How To Help Your Child Prep For The ACT Or SAT

How To Help Your Child Prep For The ACT Or SAT

How To Help Your Child Prep For The ACT Or SATAs parents, it can be difficult for us to watch our children prepare for the ACT or SAT. There is a lot riding on doing well: a good score can dramatically influence going to the college of your child’s choice.

However, although these examinations are challenging, it should be remembered that they are designed for everyone, not just for those who are academically gifted. This means that diligent preparation will result in good to great scores.

In fact, all the nerves around these exams are more hype than fact. The ACT or SAT can be defeated by someone who is well-prepared. Yes, it does take focus, diligence, and hard work, but these are learnable behaviors and skills.

6 Tips for Success

Here are six things your child can do to guarantee success:

Pair Up With a Buddy

Usually, the buddy system works well. When students share a common goal and get serious about getting good scores, it may be all the motivation they need to study on a regular basis.

Use a Good Online System

Gone are the days when parents had to hire a tutor to coach their child to do well in a big exam. Now your ‘soon to be’ graduates can learn at their own pace through online education. At BarronsTestPrep.com, for example, your children can learn through video tutorials taught by experts anywhere they pick up a wi-fi signal (including the waiting room before taking their test).

Practice Working Under Time Pressure

Usually, what makes these exams so difficult is the time pressure. Every question has to be answered within a tight time limit. The way to handle this pressure is similar to how an athlete practices for their big event—practicing over and over again until a point comes where pressure is seen as a source of stimulation not a reason for dread. Pacing is a skill that comes from doing numerous practice tests while a kitchen timer ticks away.

Make it a Game

Studying can be exciting or dull depending on how it is done. Using prep books can be dry and difficult to learn from. Often video-based teaching is livelier and holds attention. Another way to make studying more of a game than a chore is to set certain standards and offer predetermined rewards when they are reached.

Master Skills, Then Do Practice Tests

Usually the first challenge is learning skills that your child may not have learned in class. However, after this stage, then the remaining challenge is just learning how to take the test itself. This is where doing lots of practice drills is useful. By the time your son or daughter actually takes the real exam, it will feel like just another test drill and they will not be nervous about it at all.

A Supportive Attitude

In essence, there are three things that you as a parent can do to make it easier for your child to handle the pressures of taking the ACT or SAT. The first thing is to demystify the exam by toning down the hype and expectations. The second thing is equipping your child with the best learning system, one that can be accessed from any computer or tablet and that can be customized for factors like time, skill, and experience. Finally, the third thing is being emotionally available to handle any outbreaks of nerves or frustration.

How did you help your teenager to prepare for taking the ACT or SAT tests?

Comments

8 responses to “How To Help Your Child Prep For The ACT Or SAT”

  1. Stephanie Pass Avatar

    My daughter just took the PSAT yesterday. She did not study at all. They didn’t even tell the kids til last week, they were doing it. I plan on having her check out the Khan Academy’s SAT prep next summer. I’ll definitely be using some of these tips.

    1. Christy Avatar

      My daughter took the PSAT this week too. I remember thinking this was a big deal when I was trying to get into college but I would emphasize that there are plenty of options for your child in case it doesn’t go according to plan. Most community or two year colleges are much easier to get into and don’t require these tests. Plus, once you have college credit, you don’t have to worry about these dreadful tests.

  2. Michele Avatar

    I remember those terror filled tests!! Back then we didn’t get help–except from each other and an occasional tutor. It sounds great that the kids today can prep on line-much less stressful!

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes, I agree Michele. There are a ton of great resources today for teens. They are lucky.

  3. Mrs. AOK Avatar

    I remember taking the ACTs 🙁 I always got SO stressed taking long multiple choice tests, I hope my babies don’t find long tests stressful.
    XOXO

    1. Christy Avatar

      Yes, these tests always stressed me out too. I wish them luck. My daughter is a junior and took the PSAT a few days ago.

  4. valmg @ Mom Knows It All Avatar

    I have always scored in the 99th percentile on standardized tests. I kicked butt on my SATs. I was taught how to take a standardized test by my Mom who is a retired teacher. I’m always surprised to see so many kids don’t know.

  5. Amanda Avatar
    Amanda

    we’renot there yet but we were just discussing this. in India the kids can “mug” so much better.. so they can do well on the tests… but what else do they know.