How to make the most of your final week before the ACT or SAT

The week before the ACT or SAT doesn't have to be stressful: you can turn it into one of the most powerful opportunities to improve your performance. At that point, success isn’t about cramming more facts. It’s about creating the right conditions for your brain and body to perform at their best.

Research from cognitive science, psychology, and even athletics shows that how you prepare in the final days matters as much as what you’ve studied. With the right strategy, you can reduce stress, protect your progress, and approach test day with confidence and focus.

Key takeaways for the final week

• Exam readiness depends on mindset, sleep, and routines, not just content review.
• Quality sleep improves memory, focus, and emotional control.
• Smart practice beats more practice.
• Like top athletes, students perform their best when they reach their peak at the right time.

How to structure your final week before the ACT/SAT

Strong ACT or SAT performance doesn’t come from last-minute cramming. Instead, it’s built on steady routines and thoughtful planning in the days leading up to the test.

Prioritize sleep early

Sleep is one of the most overlooked, but most powerful, study tools. Consistent sleep supports memory consolidation, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Even one poor night of sleep can noticeably reduce focus.

If your normal schedule doesn’t match your test-day wake-up time, begin shifting it 3 - 5 days in advance:

• Move bedtime and wake-up time earlier by 15 - 30 minutes per night
• Keep the same schedule every day, including weekends
• Avoid screens and stimulating activities before bed

Avoid anything that disrupts recovery

Substances like alcohol and cannabis can interfere with sleep quality, mood, and recall long after their immediate effects fade. Avoiding them in the week leading up to your test helps ensure your brain is functioning at its full capacity.

Get organized to reduce stress

Uncertainty increases anxiety. Handle logistics early so they don’t take up mental space:

• Confirm your test location and start time
• Print admission tickets
• Prepare your calculator, ID, and snacks
• Plan transportation and timing

Tackle your toughest review topics earlier in the week, then gradually reduce workload as test day approaches.

Use visualization to build confidence

Following a structured plan reduces test anxiety. Spend a few minutes imagining your test day:

• Waking up on time
• Arriving calmly
• Starting each section with confidence

Mental rehearsal helps your brain treat the test day as familiar rather than threatening.

Optimizing brain and body performance

Peak performance comes from aligning your daily habits with when and how you’ll be tested.

Sync your body clock to test time

Your circadian rhythm determines when you’re most alert. Practice doing exam questions at the same time of day as your actual exam so your brain gets used to performing at that hour.

Protect high-quality sleep

Both deep sleep and REM sleep play crucial roles in learning and maintaining emotional balance. Aim for consistent, uninterrupted sleep every night during the final week. Simple habits, such as dimming lights in the evening and keeping your bedroom cool, can make a significant difference.

Support focus with movement, hydration, and nutrition

• Exercise: Engaging in light activities like walking, stretching, or yoga can boost learning and reduce stress.
• Hydration: Even mild dehydration can impair attention and mood. Drink water regularly.
• Nutrition: Opt for meals that include lean protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. On test morning, eat foods you already know work well for you.

Smart practice and test-day routines

In the final days, how you practice matters more than how much.

Why tapering beats cramming

Borrowed from athletic training, “tapering” means reducing intensity in the last few days before competition. Students who taper often experience lower anxiety and equal, or better, performance than those who push hard until the last minute.

Two to three days before the ACT/SAT:

• Stop taking full-length practice tests
• Shift to light review and confidence-building work
• Protect your energy

Warm up, don’t wear out

The day before and the morning of the test:

• Solve a few easy or moderate problems
• Review formulas or strategies you already know well
• Avoid learning brand-new material

This activates your thinking without increasing stress.

Keep test-day habits familiar

Stick to routines that already work:

• Eat a familiar breakfast
• Use the same calculator and supplies you practiced with
• Follow your practiced pacing and break strategy

Familiarity reduces cognitive load and helps you start strong.

Treat ACT/SAT prep like athletic training

Top athletes don’t train hardest right before competition: they train to peak at the right moment. Standardized test prep works the same way.

Learning science shows that:

• Distributed study is more effective than last-minute cramming
• Practicing under realistic conditions reduces anxiety
• Rest and recovery are essential for peak performance

A performance mindset means planning not just what to study, but how to sleep, eat, move, and manage stress. Pushing too hard at the end often leads to diminishing returns.

Final week ACT/SAT checklist

Use this quick checklist to guide your last days:

• Sleep 7 - 9 hours on a consistent schedule
• Light exercise and daily hydration
• Balanced meals and a familiar test-day breakfast
• Review strengths; avoid cramming new material
• Confirm logistics and pack supplies early

Following these steps will help you enter your test with clarity and focus, improving your chances of scoring highly.

Final thoughts: Peak at the right time

The final week before the ACT or SAT isn’t about doing more: it’s about doing what matters. Small daily choices (your bedtime, your meals, your practice style) add up and shape both your performance and your confidence.

Approach this week the way athletes approach competition: with intention, balance, and trust in your preparation. Choose one small habit to improve today, and let that momentum carry you into test day, ready to perform at your best on this exam and in future challenges as well.