Blog

Ugh … testing … what to do?

By LB Kussick

It’s Junior year: time for testing. But when? Which test? Should I prep? How many times should I take it? What do they mean by superscoring? Like most things in college admissions, my advice is to not stress about it, but pay attention early enough to give yourself options and less stress down the road!

Here are some guidelines I recommend:

• If your student is taking pre-calc and AP English or College in the High School English in their Junior year, then take the first test as early as February or March. That way, you will be done with it early if your score is satisfactory, or you will have plenty of time to prep and take it again.  If they are not taking pre-calc, it might be more advantageous to wait until the spring.

 

• Should you prep? YES! Whether your student preps on their own, uses a test prep company, or meets with a one-on-one tutor, prepping helps. If your student is self-directed and highly motivated, buy a test prep book and/or go to Khan Academy, which offers free, online test practice, strategy and content review. Otherwise, I am a fan of one-on-one prep as it can be tailored to your student’s strengths and weaknesses.

 

• Take a full-length practice SAT and ACT before deciding which test is best for you. We offer full-length practice tests at Liddane Tutoring. We will grade them for you and can advise which test is more suited to your student.

 

• Unless you absolutely ace the test the first time, it’s recommended to take it multiple times, but not more than three. Many schools “superscore” the results, meaning they will take the best score from each subsection from each test, combine them, and use that as your score. So, taking the test multiple times generally works in your favor. Scores are not only used for admissions but are often used to award merit scholarships as well. So, while testing and prepping may cost some money up front, it may also save you money in the end!

 

• If your student is not a test-taker, don’t worry. There are lots of test-optional schools that care about much more than your test scores. I’d be happy to share more information with you about test optional schools.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Register well in advance of the registration deadline to assure a place in one of the Seattle testing locations. Too many students end up having to travel to Tacoma, Bellingham or even Whidbey Island. Additionally, if you need accommodations, work with your H.S. counselor to start the paperwork at least 10 weeks in advance of the test. Here are the links for SAT and ACT testing dates and registration:

SAT:  https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register

ACT: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html

 

Hope this helps! As always, shoot us a call or email if you have questions. And please feel free to pass along the College Crier to any Junior families you know (or anyone else who might be interested). We are here to help!

 

LB Kussick, Kussick College Coaching

Andrea Liddane, Liddane Tutoring and Learning Services