Dear Families,
Kweller Prep will offer parents and students a free Zoom webinar to learn stress-reducing techniques and final exam tips before the November 2023 SHSAT.
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Olga is a longtime Platinum Tutor at Kweller Prep. She is a 4th-year medical student at SUNY Downstate and a graduate of Staten Island Technical Specialized High School.
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Kweller Commentary: Students, please do not skip these webinars! We are going out of our way to schedule them leading to the test! Thank you!
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Kweller Commentary: We could ALL use some stress-reduction techniques! I'm excited about learning some professional tips on how to relax! Count me in on this Zoom! Boss Lady will be listening in! Ommmmm...
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Read Kweller Prep's 15 Stress Management Tips Below. This is one of our *favorite* emails. |
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Dear Families:
We want to take this opportunity to address stress management before the upcoming SHSAT. Below are fifteen fabulous tips:
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Stress Management Tip #1: |
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Students should refrain from studying anything new the day before the test. Students can lightly review old Kweller Prep SHSAT materials or actual, released SHSAT exams from the handbook or practice questions throughout the day, but only briefly. Students should avoid spending ten hours studying SHSAT questions the day before the test! By studying intensely the day before, they will likely burn themselves out from stress and not give their minds a much-needed break. Their brain muscles need a break too!
Students should skim, not study, old SHSAT material. Research shows that learning brand-new content the day before the exam hurts students because it crowds their short-term memory with last-minute information. Cramming the night before can interfere with students' long-term memory retrieval and bias their decision-making skills.
Students have learned everything they possibly can at this point. They should review what they already know. Parents should remind their children that they did everything possible to prepare for this test. By now, students completed several practice exams and sacrificed weekends and evenings to study. They can look for hours before the test.
Words have power! Remind your children to engage in positive self-talk. Keep the energy high and happy at home! Remind your children that they are superheroes just for trying to take such a hard test. Remind them to refrain from cramming late-night the night before their big test day. Remind your child to do things to relax in the days leading to the SHSAT exam. This advice applies to parents and students!
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Do Not Study New Content the Night Before the Exam. |
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Stress Management Tip # 2 |
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Print a hard copy of your admission ticket |
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Be prepared for test day: If you are taking the SHSAT at your local public school on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, you just have to show up to school and take the paper version of the exam. You do not need to print a ticket.
However, if you are a non-public school student taking the SHSAT on the weekend, you should print a hard copy of your admission information. Check that everything is correct and print!
Also, ensure you have at least five sharpened pencils, a high-polymer or high-quality eraser, your student ID, favorite snacks, and a small water bottle. Refrain from overeating or over-drinking before the test! You need your stomach to be calm and settled, not rumbling,
Some students do not have a school ID or any ID at all. In that case, just bring your admission ticket. You can log into the MySchools dashboard to print your admission ticket. These tickets will be ready on the MySchools website about a week before the test date.
For weekend testers, do not wait until the last minute to print a copy of your SHSAT Admission ticket. The MySchools Website may crash. There are tens of thousands of students taking the SHSAT. Don't rely on the website working well the night before to print your ticket.
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Stress Management Tip # 3 |
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Pack Extra: Masks are not required, but it is a good idea to pack one just in case. Pack an extra hand sanitizer, too. You can never be safe enough! Pack extra sharpened pencils, an eraser, and a snack. Anything you don't use, you can take back home or discard anyway. |
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Stress Management Tip # 4 |
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Listen to relaxing music during the week's evening leading to the test. Your mind and body must rest the days leading to the test, not just the night before.
Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic. Listening to fast-paced music stimulates and boosts your energy levels before a test. However, listening to a slower tempo can quiet your mind. Relaxing your "brain muscles" and calming your nerves before a big test is essential. Soft music can be very effective for relaxation and stress management.
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Stress Management Tip # 5 |
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Trouble sleeping? Put your cell phones on "do not disturb mode" and practice mindful meditation 1/2 hour before bedtime...zzzzzzz
Mindfulness is a type of relaxation technique in which you focus on being aware of what you're sensing and feeling "in" the moment. This is a great time to express gratitude for what you have accomplished so far. Practicing mindfulness involves slow breathing methods, guided scenic imagery, and other practices to relax your mind and body. Mindfulness will help reduce stress. Spending too much time planning, problem-solving, daydreaming, or thinking negative or random thoughts can be draining. It can also make you more likely to experience stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Practicing mindfulness exercises can help you direct your attention away from negative thinking and engage with the world around you.
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Stress Management Tip # 6 |
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Some students will take the SHSAT at their middle schools. Others will take it at DOE central test locations. Stress Management Tip # 6 is to arrive at the test center early, allowing yourself plenty of time to enter calmly. Once inside, identify the locations of the nearest bathrooms and exits.
You may wait in line for a while before you enter, so be sure to take food, money, and even a Kweller packet to skim lightly (and throw out any trash before you enter the exam room). Do not study anything brand new on exam day or the night before the test!
If you are testing at a DOE weekend location and at a testing site, you will likely wait in a very long line to enter the school building. When you're on that long line, choose whom you will stand with wisely. The people next to you will likely wind up in your testing room. Btw, notice there is a diner just a block away from the LIC test site in Queens. Yum! You might want to get to the location, settle in, and then get food once you arrive. Don't eat 2-3 hours before the test. Eat about an hour before so you won't be hungry while testing.
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The SHSAT is administered in person during the school day for NYC public school students on Wednesday, November 8, 2023.
The SHSAT is also administered at Department of Education ("DOE") Test Sites on the following Saturday and Sunday, 2023. Students in private, charter, Catholic, Jewish, homeschooled, and parochial schools take the SHSAT at a DOE test site.
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Tuesday, October 3, 2023: High School Application & Specialized High Schools Admissions Test (SHSAT)
Registration Opens
Friday, October 27, 2023:
SHSAT Registration Closes
Wednesday, November 8, 2023:
SHSAT School Day Testing
Saturday, November 18, 2023:
SHSAT Weekend Testing (Day 1)
Sunday, November 19, 2023:
SHSAT Weekend Testing (Day 2)
Friday, December 1, 2023:
High School Application Closes
Sunday, December 3, 2023:
SHSAT Weekend Testing (Day 3)
Saturday, December 9, 2023:
SHSAT Weekend Testing (Day 4)
Thursday, March 7, 2024:
High School Offer Release
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Sign up for the SHSAT on MYSCHOOLS Early! |
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Manhattan -- Stuyvesant High School
345 Chambers St, New York, NY 10282
Bronx -- The Bronx High School of Science
75 West 205th St, Bronx, NY 10468
Brooklyn, Districts 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 32
Brooklyn Tech HS
29 Fort Greene Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Brooklyn, Districts 17, 18, 21, 22, 23
James Madison HS
3787 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11229
Queens, Districts 26, 27, 28, 29
Hillcrest High School
160-05 Highland Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432
Queens, Districts 24, 25, 30
Long Island City High School
14-30 Broadway, Long Island City, NY 11106
Staten Island -- Staten Island Technical High School
485 Clawson St, Staten Island, NY 10306
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Eat breakfast before the exam and snack before you enter the exam room. Make sure to eat even if you usually skip breakfast or avoid eating when you are nervous. Your brain needs the energy from food to work efficiently. You need to keep your mental focus on your exam and not on your hunger. If you cannot stomach food, try having a protein shake or smoothie. Also, eat brain-boosting protein-rich foods, which can lead to greater mental alertness. Healthy food choices on exam day include eggs, nuts, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Furthermore, good breakfast combinations might include whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, eggs, toast with jam, porridge, and oatmeal. Other brain foods are fish, walnuts, blueberries, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, dried fruits, and figs. |
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Stress Management Tip # 8 |
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Pack a lucky charm: A lucky penny, rabbit's foot, red string, bracelet, a gift from mom, favorite pencil, favorite Kweller pen, or anything small you feel will bring you good luck. A little charm bracelet can go a long way and remind you that you have good luck by your side.
I still have fond memories of how my mom would pack 2 pennies, a hand-made charm bracelet, and a piece of dark chocolate in a clear zip-lock bag for me for good luck before I sat for my Regents, AP's, SAT's, the LSAT, and ultimately NYS Bar Exam. It worked! I'm a lawyer and business owner today, and she provided many lucky charms- I took many tests!
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Stress Management Tip # 9 |
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Write an encouraging letter: Parents, now is a great time to write your kids a letter- yes, a letter! Remind them how far they have come and how proud you are of them. Remind them that this is just a test, and no matter the outcome, you love them, and they are stars in your eyes. Let them read the letter the night before the test. |
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Stress Management Tip # 9 (continued)
Students: write yourself a letter, a simple journal entry about your emotions before the test. You're embracing a significant milestone, and in only a few days, this entire test experience will be over. Remind yourself in writing what a good student you are, how hard you work, and how hard you try.
Positive self-talk yields positive energy and positive results. Put your thoughts in writing and manifest positive energy!
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Stress Management Tip # 10 |
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For those testing on the weekend, plan exactly where you will meet your friends or parents after the exam ends- before the exam starts. Choose an exact location (grocery store, specific building) 1-2 blocks away from the test center to reconnect after the exam quickly. Remember, you cannot bring your cell phone into the exam room for test security purposes. If you do, you must keep it off and out of sight.
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Stress Management Tip # 11 |
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Take the day off:
For students taking the SHSAT on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, Consider just resting and relaxing the day before the test (on November 7).
Parents, consider letting your child stay home from school the day before the test to relax, sleep in, and do some light studying. You can also choose to pick your child up early from school, around noon, to get a few extra hours of downtime.
If the weather is nice, play tennis, go for a run, walk your dog (if you have one), stroll around the block, and enjoy your surroundings.
Use the crisp, fresh air to clear your head before the "big day." Students should lightly review their SHSAT notes and materials throughout the day. Students should not take any high-stress timed tests 24-hours before the actual exam.
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Stress Management Tip # 11 |
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Take a relaxing walk the day before the test. |
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Stress Management Tip # 12 |
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Give yourself the gift of time management.
Bring a watch AND set it to 12:00.This way, you can pace yourself to test the entirety of the 180 minutes. Once the Proctor says, "You may begin," hit the timer on the watch. Test from "12:00 to 3:00 pm" according to your watch, regardless of what the real-time is.
This way, you create your 3-hour silent timer. Also, consider not wearing the watch but instead placing it on your desk so you can glance at it more easily.
If you have extended time, ensure your IEP and 504 test accommodations are fully in place. These accommodations will be clearly marked on your admission ticket and visible in my schools. Remind the proctor you have an IEP or extended time test accommodation before the test starts. Confirm everything. You will reduce your stress by conforming and reconfirming your exam details.
Make sure you bubble your answers after EACH and every question. Do not wait or try to "save" time bubbling your answers at the end of the test. You will likely run out of time and frustrate yourself. It is a very bad idea to wait until the end of the test to rush to bubble. Do not do this!
Kweller's last big piece of time management advice is to START the SHSAT with the math section first. You will move faster on math questions. Math is generally more interesting and mentally stimulating. You can ace the math section much more easily that the lengthy and often boring reading passages. Every question is worth the same amount of points. Since they are all equal in value, you are better off tackling the math section first. Move fast! Those math questions will wake up your brain.
Conversely, you should be prepared for extremely lengthy, monotonous 2-page long, tiny font reading passages. They are super-long and super boring! Remind yourself that you are reading for points, not for entertainment; set realistic expectations. Manage your time so that you try to ace all the math questions and then get to as many reading questions as you can. This exam is about quantity; the more questions you answer correctly, the better. Keep your eye on the prize.
DO NOT fall into the trap of reading every single word in a lengthy reading passage. We are not at the beach here and you are not reading for leisure! Read while holding a a fully sharpened pencil and annotate as you read. Circle, highlight, and star key points. Read like a warrior! Once you identify the main idea, jump straight into the questions, eliminate extreme answer choices, and select the best possible answers. The more questions you answer, the better. There is no guessing penalty, so guess on whatever you don't know.
Many students like to guess "C," but I recommend you mix it up. Choose a letter answer choice you have not picked in a while; mixing answer choices up is better for the algorithm. No matter what answers you choose, answer every single question. Don't leave anything blank. You need every point you can get. We will elaborate on more tips like this during the webinar.
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Get a basic wrist watch and set it to noon |
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Stress Management Tip # 13 |
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No matter what, use the bathroom right before you start the test. Even if you don't have to go badly, GO! Empty your bladder. The nerves can make you want to pee badly 5 minutes into the exam. Pee right before the test!
While we are on this topic, you shouldn't have to rush to the bathroom. Avoid large cups of caffeine, anything from Starbucks, energy drinks, sweet soda, or juice before testing. You want to avoid being forced into taking many bathroom breaks during the exam. It is a huge mistake to drink anything with excessive caffeine before this test.
You don't need caffeine or an energy drink; your body will produce enough adrenaline on the big day to keep you awake. I can assure you, you won't be sleepy! The last thing you need is to "crash" and be tired an hour into the exam after the artificial stimulant wears off.
Avoid any artificial "energy" drink, especially on test day. You need three hours of steady, test-taking stamina.
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Stress Management Tip # 14 |
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Pack a jacket or cardigan or sweatshirt. Wear loose, comfy clothes, and pack an extra layer of clothes in case the room gets too cold or too hot. You will never regret packing an extra sweatshirt. You will likely regret not having one on a chill test day. The goal of your clothing choices on Test Day is COMFORT. This is probably the one day you can show up to school in your fuzzy bunny slippers and no one will judge you. Wear the most comfortable clothes in your closet. Don't worry about matching anything. This is your day to color code nothing! If its not extremely comfortable, then don't wear it. |
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Stress Management Tip # 15 |
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Breathe! Remember that this is only a test, and no matter where you go to high school, you'll succeed. Between sections, take a deep breath, and try to stretch out. Take a moment to breath after you completed a tough reading passage. reregulating your breathing will help you refocus. This is a stern test and a challenging experience, but don't forget who you are and how hard you've worked to get here. Lastly, remember that any high school will be lucky to have YOU, not vice versa. You are a gift to ANY high school you attend. |
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To conclude, remember the SHSAT is not a sprint, but a marathon, and you've been preparing well and with the best. Relax and have no fear! Good Luck on the upcoming test! This has been an incredibly long journey, but we are finally making it to the finish line! |
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About Kweller Prep:
Classes are offered in-person or remotely via ZOOM
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Kweller Prep helps students get to the next level of their academic careers. This program specializes in preparation for competitive middle, high school, college, and graduate school. Class sizes are limited to 10-12 students and are offered through zoom online and in-person.
Kweller Prep has a very intentional, dedicated mission to help immigrant and minority children advance to higher education, including placement in highly competitive environments that build their careers.
Ben Davidov, the General Manager, joined the Kweller Prep Team in 2014. He graduated from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business, where he attended on a full scholarship. As a former SAT, Regents, and AP student, and a decade-long employee, Ben is personally vested in the success of every student at Kweller Prep
Office: 1 (800) 631-1757.
Register for classes online at:
Kweller Prep's Queens Location:
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For families who completed the Kweller Prep program and/or are no longer interested in our emails, the "unsubscribe" option is located at the bottom of this email. Thank you for your time and for making us a part of your academic journey. Please refer families to us to keep these accelerated programs going! We will miss you! |
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