The month of October marks the first full month of fall and the beginning of the baseball playoffs. October also brings the beginning of the college testing season. The first date for the SAT Reasoning Test (Formerly known as the Scholastic Apptitude Test) is October 9 and the ACT, American College Test follows a couple of weeks later. Each test is offered multiple times and various sights, always on Saturdays.
I am familar with the test and the testing process, having spent time as a high school counselor. I must admit I had a certain amount of disdain when it came to the test because I saw the pressure it put on certain students. In reality, the standardized college addmission tests are a necessity. They give colleges and universities a way to evaluate all students. Fortunately, most schools have also learned that doing well on a standardized test does not guarantee a student will be successful in college. For that reason schools look at a variety of factors: High school courses taken and the grades achieved, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, potential for leadership and the entrance essay.
If the SAT and ACT are a reality, what can parents be doing to help their students do well and succeed?
1. Encourage your teen to take the test early in the cycle. If they don't get the score they desire they can take the test again. Most school will always take the higher score.
2. Encourage them to take both. The SAT and ACT are very different. One is a reasoning test, the other is an apptitude test.
3. Don't add pressure by telling them you are counting on them scoring high enough to get into a particular school, even if it is your alma mater. There are lots of great schools out there and even communiy college is a great option for many students.
4. Make sure they are prepared. Teens need to be well rested and in a good frame of mind when then enter the testing facility.
5. Realize the college is not for everyone. Some students are better suited for trade schools or the military. Others might move right into the job market and do quite well.
6. Be a consultant and not a manager. You can offer advice on the college admissions process, but ultimately it's their decision and their life.
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