Do you want your child to be invited to the college of their choice? If so, then he or she will have to convince college admissions that they are prepared academically and will contribute meaningfully to the culture and life of their chosen college.

 

Today, college admissions look at the student as a person. This can include what they have been involved with; what they have accomplished; what they have done for other people; and the diversity of their interests. Colleges are interested in how much a student will contribute to the culture and life of their schools.

 

In addition to the student as a person, college admissions look at a student’s grades to assess whether a student has mastered subjects that would prepare him or her for advancement in their college. This is a good indicator of how a student will perform academically, but is not necessarily equitable across schools given different levels of difficulty crossing classes and schools.

 

To provide an equitable means to assess if a student is properly prepared academically, college admissions require high school students to take and report their performance on Scholastic Achievement Tests (SAT) or American College Tests (ACT). For almost any accredited college or university in the United States, students must take either the SAT or the ACT prior to applying for admission. While most schools don’t require students to take both, most college bound students take at least one and sometimes do it more than once!

 

The performance of a student on these tests often determines if he or she is “accepted” by a school or not, and in some cases, how much scholarship money is offered. College admissions personnel will say, “Yes, a student is a great kid and has contributed meaningfully to the community, and yes, the student has good grades, but how did the student perform on the SAT or ACT which all students must take?” 

 

The value of these test results has students and parents looking for ways to improve performance. The good news is that there are many options available to students to assist with their preparation and performance on the SAT or ACT, and improve their chances to be accepted to colleges of their choice.

 

 

 All schools, public or private, in some form or fashion offer students help with their test preparation during the regular school day. Some offer additional preparation options, often at an additional cost. Many students and schools celebrate exceptional or even perfect scores in preparation tests.

 

According to John Maynard, principal at Soddy Daisy high school, a variety of methods are used to help students prepare for the ACT. Mr. Maynard noted, “We have a large number of students who regularly take the test, so we believe it is in their best interest to use a rounded approach to meet their needs. Some of our teachers have been trained in ACT test prep through a Hamilton County program offered in conjunction with the Princeton Review. In addition to a very successful class offered by an outside consultant a couple of weeks before test dates, we offer our own state-approved ACT prep class throughout the year, and teachers regularly incorporate test questions and problems into their daily curriculum. It’s a constant, subtle message to the students about the importance of the testing process.”

At Baylor School, they believe that the best preparation for college admissions testing is the high school curriculum with reading, reading, and more reading. Similar to many high schools throughout the area, Baylor offers access to several test preparation programs. Test preparation courses are used to help the student become more relaxed and more familiar with the test format and at the same time develop time-saving strategies for attacking the test. While there is no guarantee for improvement, students have seen higher scores in subsequent testing and attribute their improvement to the disciplined practice built into test preparation programs.

Sometimes students and their families elect to go outside their regular school environment to receive specialized SAT and ACT test preparation instruction. Programs are available in the Chattanooga area. Two schools offering this type of training are the Honors Learning Center and Sylvan Learning Center. Both organizations provide educational instruction, tutoring and lessons beyond the scope of the SAT and ACT tests, but both offer programs designed to help the student prepare for the SAT and ACT test and develop general test taking strategies.

The Honors Learning Center of Chattanooga offers instruction in both small group and individual environments and prides itself on the fact that each student has an individualized program based on their personal needs. Their preparation courses can assist students with remediation, weak skills, test practice and test-taking strategies.

Sylvan Learning Center also offers individually designed instructional programs. Sylvan believes that their strengths lie in their small team approach and personalized instruction. A combination of in-center exercises and targeted homework assignments help to solidify skills and break unproductive habits. Three full-length practice tests allow instructors to provide critical feedback and to help gauge the student’s progress. You can contact Sylvan Learning Center of Chattanooga at (423) 894 – 8333 or Honors Learning Center of Chattanooga at (423) 892 – 8000.

In some instances, an individual or personal tutor is hired to help the student prepare for their testing. These services are often provided one-on-one or in a small group setting. Dianne Bruce of Chattanooga developed River City Workshops in 1993 while completing her MED in Guidance and Counseling. After teaching ACT and SAT classes at UTC, she expanded the business to include on-site workshops at area high schools. Dianne has developed and taught workshops ranging from faculty and guidance in-services to programs that focus on entire grade levels. She believes that these types of workshops improve a student's test taking skills and testing potential. The workshops cover general and specific test taking strategies that increase familiarity with both the content and type of questions included in SAT and ACT tests. Over the past 10 years, Ms. Bruce has offered student workshops at public and private schools throughout the area. She can be reached at (423)504-5258 or rivercityworkshops.com.

Every year, over 2.5 million high school students take either the SAT or the ACT. Their performance on these tests largely determines if they can attend the school of their choice and in some cases the level of scholarship money provided. Preparation for these tests begins with good study habits throughout school. However, to prepare for these important tests, students should contact the college or university of their choice and determine which of the two tests are required for admission. Then they should utilize resources available through schools, learning centers, tutors or coaches to prepare for either or both tests… and then apply for the invitation.