Ask any parent or high school student in their junior or senior year about SATs and other large tests preparing them for higher education and they’ll probably start trembling. These sorts of tests are extremely intimidating and are often considered to be the reasons for why students get into institutions that they really want to get into. All of that being said however, students and parents don’t need to walk into these tests feeling completely hopeless, overwhelmed and defeated because there is most certainly help and a variety of tactics to ensure that your child succeeds gloriously.
Test Scores Are Flexible Compared GPAs
For starters, it’s important for parents to understand that there are a variety of things to consider from the admissions side of the college application process. Factors such as GPA, community service as well as things such as personality and work ethic also play roles in acceptance rates.
Among these factors, test scores are the variable that can be altered the fastest. The SAT can always be taken again and it is the reason why it is usually recommended that students take it once or twice in their junior year to see where they stand and see what aspects of the test they’re struggling with. Once they understand the exam a little better, that can take some of the pressure off of the parent as well as the child because you both can make plans to score higher next time. Even if your child feels they can’t remember what sort of questions they struggled with, the SATs will send reports along with test scores laying out what your child needs improvement in. These reports help position your child for the next examination.
The previously mentioned strategies while useful are also not free of charge and because of this, it brings up another solution should parents want these sorts of reports without paying for the SATs. The practice SATs or PSATs are a good way to reap the aforementioned benefits of taking the SATs early without having to pay since the PSAT is free of charge and commonly taken at your child’s high school or within the area. Test scores can be changed very quickly compared to the other factors for collegiate acceptance.
Tutors Can Offer Some Sense of Peace
Being a parent and juggling a majority of the academic weight of preparing for the SATs is very taxing. This is a perfect reason to invest in a tutor that can focus on the goals that you and your child want to reach. Going to school and discussing what your child needs to get into the college of their choice with their teachers is great and should be done; however, teachers will not be able to meet all of these demands. They are teaching classes throughout the day full of students with various levels of comprehension and can simply forget what needs to be focused on to prepare for these long sorts of examinations.
Tutors can make up for this by focusing entirely on what your child needs to build up. SAT tutors in Washington DC are often praised by parents because they’ve often provided understanding and focused direction for the child as well as peace of mind for the parents; parents can breathe and worry about one less thing in preparation for the big step to higher education.
Tutors can also hold your child accountable for keeping up with the materials and the work to improve their SAT scores. This is important on a multitude of levels. For one, it can help develop some sense of responsibility in your child because now they have to care about these avenues just as much if not more than their parents do; however, it’s also a smooth transition into this sort of responsibility because tutors are helping them stay on track without holding their hand too stringent.
This is a factor of consideration that many parents in the Washington DC area have taken into consideration when moving forward with tutoring. SAT tutors in Washington DC will alleviate a lot of the anxieties that both you and your child are feeling about this process and both of you will recover some sense of peace while preparing for the next step.
Colleges Really Are Changing
These previous steps are common tactics used to succeed with examinations such as the SATs but it is also important for parents to understand that the college acceptance process is and will probably keep changing as time passes. As a parent of a child taking the SATs it’s important to understand exactly how these institutions have changed. Does the institution have minimum test score goals for the math area or in general? If so, knowing this information may help your child better prepare for the task at hand.
Additionally, colleges are changing their processes for admissions because of larger application rates; a larger portion of students are trying to go to school. Larger application rates can lead to factors such as lower acceptance rates and harder requirements to get into these institutions. Understanding the environment of the collegiate application process is crucial when preparing for it so it is most certainly an important step for parents to consider when moving forward. Does the institution you’re applying for have recommended test scores or any other sort of changes from years prior?
Take A Deep Breath Because You Can Do It
The SATs are some serious business and there’s no denying that reality; however, what all of these tactics and tips aspire to do is grant parents some specificity in a process that can be extremely overwhelming. If you know what the goal scores are, you, your tutor, as well as your child can all shoot for a very concrete and tangible goal.
If your child takes the PSAT, you’re both armed with an understanding of how the exams will work logistically. To top it off, even if you and your child feel under prepared when taking the SATs, your child can always take it again to improve their score later on. College applications can be overwhelming for sure but it’s important that you and your child proceed with confidence and take a deep breath before embarking on the journey together.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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