Let’s face it: your teen had big plans for this summer. From internships to college visits, summer is a time where students can explore, have fun, and get ready for college on the horizon.

With COVID-19 upending all of our lives, preparing for college has become just a bit more confusing. Even though this time is frustrating to say the least, read on to make sure your student emerges well prepared when this crisis comes to an end.

With summer on the way, make sure your teen leaves plenty of time for SAT or ACT prep. Summer is still an excellent time for rising juniors and seniors to prepare for testing, and the following guide reveals why.

7 Reasons Why Summer Is (Still) the Best Time for Test Prep

1. Unprecedented Time

With school being suspended for the remainder of the year in many parts of the country, students have a large amount of time to dedicate and prepare for the SAT or ACT exams. If your teen planned on taking the now-cancelled March/May/June SAT or April ACT, don’t let them stop studying. Know that the time your child puts in now toward a future exam will pay off huge dividends.

If your student was doing in-person tutoring, know that your instruction has probably moved online like we have at Peach State Tutoring. Take advantage of these online tutoring options rather than pausing your test prep or trying to go it alone during a stressful time.

2. Prevent Summer Learning Loss

Without educational activities, learning tools, or tutoring over the summer, students can forget much of what they learned during the previous school year. This phenomenon is known as summer learning loss or summer slide. If your student continues to study and challenge themselves during their time off, their mind will be fresh and ready to learn once classes return.

3. Avoid Conflicting Coursework

The SAT and ACT aren’t just any tests, as the format and method of studying required are vastly different from what high school students are used to. This can make simultaneous SAT or ACT prep and regular coursework difficult to balance. If your teen does most of their test preparation during the summer, it will be much less likely to conflict with what they’re learning in school.

4. Use Free Time Wisely

Most high school students will have jam-packed schedules again when school starts again in fall, so finding time for test preparation can be challenging. Even if they plan on having a job or extracurricular obligations, students tend to have much more free time over the summer. Preparing over break allows them to practice often with few distractions.

5. Maintain Consistency

Consistent studying is key for the SAT and ACT exams. Students need to take practice tests on a regular basis in order to find their strengths and weaknesses, work on improvement, and see real results. During the school year, sudden responsibilities, projects, and obligations are more likely to pop up and throw off your teen’s schedule. They’ll be able to practice consistently on a daily schedule during the summer.

6. Ease the Junior Year Workload

For most students, their junior year will be one of the most challenging years of high school. Between college visits, starting applications, community service, and activities, upcoming juniors will have a lot on their plate. No matter how much they may want to spend their summer relaxing, they’ll be grateful to have one less responsibility to take on during the upcoming school year.

7. Get in a Better Position for College Admissions

While some schools are making the SAT/ACT scores optional; however, it's important to note the nuances of how it will affect college admissions.

When a college or university goes test-optional, it typically sees the following:

• An increase in the number of applications it receives, which makes the school more selective and lowers chances of admission. This occurs because the school has the same number of seats available but a larger applicant pool to choose from.

• An increase in the average incoming freshman SAT/ACT scores because students that score well on the SAT/ACT exams will submit their scores to make their application stand out among the rest in the SAT/ACT optional environment.

In fact, when the University of Chicago went test-optional, it saw an increase in their average submitted test scores and a 6% admissions rate – the lowest and most selective in the school's history.

According to the National Association of College Admissions Counselors, only 25% of students elect to not submit scores when a school is test optional; 75% of students continue to submit their scores even when a school is test optional in nature to ensure they have the best chance at getting admitted into their target school.

Even though schools are making SAT/ACT scores optional, it is in the best interest of students to improve their SAT/ACT scores as much as possible to make their application stand out among others.

 

Give your high school student a head start on SAT and ACT preparation this summer with Peach State Tutoring & Test Prep. Their tutors help students throughout Roswell, Johns Creek, Milton, Cumming, Duluth, Norcross, Suwanee, and Alpharetta, GA, with effective SAT prep, ACT prep, and academic tutoring. With professional guidance, the right motivation, and the academic tools for success, you’ll see an almost immediate transformation in your child’s performance. To find out whether your student should take the SAT or ACT, ask about their free SAT vs. ACT evaluation test, which lets the students know which test they will achieve a higher score on. Visit their website or call (678) 824-6890 to learn more about test preparation services.