Lucent Education
  • Who We Are
    • Blog
    • Social Responsibility
    • Our Stories
  • School Admissions
  • Career Coaching
  • Pricing
  • Contact
    • FAQs

Lucent Blog

​THOUGHTS & ADVICE ON COLLEGE, Careers, the APPLICATION PROCESs, and More

Interview with an Expert Tutor: Tackling the ACT and SAT

6/24/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Written by Lily McIntyre

Hi everyone! I hope you’ve all been taking good care of yourselves amidst the great change and upheaval going on in our country right now. I've been worrying about the world a lot lately, but my mom always tells me to focus on the stuff I can control instead of worrying about things I can’t. If you’re in high school and planning on taking the SAT or ACT sometime soon, something you can control is getting ahead on standardized test prep (...as terrible as that sounds). If you don’t have any idea where to start or are looking for resources, we’re here to help. Today’s blog post features an interview with Ben C., a top ACT and SAT tutor for a boutique tutoring company called MyGuru. Ben and I talked about study mistakes, tips, test prep resources, and information on standardized tests that might help give you all a leg up in this process!

I started off by asking Ben what kind of student would be a better fit for the ACT versus the SAT; I was confused myself when I was going through this process just a couple of years ago! According to Ben, “The ACT tends to be well suited for students who make a lot of distinctions between things they know, i.e. analytically minded students, where the SAT tends to be suited for students who reason well, or synthesize different kinds of information.” The tests themselves have gotten more similar over the years, so it’s not the end of the world if you’re not sure which test best suits you! Ben also notes that colleges don’t prefer one test over the other, so your decision can be completely based on which test you feel more comfortable taking.

Then, we discussed the prep period before taking the test. Personally, I started prepping for the ACT 6 months before I took it because I was freaked out about it. Ben says that if you’re comfortable with tests, you can start prepping 6-8 weeks before you take it. But for people who get nervous with tests (like myself), Ben agrees with beginning test prep around 6 months in advance. When you’ve started studying and are looking for online resources, Ben recommends test-specific materials. Specifically, “...most tests have numerous official copies that have been uploaded by HS programs and others who gain access to official ACT/SAT tests. It is always a better idea to practice with official materials than a secondary company if possible.” In the weeks leading up to the test, Ben recommends studying 2 hours a week with a tutor, spending 2 hours doing practice questions, plus 4 hours scattered throughout the week doing study work like flash cards, reading, etc.. However, you might have a different time frame and schedule that works for you! Studying for standardized tests is an individualized process; different methods work for different people.

When you’re studying, though, Ben warns against studying “too hard” in order to relieve test anxiety. It is just as important to rest while studying as well! In the weeks leading up to the test, Ben notes that there are certain types of problems that consistently appear on each test, and that there is usually a conventional “right way” to solve it. If grasping that one process is challenging for you, get creative! In Ben’s words, “The ‘wrong way’ can be easier [and] faster, and the test isn’t checking your work. See if you can make up a way to solve the problem that works for you.” 

Picture
Ben and I also discussed the actual test-taking process. When asked about the biggest test-taking mistakes they see students make, Ben says, “Something I always preach is that we should always choose our own way through the test. Following the sequence of questions as offered… leads to a tendency to get stuck on questions or easily tripped up.” I agreed and reflected on my own experience of being stuck on some math questions while taking the ACT and inevitably wasting more time on those few problems rather than tackling the questions I immediately knew first. In our interview, I also asked Ben about how many times students should take the ACT or SAT. I remember talking to some of my high school peers who took the SAT seven times. Is this actually your best bet? According to Ben, “Taking the test is never fun, so the true ideal is 1 time, so prepare well and hit that mark on the first go. In my experience, though, the experience of taking the test is an essential teacher, and so usually the second or third time will be substantially higher. After the 4th it’s less and less likely, so you definitely don’t want to overdo it.” Similarly, I was satisfied with my score after my third time taking the ACT.

Finally, I really wanted to get a tutor’s insight on the new test-optional policy many universities have been adopting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Ben’s eyes, “The college application is a process that incorporates an array of information in the service of determining whether a student would be a good fit for a given school… It does make sense and feels fair to make the test optional in so many places this year, given that many students are not able to go to great lengths to take it under the pandemic - requiring it would unfairly benefit students with access to more resources.” Given this, Ben still believes that taking the test and getting a high score can positively affect your application. Looking to the future, Ben is excited to see how standardized tests will transform, whether there will be new kinds of tests or new ways to do testing at home, or something we can’t imagine right now. We hope that Ben’s insight has given you some guidance, and hopefully some relief, on the big, bad standardized test process! Find out more about Ben and MyGuru’s services below:

Ben C. is a top ACT and SAT tutor for a boutique tutoring company called MyGuru. They specialize in connecting students with experienced (at least 3 years) and impressive (at least 95th percentile test scores and bachelor's degrees) backgrounds at an affordable cost. They also stress the importance of mindset, strategy, confidence, effective study habits, and time management and organization skills in achieving superior performance in school and on standardized tests. Visit them there for more information on their ACT and SAT tutoring approach.

0 Comments

Freshman & Sophomore years - Test Prep??

3/13/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
We get this question a lot - should we be preparing for the ACT or SAT exams earlier on in high school as opposed to waiting until Junior year to take a test prep class? Well, that depends. Some students decide to take their PSAT exam as their first indication of what to do in preparation for other standardized tests that will be a more important factor in their college applications.  That means waiting until sophomore or junior year to get a baseline.  And, for most students, this is the right path.  Many students are busy with keeping their grades up, time management between activities and academics, and it makes sense to push this until later.  If you know your student has generally tested well on standardized tests in the past, this may make the most sense.

However, if you are worried about the student as a test taker, we suggest taking a diagnostic practice test during or just after 9th grade to see whether the additional practice, earlier, would make sense.  This might mean sitting down for the Khan Academy SAT test offered free or the many resources and practice exams that are likely found at your local library. The diagnostic practice test will help indicate if there's a need for additional tutoring/test prep studies that need to occur outside of the usual school work preparation.

For all students, consider the following:
  • Take the right classes: choose classes in a college prep track that will well prepare you for the subjects that will show up in the SAT/ACT and the chosen SAT subject exams you hope to take
  • Do well in these classes: get to know the material well, the way it's posed in class might be slightly different than how it will show up in a standardized exam; knowing the material well will help to overcome the differences more easily
  • Read a lot: this exposes you to lots of different types of writing, perspectives, and vocabulary that will better get you through that verbal section; it doesn't hurt that this is also our #1 tip for freshman that are wanting to write excellent college application essays as well
  • Talk to upperclassmen: ask to see what the experience is like for the different exams, ask them what their biggest challenges were on the day of testing and what they would do differently next time (if there is a next time for them)

1 Comment

SAT & ACT Test Prep Apps

7/10/2018

1 Comment

 
Picture
You can definitely utilize technology to help you through the standardized test prep process - it’ll literally be at your fingertips during any down time that you may have. The first question we usually get is whether a student should take the ACT or the SAT.  The best way to check this is to go through several questions of each section of both exams so that the student can get a feel for which they prefer. Most people can easily come to a conclusion on which exam "speaks to them" more. Then, I'd go all in! After all, study for 2 exams??  In some cases we may suggest a swap to the other exam if the practice scores aren't quite matching the academic rigor achieved at school.

Generally, my first recommendation is go to to Khan Academy, they work directly with the college board on SAT test prep.  However, there are tons of apps out there as well that are interactive and give you lots of opportunities to practice test questions.  We've done a bit of sleuthing for you to weed out the apps that don't have much usage or are poorly put together. I'm an android, so these are all through the Google Play Store.  Hopefully a few of these will work out for your needs.

Note of caution - apps are a great way to get breadth.  However, once you spot a weakness, you'll need to drill down to really understand how to solve the problems that you're most commonly getting wrong.  These apps sometimes do not allow for you to do that in the most productive way.

In no particular order:
​

ACT Practice Test 2018 (also has one for SAT)
​CoCo E-Learning
136 reviews, 4.5 stars
In app purchases

​ACT Test Prep, Practice, and Flashcards (also has one for SAT)
Magoosh
108 reviews, 4.5 stars

ACT Up
ScoreBeyond, Inc
407 reviews, 4.5 stars
In app purchases

SAT Up - New SAT Test Prep
ScoreBeyond, Inc.
1531 reviews, 4.5 stars
In app purchases

Play2Prep: ACT SAT prep
play3prep
3695 reviews, 4.1 stars
In app purchases




​ACT Prep: Practice Tests, Plashcards, Quizzes (also has one for SAT)

Varsity Tutors LLC
161 reviews, 4.5 stars

Vocabulary for SAT
Praveen Yuva
441 reviews, 4.6 stars

UWorld SAT & ACT
UWorld, LLC
185 reviews, 4.5 stars

Ready4 ACT (Prep4 ACT)
Ready4
2303 reviews, 4.5 stars
In app purchases

Ready4 SAT (Prep4SAT)
Ready4
13588 reviews, 4.5 stars
In app purchases
1 Comment

Test Prep Anxiety

6/1/2017

0 Comments

 
Nervousness and anxiety when it comes to standardized testing is pretty common - so, you're not alone.  The anxiety or fear is actually a sign that your body is ready to focus on the task ahead, all that remains is how your harness that energy.  Here are some tactics to keep cool and calm so that you perform your best on test day.

Months/weeks leading to the test:
  • Be prepared - get the support that you need to master the materials as best as you can before the test date; this includes starting preparation with ample time, possible classes, tutoring, study materials, taking many practice tests, and getting to the test location early
  • Be confident - visualized success, see yourself sitting down, starting, working on the problems with fluidity; focus on what you'll be working on and not so much what others are doing, you'll have your own system and that's the process and success you should hone in on in your mind; keep a positive outlook as you approach test date
  • Practice relaxation techniques - one that works really well for our students is controlled breathing; try inhaling deeply (where the stomach expands, not chest) for a slow count of 5 and then exhaling for a count of 5, repeat for about a minute (https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/09/well/mind/breathe-exhale-repeat-the-benefits-of-controlled-breathing.html) 

Day of:
  • Get a great night's sleep
  • Get to the test location early
  • Don't go in on an empty stomach (or bring a small snack with you)
  • Continue to visualize a great start to the test
  • Continue to visualize a flow and good pace throughout the test; keep your thoughts moving, use scratch paper to get yourself going (especially for essay questions!)
  • Practice controlled breathing before/during if needed; try a quick stretch if you feel like you are tensing up
0 Comments

    About Lucent:

    College, Graduate School, and Career Coaching.

    Archives

    May 2022
    April 2021
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    October 2015
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    January 2013
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    Categories

    All
    About Lucent
    Career
    College
    Cover Letter
    Essays
    Financial Aid
    International Student
    Resume
    Scholarships
    School
    School Selections
    Student Visa
    Test Prep
    Transferring

    RSS Feed

    Newsletter
    Monthly newsletter with tips and  promos.

Subscribe

About Lucent Education

​Blog
About the Partners
Testimonials/Reviews
Social Responsibility
​

Support

Contact
FAQs
Email Lucent
​

650.427.0754

Services

School Admissions
Career Coaching
All Services
Picture
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Who We Are
    • Blog
    • Social Responsibility
    • Our Stories
  • School Admissions
  • Career Coaching
  • Pricing
  • Contact
    • FAQs