College Prep Genius

Most students wait until they are in their junior or senior year before they start preparing for the SAT. After all, graduation and college are around the corner. Unfortunately, this can actually be a BIG mistake! The longer students wait to start preparing, the less time they have to improve. The SAT is too important to put off. Scoring high on this test could mean both acceptance into the perfect college and the scholarships to pay for it.

The key to doing well on the SAT is learning the recurring patterns, hidden strategies and the test-taking techniques that are universally effective on every test. Then PRACTICING is the key. It’s one thing to have a toolbox, and another to know how to use the tools. As students continue to make practicing a priority, they will be able to answer questions faster and solve problems more accurately.

The SAT and PSAT/NMSQT are tests of logic and critical thinking. They are not IQ tests. This means they are not fact-based, content-intensive exams that require students to regurgitate what they learned in school. These tests must be approached with a logical foundation; otherwise when students attempt to tackle them like normal tests, they fail. Even really smart students with high GPAs who take AP and honors classes bomb these tests! Test-makers design these tests to trick the “Average Joe” and reward the student with a critical eye. It’s all the more reason students need extra time to s tart preparing.

Ideally, ALL 9th graders should learn how to take the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT (7th grade if they are doing the DUKE TIP Letter or other talent searches). The PSAT/NMSQT qualifies students for scholarships during their junior year. It is created by the ETS (The same division of The College Board that writes the SAT). The two tests are almost identical, so as students study for the PSAT/NMSQT, in turn they will be preparing for the SAT.

Don’t worry if your student doesn’t have “all” the math down. The mere fact that they are learning how to take the test is the most important factor. The math will eventually come, so in the meantime they can be working on the others sections: Critical Reading and Writing. It is like a marathon– no one starts out running 26 miles the first day. Runners start out slow and build up to the entire distance. In the same manner, students need only spend about 30 minutes to an hour a week as a ninth grader on these tests. Eventually they will build up to more hours and then full-length tests.

Keep in mind there is a wrong way and a right way to practice for the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT. Start by learning to find the recurring patterns on the test, and then continue by practicing using only materials from the test-makers themselves (The College Board). Then, as students practice, it is imperative that they go back over the questions they miss and identify their weaknesses and common mistakes so they can avoid these bad habits in the future.

Any coach will tell you that concentrated energy and numerous hours of practice is the only way to improve at a sport. The same approach applies to the SAT. Incorporating quality study patterns on a daily basis can give students the skills they need to succeed.

By making the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT a priority in the early high school years, students can avoid cramming at the last minute on a test that has very little to do with content. Learning the logical approach to test-taking as soon as possible is the key to doing well. An early start to test preparation will lessen text anxiety and put time back on the side of the student.