Are you preparing to take a test that requires you to show that you have an advanced vocabulary? If you are preparing for any test such as the SAT, GRE, or ACT, etc. there are several things I can tell you that will make the process less overwhelming and more productive. In fact, here are my Top 5 Hot Tips for Verbal Prep:

1) Make a Road Map:

Let's face it, if you are going anywhere, for example (to the grocery store, to work etc.), you need to know in advance: A) exactly where you are going and B) how you are going to get there. This concept is decisive to verbal prep in particular since most students are trying to digest a large amount of material in a very short period of time. Many students start out blindly and with very poor strategy. Here are some strategies to help you get from point A to point B in your journey on the road of verbal test prep. First, decide which vehicle(s) you are going to take. In other words, what types of materials will you use? Second, see what your destination looks like. Study the test before you study for the test. Unless you know in advance what the terrain (test) looks like how will you know which materials (vehicles) are best to invest the time and/or money to use?

2) Limit Your Materials:

I can't stress this idea strongly enough. One of the fastest ways to become overwhelmed is to try to use too many resources! Anyone who does a short internet search on verbal test prep knows that there are thousands of sources out there from which to choose.

However, my number one criteria for limiting my study resources is to ask myself this question: Does this material help me to get from point A to point B?

In other words, is the material (vehicle) appropriate to use for the actual test (terrain) for which I am preparing? If the material is "kind of" related to your specific test, I would pass on it - really! Nothing is more frustrating than to buy materials and to realize later that many of them are not serving your study needs. If the materials are not meeting your needs, they are also wasting your precious time!

3) Use Authority Materials:

What I call "authority" materials are study materials that are created and tested specifically to help students get positive results for a specific test. Here are three questions I use when choosing authority materials.

First, is the material produced by an expert on the subject matter I need?

Secondly, will the expert's subject matter materials help me get from point A to point B?

Last of all, are the expert and his/her materials affiliated with or endorsed by the College Board for the particular test I am taking?

Using these questions will help you avoid one of the most common mistakes that many people make when choosing study materials. Here it is in a nutshell: Just because someone says that they are an expert in a particular field does not necessarily mean that their materials will help you! Think about it, and if you have any questions about what I just stated, please refer back to the three questions I use when choosing authority materials. Seriously - you can't go wrong.

4) Size Doesn't Matter Here:

Oh boy! This one is a big concern of mine - literally. There is a fallacy of thinking associated with the size of test prep materials in general. Here is the fallacy: The bigger the test prep material book, the better it is suited to help me prepare for my particular test. Here is the reality: Nothing could be further from the truth - in most cases! In my experience as both a teacher and student who has used test prep materials extensively, I have found that often the shorter materials work better for test preps for several reasons.

One - The material is easier to handle. The "bigger books" are cumbersome at best. Many of them are hard to use because of their sheer bulk, and the enormous table of contents can overwhelm the best of students.

Two - The material in a shorter prep book is usually more condensed and to the point. A bigger test prep book often means that there is too much material to cover in a short amount of time. For example, how many times have you seen a big prep book advertise that its material is the "Fastest to Learn, Easiest to Use, and Most Comprehensive" verbal prep guide on the market? Then you take a ruler to measure it and find that it is six inches thick. In addition, it also weighs 5 lbs. It would make a nicer door-stop or hand weight!

Three - The shorter prep books are usually geared to a specific test. You may notice as I have that many of the bigger books try to offer you everything you need to master the SAT, ACT, and GRE (all in one big book) but not "everything" you need to master any one of them!

My advice is to concentrate on using several of the shorter books on the market to meet all of the requirements for your particular test or use a larger book that has everything you need to master one specific test.

5) Use Online Resources:

This option can be both a time and money saver! In addition, online sources can also help you keep your study program less stressful and more manageable. Consider this: Some of the companies directly associated with the College Board for a particular test also have a sponsored website where you can prepare for your particular test online.

Even if you don't buy the company's test prep book, you might find that their website materials are "just right" for you! Many of the materials are free or you are offered a free trial to try their materials. In these cases, simply use these materials to supplement your other verbal prep materials.

Some of the other important features of online sources are the many different learning formats they use to help you study. I have seen many sites offer free interactive games, flash cards, and quizzes as well as your own personal vocabulary list builder!

However, don't get carried away with these resources either; always use the questions and strategies you learned earlier in this article for choosing online materials as well. I promise, you can't go wrong!

Visit "Deep South Latin" for more Test Taking Tips and Valuable Resources! http://sites.google.com/site/deepsouthlatin/hot-words-for-the-sat

Share your opinions and experiences on language study topics at the "When in Rome... Blog" foreign language blog. http://rowellsl.blogspot.com.