Take time to prepare for SAT exam

For high school students preparing for college, the SAT is one of the most important tests they will take.

"All college-bound students should take the SAT because it increases your chances of getting into, and could even help you gain acceptance into colleges you previously would not have considered or qualified for," said Jim Montoya, vice president of Higher Education Assessments at the College Board, a not-for-profit association that administers the test. "It opens the door to more options and opportunities."

Students should prepare for the test as early as possible and take the preliminary SAT, known as the PSAT/NMSQT, during their sophomore or junior years, said Montoya. Students also should familiarize themselves with the test by taking practice tests. The College Board SAT Readiness Program offers free or low-cost materials to students preparing for the exam, including actual test questions from previous years. The program even offers a free SAT questions each day for practice.

The College Board SAT Readiness Program provides test-taking suggestions like answering easier questions first and not rushing to answer every question. Since wrong answers in the multiple choice sections lower your score, a better strategy is to omit questions that you don't know the answer to, said Montoya.'

While the SAT is important, students need to keep the test in perspective, which is what colleges do, Montoya notes.

"Colleges look at your overall record -- high school grades, extracurricular activities, teacher recommendations, essays and other materials you submit in the application process, so don't put too much undue pressure on yourself with the SAT."

Check registration dates at www.collegeboard.com.