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Beyond Content Knowledge: MasteryPrep’s Guide to Test-Taking Strategies

  • June 3, 2025
While content knowledge forms the foundation of standardized test success, effective test-taking strategies can significantly boost scores by helping students navigate the unique challenges of high-stakes assessments.

As Dr. Mya Asberry, Director of Instructional Services at MasteryPrep, explained at a recent webinar, “Test-taking is a life skill. There’s almost no job in the world that you can get without having to take some type of assessment. So, it’s critical that students have a solid grasp of content, but also possess basic test-taking skills to effectively navigate through a test.”

Understanding the structure, format, and common patterns of standardized tests gives students a significant advantage—one that extends beyond the classroom into college admissions and future career opportunities.

  • The Three-Phase Approach Strategy
One of MasteryPrep’s core test-taking techniques is what we call “the approach,” a repeatable, predictable process for tackling standardized test questions. This approach consists of three distinct phases.

RELATED RESOURCE:

Webinar Recording: Merging Test Prep Strategies with Everyday Classroom Teaching

Hear from Dr. Mya Asberry, Director of Instructional Services, about how educators can improve student outcomes without sacrificing valuable classroom time.

  • Phase 1: The Entrance
In this initial phase, students identify the question type. Each standardized test contains predictable question patterns, and recognizing these patterns will help students determine which strategies they should apply. For example, when encountering an underlined portion of text in the ACT English section, students should quickly determine if it’s testing for grammar, punctuation, concision, or another skill.
  • Phase 2: Solve or Strategize
Once students identify the question type, they can gather evidence and methodically consider each answer choice. Depending on the subject, this might involve:

  • For Math: Applying formulas, working through calculations, or using estimation

  • For Reading: Finding evidence in the passage, making inferences, or analyzing relationships
  • For English or Writing: Applying grammar rules, checking for concision, or evaluating the logic of transitions

This phase also includes making eliminations, a critical step in the process.

"Test-taking is a life skill. There's almost no job in the world that you can get without having to take some type of assessment."

Dr. Mya Asberry
Director of Instructional Services
  • Phase 3: The Exit
In the final phase, students check their work and, if necessary, make an educated guess. Dr. Asberry emphasizes that students should never leave a question unanswered on the ACT or SAT, as there’s no penalty for guessing.

By following this systematic approach to each question, students develop confidence and efficiency in their test-taking.

  • The Power of Process of Elimination
Perhaps the most powerful test-taking strategy MasteryPrep teaches is the process of elimination. Rather than searching for the correct answer, students should focus on identifying and eliminating incorrect options.

Dr. Asberry shares her personal perspective on this approach: “My personal favorite strategy really changed how I approach test-taking with any student. It’s using the process of elimination. Instead of focusing on whether D is correct, I focus on eliminating the ones that clearly aren’t correct.”

This shift in mindset—from confirmation to falsification—is crucial for success on multiple-choice tests. As MasteryPrep teaches students, “We are not here to defend correct answers; we’re here to prove answers incorrect,” Asberry says.

  • Falsification vs. Confirmation Bias
MasteryPrep specifically addresses the concept of falsification versus confirmation bias:
  • Confirmation Bias: The tendency to look for evidence supporting a particular answer
  • Falsification: The mental act of proving something wrong or incorrect

By training students to adopt a falsification mindset, teachers help them avoid the common trap of selecting the first plausible answer. Instead, students methodically eliminate options that contain errors or contradictions, increasing their odds of selecting the correct answer.

  • Recognizing and Avoiding Trap Answers
Standardized tests often include deliberately deceptive “trap” answers designed to catch students who are rushing or who have a partial understanding of concepts. MasteryPrep teaches students to recognize these common traps, which may include:
  • Answers that contain information from the passage but don’t address the specific question
  • Options that would be correct if the question asked something slightly different
  • Choices that include common mathematical errors
  • Selections that represent a misapplication of a concept or rule

By making students aware of these traps and teaching them specific techniques to avoid them, teachers help students navigate the strategic elements of standardized tests.

  • Implementing Test-Taking Strategies in Your Classroom
To effectively teach these strategies, consider implementing the following practices:
  • Explicitly teach the three-phase approach: Demonstrate each phase using sample questions
  • Practice process of elimination consistently: Have students verbalize why each incorrect option is wrong
  • Incorporate strategy cycles: Follow MasteryPrep’s model of introducing, demonstrating, and reinforcing specific strategies
  • Use authentic test questions: Practice with actual released test items to build familiarity
  • Create opportunities for reflection: Have students explain which strategies they used and why

While these strategies are designed for standardized tests, they build analytical thinking skills that transfer to other academic and professional contexts. The ability to systematically evaluate options, recognize patterns, and make evidence-based decisions serves students well beyond test day.

By incorporating these test-taking strategies into regular instruction, teachers not only improve test scores but also equip students with problem-solving approaches that will benefit them throughout their educational journeys and into their careers. As Dr. Asberry notes, these skills aren’t just about tests—they’re life skills that help students navigate assessments and evaluations in virtually any field.

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ACT® is the registered trademark of ACT, Inc. Some items in MasteryPrep programs are the copyrighted content of ACT, Inc. and are reproduced with permission. SAT® is a trademark of the College Board. MasteryPrep LLC has no affiliation with College Board MasteryPrep SAT programs are not approved or endorsed by College Board. The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) is an ACCUPLACER® exam, which is a trademark of College Board. MasteryPrep has no affiliation with College Board or the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), and the TSIA2 Mastery program is not approved or endorsed by College Board or the TSI. WorkKeys® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. The WorkKeys programs are not approved or endorsed by ACT, Inc.

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