15 Last-Minute Tips for the June SAT

By Laura Whitmore

If you’re feeling the urge to cram for the June SAT, you’re not alone! With the test just days away, it’s natural to want to make the most of every remaining minute. The good news? You still have time to tighten up your approach and walk in feeling more prepared and less stressed.

I want to share 15 practical, last-minute tips that can help you feel more confident, reduce anxiety, and perform at your best on test day! They’re grouped into three categories: general tips to reduce test-day anxiety, focused strategies for the English section, and smart reminders for the math section.

Don’t feel like reading? Watch my  YouTube video  instead!

💡 5 Tips to Reduce Anxiety Before Test Day

1. Take a full-length practice test 📝

Confidence comes from preparation. You don’t want to go into the real SAT without having taken a full-length digital practice test. Use it to identify what still needs work—and then fix those weak spots. Aim to end your prep with a strong, confidence-boosting performance so you go into test day feeling in control.

2. Set your clothes out before test day 👕

This may seem small, but anything that saves time and cuts stress matters. Dress in layers so you're comfortable no matter the testing room temperature.

3. Charge your device fully the night before 💻

You do not want to be scrambling for an outlet at the test center. Plug it in overnight, and if you're using a school-issued device, make sure all updates are done beforehand.

4. Get good sleep leading up to the test 😴

Start going to bed earlier a few days before the test—not just the night before. Avoid cramming late into the evening. Rested brains perform better.

5. Have a backup plan ⭐️

Remind yourself that this isn’t your only chance. The SAT is offered again in August, September, October, and so on. Most colleges only require your best math and best English score. You don’t need to send every score, so take the pressure off.

💡 5 Last-Minute Tips for the English Section          

1. Start at question 27 and work backward ⬆️

English modules get harder as they go. By starting near the end, you’ll knock out the shorter, easier grammar questions first—giving your brain a warm-up before the tougher reading questions. Just remember to skip questions 15–12 and save those for last. They're more time-consuming and have lower student accuracy rates.

2. Look for three wrong answers instead of one right one 🙅🙅🙅

On reading questions, don't just look for what seems right—eliminate what’s definitely wrong. The College Board is great at writing tricky, tempting answers. Focus on finding small words or phrases that make choices incorrect.

3. Skip the notes on rhetorical synthesis questions unless you need them ⏭️

If you're down to two answer choices that both seem to match the student’s request, then check the bullet points. But most of the time, you can answer without them. They’re mainly there to slow you down.

4. Only read the last sentence for certain reading questions 🔍

For main idea, structure, and claim-based questions (typically in the early part of the module), the final sentence often gives you everything you need. If it uses a vague pronoun or unfamiliar term, you may need to glance at the sentence before—but this approach can save you valuable time.

5. Spend no more than 30 seconds on vocab questions ⏳

These are usually the first few questions in the module. Don’t waste several minutes debating word choices. If you're unsure, guess and move on. Fun fact: often, the right answer is the word you don’t recognize.

💡 5 Last-Minute Tips for the Math Section          

1. Write out your work ✍️

Use the scrap paper provided and fold it into sections to stay organized. Showing your steps not only helps avoid mistakes but also makes it easier to review your work if you have extra time at the end.

2. Bring a calculator for quick computations 🔢

Even though Desmos is available during the test, it can be helpful to have a TI-84 or similar calculator for quick math. Some students just feel more comfortable having both.

3. Use Desmos when a problem has a constant 😎

Desmos allows you to use sliders for constants, helping you visualize and test different values. It’s a great tool that can speed things up and improve accuracy.

4. Use answer choices to your advantage 🤓

If you’re stuck and can’t figure out how to set up a problem, try plugging in the answer choices. Sometimes working backward is more efficient than trying to solve from scratch.

5. Leave time to redo every question 🔥

This is how I personally earned two perfect scores on the digital SAT. Don’t just recheck flagged questions—go all the way back to the start and redo every problem. Most careless errors happen on questions you thought were easy. Catching those can make a huge difference.

A Smart Way to Prep ✅

If you’re still squeezing in practice this week and want a quick, focused way to review, check out  Preptly,  our mobile SAT prep app! It includes over 1,000 questions that mimic the real test and lets you target specific areas you're struggling with. Whether you have 10 minutes or 30, it’s a simple way to stay sharp right up until test day.

And if the June SAT doesn’t go the way you hoped, that’s okay! Summer is a great time to regroup and prep for the August or September tests. Our team at Strategic Test Prep has availability for  one-on-one tutoring  throughout the summer, and we’re here to help.

Good luck this weekend, and don’t forget: progress, not perfection. You’ve got this!