@samandryanmom hi. My DD’16 did an in person prep class. I do not think it was worth the money. I have heard time and time again, just do lots of practice tests.
@samandryanmom Maybe you could do strategic test prep tutoring? We did this before the last SAT. I scheduled just a few private tutoring sessions to go over the types of problems D was getting wrong.
We also did a very small group class of two or three people for a month or so but it was really the private sessions that helped.
Of course, we haven’t got the results of D’s last SAT but I’m hopeful because she felt much, much better about the math, even though she wasn’t feeling great that day.
S18 shocked us all with his grades this spring and nudged his GPA up to 3.44 . Going to stick with this group, though. Easily the most thoughtful, grounded and informative group on CC.
@samandryanmom, I would also suggest trying out the SAT and see which test your D likes better. Two of my kids preferred the SAT and one the ACT and the differences can be big. As far as prep, we’ve had the best luck with using books that have practice tests and doing Khan Academy (which I think has SAT but not ACT prep??) S18 especially likes a book called “PWN SAT Math” (or something like that) which I found recommended here on CC.
D has the PWN math book. It pairs well with the official SAT prep book. If I remember correctly the PWN book has an index that matches explanations with problems on the practice tests.
D found she does not really like the explanations on Khan. She used Khan before the first SAT but hasn’t used it as much since.
Thanks! Hi back!!
Thanks for all of the suggestions! She’s taken a few practice ACT tests and has a test prep book but hasn’t spent a whole lot of time on it. I’m going to look into the SAT as an option. The same place that offers the class also offers private tutoring as well but it’s $$$!
Check with some local colleges if they offer a summer SAT prep class. But I have found some helpful videos online by some SAT tutors and they walk you through a whole math section.
Ask around about a tutor. We used a young mom who had recently started a tutoring business with a friend. It was comparably reasonable, especially since the private classes were few and focused.
Yikes, my normally hard-working S18 apparently caught some kind of summer slacking fever. Got a call from one of his two online teachers (doing photography and public speaking) that he hadn’t turned in any assignments for four weeks! Whoa, this is not the kind of call I expected to receive.
So here’s the deal. He’s quite behind in both classes, but should be able to catch up. He already turned in the first of 9 “units” for public speaking and wrote a really great paper that got 100. The main problem is he has so much else to do. He just left today going to Yellowstone with a friend’s family. Two days after he gets back from that we leave for a a one week college visit tour. A few days after that he is a groomsman and emcee at his oldest sister’s wedding. And a week and a half after that the online classes end and he leaves the next day for his Germany orientation in NY. I am SO GLAD he didn’t get offered a job where he applied.
He absolutely needs to pass these classes or he won’t get his local HS diploma and I’m sure he will pass. But what should have been two easy A’s could now screw up his GPA. I’m not really angry at him, but I am mighty frustrated!
So, who is waiting on SAT scores?
I’m hoping for the best but not expecting much besides a little improvement in the math section.
I can’t do much with D18 right now because she’s away at camp, but she did get her ACT scores back and she went from a 26 to a 30. She attributes this to the Magoosh app and the Up Your Score book (I had both kids read it). Her big jump was in reading-she’s normally a really crazy good reader (lexile scores were always good) but she didn’t know “how” to do the act reading section. Once the magoosh lessons taught her “how” to answer it (this is her words-I didn’t know what they wanted me to say until I did the magoosh thing), then her numbers went way up.
She has the SAT again in Aug. I’m not sure she can improve on that big of a jump for ACT, so she may be done with that one.
Waiting on SAT scores here, DD say “Don’t get your hopes up…”. Best score she is sitting on too date is a 27 ACT. Debating on having her take another stab at it in September.
Just found you guys and read all posts to catch up. Great group!
I’m dad w/ S17 waiting for SAT. His SAT from earlier this year was only 1090 (550 Math, 540 English) and his GPA is 3.6 w/ no AP’s, Honors, etc. He did do a community college art class with an A last summer and is taking a digital cartooning class there this summer. His ACT’s were dismal at a 21 but his written portion was an 8. He’s on Spectrum so I’m actually happy with all this but hoping he gets a little better score on the SAT’s this time around. Good luck to all tomorrow.
@rwmannesq Welcome and thank you for joining us!
Unfortunately DD was correct her 2nd SAT score was nothing to get my hopes up about, it only went up 10 points. It is basically of no value compared to her ACT score. So she is officially done with the SAT.
The question now remains…does she retake the ACT (3rd try) in September and attempt to raise that score another few points from her current 27( 32R, 28S, 25E, 24M)? OR call is a day and just submit what she has and hope for the best?
I don’t see the point unless she is willing to really put in some study time. But she just finished her 2 online summer courses and I don’t see her being willing to put in a lot of effort. She clearly has no issues with reading comprehension…but the English and Math sections are low, and those are the most important…so she says she will just concentrate on studying those two sections. My thought is that she will bring those two sections up a point or two but the science and reading will come down a point or two and she will be at the same place composite score wise. But it will look better because those base scores are higher right? Just a few of her schools superscore the ACT. I am really tempted to call it quits and just have her concentrate on the Essays.
D went up 50 points. She thought she did very poorly on the verbal this time but her score actually went up. She’s a bit disappointed because she put in a lot of work into math prep and only went up 40 points. I think it really is about speed after the feedback I got from the tutor. She’s already signed up for August but I feel bad for her having to go through it again.
I’m thinking more and more that we can’t beat our instate publics, not only for $ but for education.
I forgot to post an update on the last ACT. Daughter has gone from a 21 (diagnostic) to a 26 first take. This past take she went down. We knew that would probably happen. She forgot her ID (husband was able to get it there in time) and even though she was able to take the exam, I know her and I’m sure she was off her game. She already struggle with test anxiety, so this did not help. In addition, she complained of feeling sick and sure enough we took her to urgent care and she had strep that date.
Will definitely be taking again in September. The 26 is fine to get in to the schools that she is looking at, but we would like her to bring up the math. She is being incredibly lazy right now about working on her essays. She needs to get all applications in by October in order to schedule dance auditions for her BFA.
She did get lucky and was chosen for a Bloomberg Arts Internship. Philadelphia runs a program called Work Ready. Rising juniors, seniors and college students can apply and interview for internships. She was lucky to be chosen for the Arts Internship. I think they saw her 14 years of dance and realized it would be a good fit. It is a wonderful program that includes mentoring, essay help, leadership workshops and development workshops every Friday of the internship (along with whatever actual work they are doing at their place or business). She is at a lovey theater in Philly halfway between our house and where she dances. Plus, she gets paid. We are asking her to bank most of the pay. We hope she will do this again next summer before college and will have a good amount of spending money going in to freshman year.
My son just looked his June SAT up and it went from 1090 to 1110, so basically the same. Superscore is now 1120 (570 English/550 Math) I don’t know whether I should put him through a retest in August or not, and if so then should he do tutoring. His GPA is 3.6 but no AP’s, etc. other than Community College summer courses last and this year. Our school choices are modest but a couple of reach schools won’t be on the list any more. We’re East Bay area CA and he’s been in Catholic School up through the current well known HS.
We’re safe w/ CSU Sonoma, Saint Mary’s Moraga and UC Merced (UC gpa is 3.78,) though none of these are particularly desirable to him.
We’re also looking at Univ. of San Francisco, Univ. of Portland, and Loyola Marymount as reasonable expectations, especially based on his Catholic School background (ie multi-year donations to diocese.) He’d actually be very happy at any of these, though we haven’t yet toured Portland.
And then there’s still Univ. of San Diego and Santa Clara Univ. which are now bumped to reach schools, though again possible due to Catholic affiliation and I’m an LL.M. alum of USD.
His dream school is Univ of Washington which is now not in reach, and I don’t think it’s a good fit personally, but what do I know?
I could really use some advice here…he is autistic but obviously very high functioning. He shines w/ work habits and will succeed in college in courses depending on homework and dedication. Standardized tests, not so much. So, since money is NOT a concern, anybody think it’s best to just leave well enough alone and start focusing on the essays?
@rwmannesq If money is not an issue and you have 2-3 safeties that are sure bets for admission, I’d stop.
The processing issues that kids on the spectrum deal with can really glitch up testing. So you might never get the type of scores that due justice to his abilities.
The other thing is that you don’t want him to get fixated on the tests. That could take on a life of it’s own.
And the other thing I’d think about is not wanting to put him in an environment that is very competitive and stressful. Let him be closer to the higher end of the accepted students rather than the other way around.
I think there are opportunities to challenge oneself anywhere but you will probably want to avoid a situation where he is chronically overwhelmed by courses that he has no interest in.
I might look at the choices you’ve listed and see what support services are available and which school would not overload him with general ed requirements.
These were the types of things that were helpful for my oldest who has processing glitches. I also have a younger kid with funky attention issues and those are the things I’ll be thinking carefully about during the next round.