Stay Sharp this Summer, 5 Tips for Preparing for the SAT/ACT

Home / Stay Sharp this Summer, 5 Tips for Preparing for the SAT/ACT

Stay Sharp this Summer, 5 Tips for Preparing for the SAT/ACT

webmaster

December 13 , 2018

0 Comments

We know it can be hard to get back into the swing of things each fall as your kids head back to school. But for high school students, it’s never too early to get a jump start on preparing for the SAT and ACT. Here are 5 tips you can start now to make sure you’re ready for these important college entrance exams:

Know your test dates. Whether you plan to take the SAT, ACT, or both (which is our recommendation, by the way!) you’ll need to know when each test is offered so you can plan your study plan accordingly. You’ll want to have at least 6 weeks prior to a test date to implement a solid study plan.

Figure out your strengths and weaknesses for the test. Is there a subject area you need to brush up on before the test? Do you generally struggle with test anxiety? Knowing what your potential problem areas are prior to the test gives you ample opportunity to work on improving those skills before the big day. If you’re unsure, taking a diagnostic test like the one offered by Club Z! and Z Prep! could really help.

Think ahead. Start looking at colleges. Start thinking about possible majors or areas of study. Start thinking about scholarships and grant opportunities. A good score on the SAT or ACT can help improve your chances of getting into the school or major of your choice, and even qualifying for financial aid.

Practice, practice, practice. Even if you’ve never seen a SAT or ACT test before, you can familiarize yourself with the layout, test questions, formatting, pacing, etc. by taking a practice test. Practice tests can be downloaded for free from the College Board web site, or the ACT Student web site.

Don’t delay. Waiting until the last minute to register for a test, or even figure out which test to take, can add undue pressure and stress on an already potentially-stressful situation. Proper planning gives you peace of mind that you’ll do well on the test day.

Category: Uncategorized

Club Z! News

RECENT POSTS

No matter how you look at it, college is an expensive proposition these days. Both public and private colleges and universities have had to raise fees and tuition as costs have increased. As a result, college student debt has skyrocketed and many students end up with loan payments years, sometimes even decades, after graduation. But with some careful planning and creative thinking, there are lots of other ways to help pay for college and avoid being stuck with big loan payments after graduation. One final but important step in the college application process is to include an application for financial aid.

As parents, and grandparents for that matter, we consider it to be a bit of a rite of passage to tell our children just how easy they have it compared to what we went through at their age. File this under the “when I was your age, I had to walk 2 miles to school each day, uphill both ways” category.

For any parent of a college-bound student, SAT and ACT test scores are no doubt at the center of most dinner table discussions. While no one will argue that test scores alone are the deciding factor in college admissions, and many colleges are moving toward a test-optional admissions policy, strong scores on the SAT and or ACT can definitely help a student’s chance of gaining admission to his/her college of choice.