3 Steps to Take After the ACT, SAT

3 Steps to Take After the ACT, SAT

What you do in the days after taking college entrance exams is just as important as pretest prep.

Most advice about taking the ACT and SAT instructs students on what to do in the days, weeks and months before the exam. However, the post-test period is also important because it requires specific and time-sensitive action from test-takers. If you have just taken the ACT or SAT or plan to do so, follow these three post-exam steps as soon as possible:

3 Common SAT, ACT Strategies:

• Order additional score reports if necessary.

• Decide whether to submit your scores to test-optional colleges.

• Review your performance with an eye toward future improvement.

Order Additional Score Reports if Necessary

Paying ACT and SAT test-takers are allotted four free score reports – the document that outlines your results – per sitting. If you retake either assessment, you will be entitled to four then, as well. Students with fee waivers are allowed an unlimited number of SAT score reports, while on the ACT the number is an additional 20 reports per exam.

The cost is $13 per college for each additional ACT score report and $12 for each additional SAT score report. Note that rush delivery incurs an extra fee.

On exam day, many students send their scores to four schools on their college short list. But students who forget colleges on their short list or who prefer not to choose right away are not obligated to.

The College Board, for example, allows students to use their four free SAT score reports even after test day. Don’t delay too long, though. The offer expires after nine days and the fee becomes $12 unless you have a waiver. For both the ACT and SAT, students can order a new score report at any time if they decide to apply to a new college.

Decide Whether to Submit Your Scores to Test-Optional Colleges

Not all colleges require prospective students to submit ACT or SAT scores. Some institutions have always had a test-optional policy in place while some others have adopted this stance recently.

Due to the academic upheaval provoked by the novel coronavirus, an unprecedented number of universities have abandoned their testing requirements. Duke University in North Carolina, for instance, is waiving the requirement for the 2020-2021 academic year. Others, like the College of William and Mary in Virginia, are making test scores optional for the next few years. Still others are lifting the requirement permanently.

If any of your prospective schools are softening their testing policy, carefully weigh whether submitting your scores will help or harm your application’s standing. Students who are content with their SAT or ACT scores may benefit by including them with their application materials. On the other hand, students who are unsatisfied and send their scores anyway may unnecessarily compromise their chances of admission.

Review Your Performance with an Eye Toward Future Improvement

As soon as they receive their ACT and SAT score reports, students tend to zero in on their composite score. The composite score summarizes a student’s overall performance, so its merit as a test-taker's focal point is understandable. In reality, though, there is much more to the score report that warrants attention.

One extremely helpful feature of ACT and SAT score reports is that they break down your performance by test section, making it easy to identify your strengths and weaknesses. When analyzing your score reports, look carefully for patterns and trends in the data. For instance, if you underperformed in algebra and geometry questions, you may particularly benefit from reviewing ninth grade and 10th grade math material before beginning college.

If you decide to retest – another decision to be weighed carefully – your score report should be the guiding force in your prep sessions. By no means is it a document you should look at only once; keep it on hand and refer to it often to ensure your studies are suiting your needs. Your score report may also dictate how you review for future college-level assessments.

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Check out our ACT versus SAT comparison chart for test differences. Sometimes the difference is like night and day, and for others, it may be a hairline higher on one versus the other. The student won't know which test is better, unless the individual takes one of each. We'll use our score concordance chart in order to make a test recommendation.

WE WILL BE PROCTORING TESTS VIRTUALLY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS AT 9:00 AM. UPON REGISTERING FOR A VIRTUAL MOCK TEST, YOU’LL RECEIVE A TEST PACKET VIA USPS MAIL.

PACKET INCLUDES:

• ACT/SAT ANSWER SHEET

• ACT/SAT TEST BOOKLET

• *ACT/SAT ESSAY PROMPT

• FOUR PAGES OF LINED PAPER

• TEST INSTRUCTIONS

  *THE ACT/SAT ESSAY IS OPTIONAL. STUDENTS INTERESTED IN TAKING THE ACT/SAT ESSAY WILL CONTINUE ON WITH THE TEST AFTER THE FINAL MULTIPLE-CHOICE SECTION (ACT SCIENCE OR SAT MATH).

PLEASE SIGN UP NO LATER THAN MONDAY DURING THE WEEK OF THE MOCK TEST. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS DURING REGISTRATION, SO THAT WE CAN MAIL YOU A TESTING PACKET.

ALL ACT/SAT TESTS WILL BE PROCTORED VIRTUALLY THROUGH LESSONSPACE. THE DAY BEFORE EACH TEST, STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE AN EMAILED LINK TO JOIN THE VIRTUALLY PROCTORED TEST.

Private Mock Testing is also available. Please contact us for further information.

Impact of CV-19 - Admissions and Testing

Impact of COVID-19 on College Admission and Testing

Before COVID-19, most colleges and universities had elaborate admissions guidelines that were designed to present holistic pictures of their applicants. Some of the criteria they used to form these snapshots included a student's GPA, test scores, their school's academic rigor, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, volunteer and work experience, as well as their essay.

But, the pandemic has changed all of that. For instance, some high schools are no longer calculating grades and some extracurricular activities are canceled. Plus over the summer, students were unable to get internships, participate in summer programs, prep for or take standardized tests, volunteer, and sometimes even work. Consequently, a number of students feel like their applications are not as strong as they could be.

Consequences of COVID-19

In fact, according to a survey by Art & Science Group in collaboration with the College Board, nearly 45% of rising seniors said that COVID-19 has impacted their qualifications or the strength of their applications.1

For instance, 30% of white and Asian students, said they were unable to participate in extracurricular activities, while nearly 25% of Black and Hispanic students were unable to participate in summer educational programs.

Additionally, 21% of Black students and 13% of white students said their grades had been "compromised" by the pandemic. Meanwhile, 23% of students from the lowest-income group in the survey said they hadn't been able to work to save money for college.

What's more, widespread cancellations this past spring and summer have prevented many students from prepping for or taking the ACT and SAT exams. In fact, at the time of the survey, two-thirds of the respondents had not yet taken the SAT and nearly three-quarters had not yet taken the ACT.

And, as many as 51% of underrepresented minority students, 51% of low income students, and 51% of first generation college students were less likely than others to have taken the exams. For this reason, the class of 2021 is likely to submit vastly different college applications than those who graduated in 2019 and 2020.

What to Expect

Colleges and universities have had to adapt to meet this ever-changing landscape of student applicants. Some have made their application requirements test-optional, created virtual campus tours, and are actively engaged in leveling the playing field as much as they can to accommodate the challenges students are experiencing—especially because some areas of the country have been hit harder by the coronavirus than others.

Here is a closer look at what your student can expect when applying to college this fall and winter.

Test-Optional Schools

Some colleges are waiting to see how the pandemic impacts high schools this year before making a final decision about whether or not to implement a test-optional policy.

That said, there are a significant number of colleges and universities that have made the decision to become test-optional already. According to the National Center for Open and Fair Testing (FairTest), more than 1,600 accredited colleges and universities have made tests optional for 2021 admissions.2

Consequently, before you shell out money for your child to take the ACT or the SAT, visit the the FairTest website to determine if the schools your child is applying to are test-optional this year. Also, keep in mind just because a school is test-optional, this does not mean they are test-blind.

In other words, if your child does well on standardized tests, be sure that they include their test scores with their application. Doing so will strengthen their application and make them a stronger candidate.

If, however, your student struggles with standardized testing or has test anxiety, then you may want to consider skipping the tests and highlight their other qualifications.

If your student is considering not submitting standardized test scores, they need to make sure the rest of their application is pretty solid. While not submitting scores is a nice option for students who don't do well with standardized tests, it also means that the rest of their application will be more heavily weighted.

So, if you and your student think their application would be improved by including standardized test scores—and your student is able to take a test before the application deadline—then by all means, take the test and submit the scores.

Canceled or Postponed Tests

When it comes to taking standardized tests, some students will find it easier to schedule and take tests than others. Both the ACT and the SAT have scheduled exam dates, but are leaving it up to each test site to determine whether or not they are going to offer the test. Both organizations are suggesting that students monitor their testing locations to be sure the tests are still being offered as planned.

If you are planning to take the SAT or an SAT subject test, you can visit the College Board's website to determine if your testing location has cancelled a test. The site also indicates whether or not a make-up test will be offered.

As for the ACT, they do not have a list of cancellations. But you can research your test center to be sure the test is being offered before scheduling your test.

Both organizations also encourage students who plan to take the tests to register as soon as possible for the exams they want to take. With limited test dates and locations—plus a backlog of students who were unable to take their exams in the spring or summer—the availability is limited. They also both encourage students to wear face masks when taking their exams.

Virtual Campus Tours

In the past, students showed interest in a college or university by visiting the campus. But, with many campuses closed to students this fall, admissions officials have started offering virtual campus tours for prospective students. Many are also reaching students through virtual question and answer sessions, personalized emails, and social media.

Here are some ways your child can make the most of this situation:

• Ask them to develop a list of the schools they're interested in.

• Encourage your child to reach out to their admissions counselor at their top schools and begin developing a relationship—even if it is only through email and virtual calls.

• Reach out to a professor or two within their desired major to introduce themselves and ask about the courses offered.

• Follow their top picks on social media to gather information and show interest in the school—especially if your student likes or re-shares the information they post. (Just be sure your teen cleans up their social media account before following their top colleges.)

A Word From Verywell

While COVID-19 has completely changed the college admissions process this year, there are some unintended positives to all these changes. First, the pandemic has leveled the playing field when it comes to making college visits and doing lots of extras to enhance the college application that low income students cannot always afford. No one is doing these things so it's forcing students to get creative in order to make their application stand out.

Second, because many campuses are closed, it's much easier for students to get in touch with admissions professionals because they aren't traveling much. As a result, be sure your student reaches out to them and builds a relationship. Plus, they are likely to be very empathetic to the things students are experiencing because their lives have been upended by COVID-19 as well.

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2020-2021 MOCK ACT/SAT TEST DATES  

AS OF AUGUST 2020, WE WILL BE PROCTORING TESTS VIRTUALLY ON SATURDAY MORNINGS AT 9:00 AM. UPON REGISTERING FOR A VIRTUAL MOCK TEST, YOU’LL RECEIVE A TEST PACKET VIA USPS MAIL.

PACKET INCLUDES:

• ACT/SAT ANSWER SHEET

• ACT/SAT TEST BOOKLET

• *ACT/SAT ESSAY PROMPT

• FOUR PAGES OF LINED PAPER

• TEST INSTRUCTIONS

  *THE ACT/SAT ESSAY IS OPTIONAL. STUDENTS INTERESTED IN TAKING THE ACT/SAT ESSAY WILL CONTINUE ON WITH THE TEST AFTER THE FINAL MULTIPLE-CHOICE SECTION (ACT SCIENCE OR SAT MATH).

PLEASE SIGN UP NO LATER THAN MONDAY DURING THE WEEK OF THE MOCK TEST. BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS DURING REGISTRATION, SO THAT WE CAN MAIL YOU A TESTING PACKET.

ALL ACT/SAT TESTS WILL BE PROCTORED VIRTUALLY THROUGH LESSONSPACE. THE DAY BEFORE EACH TEST, STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE AN EMAILED LINK TO JOIN THE VIRTUALLY PROCTORED TEST. THE TEST INSTRUCTIONS CAN BE USED SHOULD A STUDENT LOSE CONNECTION TO THE TESTING LOBBY.

ACT

Register for a mock ACT by clicking on a specific test date below. 

Mock ACT test dates:

• February 27, 2021

• March 27, 2021

• April 10, 2021

• May 8, 2021

SAT

Register for a mock SAT by clicking on a specific test date below.  :

Mock SAT test dates:

• March 6, 2021

• April 24, 2021

• May 22, 2021

We also offer one-to-one mock testing at our offices. This consists of a full-length practice test for your child. Tests include: ACT, SAT, PSAT, SSAT, ISEE, HSPT, and SAT Subject Tests. We provide the test booklet, essay booklet, answer sheet, testing timer, calculator, and pencils. 

We can send parents a practice test as well, to administer to their student in-home. We will send out a free practice test packet along with proctoring instructions. Parents must send the answer sheet back to us via email or mail. 

FREE College Planning & SAT Prep Workshops

For Parents and Students

Your College Planning Coach and Vint Hill Educational Services will hold workshops on Saturday, April 1st (Richmond VA) and Saturday, April 29th (Manassas Park VA), from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Both parents and students are welcome to attend. The parent workshop will go over college planning information. The student workshop will focus on SAT prep for the math and reading/writing sections. 

FREE Parent Workshop
- Help with scholarships and financial aid
- When to start planning for college
- How school selection can save you money
- Proven tools to guide career and school choice
- How to navigate through the application process
- And much more!

FREE Student Workshop
- Learn SAT tips, tricks, and strategies
- Understand the SAT format, timing, and structure
- Introduction to the SAT math, SAT reading, and SAT writing sections
- Work through sample problems with the teacher
- Comparison to ACT

Registration
Online: Manassas VA - http://tinyurl.com/znnv47d  Richmond VA -  https://tinyurl.com/hs44xhh
Phone: 703-928-9036 / 540-428-5379
Email: luanne@yourcollegeplanningcoach.com / michael@vinthilles.com 

Conquer SAT Reading Passages

The SAT reading test measures the student’s skills in reading, comprehension, and analysis. The passages are 500-750 words and the questions are divided into three areas: synthesis, rhetoric, and information/ideas. The SAT reading test contains 5 total passages and each passage has 10-11 questions. The student has an average of 13 minutes to spend on each passage. It’s best for the student to spend about 5 minutes reading the passage and 45 seconds to answer each question. The passages range from high school to college level content. 

Important tips to consider while reading SAT passages:
-    Ask yourself questions while you read.
-    Understand the question first then look at the answer choices. 
-    Review to make sure you’ve found the best answer. Usually, SAT reading passages will contain a few answer choices that seem right, but they’re not the correct answer. Most of the difficult questions will try and throw you off. 

As you read the passage, be sure to stay engaged. Don’t read the passage passively and wait for information to come to you. Try to think about what the author is saying. Ask questions about the passage. Also, be sure to map out the passage by finding a main idea for each paragraph. Ask yourself: Why did the writer choose to write about this topic? If you come across a paired passage, read the first passage and then answer the questions pertaining to it. Next, read the second passage and answer the questions that follow. Lastly, answer the questions that go over both passages. 

SAT reading passage strategies:
-    Don’t skim over the passage.
-    Focus on one question at a time.
-    Use the two-pass approach.
-    Don’t read the questions before reading the passage.

Each SAT reading test includes the following:
-    1 U.S and World Literature passage (from classic and contemporary)
-    2 History/Social Studies passages (from founding documents and political life)
-    2 Science passages (from historical discoveries in Earth science, chemistry, biology, and physics)

Attacking the SAT reading test:
-    Read the passage first. Resist the urge to rush ahead. Taking time to read the passages thoroughly will pay off in the end. Students must actively read the passage first.
-    Don’t skim the passages. The reading questions require a strong understanding of the passage. Students must understand the author’s role and perspectives. A brief look is not enough to answer the questions with accuracy.
-    Only read one passage at a time. Answer all questions pertaining to a specific passage before moving forward. In order to maximize your score, spend your time focusing on the easier questions first. Each question is worth 1 raw point, regardless of the level of difficulty. 
-    Focus on a single question at a time. Don’t feel the pressure to rush through the test. Relax and don’t think about the next passage. Be patient and you will find yourself working more accurately. 

Vint Hill Educational Services offers one-to-one SAT prep focused on the individual. Our program is customized and designed for each unique student. Unlike a group SAT prep class, we concentrate on individual student needs. 

Learn more about our SAT prep program.

SAT Prep: Northern VA – Fredericksburg VA – Richmond VA – Charlottesville VA

Let us help prepare you for the new SAT! The redesigned SAT will launch with the first official administration on March 5, 2016. 

Prior to being hired, our test prep tutors take sections from the redesigned SAT. We can guarantee they know the content! They are taught new SAT test-taking tips and strategies as well. Our SAT prep program includes three new SAT books, weekly assignments, and full-length practice tests.  Each session is one-to-one and can take place in the student’s home. Parents receive tutor session notes through an online parent portal. 

SAT Changes
•    4 multiple-choice answers instead of 5 (Similar to ACT, except for Math) 
•    Elimination of the ¼ point deduction (ACT doesn’t deduct points for answering incorrectly) 
•    5 sections instead of 10 (ACT is 5 sections also – including essay)
•    New 50 minute essay and moved to the end (ACT essay is at the end) 
•    Reading & Writing reverting back to combined 200-800 scale
•    Total score on 400-1600 point scale (Math: 200-800 / Reading & Writing: 200-800)
•    Introduction of NO calculator allowed math section
•    Elimination of sentence completions on Reading
•    Heavy focus on Algebra (about 35%) and word problems; Geometry now less than 10% (ACT is about 30% Algebra) 
•    Trigonometry has been added (ACT already contains Trigonometry)
•    History and Science cross-test scores are added (ACT has a Science section and adds STEM scores to reports) 
•    Total test time including essay is 5 minutes longer than old SAT; now 3 hours and 50 minutes (ACT is 3 hours and 35 minutes)  
•    The experimental section has been eliminated

Contact us for customized one-to-one SAT prep! We serve students in the following areas: Northern VA, Richmond VA, Fredericksburg VA, Charlottesville VA, and Charlotte NC.