Mind Over SAT

Taking the SAT is a high-stakes mental game as close to competing in the Olympics as many of us will ever get. There are two ways to look at this breed of high-stakes stress: It's either a challenge or a threat. The typical student views the SAT as a threat to higher education, to intelligence, or to self-worth. If any of this is sounding familiar, then Mind Over SAT: Mastering the Mental Side of the SAT is today's required reading. Do you know the differences between fear and anxiety? Are you familiar with the six common sources of anxiety for test takers or how many of them apply to you? Ret Locke illuminates all of this and more in a very accessible style and manner that is encouraging and motivational rather than devastating. The brain is the common denominator in emotional, physical, and mental performance because it facilitates communication between all three. Imagine the power of your mind working for you instead of worrying about the score or your opponent. Imagine trusting yourself to perform without preconceptions or fear of failure. Learn how to shift your mental state and turn the threat associated with a poor SAT score into an opportunity for growth and success. This is no easy task, but Locke proves to be the perfect guide through the process of understanding the psychology behind SAT stress then reversing the negative effects. There are three factors that make tests like the SAT unique: judgment, unfamiliarity, and uncertainty. Knowing that your performance is being judged magnifies stress and anxiety. The SAT is a judgment tool used to determine admissions and financial aid eligibility. According to College Board statistics, "Nearly three million students take the SAT each academic year," and Locke explains that one of the biggest mistakes that students can make is to believe that they have three million opponents. The reality is that the SAT pits you against the test maker, but ultimately you are your biggest opponent. Locke guides you directly into a mental toughness boot camp. This includes setting goals and microgoals, adjusting habits and behaviors to support those goals, and accumulating academic self-confidence. He even helps you set appropriate expectations by explaining that, "The goals you choose to pursue and how you define those goals will determine your success level." Unfamiliar situations create anxiety in humans. The SAT is a game in which familiar material is tested in an unfamiliar way. For example, the SAT tests math typically covered by a tenth grader. As a result, test makers must present material in an unfamiliar way or face numerous perfect scores. The unfamiliar structure means you are rarely completely sure of your answer choices. This uncertainty is another way the SAT experience is unique. On a traditional test your confidence grows with each correct answer. Unfortunately, the SAT, where correct answers are rarely certain, does not offer the same opportunity for a performance confidence boost. Most test takers waste precious time and mental resources comparing their performance with others or against an unspoken standard. Locke helps you develop and foster confidence independent of SAT performance, which frees your mind to become your greatest asset and opens the door to the admission acceptance or scholarship award of your dreams!
About the Author: Ret Locke is an attorney, freelancer, and e-book author. He began his career in law enforcement working as a deputy sheriff, while attending college. His passion for research and education drew him to the study of psychology as an undergrad, specifically human performance. Ret's current book, Mind over SAT: Mastering the Mental Side of the SAT resulted from personal high-stakes testing experiences with the mental aspects of testing performance. After graduating from law school he fell victim to the psychological pitfalls of the bar exam. In searching for a solution he found a scarcity of material addressing the mental facets of standardized test performance. As a result, he developed his own strategy to turn his mind into his greatest performance asset. He discovered that the techniques he applied to the bar exam were applicable to all high stakes standardized tests. Mind over SAT can turn you mind into a performance asset. Ret currently lives in Sarasota, Florida, with his family.