• When to begin SAT preparation?
• Related page: SAT & PSAT Preparation classes & tutors
• See also: Advice about taking the PSAT

When to begin SAT preparation?

My daughter just finished her sophomore year of high school. She tossed her PSAT scores and said they were terrible (we believe her). We would like to get her solidly prepared for the SAT and would like recommendations for good classes, tutors, books, etc whatever. Is this summer too early to begin? I know some families whose kids are taking the SAT for the first (and only) time in the fall of senior year. Would love to get others' opinion on this Want to be Prepared

Can relate to your concerns, my daughter has only recently begun to “test well”. Please tell your daughter that much of what is needed is learning how to take the test – this can be learned – the test results show what happened that day and are not a final statement of any kind.

That being said – your daughter really needs to want to find a way to improve her scores. I would suggest seeing if the PSAT scores can be retrieved either from under her bed or from the College Board – it will be very helpful to know where to start. The PSAT should come with complete scoring info – which questions she missed, which were correct or skipped. If she has any learning issues you can work with her counselor to request additional time. Some students get time and a half, or double time if they have documented disabilities. Make sure she has had her vision tested this year, astigmatism can make test taking impossible.

Other test issues: Sometime students “over anticipate” an answer and give the most creative response when the test is looking only for the most provable answer. Sometimes the student needs to improve vocabulary, or maybe tighten up basic math facts. Or they tested well on material they have learned and the test was asking questions on areas they haven’t studied yet. Or they skipped one question and half the test had their answers in the wrong place. Or simple panic can really mess things up. You need to see the scored and evaluated test to know where best to spend your collective time. If you can’t retrieve the PSAT there are commercial practice tests – or she can take the SAT this Sept and you can pay additionally to have it scored and evaluated.

We have found the “Daily Spark Notes” series on vocabulary, math, critical thinking from Barnes and Noble an inexpensive and approachable way to study. We are also using the Kaplan self-scoring software. Self directed study with the resources she has chosen has raised my daughter’s scores almost two hundred points since last fall.

We have had to take entrance exams since 5th grade to get into Middle schools and High School – this has been a tough road. We have taken tutoring from various providers including Princeton Review and also classes with some East Bay private test prep groups. These worked to some degree. You can spend a bundle. What works best is what the student will use and get some satisfaction from. Tutors will say 50-100 points gain are average between testing with focused study. Take your student to a bookstore to look at the prep materials or take a free lesson at Kaplan or Princeton in downtown Berkeley or other location and try it out. See what her friends are doing – sometimes going with your friends makes it easier. Also check out resources on the College Board website. Things need to be current because the test was changed this year.

One of the things that helped my daughter understand that additional study can be needed is that I told her that there were a lot of people doing it – even the ones who tested well. If you don’t want to do a form of “test prep”, it helps to read widely and always read challenging books – but many kids don’t enjoy it. We have a cousin who started memorizing epic poetry and went from a slightly struggling student to someone with perfect SAT scores. Perfect scores often come with offers of top college placement without applying AND often merit scholarships. You can also start reading with your daughter – turn off the TV, radio, iPod, computer etc and read to each other or silently together in the same room. I confess to bribing/cash rewards/extra privileges for reading advanced books – it can work.

There are people who have their kids tested from middle school at every test opportunity and tutored continually to get into Harvard. This is the world we live in. There are great colleges that do not require test scores or make submission optional. Sometimes these schools list very high SAT scores because the only entrants who submit them are students who have high scores. There are also Midwestern schools that prefer the ACT, which is in my opinion is a bit more straightforward than the SAT – many schools will take either score, check their websites to be sure. Grades, good attitude, application essays, recommendations, and community service are all a part of the admissions picture too. For the Arts – the portfolio presentation or audition can be the most important factor.

Every little bit helps but encouragement and praise go a long way. Setting goals and studying some every day or at least every week will make more of a dent than a crash course but any study usually will change the outcome Anon

Having said that, I also want to stress that doing well on the exam does not somehow come down to simply learning a bag of tricks in a class over a few weeks. Kids who do well have been building these skills for years. There's an old cliche' I'ver heard for years that goes something like this, ''How do you prepare for the SAT? Read for the last 10 years...''

Reading is truly the skill that strengthens their comprehension, that builds vocabulary, that gives students a sense of language (and thus influences their writing abilities as well). They don't have to read ''classics,'' really it can be ANYTHING-- fiction or non-fiction... essays, novels, magazines, WHATEVER(as long as they are written with vocabulary and sentence structure that stretch your child's abilities...)

If your child has the opportunity to take an SAT prep class, s/he should... but truly, s/he needs to be reading consistently. This is the best training available for the language and writing portion of the exam, I promise.

Good luck!!!!!! an English teacher

We recommend that students normally begin studying in earnest 8 weeks prior to the SAT. The information stays fresh, the techniques are able to be immediately applied, and the students are often ready to get it done. If your child studies a good deal earlier than this, and you may find that the precious element of cramming (specifically designed for standardized tests, of course) is often largely forgotten.

Depending on your child, you can seek individual, pair or small group tutoring, or you can take the many SAT workshops and classes that are out there. You are your student know how they learn best (and if not, then exploring your options may help determine this), so I would recommend talking to several SAT prep places and tutoring and support services.

Yup, we offer SAT help too, but again, check lots of folks out. I am happy to talk with you should you have any questions! Just call: 510-540-8646. Our site: www.classroommatters.com Molly Gales Classroom Matters

an SAT or ACT by March/ April, SAT subject tests in May or June, with June or Fall of senior year open for a potential retake of the SAT or ACT.

There are many factors in determining the best time to begin with SAT classes or tutoring.

Scheduling is generally the deciding factor - if students are involved in sports or are otherwise busy in the Fall, then the summer between sophomore and junior year may be a good time to start. However, for many students waiting until after the junior PSAT's in October and preparing for the January or March/ April SAT's works fine. And no, students do NOT need to prepare for the PSAT at all - the only exceptions being 1) if with some added preparation, the student may qualify as a national merit scholar or 2) the student has been diagnosed with learning differences, or has significant test anxiety, in which case a longer duration of test prep can be helpful SuccessLink Tutoring info[at]successlinktutoring.com