{"id":2788,"date":"2014-10-29T09:00:49","date_gmt":"2014-10-29T09:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/sat\/?p=2788"},"modified":"2015-04-14T20:38:49","modified_gmt":"2015-04-14T20:38:49","slug":"the-5-worst-things-that-can-happen-during-your-sat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magoosh.com\/sat\/the-5-worst-things-that-can-happen-during-your-sat\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Worst Things that Can Happen During Your SAT"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey, who doesn\u2019t enjoy revelling in a little bit of horror every now and then? Disasters, or even just near <\/em>disasters are mesmerizing\u2026<\/p>\n

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Right?<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s a relatively productive<\/em> way (*shudder*) to run through all your worst nightmares…well, your worst nightmares for your SAT, as least. We\u2019re not going to delve into the dreams this gives you<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(By the way, I say \u201cproductive\u201d because the goal here is to realize that you want to avoid the things below, when possible. If you can avoid it, and you don\u2019t, then don\u2019t come crying to me about it.)
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1. Being Late<\/h2>\n

When I took my first SAT, I got a speeding ticket on the way there. I guess you could say I was lucky for A) having a driver\u2019s license and B) being allowed to borrow my mom\u2019s minivan, and I would have to say yes, I was (even though a minivan isn\u2019t exactly the sexiest thing to drive)\u2014but I was also dumb. The speeding ticket wasn\u2019t from bad luck; it was from carelessness. I left home too late, and I realized just as I was leaving that I might not make it in time. And if you show up late? Tough luck: you\u2019re not allowed in to take the test.<\/p>\n

They make it pretty hard to show up that late, though. Usually, testing will start a solid 15-30 minutes after the time you\u2019re told it will. But don\u2019t play with fire. Show up a bit early so you can chat with friends and relax.
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2. Being Accused of Cheating<\/h2>\n

There is almost nothing worse that can happen. If the person overseeing your test thinks you\u2019re cheating, you\u2019re out of the building\u2014that\u2019s that. Your test is cancelled, your time is wasted, and if they actually have proof that you were trying to break their confidentiality agreement, you could even be going to court.<\/p>\n

Keep your eyes on your test, don\u2019t reach into your bag during a section, don\u2019t pull a piece of paper out of your pocket, and, simply put, don\u2019t do anything that seems suspicious.
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3. Getting Sick<\/h2>\n

Pop quiz!<\/p>\n

Q: <\/strong>What\u2019s worse than pop quizzes?<\/p>\n

A: <\/strong>4-hour tests.
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Q: <\/strong>What\u2019s worse than a 4-hour test?<\/p>\n

A<\/strong>: Throwing up on your test 3 hours into it.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s not much to learn here other than to try to stay well-rested, well-fed, and in good spirits in the week before your SAT. If you get sick when worn down, you get much sicker than you do when in top shape.
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4. Your Phone Ringing<\/h2>\n

You know how I said there was \u201calmost nothing worse\u201d than getting accused of cheating? Well, this one can be potentially worse. Technically, no phones are allowed in the room during the SAT. In practice, this usually just means it has to be in your bag, turned off, under the desk.<\/p>\n

But if your phone does <\/strong>go off, and if they suspect anything fishy, you not only get kicked out and have your scores cancelled, but also get your phone confiscated so they can search it for damning evidence. Nine times out of ten, a proctor wouldn\u2019t go that far, but there\u2019s no point in taking the chance.
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5. Bubbling Answers Wrong<\/h2>\n

One minute left! You\u2019re working on the last question in the section. It\u2019s hard, but you\u2019re about to take your best guess, and as you bubble it, you realize you\u2019ve made a huge mistake. It should be question 20, and you\u2019re about to bubble number 19. There\u2019s one missing because you skipped question 5 and didn\u2019t fill in a guess.<\/p>\n

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…aaaand time\u2019s up. Too late.<\/p>\n

This is the saddest<\/em> way for a test to go wrong. You put in all the time, all the effort, and you answer questions correctly, but you get no credit for it.<\/p>\n

The easiest way to avoid it? Bubble in an answer to every question, even if you\u2019re not certain. You get punished for wrong answers, but it evens out with those occasional lucky guesses.
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Runners Up<\/h2>\n

Just in case all the above didn\u2019t quite do it for you, there are plenty of other things that can cause little problems on test day. These are mostly pretty easy to solve, though:<\/p>\n