Jane, I'm so glad my post was helpful to you & your DD. Once the test is behind her, she will probably feel happy & proud of herself that she undertook the challenge! At this point, the score itself should not matter, because it's all about learning the ins/outs of testing itself.
And, true story: I had read somewhere about not sitting in a chair that wobbles or is uneven, because that can be very distracting. I've always reminded my older boys about this. Right before he took the PSAT (which is the gateway to National Merit), my oldest DS realized his chair wobbled back & forth. Now, he's fairly shy but he knew what he had to do. He stood up and told the proctor he needed a new chair...and he got one! He made the NMSF cut-off exactly...no points to spare...so I can only imagine what might have happened if he had not known to ask for another chair. He felt confident in the testing situation, having taken the SAT and ACT before on a few occasions, and knew what he needed to do!
What helps is to have everything packed up the night before - sharpened pencils, protein snacks, small bottle of water, kleenex, lip balm, watch for timing, admission ticket & ID - so your DD feels completely ready to go. She should bring a sweater or jacket always. She should know where the restrooms are and always head there first during a break. After a few tests like this, she will feel very good about knowing what to pack & what she needs to do.
We will obviously stay at the test center during the EXPLORE, since our DD's just 11, so your DD may want you to do the same. Most test centers have places you can wait.
My older boys were no big fans of testing, but they knew it was important to work at it over time and I'm grateful they were willing to approach testing positively. At younger ages, it's just about learning what to expect and how to manage the testing environment.
Good luck to your DD and Happy New Year to your family, as well.
Last edited by Jewel; 12/30/15 04:15 PM.
