Spark Tutors

In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, my SAT tutors  often get asked the difference between these tests.   The test makers offer free samples so you can take a trial test and judge for yourself.   The ACT is shorter but you must work faster.  There is no penalty for guessing.  The SAT can prove better for kids who easily master testing strategies.  Some college guidance officers now insist that their students take both tests TWICE before their senior year.  That’s probably overkill considering everything else that’s important in a teenager’s life: grades, activities, social life and some iota of balance!

I shared this story with my Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo SAT tutors: At Harvard’s college counseling program last summer, one prominent dean of college admissions stood up and said, “Look, I know everyone loves to hate the SAT.  But listen, every year we accept a few kids on the basis of their SAT scores.  If a student’s school is obscure, if their teacher letters are short and vague, if their counselor letter is poorly-written, if their transcript or portfolio is difficult to compare to ordinary academic benchmarks… but they just might be that diamond in the rough — then an outstanding SAT score gives us the evidence we need that the young scholar can succeed here. ”

Parents ask when to start prepping for the SAT.  Of course, it depends on the child, their goals, and their current score range.  But in general, even studying for one month prior to the exam will help.  My Santa Barbara SAT tutors favor two sessions a week, three hours per session.  They focus on test-taking techniques and getting rid of students’ bad test-taking habits.  Just that will often raise scores 100 or more points.  If you want a more significant score boost, start studying three to four months in advance, and work on improving your SAT math and verbal skills.

The irony of SAT preparation: over-stressed kids who underperform. I prefer small group or one-on-one tutoring for SAT test prep, so we can actively coach kids in managing their day-of-test anxiety. The human brain can’t perform algebraic equations when adrenaline is surging. Yet the body naturally responds to stressful situations by activating its fight-or-flight response (you and I know it as sweaty palms, rapid breathing, pounding heart). We simply haven’t evolved finer physiological hair-splitting. You’d like to tell your adrenaline, “If it’s a lion, rev me up. But, dude, if it’s a vocabulary question, chill out, OK?” The right frame of mind on SAT test day really helps. So do calming exercises and smart test-taking strategies. We all know athletes can get “mental” and fail to perform when it counts. Good SAT test prep builds the intellectual and the “mental” skill of SAT taking.  Just ask my Santa Barbara SAT tutors.