SAT/ACT Prep: Make the Most Out of Tutoring

We explored in a different post some tips for selecting a great tutor. In this post, we’ll talk about how to create a setup that is comfortable and productive for everyone: parents, student, and tutor. 

Introduction:

 The SAT or ACT is easily the most important test that a student takes in high school. Scores have a massive impact on college acceptance and potential for merit-based scholarships. College education is already very expensive, both admissions and scholarships are incredibly competitive, and the pressure on students to do well is unimaginable. Once a tutor or a prep center enters the picture, they are expected to shoulder some of the burden for getting the student to do well and are pulled into this crazy cycle of pressure. Having an arrangement upfront on how to structure the tutoring process and monitor progress is key to getting the most out of it. 

Roles and Responsibilities: Everyone

Once a tutor is selected, the following points must all be addressed upfront:

• Decide on target score and date(s) for test. Depending on previous scores if any and PSAT score, the target score will determine amount of effort needed by student to aim for this goal

• An outline of the tutoring schedule, expectations from student, and follow-ups, including a “stay-in-touch” plan where the parent can observe and provide feedback on progress

• Clarify expectations from everyone involved such as payment of fees, scheduling and cancellation policies, terminating the tutoring setup by either party

• Agree on intermediate milestones and contingency plans if student needs to take test more than once. For instance, students aiming to get into the 1500’s on the SAT will typically need to take the more than once 

Roles and Responsibilities: Parents

Preparing for a standardized test requires having the student spend many hours each week towards that test in addition to everything else. A parent’s responsibilities don’t stop at shuttling their kids around and paying for tutoring. Our kids need help with:

• Making sure the student is dividing time adequately between various activities. Tenth and eleventh grade tend to be the busiest time in all school years, with AP classes, extra-curriculars, school homework and tests, and standardized testing prep all competing for attention

• Help scheduling of lessons and follows-up on feedback from tutor

• Use incentives that work with the student to help them get and stay motivated

• Creating an atmosphere that allows for several hours of uninterrupted study especially when doing practice tests. Help be a proctor when practice tests are being done if the student needs this

Takeaways:

Selecting a good tutor requires some research and prep. Making the best of tutoring requires even more work from everyone involved. Best wishes!