SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) While every college admissions department evaluates applicants a bit differently, standardized test scores are a big piece of the equation at most schools. This means you’ll want to be as prepared as possible for your upcoming SAT. Here’s how to get ready for this crucial exam:

Get equipped: A user-friendly calculator can save you precious time when every second counts, so gear up with a calculator like the fx-9750GIII from Casio. Its Natural Textbook Display and intuitive icon menu make it easy to use. The perfect companion for both the classroom and test day, it features graph plotting, probability distribution, vector arithmetic and spreadsheets, and has programming capabilities. It is also approved for the SAT, PSAT, ACT and AP tests, and includes an exam mode setting to lock specific functionality for testing purposes.

Practice: Familiarizing yourself with the types of test questions you’ll encounter on the SAT is essential. When it comes to the Math section of the exam, you can lean on free online resources, like the sample exams found on casioeducation.com, to get prepared. The added bonus is that working through these sample questions will help you get comfortable with the calculator you’ll be using on test day. SAT prep courses are also a great option. Once out of reach for many families, today, a number of educational organizations offer them for free, leveling the playing field for all students. Be sure to leverage this resource to maximize your test readiness.

Read, a lot: From novels to biographies to the newspaper, read everything you can get your hands on. It’s one of the best ways to build your vocabulary and hone your reading comprehension. Building these skills can improve your chances of acing the Reading and Writing section of the SAT. Though there are many SAT vocabulary word lists out there, encountering these words in real contexts can be a more effective way to absorb definitions and usages than trying to memorize them.

The SAT can cause a lot of stress and anxiety, but it doesn’t have to. With the right tools and preparation strategies, you can walk into the SAT with confidence and achieve your best score possible.

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