent the most time practicing and completing the most practice tests are bound to perform the best. Sometimes, it feels inherently unfair that those who can afford the pricey tutors, camps, and prep books are guaranteed those highly sought-after scores.

However, at the same time, standardized testing acts as a great leveler across all high school students. This is an opportunity to show that some other part of a college application is inaccurate or just to boost your preexisting qualities. For me, I have always seen standardized testing as a necessary evil that allows people to be quantified. In my case, because of my unique academic upbringing, which spans ten different schools worldwide since kindergarten, my grades have not always reflected my ability. Every time I transferred to a new school, I had to face gaps in my knowledge due to differing curriculums and external issues as I adapted to a new environment on a nearly constant basis. Standardized testing allows for one final proof that my grades are more of an unintended product of my experiences rather than a reflection of my college readiness. In the end, you must always try your best on a standardized exam, but you should not take your score as representative of you as a person or your ability to learn. Once you realize that your worth is not linked to any standardized test score, you will finally be able to relax and put forward your best attempt in a show of your ability to focus and use test-taking skills.