While the SAT I: Reasoning Test (SAT) and the ACT Assessment (ACT) have been challenging rites of passage for secondary school juniors and seniors for decades, many students have discovered that the secret to success comes down to three simple words: Preparation, practice and perseverance.
The first secret of successful preparation is to begin building skills that support success on these tests long before the junior year. By the eighth or ninth grade, most students have the opportunity to sign up for courses that are more challenging than those in the common curriculum. Research has shown that students who take these courses tend to score higher on the SAT and ACT than those who take a less challenging course load. Students should pay particular attention to courses that build on fundamental mathematics and verbal skills, since success in these subjects tends to have a more direct connection to success on these exams.
Strong reading comprehension skills are also imperative for doing well on the SAT and ACT, both for the verbal section and for word problems in the mathematics section. As any English teacher will tell you, one of the best ways to improve your vocabulary and enhance comprehension is to read as often as you can. Students who already enjoy reading and have a natural aptitude for it will obviously find this recommendation far easier to accept than those who lean toward other subjects. But since all students tend to excel in subjects that they naturally enjoy, many may be able to enhance their comprehension skills by reading popular magazines and other resource materials related to their interests. This is also a great way to lessen some of the anxieties of reluctant readers, who will find themselves focusing less on the mechanics of reading, and more on the information that they truly enjoy acquiring.
As the first step in the practice phase, taking the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) is another smart move for students who want to be better prepared. Usually offered as early as the 10th grade, and often called a "practice SAT," this test gives students a good sense of the types of questions that are asked on the SAT while sharpening test-taking skills. Results from the PSAT are also used to qualify students for a number of scholarship programs. The scores are also used, along with other criteria, to qualify students who wish to be considered for appointment to military academies.
Many students who do well on these tests view perseverance as a two-fold process. First, it means making solid academic progress from the early grades on, since the best way to test well is to have a firm grasp of the material being tested. Second, it means utilizing a variety of preparation tools as testing time approaches. There are many options, including books, tapes and computer programs, but there is no real substitute for the personalized assistance offered by Huntington Learning Center. At Huntington, the SAT and ACT preparation program combines years of research and development with the most up-to-date strategies for test-taking. Students build their skills by working through real exams that accurately reflect performance, and all Huntington instructors receive the benefit of intense training that focuses on instructional techniques that have been proven time and again. Students who follow the suggested course of instruction earn average score increases of 200 points or more, and students who have received 32 or more hours of Huntington SAT 1 –1 instruction have seen even higher increases in their scores.
Perseverance also means being willing to take these tests numerous times, if necessary, to achieve the score that best represents a student's knowledge and abilities. Students may also want to take both the SAT and ACT in order to increase their flexibility in applying to college. Some colleges will accept the score from either test; other colleges will require one or the other. Most students take the SAT and ACT during the fall of their senior year, but all students should take the SAT or ACT at least once in their junior year. School guidance counselors can usually provide information about times and locations for the exams.
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