Three Perfect ACT Scores in the Same Family?

Cari Diaz May 21 , 2018

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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, especially in the case of competitive schools. So when one family had not one, not two, but THREE of their children receive perfect ACT scores, the world took notice. And then we started asking that family for test prep advice, and here’s what they had to say. Our favorite tips from the article:

1. Take hard classes. At Club Z! we offer in-home and online help in all subjects, from pre-K to pre-med. Many students believe that they should focus on achieving top grades in easier classes to help with college admissions, but the truth is that difficult classes help stretch a student’s mind, and increase his/her confidence more than the easy class can do. Even if you need help from a tutor to really understand the difficult concepts, at the end of the day the reward will be far greater in the learning you’ve accomplished. And the more confident you are, and the greater your knowledge bank, the easier it becomes to perform well on standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT. Plus, there is a lot of overlap between the test content on the SAT, and your high school Advanced Placement or AP classes (did we mention they were both created by the College Board? Coincidence? We think not.)
2. Don’t lose sight of the extracurriculars. From learning a new language to taking music lessons, students who engage different parts of their brains, and stretch themselves to understand new concepts, are often better prepared for difficult tests such as the SAT or ACT.  Not to mention the added benefits, as the article points out, of making new friends and expanding your general circle, both of which can help with development overall and general preparedness for college.
3. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Sure, this holds true for most of life, but did you know that it’s also true when it comes to SAT and ACT test taking? Colleges and universities will accept your highest scores from multiple test dates, in most cases. In addition, studies have shown that greater than half of all student test-takers show some kind of score improvement when they take the SAT and ACT more than once. Michelle Lehnardt, mother of the three boys who earned perfect ACT scores, put it best in the Today.com article, stating,

Test-taking wisdom decrees a limit of three times for test takers, but you’re an individual. You know if you did your very best on the second time and can’t do better. You’ll also know if you’ve taken the test four times but really haven’t hit your stride. One of my sons earned his perfect score on the first try, the other two tested three and four times.

If you need help preparing for the SAT or ACT test, this summer is the perfect time! Club Z! offers online classes, private lessons in your home, and online study tools like our Z Prep! Score Booster. So whether you’re taking it for the first time or the fourth, call Club Z! at 800-434-2582 and let our expert test prep tutors help you achieve your highest scores!