What To Do After a Disappointing ACT Score
February 21, 2024Get Smarter Prep

What To Do After a Disappointing ACT Score

The sting of a disappointing ACT score can be overwhelming. Weeks of preparation culminate in a number that doesn’t reflect your efforts, leaving you feeling lost and unsure. But, take it from us, don’t let this setback doesn’t define your future. Here are some steps to navigate this situation and emerge stronger:

  1. Acknowledge and Process Your Emotions:

It’s natural to feel disappointment, frustration, or even anger. Don’t bottle up these emotions. Talk to a trusted friend, family member, or counselor. Allow yourself time to process and accept these feelings before moving forward.

  1. Analyze Your Score:

The ACT score report provides valuable insights into your strengths and weaknesses. Review each section carefully, identifying areas that require improvement. This analysis will be crucial for shaping your future study plan.

  1. Re-evaluate Your Goals:

Reflect on the reasons behind your initial ACT goal. Was it driven by college aspirations, scholarship opportunities, or external pressure? Reassessing your motivations can help determine if a retake is necessary or if alternative paths can achieve your desired outcomes.

  1. Consider Retaking the ACT:

If your goal is a higher score, consider retaking the test. However, approach this decision strategically.

  • Identify the Next Test Date: Just like students lose knowledge over the summer (the summer slide) the same goes for the ACT. Typically, the very next ACT test date is best. Jump right back into it and prepare for the test so you won’t lose any knowledge you’ve already gained.
  • Revamp Your Study Strategy: Analyze your learning style and identify areas where your current approach fell short. Explore different resources like online courses, or private tutoring tailored to your specific needs.
  • Seek Expert Guidance: Our tutors can provide personalized support, diagnose learning gaps, and develop a customized study plan to address your weaknesses and maximize your score potential. They help you navigate the test and find new ways to better prepare while retaining what you’ve already learned.
  1. Explore Alternative Options:

Remember, the ACT is just one piece of the college application puzzle. Many colleges consider a holistic review, including your GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. Explore these areas and showcase your strengths to create a compelling application.

  1. Maintain Perspective:

The ACT score is not a measure of your worth or intelligence. It’s simply a standardized test with inherent limitations. Don’t let it define your confidence or future aspirations.

  1. Remember, You’re Not Alone:

Many students face similar challenges. Seek support from peers, mentors, or online communities who can offer encouragement and share their own experiences.

  1. Focus on Growth and Improvement:

View this experience as an opportunity for personal growth. The journey of learning and self-improvement extends beyond a single test score. Embrace the challenge, refine your study skills, and strive for continuous progress.

By following these steps, you can navigate the disappointment of a low ACT score and emerge with a renewed sense of purpose and a clear path towards achieving your academic goals. Remember, resilience and determination are valuable assets that will serve you well throughout your academic and professional journey.

 

Read More
The February ACT - A Smart Choice
December 18, 2023Get Smarter Prep

Reasons to take the February ACT

Taking an official ACT in February can be super beneficial for students since many students can take up to two tests in the same month. For Kansas public school Juniors, the state provides an additional ACT at their school during school hours. This year that test lands on February 27th, so preparing for the February test dates may be a smart decision for a lot of students.

Two Tests in One Month

Typically, we encourage students to prepare for the ACT 8-10 weeks prior to the test date, which makes the start of prep for the February 10th ACT the beginning to mid-December. For Kansas Juniors preparing for the February 27th test, the best time to start is the end of December or beginning of January, which is perfect since students will be in the middle of Winter Break.

With the option of two test dates in February, taking the official ACT on February 10th and then again two and half weeks later, the content will remain fresh, and you will know what to expect when it comes to taking the test. Just remember to keep studying in between test dates and of course, use the strategies your tutor has given you so you can maximize your ACT prep efforts and potentially obtain a higher score.

Test scores are released typically ten days to two weeks after the test date, so scores should start to be released on February 20th. This gives you an idea of what you need to focus on before you take the next test. Use your time wisely and concentrate on areas that need attention.

February is also the least popular test date, meaning fewer test-takers and therefore fewer distractions. This could translate to a calmer testing environment. If that’s important to you, then consider the February ACT.

College Applications

If your score isn’t what you hoped for, you have ample time to retake the test in April or June, refine your study approach, and still meet early application deadlines. No pressure, just valuable test-day experience.

Colleges see thousands of applications in the spring. By applying early with your February ACT score, you stand out from the crowd. This can be a significant advantage, especially if you’re aiming for competitive schools.

Of course, February isn’t for everyone. Student athletes in the midst of basketball or volleyball season may feel completely overwhelmed and this test date may not be for them. Consider your individual study pace, comfort level with early deadlines, and overall testing strategy. But if you’re a motivated student looking for an edge, February could be your ticket to ACT success.

Remember: Every student is different. Weigh the pros and cons carefully and choose the ACT date that best suits your needs and academic journey. Get Smarter Prep has several ACT Prep options to choose from including three different ACT Prep Courses, ACT Semi-Private Tutoring, and ACT Private Tutoring. Good luck!

Read More
Requesting ACT Accommodations
October 25, 2023Get Smarter Prep

Requesting ACT Accommodations

If you’re a student prepping for the ACT and need accommodations for the test, make sure you prepare well in advance since ACT has changed the way accommodations are submitted. In the past, students have submitted a request through ACT.  However, to request accommodations now, students need to work with a school official since accommodations requested need to be similar to the accommodations students currently receive in school. Accommodations must still be approved by ACT BEFORE the test date. 

1. Register for the test.

Login into MyACT and register for the test. Keep in mind, you will need to link a valid high school into your account before you register to allow ACT to communicate your registration to the associated school official in TAA. You can search for your high school by zip code.

After you have started the process, select ‘Yes’ when prompted to confirm you need accommodations. If you selected ‘no’, you will need to contact ACT as soon as possible to update your registration if you need to test with accommodations. 

2. Submit your request for accommodations to your school official.

Once you are registered, you will receive an email that need to be forwarded onto your school official. You also need to complete a Consent to Release Information to ACT (PDF) form.

Your school official will need to submit your request for accommodations in TAA before the late registration deadline for your specific test date. This request can take up to 10 days to process.

Note: If you have approved accommodations, you do not need to submit a new request.

3. Review the notification with your school official.

Stay in contact with your school official. You can review the decision notification with your school official and if the request was denied, you have until the late registration deadline to submit an appeal.

If you haven’t received an update within 10 days, please contact your school official directly.

4. If you are approved for special testing, plan accordingly.

Students are expected to make arrangements with their school official to test within the special testing window at their own school. If your school cannot administer the test, please contact ACT to make other arrangements.

5. Be sure to print your admission ticket.

All students must upload a photo by a certain date, so be sure to do this and review your admission tickets to ensure it shows your accommodations. Double check your testing center to be certain the location provides your accommodations.

Read More
Planning Ahead
October 11, 2023Get Smarter Prep

Planning Ahead

In a prior blog, we wrote about what we at GSP consider the Top 10 Test Prep Traps that students and parents can fall into. The first item on that list was “taking the test too early” – before the end of sophomore year. But, understandably, as many parents (and students!) find themselves overwhelmed with the whole junior and senior year process, parents vow to start earlier next time. “You’ll see!”, they think. “Davey will start preparing for the ACT in 7th grade!”

It sounds reasonable, at first. Planning ahead is a responsible thing to do. Taking one’s time with a project or task is generally more enjoyable than saving it until the very last minute, and there’s so much going on during junior year that it might feel like there’s not nearly enough time to do the necessary work.

The main reason we cited in our previous post for not beginning so early is that students generally haven’t had the necessary coursework tested by the ACT and SAT before the end of their sophomore year. But that isn’t the only reason. It’s also important to consider that the tests do change periodically – sometimes in small ways, sometimes via larger overhauls.

Practicing for the SAT years before taking it is akin to attempting to write college essays years in advance – not only is it unlikely that a student has the necessary experience and knowledge to be successful, it’s also nearly certain that the requirements will actually change, meaning that much (if not all) of that effort would be wasted.

We at GSP have had some conversations about this concept of “too early,” and how to answer the question, “but what should we do, then?”. Here are some tips and suggestions we’ve come up with for how younger students – and their parents – can best prepare for the standardized tests of the future.

1. READ!

Every tutor I spoke with listed reading as the number one thing students should focus on. Here’s what some of them said about the importance of developing good reading habits:

“Just read regularly. Can be books, news, magazines, or whatever. […] Most test taking strategies are about time use, but if you can’t understand what they’re saying then there’s little point.” – Logan Terry

“[Students should] read whatever they can get their hands on for reading comprehension, to see how proper punctuation and grammar are used, and to familiarize themselves with vocab words.” Madison Huber-Smith, former tutor

“The best thing a 7th grader can do to prepare for the ACT/SAT/PSAT/LSAT/MCAT/GMAT/LIFE is to read everything and anything. The more varied a kid’s reading experiences, the better prepared they are to do well on standardized tests. Reading is so important for every section of standardized tests — even math and science. […] Test prep works best for students who have a solid grasp of reading comprehension and the ability to make mental leaps from step A to B to C in a multi-step problem. All the test taking strategies in the world won’t help if you can’t understand the words you are reading and can’t problem solve. ” Gina Claypool

2. Encourage “a spirit of curiosity and learning.”

From Gina,: “Read with your kid. Discuss books, magazine and news articles (that way, you know if your kid is comprehending what they are reading), documentaries, etc. If your kid shows an interest in a subject you know nothing about, say “let’s learn about that together”. I’m kind of a nerd, but, in the summers before going to work, my mom would leave a logic puzzle for my sisters and me to solve, and I loved it. I think doing fun logic puzzles was a key factor in my enjoyment of math and science.”

3. Address difficulties with math as they arise.

It’s not unusual that students have forgotten some of the math they’ve learned by the time start preparing for the ACT and SAT – and that’s OK! Reviewing that content is part of what we do. But it’s more time-consuming to address math topics that a student didn’t really understand the first time around. Madison: “I have students complain that they had bad teachers for certain classes, and it affects them when it comes time to review for the ACT. A strong, early grasp of algebra is so key!”

4. Relax!

“Don’t worry about it too much. Do your homework, stay in school, and get involved in things that interest you. The ACT isn’t going to determine how successful you become. It’s just one of the first hoops you have to jump through in life.” – Caleb

Audrey Hazzard is a Tutor at Get Smarter Prep.

Read More
30 ACT Score
August 17, 2022Get Smarter Prep

The Infamous 30 ACT Composite Score

Everyone wants the infamous 30 ACT composite score. Why does every student desire a 30 on their ACT?  Just to say they have a 30? What does a 30 composite score actually get you?  More scholarships? Entry into a highly selective school? The ability to say you scored a 30?  Maybe.  Maybe a 30 composite score will get you all of those things, but let’s take a closer look to see if that score is the right score for you.

Did you know that the National average ACT score for college bound students is a 19.8? The average for the state of Kansas is 19.9 and the average score for the state of Alabama is a 18. Meanwhile, The District of Columbia averaged 26.9, keeping in mind the estimated percent of graduates tested was only 18%. We want state and national averages to be transparent because it’s important to understand how other high school students are scoring on their ACT test.

Average ACT Scores

Scholarships

So why does a 30 ACT score haunt high school students?  For most students, scholarship money is what drives a student to achieve the very best score they can. For example, The University of Alabama gives a break down of scholarships related to ACT/SAT scores, plus their GPA score. Students will be awarded $1,000 more if they score anywhere between 30-36 + a certain GPA. If you’ve taken the ACT 3x and can’t get past a 28 or 29, don’t worry about it. You’ll still get a great scholarship.

Make sure you at least have an outline of the types of colleges you would like to attend and then take those schools’ scholarship requirements into consideration. Most students would be shocked to realize the break usual isn’t at 30, but closer to 31, if not a 32 or higher.

College Entry

The same principal applies to college entry.  Highly selective schools typically don’t look for a standard of a 30 ACT (or it’s SAT equivalent). They look for higher scores starting at a 31 or 32, plus a fantastic GPA of around 3.75 or higher. For example, Vanderbilt University in Nashville typical accepts students scoring in the 33-35 range. The middle 50% of scorers at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois is 33-35, similar to that of Duke University in Durham, NC. The bottom line is, do your research on the schools with which you’re truly interested and figure out if a 30 is sufficient or if you need to score even higher.

It’s so important to set proper goals based on what you are interested in, your ability, and what is tangible for you. If you take a pretest and score a 17 composite score, a 30 is big stretch – to say the least! Do you have endless amounts of time to study? What about your class schedule in high school? You don’t want to fall behind on your regular classes to study hours and hours for the ACT.

It’s so important to set proper goals based on what you are interested in, your ability, and what is tangible for you. If you take a pretest and score a 17 composite score, a 30 is big stretch – to say the least! Do you have endless amounts of time to study? What about your class schedule in high school? You don’t want to fall behind on your regular classes to study hours and hours for the ACT.

Extracurricular Activities

Another factor to consider is all of your extracurricular activities. Studying for and taking the October ACT while you are in football or volleyball will be totally overwhelming. How full is your schedule this semester? Do you even have the time and energy to spend on achieving a 30? The ACT has several test dates from which to choose throughout the year; choose one that makes sense for you and your schedule.

Get Smarter Prep has different prep options for any type of student: from a small group course to semi-private and private tutoring. Select an option and test date that will set you up for success, not overwhelm you.  Setting a tangible goal score will the best way to assure success, whether it’s the infamous 30, a solid 26, or a Kansas average of 19.8. 

 

 

Read More
SAT Test Dates '22-'23
August 10, 2022Get Smarter Prep

SAT Releases Test Dates ’22-’23

If you have your mind set on taking the SAT, CollegeBoard has released all the 2022-2023 test dates available to students. Registration is open for all students for the 2022 SAT dates and will be open for spring 2023 dates in the fall. Take a look at the test dates below and in particular the registration dates attached to those specific dates.

SAT Test Dates '22-'23

Deciding Factors

There are several items to think about when deciding which test date is right for you including, your academic load, sports schedule, extra-curriculars, job schedule, etc. Only you can determine if you are able to handle adding test prep for eight+ weeks on top of your schedule.

Keep in mind, you and your tutor will meet once a week for an hour and a half, plus you will have about 2-3 hours of SAT homework to finish each week before your next tutoring session.

No matter which test date a student chooses, it’s important to prioritize those 8-10 weeks of test prep in order to put your best foot forward for the SAT. If you need help figuring out which test date is best for you and how best to prepare for the test, please reach out to us. Our SAT experts are here to help!

Read More
Changes to the SAT
February 9, 2022Get Smarter Prep

More Changes to the SAT

CollegeBoard made the announcement that they will make the transition to the digital SAT at international test centers in March of 2023 and at U.S. schools and test centers in spring of 2024. What stays the same and what will change?

The digital SAT will continue to measure the knowledge and skills that students are learning in school and that matter most for college and career readiness. The test will still be scored on the same 1600 scales as before and will be administered in a school or in a test center with a proctor present, but not at home. Students will continue to connect directly to scholarships and will also be given accommodations for those students who receive them.

Now let’s review more changes to the SAT that are being made below.

Changes to the SAT

Get Smarter Prep will continue to offer Semi-Private and Private Tutoring for students moving forward with the SAT.

Read More
August 25, 2021Get Smarter Prep

ACT Prep

It’s that time of the year again. School is starting, students are getting back into the swing of things, the weather is starting to cool down (okay maybe yet not in the Kansas City metro) and students are starting to think about the next step towards college. To be honest, that’s going to look different for freshman that it is for sophomores than it is for juniors and last, but not least, seniors. We’ve put together a road map to college as a visual to guide students through their high school career. Not sure where to start? Look at the roadmap.

Road Map to College

Freshman Year

A great place to begin is by building a resume as a freshman. Keep track of your classes, make notes of the courses you liked and didn’t like, put a star next to your favorite teacher. Your resume doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect and polished, but make sure you take notes. You’ll thank yourself in three years.

Sophomore Year

As a sophomore, your classes may start getting a bit more difficult and the thought of college a little closer. How best to prepare? Keep going. Keep taking classes that challenge you and keep getting good grades. Join a club, volunteer, try out for a sport. Keep in mind, you should be including all of these opportunities in your resume. If you’ve taken Algebra II as a sophomore, the end of the school year is a good time to start thinking about the ACT. You can take a practice ACT test at Get Smarter Prep to establish a baseline score. We offer Free Practice ACT tests every Saturday morning.

Junior Year – ACT Prep

Okay, we’re going to say it: Your Junior year of high school is important. It’s the time in your high school career when students start preparing for the ACT, put together college lists, and perhaps start visiting colleges. If you didn’t take Algebra II as a sophomore, then you will take it as a Junior, which is important because the math section of the ACT is heavy in Algebra. We have multiple options to start preparing for the ACT including courses with set curriculum, Semi-Private Tutoring and Private Tutoring.

Senior Year

Senior year and the countdown is on! If you still need to increase your ACT score, the first semester is the best time for ACT Prep so you can crush the ACT and get to your ACT goal. Hopefully as a senior, you have a college list prepared, you are working on your college essays, and are ready to start applying to some of those colleges. Then sit back and enjoy the rest of high school!

At Get Smarter Prep, we are here to help. We want every student who walks through our doors to succeed. Whether that means a 2-point ACT increase, 5-point ACT increase or help with college essays, our tutors are readily available to help students reach their goals.

Read More