I remember how stressful college application testing was. PSATs, PACTs, SATs, ACTs…it just seemed to go on forever and was so much pressure. Luckily students today have a wonderful program available to them to help properly prepare for these tests which, in turn, will lessen their stress levels and allow them some relief from the pressure.
Revolution Prep is a test preparation company that offers services to help students achieve good test scores through preparation and private tutoring. They have compiled mountains of advice about preparing for tests and how to ensure your son or daughter is ready for their upcoming SAT or ACT. They have offered to share some of these tips and a discount code (which can be found at the bottom of the post) for readers of 2 Wired 2 Tired.
5 Things Parents Should Know About College Admission Tests
- A high score on the PSAT is the first qualification for the National Merit Scholarship.
- College credit for AP classes is usually only received if students score a 4 or 5 on the final AP exam.
- The SAT/ACT score is 25% of a student’s college application.
- A student’s chance of admission at competitive colleges could as much as double with each 100 point score increase on a SAT test section.
- Students usually only spend only 10 hours on test preparation even though it’s a significant portion of the college application.
Revolution Prep has put together a very helpful time line to follow as a guideline to aid parents in realizing where their student needs to be at various points through out their high school career:
Sophomore Year
Oct/Nov PSAT
July – Dec. Test Prep
March – June SAT Subject Tests
May/June AP Exams
Junior Year
Oct/Nov PSAT
July – Dec. Test Prep
July – Dec. Ideal time for SAT/ACT
Jan. – June Late time for SAT/ACT
April – June SAT Subject Tests
April – June AP Exams
Senior Year
July – Dec Test Prep
July – Dec. SAT/SAT Subject Tests/ACT
July – Dec. College applications and essays
Jan. – June SAT Subject Tests
May/June AP Exams
Revolution Prep wants your student to be prepared so they have also provided detailed tips about what to do in the days leading up to a big testt:
The Day Before
- Ease up on the studying and take some time to relax. Sometimes getting your mind off the test is the best preparation.
- Get together everything you will need the day of the test.
- Know exactly where the test center is, how to get there and how long it will take to get there.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
- Set two alarms – one in your room and one in another room. One should be battery powered in case the electricity goes out.
The morning of the test
- Eat breakfast – even if you are not hungry.
- Bring healthy snacks to eat during the breaks.
- Arrive early.
- Leave your cell phone at home.
During the test
- Use the breaks to relax, eat and drink to refresh yourself for the next testing phase.
- Work only on the section you are supposed to be working on — you cannot go back or ahead.
- Do easier questions first.
- Fill in the answer circles darkly and completely.
- If you erase an answer, make sure it is erased completely.
- Use all of your allotted time. If you skipped a question, go back and try to work it out.
- Stay positive and focused.
And finally, the big day has arrived! Test Day!
Revolution Prep once again provides great tips about how to be successful they day of the test:
What you MUST bring
- Admission Ticket
- Two sharpened No. 2 pencils
- An eraser
- An approved calculator with batteries
What you SHOULD bring
- A silent watch
- Extra calculator batteries
- Drinks and snacks (for break time)
- A bag or backpack
What you SHOULD NOT bring
- Cell phone, IPod, Blackberry
- Scratch paper
- Books, dictionary
- Compass, ruler, protractor
- Highlighter
- Portable listening or recording device
- Camera
- Watch with an alarm
Hopefully, this advice will help you parents of high schoolers out there who were feeling a bit lost at sea before coming upon these incredible tips. We all want the best for our children and it’s apparent Revolution Prep does too.
Revolution Prep provides programs in real classroom settings, online classroom settings, private in-person tutoring, private online “skype” tutoring, self-guided online courses and Hybrid courses that combine real classroom courses with in-person tutoring and our self-guided online course. In addition, Revolution Prep has provided close to $5 million in scholarship money for children who could not otherwise afford test prep courses.
To learn more about Revolution Prep please visit their website at www.RevolutionPrep.com, Like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter.
Revolution Prep is offering a discount code to readers of 2 Wired 2 Tired for $25 off any course at www.revolutionprep.com. The code expires August 31, 2010. The code is PRB1710.
Thanks to Revolution Prep for providing the information and sponsoring this post.
