F.A.Q.s- Preparing for College
When should my child start preparing?
How soon should a student start learning your information?
Is it true that my ninth grader can take the PSAT for practice?
When should a student take his first SAT?
My student is a senior and has not taken the SAT yet so what do I do?
When should my child start preparing for the PSAT/NMQST and SAT/ACT/CLT?
Immediately. It’s never too early to begin preparing for your child’s future, especially when it’s a matter of $80,000. I recommend starting PSAT/NMQST prep by ninth grade. The PSAT/NMQST is only offered once a year in October and it ONLY counts for the National Merit Contest in a student’s junior year. Therefore they should learn the techniques and patterns found on these tests early so that when it counts, they will be ready. However, the SAT/ACT/CLT is offered seven times a year, but statistics show that most students wait until their senior year to start preparing for this test. HUGE MISTAKE! Not only does this strategy add to the already mounting pressure of leaving high school, but it also shortens their time to improve, thus making it more difficult for them to raise their scores. Begin preparation now by ordering the College Prep Genius program!
How soon should a student start learning your information?
I get phone calls daily from people who want to register for my class right before an actual SAT/ACT/CLT. The truth is that the longer you wait, the less time you have to improve. Cramming for any test is never a good idea. Students should start learning about the SAT/ACT/CLT and PSAT/NMSQT at least in ninth grade. They should have good knowledge of Algebra 1 and 2 as well as Geometry by the end of tenth grade. They should be prepared by their junior year to take the PSAT/NMSQT, since a student is only eligible for The National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in the eleventh grade.
Is it true that my ninth grader can take the PSAT for practice?
Yes, The College Board states that students can take it “multiple” times. Many schools will even allow 8th graders to take it. Here are some links that confirm this:
https://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/psat/about
https://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/PSATParentPerspective.pdf
https://www.collegeboard.com/school/pno/psat_ordering_help.html#psat_max_exam_num
We HIGHLY recommend that younger students take the PSAT/NMSQT because it helps them get familiar with the testing environment and they can receive their test booklet back so they can access their weaknesses.
When should a student take his first SAT/ACT/CLT?
That depends on how early he or she learns the importance of the test. If they are in ninth grade, they should work on practice tests at home. Ideally when they are scoring around 1200(math and verbal), then it is a good idea to sign them up for the real test. A good scenario would be that the student receives the desired score he or she wanted before his or her senior year. This can take the pressure off a year already full of college decisions, final exams and graduating. Of course, if the student learns the significance of this test somewhere in eleventh or twelfth grade, then he or she should make the SAT/ACT/CLT a priority and practice as much as possible at home (hopefully reaching around 1200 before test time). Then the student should schedule as many real tests as possible, especially since a senior has only a few opportunities to take the test. Begin preparing by clicking here to order!
My student is a senior and has not taken the SAT/ACT/CLT yet so what do I do?
Your senior should take the SAT in October and use it as a baseline score. If this score does not meet your student’s potential, he/she should take the November and December tests as well. Many colleges take the highest scores from different tests (Super Score), and students are usually not required to send ALL their scores to prospective colleges (Score Choice), so it is to their advantage to take the test multiple times. Some colleges even allow students to turn in better scores after the initial application. Click here to start raising your score now!
