Tutor Yourself #11: FAQs
I’ve covered the main ideas already, but there are a few other questions I often hear from students and families. The past 10 posts cover most of what you would see in an SAT or ACT class, along with the general strategies you would get from a private tutor. While I can’t diagnose your specific areas of weakness, I hope I have given you some tools for exploring them further on your own. If you have any questions I haven’t covered, leave a comment or email me at robinsatty@stemsmartconsulting.com.
Wait — what about the essay? Both the SAT and ACT offer an optional essay. It’s optional, according to nearly every college and university in the US. If you’re applying to one of the few schools that require it, you should spend some time learning how to write an essay. If not, don’t worry about it. Spend your time studying for something else, working on your extracurriculars, or resting.
Practice Tests. How many practice tests should you take? As many as you can without burning out. Once a week or once every other week is a good way to spread them out, depending on how much time you have and how many tests you have access to. 4-6 is a good number. 8-12 is better. Try to take them in a setting that is as similar as possible to the actual test day.
Should I Retake? It depends. How close were you to your goal? How close were you to your peak? If you scored below your practice test, you could probably do better on a different day (assuming your practice tests were honest). If you scored right around, or slightly above, your practice tests, and you had been studying for a long time, you’re unlikely to do much better. If you don’t need to take it again, spend your time on your extracurriculars.
Test Day. This is your day. Take a deep breath and let your hard work pay off. Walk in with confidence, even if you’re only pretending. Make the most of your breaks. Make sure you’ve had a good breakfast. Don’t eat anything unusual. Bring a snack.