The March SAT results are set to come out today and thousands of students nationwide are eagerly awaiting the results. If your child‘s scores are not exactly where they should be, there’s a few steps that can be taken now to get ready for the next SAT exam.
1. Introspection – First of all, you have to figure out what happened. What went right, what went wrong, and what can be done to fix it for the next time. Start by having a conversation with your son or daughter. Ask them what they thought were the strengths and weaknesses of their exam. Was it possible they were distracted? Were they pressed for time? Maybe they were a bit rusty on some of the Math questions? Whatever it was, now you have identified the problem. Now it’s time to make a plan and turn those weaknesses into strengths.
2. Utilize the SAT Question & Answer Service – For a fee, the College Board will send you the test questions from your exam. Along with the score report, you can conduct an item analysis and figure out specifically weaknesses across the entire exam. Trust me, it’s an investment worth making.
3. Practice – Now that you’ve thought about what happened, purchased and completed the item analysis, it’s time to practice. As cliche as it sounds, practice really does make perfect. The only way that score is going to increase is by putting the time into turning those weaknesses into strengths. If math is your Achilles heel, then buy a practice book, log onto Kahn Academy, or hire a tutor. If reading is the problem, then start with the small practice stories online. The point is, whether you try to make improvements yourself or get some help, you are putting forth the effort. There are no shortcuts to greatness. Good luck!
Lou Blair has been an educator and tutor for 25 years. He is not affiliated with the College Board or Kahn Academy in any way.