HSPT is a lengthy test consisting of 298 questions. Review TestingMom’s Best Methods to assist your child with test prep success.
- Do as many practice questions as you can – the more comfortable you are with the material, the more confident you will feel!
- Study in 25 – 30-minute chunks, then take a break. Your practicing is 100% effective at first and 20% effective after 30 minutes. By taking a break, you’ll go back to 100% effective when you start again.
- There’s no penalty for guessing, so always make your best guess.
- To improve your odds of guessing right, ALWAYS eliminate answer choices that you feel are wrong before you guess.
- Watch out for “distractors” – answers that seem obvious but are incorrect.
- Read the instructions and the full question before answering. If there are charts or pictures that go with a question, look them over – they are there for a reason.
- Don’t lose focus or get distracted by those around you.
- Manage your time – don’t rush, but don’t get stuck on one question either.
- If you feel anxious, use breathing techniques and positive self-talk to calm yourself. Reframe your anxiety as a positive. Tell yourself that you’re excited to take the test; it matters to you. According to Harvard psychologist Jeremy Jamieson, “Recent research suggests that stress doesn’t hurt performance on tests and can even help performance. People who feel anxious during a test might actually do better. If you find yourself feeling anxious, simply remind yourself that your stress could help you do well.”
Kids love to play games on your laptop or tablet, so you can feel confident letting your child practice as much as he or she likes using the interactive questions we offer in Digital Tutor (all interactive learning games available on our site are included with any TestingMom.com membership).