Eric had a decent GPA and was looking for competitive colleges. His first ACT score was 22, but he hadn’t done any test preparation before the test. His parents encouraged him to take a six-week course to see if he could improve his score. The class had only seven students, and Eric learned some good test-taking and time-management techniques that helped raise his score to a 25. This put him in pretty good standing for several colleges he was considering.
Peter, on the other hand, decided that his SAT scores were good enough and that he wasn’t interested in taking the test again. One of his first-choice colleges suggested that he do some test preparation and retake the SAT. He didn’t want to waste another Saturday morning and decided to go with the score he had. He was not accepted by that school.
You wouldn’t take the driving test without studying first, would you? You probably wouldn’t take a big history exam without knowing what to expect. Preparing for the SAT and ACT should be no different. Studies show that test preparation reduces test anxiety and helps students improve their grades. When students prepare for the SAT and ACT, they will perform better because they are more confident.
Students should look for a course that has small class sizes and an experienced SAT and ACT tutor. You don’t need to go to Kaplan or Princeton Review to find great test prep near you. If you think one-on-one tutoring might be a better option, google “test prep + your city” to find available options. What you choose should be affordable and effective.
Good test preparation teaches students useful strategies to use when taking the SAT and ACT. Students also learn how to manage their time and pace themselves during tests. They will know how to approach each part of the test and which questions to answer first.
Although the SAT and ACT are far from perfect tests, they allow a college or university to see how a student performs on a standardized test. Since high school courses and grades vary widely from school to school, these tests can be an important measure of how students are expected to perform in their first year of college. Universities want students to be academically successful and that is why these tests will never go away.
Test preparation can improve SAT and ACT scores. Helping students improve their test scores can increase their chances of college admission. Better test scores can also lead to scholarships and merit aid. Who couldn’t use more money to help pay for college?
