Test Prep Courses

One of the more common questions I get from parents every year is "Should my son/ daughter take an ACT or SAT test prep course?" There are a wide range of options accessible to students from private tutors, small group instruction, larger group courses/ strategy sessions, online practice questions, and books that families can invest in to try to reach their desired score. The reality is, I cannot tell you if you should or should not participate in tutoring or test prep courses - it is an individual decision and you know what will work best for you and your family as well any potential financial constraints.

There has been a lot of research over the years on the impact of those courses.  There is some data that says the courses tend to have an impact on a student's score, but the impact is usually minimal.  Additionally, there has been data that shows that the best and most effective test preparation is a rigorous high school curriculum - challenging yourself in your classes and maximizing your learning every day.  Students who repeat the tests can sometimes improve their score just because they are now familiar with what to expect.  As with anything, it depends on how much effort the student is going to put forth as to whether any of the test prep options will be worth it or not.  I definitely recommend that students at least review some of the free resources that are available online (and there are lots of them!)  And, above all, students are encouraged to relax and do their best as that is all they can ask of themselves.

Also, don't forget, there are plenty of schools that are test-optional meaning that they don't require the ACT or SAT for their admissions decisions and other colleges such as Columbus State that will have placement tests instead of requiring an ACT/ SAT score so one test is never going to make or break you and your future.