College Test Prep Resources?

[TinkOhio]

I'm trying to compile a list of resources available to help students study/practice for their PSAT, ACT, and SAT. Our DD is a sophomore who took her PSAT this past fall. She did very well, and she would like to work hard at doing even better next year. Can anyone recommend books, websites, etc., where students can practice and learn test-taking strategies? What was helpful for your student or yourself? Did you hire a coach?

Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Katie]

Our sons first attempt was a 26.
He then went to Huntington Learning Center for their ACT Prep class. It was one on one training and it taught him little tricks .
He went for about 7 weeks about 6 hours a week ave. Cost was close to 3000.

Next attempt on ACT was a 29. Final attempt was a 30.

recieved Merit scholorships for his ACT score and GPA worth more than what we paid for the class.

A good investment, but it gave him alot of confidence.

 

[DisHmsklMom]

We've used the Princeton Review books for both the SAT and the ACT. If she is motivated to work on her own I highly recommend them. My two oldest saw large jumps in their scores after working through the books.

 

[glss1/2fll]

Have you checked with your local high school? Ours has a career center with lots of information for students and a couple of the teachers offer classes in sat/act test taking.

 

[Sadie22]

The books mentioned above can work well. Our children's schools offered classes in preparing for the SAT, and the community college here offers an array of SAT/ACT prep and English and math courses for middle and high school students during the summer. Have your daughter talk to her guidance counselor about this and see what the GC's recommendations are.

 

[clh2]

We hired a private tutor for our DD for her ACT's. Cost us $600, for 5-two hour sessions. BEST MONEY WE'VE EVER SPENT! DD received a nice scholarship from the private university she is attending, her scholarship brought something that we could never have afforded on our own - down to the cost of our state's public university tuition/room and board.

Her score went from a 26 to a 31.

This tutor came highly recommended from someone we knew who had a daughter a year ahead of our DD.

OP - do you know any people with students that are "ahead" of yours that you can ask for recommendations.

Personally - I am glad our DD did not take a group class. The tutor that she worked with developed a specific plan for DD - based on her scores for the first time she took the test.

Good Luck!!!

 

[sksjasams]

We hired a private tutor for our DD for her ACT's. Cost us $600, for 5-two hour sessions. BEST MONEY WE'VE EVER SPENT! DD received a nice scholarship from the private university she is attending, her scholarship brought something that we could never have afforded on our own - down to the cost of our state's public university tuition/room and board.

Her score went from a 26 to a 31.

This tutor came highly recommended from someone we knew who had a daughter a year ahead of our DD.

OP - do you know any people with students that are "ahead" of yours that you can ask for recommendations.

Personally - I am glad our DD did not take a group class. The tutor that she worked with developed a specific plan for DD - based on her scores for the first time she took the test.

Good Luck!!!

That is awesome! DS is only a freshman, but we already know he learns much better one on one than in a group, so that would be perfect. We are also in Wisconsin. You don't happen to live in the Madison area, do you?

Thanks!

Julie

 

[elgerber]

Have you checked with your local high school? Ours has a career center with lots of information for students and a couple of the teachers offer classes in sat/act test taking.

This is my suggestion too. Our high school offers a few prep courses, and also free online access to one of the prep websites.

 

[clh2]

That is awesome! DS is only a freshman, but we already know he learns much better one on one than in a group, so that would be perfect. We are also in Wisconsin. You don't happen to live in the Madison area, do you?

Thanks!

Julie

Julie - we are in the Milwaukee area. I believe this tutor lives in Brookfield.

 

[TLuvsD]

For the SAT College Board has a free question a day.
Be sure and try both tests--some students do better on one than the other. Our D was National Merit Commended (based on SAT scores), we sent her ACT scores...they were better with no prep.

Check your public library, some offer free or low cost test prep, and they all have the books. Check out one from each publisher and see which one feels right before you buy them all.

While you are there, get a copy of "Paying for College without Going Broke". It saved us a LOT of money, nothing shady or sneakly, just clear explanations of what the FASFA and CSS Profile questions mean. Love that book....annual editions from Princeton Review, we buy it every year (D is a sophomore in college), you could just read the latest one you can get at the library. Very helpful, especially if you work for yourself or own a business.

 

[cndij]

Couple of suggestions for you: first there is a Nintendo DS game for SAT prep that one of my neice's found helpful. Second: make sure you know your students strengths and weaknesses as far as test taking before you invest in Huntingdon, Sylvan or private tutoring. Some kids have strong test taking skills, and some don't. Don't waste your time and money having the child reviewing material, if it is actually the test taking skills that need to be brushed up on. I have a nephew who is extremely smart, but he flips out over stanardized tests. I personally have a knack at test taking, and when in high school scored in the 99.5 percentile, it wasn't the knowledge so much as test taking skills, so very important that you know what area to spend the time on. Also make sure you know if your student if going to be better off in group sessions or one on one. You can spend a lot of $$$ without results if you don't zero in on these things to begin with.

 

[J. Galt]

clh2... I just pm'd you about your tutor.

 

[clh2]

clh2... I just pm'd you about your tutor.

I am sorry-we are out if town this weekend, I'll get you this info when we get home!

 

[drinkme]

There is a new book that just came out called Perfect Score Project. The author is a mom of a teenager who is trying to raise their SAT scores. Anyway, I just read the last few pages. Basically she said in her experience what worked best for her for Kumon. She also said there wasn't too much she could do to raise the math scores by much; either you know it or you don't. Test preps won't be able to teach you the new math concepts you never learned in school.

 

[sksjasams]

Julie - we are in the Milwaukee area. I believe this tutor lives in Brookfield.

Ok thanks, clh2

 

[J. Galt]

I am sorry-we are out if town this weekend, I'll get you this info when we get home!

Thanks!