A New Vision of SAT Prep for the New Year
Juniors, the time is now! I wouldn’t wait another minute. The first official SAT test date in 2019 is March 9. The ACT will be given on February 9. That’s only days away! If you haven’t already started preparing, start now.
It’s never too early to start preparing for the SAT & ACT.
Don’t let anyone tell you to wait! Except for the first round of PSAT’s that you take in the 10th grade, it’s not a good idea to take these tests cold. And actually, even when you take the PSAT’s for the first time, you should take at least one practice PSAT test first. That way you will be familiar with each section of the test, with the way the questions are asked, with filling out the Scantron, with how much time you can spend on each question. You can find a lot of useful information on the PSAT on the College Board website. You won’t have to waste a second with logistics. You’ll be able to get right down to business!
Good preparation is invaluable.
The SAT and ACT tests are standardized. Everyone at all levels takes the same test. But that doesn’t mean they are straightforward. These tests contain tricks. You need to be prepared in advance for the kinds of questions you will find in them. And its best to have an arsenal of strategies, tips and techniques at your fingertips when you walk in the door.
I have been doing SAT and ACT test prep for upwards of twenty-five years. I have raised student’s scores as much as 300 (total) points on the SAT and 4-6 points on the ACT. That’s nothing short of a miracle. How do I do it?
Targeted, one-on-one, expert help.
Although many opt for the big guys — Princeton Review, Elite, Study Smarter, Kaplan, Score, Ivy West, Revolution, The People’s Test Prep, Achieve — I have found that students who take these courses burn out before they get to the level they need. These test prep services are like puppy mills — a corporate approach to an intimate and unique experience. By the time students come to me after taking one of these courses, they can hardly stand the sight of a word problem or a reading passage. They’ve been asked to take a test a week for sometimes two months with 5-50 other students. There’s not enough time to go over every problem each week, let alone zoom in on each student’s strengths and weaknesses. And so what happens? The student repeats the same mistake over and over. That’s frustrating, fruitless and costly!
It’s important to match the strategy to the student.
Not every student learns the same way. And not every student takes tests the same way. That’s why one-on-one help is so important. One thing they got right, however. MOTIVATION DOES COME FROM CONNECTION. You have to find the right fit. I only take on about 20 students a year — and they ALL succeed. That’s a pretty good track record if you ask me. And you should ask me. I’ve got the best gig in town 😉 The added bonus is that I can take you across the finish line. Once we’ve got SAT prep under out belts, we can start on the College Essays. Can I help you with that too? I sure can. I’ve written the book on it — The Art of the College Essay.
Just to note, for sophomores, it’s also important to do a diagnostic ACT because this test is not routinely given in schools.
For some students, the ACT is a better test. I find that my stronger readers who may struggle with math sometimes do better on the ACT.
I would suggest you get the Barron’s ACT prep book and the Barron’s SAT prep book. Take the diagnostic tests in both and call me with the results. A higher ACT composite does not necessarily mean the ACT is the right test. This will depend on improvement rate and that can only be gleaned by an expert. I will help you decide which test is best for you and map out a strategy for success in test preparation.
Start now. The clock is ticking!
