Tests….
Students are either good at them or they cringe at the thought. Maybe your teen is somewhere in between.
If your teen is considering higher education, preparing them for these tests is crucial! Maybe college is not in their plans. However…. learning how to master this test are beneficial in many ways. Read on to see the many other benefits of learning how to doing well on these test.
Is it worth while to preparing your teen for these tests?
If so, when should you start preparing them?
Many are saying that standardized testing is a thing of the past.
Many colleges no longer require a student to take the SAT or ACT, but if you look closely, you will find that if you student opts out of these tests, the college they are applying to or have been accepted to will require the student to take their own version of these test.
Standardized testing aims to provide an equal opportunity for all student to show their abilities in a variety of subjects. It is all about ensuring a fair competition for college admission.
Scores from the standardized test help the college discern the student’s level of ability in math and English, specifically, so the student can be placed in the proper college class.
Looking back at our homeschool and when and how I prepared my own teens
There are several things I would change if I could go back and redo some of my homeschooling during the teen years. The one I want to tell you about today is preparing them for college entrance exams.
I would have spent more money on my three children (wanting to attend college) to help them better prepare for college entrance exams.
I have always been and will always be a saver, and I like to buy only when something is on sale… if possible. So when opportunities come that cost, I do my best to figure out how to do it myself and save!
My three teens who went to college each could have received at least $2,000 more at the universities they attended if they had scored two points higher on their ACTs. That would have been a saving of $8,000 each!
If I had known about College Prep Genius, coupled with what I know now about scholarship money freely given to students with great test scores, I would have gladly spent the money and taken the time to help my teens learn how to take these test (SAT, ACT, CLT) with confidence!
I spent hours, months, years with each teen, going through ACT and SAT test prep books, many assuring the buyer that this test book will give your student the tools they need to ace the college entrance exams. What they accomplished was much frustration to both myself and my teens. No matter how hard we tried, they were not able to complete each test section AND answer most correctly. It just wasn’t possible.
I didn’t learn about College Prep Genius until my fourth child, and wouldn’t you know it, she was the one who wanted a career that did not need a college degree!
These tests are not really based on finding out how much your child has learned in school, but the SAT is a critical thinking exam, not a fact-based, content-intensive test.
It does not require students to regurgitate what they learned in school, but rather use basic logical principles to solve various types of problems.
When students attempt to tackle the SAT like a normal test, they often fail.
Even really smart students with high GPAs who take AP and honors classes bomb tests such as the SAT or ACT.
Test-makers design these tests to trick the “Average Joe” and reward the student who has a critical eye. (Jean Burke)
Begin preparing your teen now. In fact, I recommend starting your student in the ninth grade and learning how to take these tests by the end of the 10th grade. Since these tests are not based on knowledge, but rather test taking strategies, tricks, and logic, they can take these exams before junior or senior year.
Eighty-five percent of colleges and universities give admittance and scholarship money based on a test score alone
Don’t wait until the last minute because these test dates will be here before you know it.
Pick the Right Test
Some kids score better on the SAT®, others on the ACT®.
- Try a sample SAT® test and ACT® test.
- Compare results with this chart.
Whichever test yields the higher percentile is the test your child should study for! Don’t waste time with the other test. Be sure your student logs in their study time and put put test prep on the transcripts but dont call it test prep, call it something like “College Study Skills.”.
Digital SAT There have been many changes made to the SAT specifically the new digital SAT. Learn about these changes here.
ACT
CLT
The Classic Learning Test has created a new standard for standardized testing. Their suite of exams for 3rd- 12th graders is designed to give students a challenging yet fair assessment of their capabilities, all while allowing them to test from the comfort of home. Accepted at over 250 Colleges
Make sure that the text prep book or program you use teaches your teen the tips, tricks, and test-taking logic skills. The tests are not about academic knowledge! Of course, I recommend College Prep Genius. Their scores could give them tens of thousands of dollars in return. But only if you do it right.
Another important bit of information. Did you know that the same College Prep Genius techniques can be used on many different tests? Check out all the ways, in the image above, that learning how to ace these tests can benefit your teen! I
Click here for your Smart Start Scholarship Guide
Got questions? I’d love to help!
Michelle
English 
