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It goes without saying that doing well on the standardized college entrance exams (ACT/SAT) helps you get in the front door of most colleges. There are dozens of books to tell you how to do well on these standardized tests, so I will not attempt to do it here. Instead, here’s a quick list of the most basic things you can do to assure that you do the best you can:

 Make a decision that the test is important to you and that you will give it time and effort.

 Get familiar with the test format so that this is not a surprise to you. Know what each test will cover. You can get free sample exams from the creators of the exams by going to www.collegeboard.com for the SAT and www.act.org for the ACT.

 Consider hiring a coach or tutor to help you prepare for the tests. There are intensive test preparation courses available from companies like Princeton Review (www.review.com) and Kaplan (www.kaplan.com), but there are also lower-cost options from community colleges and maybe even your high school.

 Go to the library or bookstore and start looking at all the test prep books. They come in several different formats. A recent trend is exciting novels of all kinds that entertain you while they introduce you to all of the vocabulary words you need to know for the test. Check the stories out at www.amazon.com or use a search engine to find “vocabulary SAT novels.” The stories are so captivating that you completely forget that you are learning at the same time. SAT and ACT prep books are easy to find and will de-mystify the process for you.

 Check out websites on the Internet for test help. Just put “SAT test preparation” in the search box. Here are just a few of the many out there:www.review.comwww.kaplan.comwww.number2.comwww.act-sat-prep.comwww.4tests.comwww.petersons.com

A last bit of advice before you take one of these standardized tests: Do not attempt to cram for them; it will never work. This is not that type of test. Instead go into the test well rested, following a good breakfast. Take the entire three hours and 35 minutes to complete it. Don’t rush. If you get done early, just take the time to go back over your work. Don’t panic when you see other students turning in their tests when you are far from done. Everyone has a different test pace, and getting done faster is not an indication of how anyone did. Know that you did the best you could and despite the scores, forge ahead. Colleges are waiting for you!