"The SAT is not that serious. It's just a test over stuff I've already learned, so I should be fine," I'd say in order to prevent myself from stressing out. Because I decided not to study for the SAT, I would often convince myself that it was just another silly test. On top of that, I would recall that many schools go test-optional; if the rest of my application looked good, then one test score would not have a huge impact. I've since realized how mistaken I was about the SAT. It is a common metric for colleges to evaluate students. The last thing I'd want is for them to see me as an "1190". After receiving that PSAT score, I was incredibly discouraged. I was confident in my ability to score high, but that confidence immediately vanished. As an overachiever, seeing such a low score meant I had to work ten times harder. But I'm not motivated unless I find my "Why?", so I began to ask some essential questions. "Why does the SAT matter?" "Why should I score high?" "Why are some schools test-optional?" "How do I improve my score?" "What are the best methods for studying?" After getting my answers, I was ready to do great. I have always taken pride in my intelligence, but recently, I have become more and more indifferent. Laziness doesn't get anyone anywhere. Laziness doesn't help Lavie's SAT score. I had to eliminate every lazy habit—procrastination, lack of goals, lack of discipline, excuses, and avoiding challenges. Once the behaviors that hindered my productivity were gone, I shifted my focus to relearning everything, whether I remembered it or not. Schoolhouse, Khan Academy, and Kaplan Test Prep Courses contribute much-needed assistance to me, and I am forever grateful for those resources. I make sure to practice at least 30 minutes every day because consistency is key. I remain determined by knowing that one of my main goals is to make my parents proud. Succeeding in my education is one of the best ways I can bring them joy. The primary reason my parents brought me and my four sisters from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United States of America was for all the opportunities available. Having the opportunity to pursue higher education in a developed country is one of the greatest blessings, and I now recognize that the SAT plays a major role in that. The SAT is the foundation for me to achieve my goal of making my parents proud. I need a strong foundation. I need a higher SAT score.