SCAT or School and College Ability Test is a standardized exam that lets students explore the academic world outside their school. This test opens the door to gifted programs offered by Johns Hopkins University that challenge brilliant minds in innovative ways.
SCAT is a unique exam because it doesn’t limit students to their level. Instead it challenges them to outperform themselves. That is why it is structured in a way that students take an exam that is designed for one level above them.
It might sound terrifying to even appear for an exam that is designed for your seniors. And it does require a lot of hard work. But the incentives are such that all the hard work will feel worth it. But simply working hard is not the right way to deal with SCAT. It is a highly competitive exam.
So, a good balance of hard and smart work is one of the best ways to crack it. Strategic planning will help you polish your current academic position and then you will have to build on that. The SCAT exam is categorically divided into two sections – mathematics and verbal reasoning.
Academically gifted children are selected based on their scores. So, do you think you are academically talented? Do you think you have it in you? With a little bit of smart preparation, everything is possible. Thus, this article aims to give you a few tips on how to prepare for the SCAT exam.
Expert guidance: This exam is not ordinary. Appearing for an exam that is above your level is not a joke. It needs a lot of dedication and, if possible, a lot of supervision too. Your grade in school has not yet prepared you for the upcoming grades, right? They are moving at their pace.
Then how will you get the guidance for SCAT? That is why if you are starting SCAT test prep, you must always have expert guidance. This way, you will not end up wasting a lot of your time on trial and error methods.
Solving worksheets: When it comes to fundamental concepts like mathematics and verbal reasoning, practice is the only answer. SCAT needs consistent practice over time that will gradually improve your skills to solve the most difficult questions.
The only way to practice is to solve worksheets. This way, you can also time yourself. SCAT, like any other important exam, is strictly timed. So it is not only about how many questions you get right, but how quickly you can do them.
Polishing your foundation: You cannot improve your skills to solve above-grade problems if your concepts of the current grade are not strong. That is why before you start preparing for more complex problems, make sure that what you know up to your grade is strong.
A weak base can never give the right results. That is why make sure that your foundation is strong enough to handle more complex concepts.
Speak to other fellows: Thanks to the internet, it is really easy to find people who’ve been to the same place as you. Knowing what they went through, what worked for them and didn’t, etc., might help you a lot. That is why you should speak to people who’ve already appeared for the exam.
Their insight will help you prevent the mistakes they thought they’d made. Speaking to them will also help you get a good sneak peek into the internal workings of the examination system.
Study strategically: This exam is for gifted people, and you are attempting it because either you consider yourself gifted or you want to test yourself. To achieve the best result, you must study strategically. Hit a balance between smart and hard work. Don’t leave everything up to the last moment.
Take out time from your daily schedule to prep for this exam. Every day, a little bit of prep won’t make you feel like there’s a lot to do.