5 Things to Do the Week Before the ACT/SAT ✋
It’s the week before your test! You’ve already done all the hard work of learning the math, doing practice problems, and relearning all English grammar 👏
This last week is NOT ABOUT CRAMMING. In fact, in professional sports, you usually take the week before the big race or game to “taper,” giving your body time to integrate all the work. You’ve already built your foundation; now is the time to let it solidify.
Here are the 5 things you should do the week before the ACT/SAT:
#1 — SLEEP
Sleep should be your #1 priority (always… but especially this week!)
REM sleep is where your body regulates its emotions and integrates skills, learning, and experiences. Getting lots of REM will ensure your body can handle the anxieties that come up and can access all the learning and memories in your brain.
But good REM only comes after you’ve gone through deep sleep: this is where your body physically repairs. You will have a better physical foundation for your test week if your body is physically repaired from deep sleep and mentally restored from REM.
Steps:
⏰ Identify what time you need to wake up on test day
📉 Start shifting your wake time to approach that time (shifting by ~15-30 minutes a day is typically doable)
➕ Calculate 9-10 hours of IN BED time to find your IN BED cutoff time
For example, If you need to wake up at 6am for your test day, you MUST be in bed, relaxing (no screens!) by 9pm. Teenagers need more sleep than the average adult: the typical 6-8 hours of sleep does not cut it for you! Lean closer to 9 hours (Learn More from expert Dr. Gina Poe on the Huberman Lab Podcast)
Also, just because you’re in bed for 9 hours, does not mean you are getting 9 hours of sleep… Your body periodically wakes throughout the night without you realizing. This can often account for up to an hour of lost sleep time, so factor some buffer time in! And of course it takes time to fall asleep.
➖ Calculate your wind down time (one hour before your IN BED cut off)
During this time, find a place where you can dim/limit the lights and put all screens away.
This is a good time to:
🛀 take a warm bath
📖 read a fun book
🧩 do a tactile activity (puzzle, drawing, etc.)
🎧 listen to calm music
You want to tell your brain and body that the day is slowing down. You’ll be sleepy in no time!
#2 — REVIEW
The week before the exam, lightly browse through your test prep books/notes with a highlighter 📚
Look for:
Formulas
Bolded text
Things you underlined
Questions you had gotten wrong
Notes your wrote
Things you put stars next to
As you’re browsing, make one big study sheet or some flashcards.
Whatever you do, keep it simple and easy. We are not cramming, we are just reminding ourselves of all we’ve learned and letting our brains integrate.
#3 — Perfect your Breakfast
The week before the test, nail down the perfect breakfast for you. It’s important to start the day with protein, NOT tons of sugar. Processed sugar will lead to energy spikes which you don’t want on test day (or any day!).
I am vegan so I do a protein shake in the morning (I love Venus Williams’ shake Happy Viking!) with a bunch of berries, nuts, and seeds with almond milk 🥛🍓
Other non-sugary breakfast options are:
🍳 tofu scramble and/or eggs with avocado toast 🥑
🫐 chia pudding and fruit with nut butter 🌰
🥚 hard-boiled eggs (easy to make ahead of time!)
🥜 Unsweetened yogurt and peanut butter can be added to any good breakfast!
#4 — PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
I noticed my anxiety spikes when I am not exercising. I am so jittery and in my head if I have excess energy in my system.
I also sleep WAY better when I am active that day. Your body can’t wind down if it has pent up energy! The week before a test, that pent up energy could definitely lead to higher anxiety 😅
Plan some fun active time this week with your friends and family!
Some ideas:
Go for a run with a friend after school 🏃
Play [insert favorite sport] with your family 🏀
Hit your school’s gym before school 🏋️
Dance or HIIT Workouts like STEEZY on YouTube or the app Nike Training Club 💃
Keep your body moving and flowing and the big test will seem smaller and smaller.
#5 — Gather Materials
The week before your test, gather all information and materials for test day EARLY.
DO NOT wait until Friday night…
Mentally walk through every facet of test day: getting in the car, the drive, starting the test, each test section, the breaks, handing the test in, going back to the car, celebration activity post test…
Make sure you have:
Test ticket from ACT/SAT (I would print it out) 📄
Photo ID 🪪
SAT ONLY: fully charged testing device & charging cable 💻
4-5 sharpened number two pencils with good erasers ✏️✏️✏️✏️
Water & snacks 🚰
Good luck charm/stress ball/good vibes thing if you have one (to keep in your pocket/bag)
Finally:
Remember to plan something fun to do after you are DONE with your test! I always liked going out for ice cream or to my favorite cafe for lunch🍦
