In-office practice tests

When

Sundays, 8:45 AM sharp. Saturday testing can sometimes be arranged if needed — ask your tutor.

8:45 means seated in the conference room at 8:45, not parking the car or walking into the building at 8:45. Late arrivals may not be admitted.

Approximate dismissal

Dismissal times are approximate. Extended time testing is generally offered only to students already approved for those accommodations by their school and by ACT or the College Board.

Where

Suite 103 — first-floor conference room
10801 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Once inside, Suite 103 is off the main lobby hallway. Entering from National Blvd, the hallway is to the left of the fountain; entering from the freeway side at the rear of the building, it is to the right.

Parking

Read every posted sign before you park. Plan a few extra minutes — depending on where you end up, the walk to the office can take a while.

• National Blvd is your best bet. On weekends, both sides are generally free and unrestricted. On weekdays it is free two-hour parking until 6 PM, unrestricted after.
• Never park in a shopping center lot — Trader Joe's, Winchell's, or any other. You will be towed.
• Sundays only: if the gate to the small lot behind (north of) the building is open, you may park there for free. Reach it by driving through the smaller lot east of the building — but do not park in that east lot, or you will be towed. Skip any space marked reserved or restricted.
• Residential streets south of National (Malcolm Ave, Westwood Blvd) have limited free parking, subject to street cleaning and school-hour restrictions. Read the signs carefully.

What to bring

Items marked required are required of everyone. Items marked SAT only are required of SAT examinees. Everything else is strongly recommended, and your tutor may require more.

• Pencils — required. At least three, sharpened and non-mechanical.
• Calculator — required. Preferably graphing. If you are already working with a tutor, bring the calculator you use in sessions.
• Water and snacks — required. Two or three snacks for the breaks. Fruit, protein bars, or hardboiled eggs are good choices.
• Fully charged laptop and charging cable — SAT only. With Bluebook installed and updated. See Bluebook & tech setup.
• Phone with an active personal hotspot — SAT only. Bluebook needs an internet connection.
• Wristwatch. Strongly recommended, preferably with a stopwatch; some tutors require one. Smartwatches and any watch that beeps or makes noise are prohibited.
• Pacing guidelines, if your tutor has given you any and asked you to bring them.
• Something to read. A book, magazine, or newspaper to warm your brain up before the test starts.
• A small manual pencil sharpener.
• Cough drops and tissues.

The night before

• Eat a light, healthy dinner a few hours before bed. Avoid anything that tends to disrupt your sleep or your stomach.
• If you are a current student, review your manuals and previous practice tests.
• Gather everything from the list above so you are not hunting for a calculator at 7 AM.
• Digital SAT testers: open Bluebook and let it run any updates.
• Get to bed at a reasonable hour, ideally well before midnight. Aim for eight to nine hours.

The morning of

• Wake up at least an hour before testing time so your brain and body are fully awake.
• If you normally shower in the morning, do it before the test.
• Dress in layers. The conference room temperature will not suit everyone.
• Eat a light, balanced breakfast. Skip anything heavy, spicy, or sugary.
• Read something while you eat — an article or a few pages — to warm up.
• Work backwards from 8:45 when deciding when to leave: driving, parking, walking, finding the room, and getting settled all take time.
• Stay off your phone, unless you are reading on it.
• Digital SAT testers: before you leave home, log into Bluebook and let it update again. If you see “Temporarily Unavailable,” a practice test will not be possible — College Board may be running maintenance. Let your tutor know.