To prepare students for the SAT, Advanced-Placement (AP), and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) exams, I to help the student do the following:
Understand the structure of the test, the format of the questions, and the scoring process
Understand how the above features of the test suggests strategies for taking the test
For example, which questions to do first, when to guess
Master the content on the test
Figure out patterns in how the test makers are thinking
Use general test-taking strategies
For example, using process-of-elimination to eliminate answers which are the same
Choose study materials that are accurate guides to test content
Do practice exercises and tests in realistic conditions so as to develop the skills needed to excel on the test
Make and adopt as needed a study plan, including a study schedule, for the test. Please see my page on my teaching style and philosophy for more information on how I approach study plans.