The aspect of the college admissions process that seems to concern more students than any other issue is that of standardized tests. Students spend millions of dollars each year on test prep for the SAT and ACT and millions more registering for and taking the tests. It is important before taking a standardized test that a student understand what the directions of the test are and some basics of how the tests are structured. For some students, taking a test preparation course is the best route. For other students, preparing on their own may be the best option. We work with students that use both methods and both can be helpful depending on the needs of the student.
There are a number of free resources available on the internet for students who feel that they are able prepare for the tests themselves. Our biggest recommendation is to study past exams of either the SAT or ACT depending on which test you will be taking. For SAT help check out these resources.
For help with the ACT these resources are very helpful.
Here is an article if you are wondering whether to take the SAT or ACT. In thinking about test scores you need to be aware of the middle range of test scores for any particular college in which you might be interested.
Some colleges also require the SAT subject tests in addition to the SAT or ACT.
Many students find that they have problems with standardized testing and wonder if they will be able to find the right college with weak test scores. There are many colleges that have gone test optional which means that they do not require the submission of standardized tests for admissions. For students that have troubles taking this type of test here is a list of test optional colleges. This list of colleges includes colleges with a wide range of selectivity including some very selective colleges.