What can I do to perform better on standardized testing?

If this helps at all, try not to over-think the questions. When answering a question, never include any outside information when selecting your choice. It may sound silly, but there are plenty of people who truly know the material but don't do well because they simply include irrelevant information in their thinking process. And you say you tend to do better in school , so why not try taking the ACT. I did significantly better on the ACT than I did on the Sat, specifically the reading/writing portions