The SAT is a standardized admission test used by colleges and universities in the US. The purpose of the test is to show schools how ready a student is by testing comprehension skills, computational skills, and clarity of expression.
Taking SATs can make parents and children very anxious at the same time. But as a parent or a guardian, it is your responsibility to prepare your children for the exam. There are plenty of ways you can help them prepare for the upcoming exams.
In this article, you can read up on some advice on how to best prepare your kids for the SATs.
1. Teach Your Kids What the SAT is All About
The first thing you want to do is to explain what the SAT is all about to your children. But to do that, you need to know more about the SAT first. The SAT you’ve taken before is different from the exams offered now, so make sure that you know about the changes made about the exam. After that, explain carefully to your kids what the SAT is and why it is important for them.
2. Enroll Your Kids on Prep Courses
SAT prep courses are available online today. These can help boost your kid’s scores once they take the exam. Colleges and universities in the US use SAT scores to determine admissions and it can help in scholarship eligibility as well. If your kid has high SAT scores, he can be eligible for a scholarship or increase his chances of getting a scholarship renewal.
3. Give Your Kid Access To the Best Study Materials
There are many study materials available for SAT out there. But be careful of what types of study materials you give to your children as not all of them can help your kids. There are some of them that might even impact your kid’s SAT scores by providing questions that are not actually included in the actual test. If you don’t know what kind of study material you can give to your children, you can always go online to search for the best SAT books to use.
4. Find A Study Partner
Don’t let your kids study by themselves. If you have time, become a study partner yourself! If you don’t have time, make sure to find someone who can become a study partner who is also preparing for the SAT, for your kids. Your children will be able to study for the exam, develop strategies, and share study materials with other kids. Having a study partner will make it easier for your children to prepare for the exam.
5. Be Sure To Work On Your Kid’s Weaknesses
Your kid may be naturally good at some parts of the SAT and it’s good to focus on these areas by practicing them from time to time. But if you really want your kid to have high SAT scores and get them into college, it’s better if you figure out those parts where they struggle and make sure to work on them. Let your kids take a diagnostic test to find out which parts they need to work on more when studying for the SAT.
6. Take SAT Practice Tests
To give your kids a feel on what’s really like to take the SAT, you can have them take a practice test. SATs are different from the exams your kids may have taken before. It’s better if you allow your kids to know what kind of exam the SAT is before they take the actual test.
7. Get A Private Tutor
Study materials and practice tests can make your kids ready for the SAT. But if you really want to take your kid’s preparation for the SAT to the next level, you should consider hiring a private tutor. Private tutors can teach your kids everything about the SAT. They will make sure that your kids understand every aspect of the exam and develop a strategy so they’ll be 100% prepared for the SAT!
8. Teach Your Kids How To Do Mental Math
You have to know that there is a Math section where your kids will not be allowed to use a calculator during the exam. To prepare your kids for this, make sure that you teach them how to do SAT Math by using their brain only. Develop their computational skills so they won’t have a hard time when they take the actual exam.
9. Avoid Cramming
Cramming is not the best way to prepare your kids for the SAT. While it feels that you are teaching kids more while studying, it’ll be easier for them to forget what you just taught them after a couple of days. Develop a study schedule that will give your kids some break in between your study sessions to let the information sink in.
10. Build Their Confidence
Make sure to build your kid’s self-confidence before the actual exam. You can’t have them take the exam freaked out as their anxiety will only get the best of them. Before the day of the exam, give them some pep talk and remind them that they studied hard for the exam and are fully ready for it.
Final Thoughts
Taking the SAT is a major stepping stone for your kids as they move forward with their journey as a student. The SAT is a long and complicated exam that can get the best out of your kids if they are not ready. The test requires intensive preparation for months and it’ll be your job as a parent or a guardian to prepare them for it.
