7 Things to Do the Night Before The SAT

It's the night before the SAT. You're nervous. You're fidgety. You realize that the test you'll be taking tomorrow could help you get into the school of your dreams. So, such a monumental occasion requires celebration, right? Wrong! There are definitely some things you should be doing tonight – the night before the SAT – but going out for a night on the town is not one of them. Check out the things you need to do the night before the big test, so you're ready to go on test day.

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Pack Your SAT Stuff

Boy packing a backpack — Steve Debenport / Getty Images

The day of the SAT is not the time to be scrambling to find a good pencil, locate your SAT-approved ID, or print your admission ticket. NO. This is a huge time waster. Rather, plan to spend some time the night before packing up a bag filled with everything you need to take with you to the testing center. If you pack up the day of the test, you could miss something if you're in a hurry, and like it or not, you absolutely cannot test if you're missing one of the crucial items you need on test day.

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Check for Test Center Closings

It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. Test centers can close unexpectedly for reasons unknown to you. That will not excuse you from missing out on your SAT exam, and you will not be offered a refund of your SAT fee if you miss it. So, the night before the SAT, make sure you check the College Board website for test center closings so you can print a new admissions ticket and get directions to the alternate testing location if yours happens to have closed.

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Get Directions To The Test Center

Many of you will be taking your SAT exam right at your high school, but there are a number of you who will not! It's in your best interest to either print directions to the testing center or put the address into your phone or GPS device the night before so you're not frazzled or lost on test day. Plus, if your testing center has closed for some reason, you'll need to figure out how to get to your new test center STAT.

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Set Your Alarm

You will need to arrive at the test center no later than 7:45 AM unless your admission ticket tells you otherwise. The doors will close promptly at 8:00 AM, so if you come strolling in at 8:30 because you overslept, then you will not be able to get in! The test starts between 8:30 and 9:00, and once the SAT has begun, no latecomers will be admitted. So, set your alarm and don't even think about hitting the snooze!

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Set Out Your Clothes

It might seem silly to plan your clothes the night before the test, but it's not at all. If you have been planning to take the test in your favorite, most comfortable, worn-in jeans, and realize that they're in the washing machine, then you may have to settle for something less than comfortable when you take the SAT. It's important to be comfortable on test day. No, you don't want to show up in your pajamas, but you also don't want to be worried about how cold it is in the test center or how uncomfortable your pants are because they're too tight! Lay out your clothes the night before so you're not scrambling in the morning.

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Stay Home

The night before the SAT is not the time to stay the night with your friend so you can ride together in the morning. Chances are good you're going to stay up too late watching movies or hanging out instead of getting your much-needed rest. Sleep in your own bed the night before so you can get the best night of sleep possible. Sleep can impact your SAT score in a major way!

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Stay Away From Unhealthy Food

Yes, it's exciting that you've almost made it to the test, but it's in your best interest to forego the greasy or sugary foods until after you're finished with the SAT. If you go out and celebrate with a huge, greasy meal or nosh on a big bowl of ice cream because you're nervous, you could be in for an upset stomach on test day. You're already going to be nervous. There's no need to add to the digestive drama by overindulging the night before. Try some brain food, instead!

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Roell, Kelly. "7 Things to Do the Night Before The SAT." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/things-to-do-the-night-before-the-sat-3211808. Roell, Kelly. (2023, April 5). 7 Things to Do the Night Before The SAT. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/things-to-do-the-night-before-the-sat-3211808 Roell, Kelly. "7 Things to Do the Night Before The SAT." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/things-to-do-the-night-before-the-sat-3211808 (accessed April 18, 2024).