While standardized tests certainly aren’t perfect, they are intended to test general skills and knowledge gained in school.
As opposed to waiting to learn the tricks and traps of the SAT or ACT, try strengthening reading comprehension skills, grammar/writing skills, and fundamental math concepts early on. Knowing how to understand what you’ve read, whether by reading slowly or skimming quickly, is a skill that will serve you well not only through the rest of your academic career, but through life. Similarly, knowing how to communicate effectively and concisely through the written word — particularly now that email is the primary form of communication in most professional fields — is equally vital to success.
Students often believe that they won’t need to revisit Algebra or Geometry once the courses are over, so they don’t worry about trying to master elusive concepts. However, these fundamentals come back again and again in more advanced math courses and are the primary focus of both the SAT and ACT Math sections.
We offer programs for students in 7th through 10th grade that help them master these crucial skills and feel better prepared in the coming years.