The number of times kids take the SAT or ACT can vary widely.  Some kids just take it once when it’s given at school while others also take it multiple times on National Test days.  But, it’s worth it to consider how taking it more than once might improve your chances of reaching your goals on the test.  According to ACT, it usually takes 2-3 attempts to reach their testing goals.  The College Board recommends that students take the SAT two times, once as a junior and once as a senior.    However, in my experience, students should consider taking the SAT at least 3 times in order to maximize their superscore.

Most colleges will let students use the highest verbal score and pair it with their highest math score, even if it’s from different test administrations.  This creates their “superscore”.  Likewise, most colleges will let students superscore ACT scores as well.  This can help students be more competetive for admissioin and for merit aid.  In fact, some colleges encourage students to take the tests as many times as they can up until the final merit aid deadline in order to earn the highest scholarship awards.

Another reason to take the test at least three times is that most students get more comfortable and confident with how to approach the test after taking it a couple of times and often do better on the third try.  Students really boost their scores when they are involved in a robust prep course that includes ample study material and practice tests.  Sometimes parents ask if colleges frown on kids that take it multiple times, but I have never seen any evidence that suggests this is true.  If you have any questions about this question, about the tests, or about prep, please contact us at 817-451-6200.

 

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/help-center/how-many-times-can-student-take-sat-and-when-should-they-take-it#:~:text=Students%20can%20take%20the%20SAT,score%20when%20making%20admission%20decisions.

https://www.act.org/content/act/en/students-and-parents/high-school-success/testing-advice-for-the-act/reasons-to-retest.html#:~:text=There%20is%20no%20limit%20to,to%20achieve%20their%20testing%20goals.

Many parents come to a crossroads regarding which admissions test would be best for their child. Many stick with the test that is more prevalent among colleges in their area. For example, the ACT is more prevalent in Oklahoma and Arkansas, whereas the SAT is more popular in Texas. Surprisingly, this is not because colleges in these places exclusively require one test or the other. In fact, I do not know of a single school in any of these three states that exclusively requires either test. Therefore, students should choose according to what is best for them.

The best approach for nearly every student is to take both tests. A student may elect not to send the scores to schools from any test until he or she is ready. For example, say a student plans to take both tests during the spring of their junior year but is not sure how they will do. They can decide not to send the scores to any colleges until they find out how they did. There is an additional fee but it might be worth it just to relieve some of the pressure. If they like their, scores they can go ahead and have them sent to the colleges to which they are applying or they can decide to take either test again and then send the scores.

Another reason to take both is that some students may do better on one test than the other. This may depend on a student having skills that are better suited to one test more than the other. For example, students who know all the key math formulas have an edge on the ACT because these useful formulas are not included in the test instructions; students must know them. In contrast, these formulas are present as part of the SAT instructions so students do not have to know or memorize them.

Sometimes a student may feel more comfortable with the nature and design of one test over the other. I had a student last year who did well on the ACT math section but poorly on the SAT math section. This difference appeared consistently on both real and practice tests. She was above the 60^th percentile on the ACT math section and around the 40th percentile on the SAT math section. The only explanation I could come up with was that the layout of the ACT fit her better. Taking both tests will give the student feedback that he or she can use to decide if another test is a good idea and which test on which to focus their preparation. If the student does considerably better on one test, they should probably study for and take that test again.

Excerpt from The Parent’s Guide to the SAT and ACT by James Pipkin, 2007

For as long as I can remember, the highest scorers on verbal sections of the SAT and ACT have been the kids who frequently read books on their own.   Regular reading increases your vocabulary, knowledge, critical thinking, and ability to see things from different points of view.   Even occasional reading helps and at least is a positive start, especially in the current day where kids can be very busy with scheduled activities or distracted by a multitude of things online.

It’s very common for parents to tell me that they can’t get their kids to read on their own, but I find it helps to look more closely at their interests and try to find books that appeal more to them personally.  For example, if a kid plays sports, they can usually find biographies of athletes who excel at their particular sport.  Or if they play an instrument and love music, they can look for biographies or books that tie into that interest.  Or maybe they just need to find the type of book that grabs their attention such as mystery/thriller, westerns, or science fiction.  It may be a challenge and take some effort, but if they can just find that first book that they really enjoy, then it’ll be easier to keep up the reading habit.

Here is a link to some Summer reading lists provided by a charter school(arranged by grade):  Summer Reading Lists.  It has lists for every grade in junior high and high school.   Please check this out and feel free to reach out to share feedback or let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Here are some from the list that I also recommend:

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien

All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque

A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

The Time Machine, H.G. Wells

Twelve Mighty Orphans, Jim Dent

College admissions tests are difficult, but they don’t have to be.  Here are 5 Reasons that our SAT and ACT Classes are beneficial and how they can help your child succeed:

1. Prep Builds Confidence.  By practicing on the SAT and ACT, students learn what to expect.  They learn the rules and get a feel for the content and difficulty level.
2. Prep Lets Students Practice Pacing.  Students get to practice on each section and figure out what pace works best for them.
3. It’s a Chance to Review.  By the time students are juniors, it may have been over several years since they learned algebra I and Geometry and at least a years since Algebra II, at least for some.  By spending some time preparing, students get a chance to review and practice on math or grammar concepts that they may be rusty on.
4.  Kids learn Strategies.  Some strategies are subject specific and focus on math or Grammar.  Whereas some strategies apply throughout, such as elimination.  Anything kids can do to eliminate wrong answers will improve their odds.
5. Practice and preparation helps kids do their best.  Kids start with a baseline and then learn strategies and techniques in our course that help them improve their scores.  They find out that a lot of the questions they miss are caused by simple errors they can correct.

To find out where to start, check out our Summer Prep schedule by clicking on this link:  Summer Schedule

Parent Webinar:   LEARN HOW TO SEND YOUR KIDS TO COLLEGE WITHOUT GOING BROKE!

 The cost of a college education is higher than ever. How will you afford this expense? What if your children attend elite or out-of-state schools? What if they don’t graduate in four years? The costs can be monumental. This workshop will teach you how to send your children to the college of their dreams without bankrupting your retirement nest egg. You’ll discover strategies that may enable you to qualify for financial aid, sources for scholarships, and strategies for maximizing your wealth and minimizing your tax exposure, giving you greater cash flow for funding a college education. Please join Knowledge Guides as they host The College Funding Coach® via ZOOM webinar on April 22^nd @ 6:30 PM Central. This is information you can’t afford to miss!  To register for this event, click here.   Please take a look around our website www.thecollegefundingcoach.org for helpful resources and information. 

 

There are quite a few local scholarships with approaching application deadlines.

1. The Arlington Board of Realtors offers scholarships to “5 students graduating from an Arlington ISD, Mansfield ISD or Kennedale ISD high school, an area private school or an area home school.”  Amount:  $1000 each.  Deadline:  February 27, 2019.  Link to apply:  http://www.arlingtonrealtor.com/index.php/our-foundation/foundation-education
2.  The Arlington Voice Investigative Journalism Scholarship is available to “students of public, private, and homeschooling environments.”  Amount:  $500.  Link:  https://arlingtonvoice.com/scholarship
3. Scovell Scholars awards students in North Texas who are planning to attend a Texas college or university.  Deadline:  March 1.  Amount:  $4000.  Link:  http://scovellscholars.com/
4. The FWHCC Scholarship is available to high school seniors who reside in Tarrant County.  Deadline:  April 19, 2019.  Amount:  $500 – $3000.    https://www.fwhcc.org/scholarships/

Here’s a great link to some of these scholarships and more like them provided by the Arlington School District:  https://www.aisd.net/district/departments/academic-services/transformational-learning/social-and-emotional-learning/guidance-and-counseling/scholarships/

Also, scholarship search engines such as https://fastweb.com and https://www.scholarships.com/ can help match you to specific scholarships for which you qualify.

When you are ready to sign your kid up for the SAT or ACT, there are some important details to consider.

First, when choosing a test site, most people just consider convenience, which is understandable.  But, it is a good idea to also consider the test location.  Sometimes the largest sites with the most kids can also be the most chaotic and involve longer wait times to get started and be the most distracting.  I recommend looking for a site that is smaller in terms of number of test-takers.

Secondly, when you choose a test date, try to pick a date when you’re kid doesn’t have too much going on.  For example, if your kid is involved in football or band, it might better to wait until the end of the season.  Or, if taking the test during the season is necessary, try to find a test date that coincides with a home game so that your kid isn’t out too late.

Finally, take note of the SAT and ACT dates that offer test verification so that you can get a copy of the test after the fact.  This way, your kid will be able to review the test and correct what he or she missed.  This will help your kid prepare for the next test and give him or her a better shot at a high score.

Here’s the link for SAT’s Question and Answer Service(scroll down to “Question and Answer):  https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/scores/verifying-scores

Here’s ACT Score Verification(scroll down to “Score Verification Service”):  http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores.html

 

It’s better to begin early than late to prep for the SAT and ACT

Over the years, I have heard so many parents say that they wished that they would’ve had their kids start preparing earlier.  In my experience, the parents start seeing their kids gain confidence and see real improvements in the scores, and they wonder how much better their kids could’ve done if they had had more time.

Starting early has several advantages

First, it gives students an opportunity to become more comfortable with the test and understand what skills and concepts are being emphasized.  Second, it gives students more time to review math and grammar concepts that need to be refreshed or reinforced.  Third, starting early gives students more time to learn pacing strategies and get used to working under a time crunch.  Fourth, it gives students more time to improved their reading comprehension and vocabulary.  Fifth, it gives students more time to take the test more than once.

When to start

Ideally, you should early in their 10th grade year or in the Summer before.  This gives students time to prepare for their sophomore PSAT which is in October.  Also, beginning at this time is more relaxed because there is very little pressure so it’s easier to focus on the underlying skills that the tests are measuring.

If you aren’t able to begin during the 10th grade year, you still have enough time to begin early in the Fall of their junior year.  This gives you a chance to prep for the October PSAT and later Fall SATs or ACTs, as well as tests in the Spring.  This gives you a chance to focus your strategies on multiple tests which you can assess and use to set final goals.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this post or prep in general.  Also, here is a link to a timeline from Khan Academy that might be helpful:

Master Timeline