My DD was a great student but did not do well on standardized tests either. She took the SAT/ACT..did OK but not in line with her grades/classes. We did pay for a class....I can't remember how much....at least a few hundred dollars, and honestly, her scores did not go up much at all so for us it was a waste of $ and her time.

I think most schools place more weight on what classes you took (Honors/AP), your grades, extracurriculars, etc.. Those are more of an indicator as to how well you will do in college than a standardized test and they know some kids are bright but just don't do well on those tests.

Supposedly, though, colleges give merit aid at least partly based on test scores.

What I have heard is that for kids who need general test-taking strategies, group classes are fine. For kids who need specific help in specific subjects, private tutoring works better. This is only what I have heard through the grapevine, as we haven't done either YET. But my #3 kid, who is only in 8th grade, is a TERRIBLE performer on tests (and yet she is consistently an A/B student) so I am sure when her time comes, we'll be tutoring her like crazy. Actually I am hoping they eliminate the SAT before then!

I have to add that one of my daughters seriously wanted a high SAT score. The class (princeton Review) definitely helped her accomplish that.
My youngest was less serious and her score went up, but not significantly.
I wouldn't go over board. As mentioned above, everything is a taken into consideration.

This post was edited by ellendi on Thu, Oct 16, 14 at 8:41

Our kids met with a private tutor for SAT prep. DS2's school started SAT prep classes on Saturdays in 9th grade. He took that in 9th and switched to a tutor in 10th--- not the whole year, just several months before he took the test. Some of his classmates took it throughout the school year. There was a good deal of emphasis on taking the test just once, though.

My 2 kids took a group class prior to taking the SAT/ACT. Due to their busy fall schedules, they took a class offered in the summer. (I know, mean mom). I think a prep class for a standardized test is always a good idea. It keeps the student on schedule, they offer multiple practice tests and prepare the student for the timing of these LONG exams. BTW, my kids have very good scores and I think the prep class enhanced their results.

Interesting thread. DD is a junior too. Kswl - why the emphasis on only taking the exam once?

There are two camps (probsbly more, lol) of opinion about taking the test multiple times. When DS2 took the test they'd started allowing students to submit their best scores in each category that did not have to be at the same sitting. I don't know if they still do that, but the test taker could request that each whole score not be reported, only the best single scores from each sitting. Kids everywhere were taking the SAT multiple times to get the combination they wanted. Only, they did report whether the scores were from different sittings. So if you had a kid who wanted to get I to Harvard, and at that time your V and M score had to be a minimum of 1500 for consideration (unless you'd published a book, started a company that went public, founded an aid organization, etc.) we knew some kids who took the test 10 times. I guess at some point that either proves determination, or works against you to prove that you're not really Harvard material.....those were the two schools of thought. It's funny that so many schools didn't take the writing score seriously, and yet that was the only piece of writing the admissions office knew was actually written by the student. I knew personally of many kids whose parents actually wrote their application essays for them, and spending a summer at an orphanage in Tanzania or similar became so commonplace it was eventually almost a negative (rich kid helps poor Tanzanians, learns life lessons while doing good, etc.). DS's school encouraged heavy prep for one test sitting, period. They thought it was the student's best shot as it most accurately reflected his abilities and preparation, and was less stressful in the end on the student and family, and looked better to admissions.

Many years ago, I was an instructor for the Princeton Review. At the time, it was a better program than Kaplan (IMO). The group classes could get big and you'd have students at all different levels. The advantage was that it was structured and everyone would come in on the same day at the same time and take a practice exam that was set up/timed/etc. just like the real exam. I mostly did private tutoring through the Princeton Review though. I enjoyed working one on one with the students (I went to their homes) and I was able to focus directly on each child's individual areas of need. However, it was really up to them as far as taking practice tests, etc. on their own time. Some were very motivated -- some not so much. So it may really depend on whether your child needs overall review in all areas or just needs to focus on math or vocab or whatever, whether they thrive better in a group setting or whether individual attention helps them learn better, and finally, whether they are independently motivated enough to do the "homework" outside of tutoring sessions or whether they need the structure of a group class meeting multiple times a week.

I believe the rule now is you can take the test multiple times, but you cannot pick and choose which section scores to keep to create your ideal composite.

When you send your test scores you have to pick a test date so your entire score from that date is sent to the college.

I find that people I talk to their kid takes the test at least twice. Once as a base line and then again after some prep. I've read and been told by guidance counselors that a student is most prepared to take the test by spring of their Junior year - mostly because by that time much of the test question content will have been covered in their HS classes.

Our high school bought an old test and last month all Juniors and anyone Soph or Fresh interested could take the test as a practice. They graded it internally and sent the results home. My son did average. I think our plan will be for him to take the test in either Dec or Feb. then take a prep class to help him based on his scores. He will take it again in April and then we'll decide if he will take it again.

These prep classes aren't cheap so I want to have him go to the most productive one. I appreciate your input lkplatow as a former employee. I know my son, and he's not one to sit and take the practice test on his own. It's long - not a fun test! He needs the structure of a class where the instructor proctors the test and the review of the results/homework etc.

I will look into Princeton - a lot of these classes look like they're offered in the summer which would mean he wouldn't take the test until September of his Senior year. Which interestingly enough it seems to be much more popular to do so. With my two older boys, the september test didn't offer writing and the October test was a last ditch attempt and the availability of your test scores by deadlines of many schools in early November/December was not likely.

I will be happy when this is all over!

Just my opinion, but I would never, ever, have a student take the SAT or any other test without preparation as a "baseline." That is a poor plan on many levels......a significant jump in scores is not what you want a school to see if the first test was average or slightly below average.

I do not agree on the baseline approach either. It is a waste of time unless you score extremely high. The prep class people advise you to schedule the actual test right after the class is complete (before you forget anything). Also, I believe you can pay extra with the SAT and find out which questions were incorrect. This can help the student prepare for the next test. KSWL mentioned college admissions taking the highest score from each category of math,reading and writing. that is called Superscoring. Many colleges use this method. I also would encourage your student to complete all testing during their junior year. Senior year testing adds a lot of stress. Tests do not have to be taken at YOUR school only. Check the SAT website for additional dates and locations.

At the time I was an instructor, I believe they offered the option that privately tutored students could take the proctored practice tests with the group session if they paid extra. It may be something you'd have to ask your local franchise (they were all franchised back then -- I'm not sure if it still works that way.)

College admissions is so different now than when I went to school, but our high school strongly encouraged everyone take the SAT once a year starting in 7th grade (I went to a weird high school!). By the time we got to junior year, everyone had had tons of practice and knew what to expect. And colleges didn't seem to care about the immense jump in score from the first test to the last.

I guess they don't really do that any more because my daughter is in 8th grade and there has been no mention of having her take the SAT.

I think it depends on where you're applying to school. In the Midwest, most schools like the ACT, but will accept the SAT.

When you register to take the test, if you do not list any schools, your test scores will not be sent to colleges automatically. Yes, you have to pay after the fact to send them but I've always felt that I would rather see what the score is first before sending it off to a college.

I guess I am not familiar with superscoring - the colleges my kids have applied to do not do that, so you have to submit your score - all components from one test date.

I hear you about the baseline thing - it's more to get him comfortable with it, but perhaps we'll do the class and if they do several proctored practice tests, that will serve the same purpose.

Lkplatow, our children took the SAT in 7th grade also, as part of the Duke Talent Identification Program. All three kids qualified for the program but only one attended, every summer he was eligible. Our DD took the test again in eighth grade for an extreme early college entrance program which she chose not to attend (and go to BS instead).

Our oldest took the Princeton Review. Our middle child had in-home prep through my tutor.com. The youngest did some review classes at school and that was all she wanted.

Merit aid is based on PSAT scores, which you used to be able to take several times. Once those scores were released the colleges started encouraging potential applicants.

Our oldest was a tutor while in grad school, working for Summit (my tutor) and going to client's homes. One on one is valuable for some students. None of these programs work unless the child is willing to do the homework/prep.

Boy, all this recent talk about SAT/ACT and college prep on this side has me with feeling like a neglectful parent! My two took all the AP courses available to them at their public high school and the PSAT and SAT without any prep. They both scored perfect on the verbal and close to it on the math and written portions of the SAT. We didn't even consider doing something extra to gain an edge... and I know neither of them would have been interested in participating in any prep classes! I wonder if excessive activities to prepare for this measurement exercise results in increased pressure and anxiety to achieve specific outcomes.... and if it may be contraindicated for some prepared-enough students! Maybe this is just another "west coast" viewpoint!

Our HS has the 10th graders take PSAT, jrs take it again in the fall (just this week), I think they take the SAT in the spring and then in the fall again as seniors.

I only took the SAT once (IIRC, as a fall senior). I thought aid and admissions were based on that? Why would colleges decide aid based on PSAT when SAT scores are available to them?

But DH says the SAT has multiple tests now, not just math and writing? I guess I have to get up to date on this.

Edit: I just looked at the SAT site, there are subject tests in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics that DS may take (well, maybe not Bio, but Chem this year and Physics next). I'm still not sure about Math I and Math II - the standard math section on the SAT must not cover much since the Math I looks to me to cover what I remember taking in HS, Math II is maybe more of what I took in college, though I did take UCONN Calculus in HS, I didn't get to prob & stats until college. DS will have to look at the examples to see which one to take. Since he plans on studying engineering I think at least the Math I test would be recommended (if not required) by the schools he's considering (the website can provide info on that too).

But I remember that I didn't finish the math section of the SAT way back when, even if it didn't cover the more advanced trig and such. Have they decreased the number of questions on the standard test?

Here is a link that might be useful: SAT subject tests

This post was edited by ajsmama on Sat, Oct 18, 14 at 9:26

Our kids all took 3 subject tests, along with the SAT's. Most of the colleges they applied to required them. When I took the subject tests they were named SAT ll's or Achievement tests. Many private colleges require them, whereas state schools ( UMass for us ) do not. UMass offers the Abigal Adams Scholarship (tuition-free for 4 years) to high MCAS scorers.

Our kids took 4 years of math, science, English, history and foreign language. Coming from a rigorous high school prepared them well for college.

I took 3 years of Latin, 4 of Spanish, algebra, geometry, trig, college-credit (UCONN) pre-calculus, physics, chemistry and biology as well as English lit in HS. Graduated valedictorian. I still didn't have time to finish the math portion of the SAT, and I lost my scholarship to engineering school bc I had never had to *study* before for tests, I had to work my way through to my Master's. I guess my HS wasn't rigorous enough.

I think some training on test-taking strategies (some are scored such that a wrong answer is worse than no answer) and study skills might be good for everyone, even if they're not having problems in school. If not to perform better on the SAT, then to do better in college.

To clarify: Juniors that take the PSAT and score EXTREMELY well (something like the top 1% in the country) become National Merit Scholar winners. Colleges give various amounts of merit money to those few students. High scoring on the SAT/ACT can also be awarded merit $$. The amount depends on the individual school.

I only made semi-finalist. But DS was inducted into the NHS last night, I hope that is a big factor in awarding merit aid. He's not likely to graduate valedictorian though - there were 15 other juniors (and 6 seniors) from his school inducted this year, including his best friend.

DS took ACT and SAT before high school through an academic talent search. His "prep" was to take a practice test of each at home. He used a Kaplan book from the library for the SAT, and when he checked the answer key, he didn't understand his error on a question. So he checked the description section: Kaplan made an error, and DS's answer was right. We contacted Kaplan, and gave our correspondence to the library when we returned the book.

So, if you practice on your own, triple check your source and your answers!