For your child to achieve their dream careers, they first need to take up a college degree. But, before any of that could happen, it’s necessary for them to pass the SAT.
The SAT is a pen-and-paper examination conducted by the College Board. It consists of two sections: evidence-based reading and writing and mathematics, with an optional essay section, to be taken for three to four hours. Generally, the SAT examination is an assessment tool used by most universities in accepting aspiring college students. This examination measures the readiness of college applicants and is also used as a basis for comparing and ranking these students.
How to Study for the SATs
SAT preparation isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach as students have varying needs and preferences. Gearing up for the SAT examination involves a variety of methods – hiring private tutors, looking for study materials, enrolling in online courses, and, above all, taking SAT prep courses.
Why does taking SAT prep courses seem to be the most plausible choice? Below are the reasons why:
Affordable and Accessible
Most SAT prep courses today have reasonable price tags, or, if they’re fortunate enough, aspiring college students can even enroll for free. Through these affordable SAT prep courses, students can save more money for college. Some of these prep courses even offer a refund if your child doesn’t pass the SAT examination.
These courses are everywhere online – your child only needs their device, study tools, and determination, and they’re good to go. However, finding the SAT prep course that suits their learning style might be difficult, yet a good tip is to read reviews about SAT prep courses to determine which one fits their needs and preferences.
Improve Critical and Strategic Thinking
The SAT exam questions have varying degrees of difficulty, ranging from the easiest to the most complex ones. With the help of SAT prep courses, students can achieve higher scores by honing their critical and strategic thinking skills.
While answering questions prepared by these SAT courses, students will gain an idea on which questions could possibly be included in the SAT, thus they can start formulating questions and their corresponding answers all on their own.
Moreover, students can improve their critical thinking through employing techniques while answering the exam. A good example of this is through the process of elimination, wherein they can easily find the best answer through eliminating choices. Another strategy that students can use is associating related questions in the examination to find sensible proofs to their answers.
Pinpoint Weaker Areas
The interactive written or oral mock examination can help your child determine which parts they need to put more focus on. This way, they can immediately work on transforming their weaknesses into their strengths.
The first step in turning your child’s academic weaknesses into strengths is to accept the fact that they’re lacking in certain areas. For instance, when the assessment of the prep course has identified a weakness in the writing section, then your child should narrow down their focus on improving this area. As they improve their writing skills academically, they stand better chances in writing for their careers in the future.
Expose Students to Realistic SAT Exam Setting
SAT prep courses subject students to a realistic SAT examination setting. Mock examinations in SAT prep courses don’t allow answering questions during free time as they have to be answered in a specific period of time. Through this, your child will be able to estimate how much time they need to spend on each question, helping them manage their time in a strategically intelligent manner. Eventually, this will also help them develop productive study habits that will result in better performance at the SAT.
Not being enrolled in SAT prep courses means your child has all the freedom in the world to review and answer questions whenever they want, so they’re most likely to answer sample questions in more than one sitting and with numerous intervals. However, this can be a real distraction and could negatively affect your child’s cognitive performance. In SAT prep courses, your child is required to answer mock examinations in only one sitting, which is what SAT examinations actually do.
Don’t Leave It Till the Last Minute
Most students study for months on end to get a good score, so leaving SAT prep till the eleventh hour is never a good idea. If you know you will be taking the test, it is best to get a head start and start by working an hour or two each day. Preparing in advance will allow you to identify your weak areas so that you can focus on them to master them truly. Early prep will also help familiarize you with the course material and the instructions so you won’t have to waste time reading the instructions during the exam day.
Diagnose Your Skills Early On
One of the best ways to prepare for the SATs is to diagnose your strengths and weaknesses early on. Even if you plan on studying for the SAT later, it is always best to take a diagnostic test. You will get a good sense of your standing and how hard you must work in a particular section to get your desired score. If you perform well, you can focus your efforts elsewhere.
Familiarize Yourself With the Instructions for Each Test Section
The sequence of questions and the general instructions for each test section is the same for every SAT, so it is essential that you know all the rules beforehand. This will help you save time to focus on the questions you don’t understand. You can look at the rubric and understand what the SAT requires for each section.
Study Outside the Box
Try to branch out and work on general skill-building problems when studying for the SAT. You can summarize long articles or read up on scientific studies as they will help you in the reading test. You can even read editorial essays and articles to see how the writer constructs his argument to prepare for the essay portion.
Practice Regularly
If you want to be well prepared for the SAT, it is essential that you spend adequate time practicing. Make the most of every minute when preparing. You can make flashcards on your phone and memorize them whenever you can, read a chapter of a Study Guide during lunch, etc.
Conclusion
Top colleges and universities include four diverse factors in accepting aspiring students, and the SAT examination happens to be a part of that. Taking up SAT prep courses before the actual examination does not automatically guarantee your child’s success in passing the SAT, but it will increase their chances of beating the odds.
SAT prep courses are not only affordable and accessible, but they also provide loads of benefits to your child, which includes honing their critical and strategic thinking skills, identifying areas that need more focus and further improvement, and subjecting them to realistic SAT exam setting. In other words, these SAT prep courses can help your child fulfill their goal of getting admitted to their dream academic institution and help them excel at their new school.