As a new year begins, students progress into the second semester of the school year. This second semester is especially crucial for juniors going to college. With all the fun festivities that happen during Junior Year, there is also a series of standardized tests which are strongly recommended.
The most common tests are the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT).
The SAT is the most common college admissions test for undergraduate students. It measures verbal and mathematical reasoning skills.
Students who plan to go to college after high school generally take the SAT once during their Junior Year and then again in Senior Year. Many students take preparation classes for the SATs.
Junior Ashley Barley said, “I am taking the prep class here at Sacred Hearts during spring because my parents believe the class will equip me with the right things to study so that I can be as prepared as possible when I take my SAT.”
American students and families spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on SAT prep courses in order to help boost SAT scores.
Senior Janelle Sabugo said, “I took two SAT prep classes because I wanted to prepare myself to receive a score of at least 1700 or higher. The highest score I received was a 1650.”
However, according to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, SAT prep courses may not be as helpful as everyone is led to believe.
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) conducted numerous studies that examined the impact of test prep on SAT scores. The NACAC recorded that on average, students scored only 30 points higher due to SAT prep courses.
College Board, the non-profit company that oversees the SAT, believes that there is limited benefit from test prep courses.
Dave Berry, a co-founder and senior adviser for College Confidential, a college admissions web site, believes that if a student is self-driven and motivated enough to study from an SAT prep book, she will receive as much aid as from a class.
Berry also says that part of successful test taking means understanding the test. This requires the student to be equipped with knowledge and stamina to power through the “mental game.”
Prep courses are not the only way a student can prepare for the SAT. College Board recommends using the free and inexpensive material that is offered on their web site. If students want to prepare further, the site offers a study guide that costs 20 dollars.
Gina B. • Feb 4, 2013 at 8:19 am
Classroom courses are not for everyone. Every student moves at a different pace and learns a different way. A course is completely standardized, which means there is no focus on the individual student’s needs.
The best way to practice for standardized tests is to practice taking them. Take the SAT once or twice, and the student’s score will instantly start to improve. Take the SAT ten times, and a student will be much more prepared for the test and have improved his/her score more than what a course ever could.
Isabella Bernard • Feb 4, 2013 at 8:16 am
I definitely would not recommend a course. The course I took was simply an instructor reading the test prep book to us. We went at a snail’s pace, and I barely learned anything new. I think the “standardized” course is only good for certain students – most will not benefit, especially those who need extra help, or are a little more advanced and are reaching for a 2000+ score on the SAT. I absolutely agree with the article – I did better learning from a book/online hybrid program than I did from the course.