"Why do there have to be so many tests?" This is a question asked quite often by the student who suffers from ADHD.  School was a very structured system, and ADHD was recognized by teachers as a learning disability. In order to enter college, all students, and this includes students with ADHD, must pass an important academic assessment tool called the SAT or the ACT.  These tests demonstrate the understanding of material, the ability of the student to accomplish a task, and how well the student absorbs and interprets information. The key? Knowing the material.  But even that may not be enough to pass the exam. There must be preparation also. Preparation gets the brain ready and creates an atmosphere of calmness and confidence. When a student has reached the level of confidence and calmness that he is knowledgably prepared for a test, then he is ready to take the SAT/ACT test in order to enroll in college.  The ADHD student can recieve extended time on the SAT or ACTtest with proper paperwork in order!  Call 214-282-6268 as us how!  More on this topic later

Follow up:

The student with ADHD recognizes that his mind will wander. He knows that his mind may space out causing him to lose focus. How should he prepare himself for these divergent actions?  There are coping skills to learn and to focus on before and during the test. These skills need to be practiced before the test and well understood and operational before taking the test.

Here are a few general tips:
1.    Relax your mind. In your mind, see yourself sitting down to take the test, answering the questions, and receiving a passing score.

2.    Both of these tests are quite long so in all probability you will have plenty of time, but, if it helps, figure the average you will have to answer to each questions.  You want feel so rushed when you see the amount of time available.

3.    Wear a watch. It helps to keep track of time. Just don't let the watch make you lose focus

Now look at these tips. They are tips that will help you maximize your efforts.

1.    Talk over the answer in your mind. You have plenty of time so don't rush. Talk things through. Check your thought process and find the mistakes. By verbalizing you ensure that your brain hasn't skipped over important information.

2.    Work slowly and carefully. Questions in each section will get progressively harder. Remember the hard ones at the end are worth the same number of points as the easy and intermediate ones. Those easy questions count just as much as the hard ones. Think them through and get them correct.

3.    Take notes, do calculations, create outline, write notes, whatever you need to do in order to accomplish your goal in answering questions on the test booklet itself. No one cares.

4.    Ask yourself questions in order to narrow the choices. Here are some sample questions you might use: "What info are they asking me for?" "What type of word is missing from the sentence -thing, action, or description?" "Am I being asked to agree or disagree?"

5.    Reread math questions. SAT math question are harder to understand, but easier to solve than high school math.

6.    If you think you have a wrong answer choice, don't skip. Draw a line through just the letter - not heave so you can erase it later if you need. Review it later. Then decide on the correct answer.

7.    Take a break. If you start to skip problems or cut corners, you're getting off focus. Sit still. Relax. Begin again. There's plenty of time.