Is Test-Prep Right for Your Child: Quiz

Admit it. The only thing you really want to know about admission testing is whether you should fork over the big bucks for a commercial prep course. Perhaps you’re also wondering what other ways there are to prepare or if preparation is even possible at all.

Both College Board and ACT officials maintain that the best way to get ready for standardized tests is through following a challenging high school curriculum and staying abreast of assignments. It is no secret, either, that bookworms significantly outscore less avid readers—often even on mathematical tests (those questions have to be read, too).

The market is flooded with books, software, videos, courses, and even flashcards (remember them?) that all promise to improve standardized test scores and, to some degree, they do "work." The catch, of course, is that your kid has to work, too, to get anything out of them.

Take the quiz below to see how (or if) you should invest your time and money:

1. How eager is your child to prepare for college entrance tests? She/he
   1. is the one who insists on doing something.
   2. is willing to do what we suggest.
   3. thinks it’s probably a waste of time.
   4. makes gagging noises when we bring it up.
   
   
2. How much time do you think she/he can devote to taking a class?
   1. Three hours a week or more
   2. Two hours a week
   3. One hour a week
   4. Every second is already scheduled
   
   
3. How much time will she/he spend preparing at home?
   1. About eight hours per week
   2. About four hours per week
   3. About two hours per week
   4. About 10 minutes per week
   
   
4. Does she/he tend to see projects through to completion?
   1. Yes, sometimes compulsively
   2. Most of the time
   3. Only if they are interesting
   4. If we threaten
   
   
5. Does she/he get anxious at test times?
   1. Extremely—the whole family is off the wall
   2. Usually—these college tests seem to do it
   3. No, test scores are often above class achievement
   4. No, as long as the mall will still be open when the test is over
   
   
6. What is his/her approximate junior or senior year average?
   1. A
   2. B
   3. C
   4. Don’t ask
   
   
7. What were his/her combined PSAT scores? (Or use "PLAN" or "ACT" scores & conversion formula or SAT scores with a 0 added to choices below.)
   1. Between 80-110
   2. Between 110-140
   3. Over 140
   4. Below 80 or didn’t take them yet
   
   
8. Which statement comes closest to your child’s reaction to the PSAT (or other entrance tests already taken)?
   1. It took a while to get in the swing of it.
   2. I kind of went blank.
   3. It was easy.
   4. It was too hard.
   
   
9. What’s the likelihood that you (or another adult) could prepare with your child on a regular schedule of two to four hours per week, over 10 weeks?
   1. We could probably pull that off.
   2. If we really made an effort and organized in advance.
   3. Sounds like a long shot.
   4. We haven’t finished that soapbox racer we began in 2001.
   
   
10. How big of a bite would $900 take out of your budget?
    1. It’s small change compared to what college will cost.
    2. It’s a big chunk of change, but we’ve spent more money for worse reasons.
    3. It would mean some real creative financing.
    4. Are you crazy? We had to borrow to buy this book!
    
    
11. Your child seems to absorb information best when:
    1. in a classroom situation.
    2. reading independently.
    3. working one-on-one.
    4. watching the Home Shopping Channel.
    
    

The best time to get serious about SAT or ACT preparation is in the winter of junior year, before the "real" test is taken for the first time. (For practical purposes, the summer of that year works better for many, and tests can be retaken in the fall.)

If you answered "a" or "b" to questions 1 through 8 above, then your child is probably a good candidate for some sort of preparation program. Common sense can tell you that preparation means practice, and practice makes...well, if not perfect, then at least improvement. Any form of preparation will enhance your child’s familiarity with the testing process and that, in turn, is bound to boost confidence. The pros and cons of several preparation methods are listed below. Use your quiz results to determine which is best for you.

Freebies in Print

Excellent booklets (Taking the SAT I; Taking the SAT II; and Preparing for the ACT Assessment) are available at no cost at most high school guidance departments or by contacting the appropriate offices. These booklets are not the same as registration bulletins but usually accompany them. They provide some test-taking tips, preparation strategies, and complete practice tests. While brevity makes these booklets manageable, it also means that they lack information that might be helpful. At the very least, your child should be thoroughly acquainted with this material before taking an exam.

• If you answered "c" or "d" to questions 1, 2, and 3, and "c" to questions 7 and 8, then this may be the way to go.

Test Preparation Manuals

Most bookstores offer a broad selection of preparation books—and tomes for every existing major test are available. In general, look for volumes that:

• are written in a user-friendly style that seems fun to read (well, sort of, anyway);
• include several complete practice tests that mimic the real McCoy;
• provide not only practice test answers but also explanations of answers;
• explain test structure and test-taking strategies;
• offer comforting advice about quelling anxiety; and
• are up to date. (Test formats are revised periodically; library or school copies may not be current.)

Buying the book is not enough. If your child is not likely to systematically read the material and do the lessons and practice exercises provided, then this prep method will flop. Likewise, while last-minute cramming can help students understand test-taking strategies, that same information can be had for free from the College Board or ACT booklets.

Computer Software

Preparation programs are widely available for both Macintosh and PC use. For computer buffs, these interactive exercises can be entertaining. Most of the big names in the college-search industry sell test-prep software. Both the SAT and ACT folks also sell their own materials on their Web sites and in registration booklets. Look for software that includes complete practice tests, explained answers, and other features listed under "Test Preparation Manuals".

However, like books, this method won’t work if the software is harboring six species of spiders on the shelf.

Online Assistance

There are a burgeoning number of ways to prepare for tests online. These range from entire test-prep courses and practice tests to helpful hints and sample questions. Many are free.

For instance at www.collegeboard.com, your child can take a timed mini-SAT with real questions, along with an analysis of weak spots and a personal study plan. There is always a sample "question of the day" with immediate feedback (a bit of fun for Mom or Dad to try, although the thrill of victory is quickly diminished when you are told that the question you struggled to answer correctly was only an "easy" or "medium" one!) The ACT home page (www.act.org) offers a limited number of free practice questions for that test as well, with answers supplied and explained.

One-stop-shopping sites, such as www.nelnetsolutions.com generally include test preparation advice and free practice questions. If you type "free SAT preparation questions" into your favorite search engine, you’ll get a long list of the other most current sites.

You or your child can fritter away a lot of time jumping from link to link as you investigate online preparation options and tackle sample questions. Sites sometimes provide information only to those who are registered and, although registration is free, it takes…yep, you guessed it...even more time. • Try the book or computer approaches, above, if quiz answers included: 1a; 4 a or b; 7 b or c; 11 b.

School-Based Coaching Courses

THE GOOD NEWS: Unlike most commercial courses, classes offered in school (either as part of the curriculum or as an after-school option) are either inexpensive or cost-free. (Similar classes may also be available through local adult-ed programs or community colleges.) To some extent, these programs will force students to be aware of test formats and strategies, although good results require effort (and homework).

Even College Board literature concedes that short-duration familiarization courses (20 hours or so) seem to increase scores an average of 10 points on the verbal section and about 15 to 20 points on the math. Longer courses (40 hours), which stress skill development, can bring total gains of up to about 40 points. The literature also suggests, however, that such improvements may be largely due to continued academic growth and test-taking practice, not the result of exclusive insiders’ information.

Quality of instruction and course content in such homegrown classes can vary tremendously. Some are taught by moonlighters with little experience. If the class is boring or disorganized, it will be of limited use. If your child is not especially motivated in regular school classes, you can bet that he or she will really snooze through this one. The time would be far better spent participating in a club or sports or other more meaningful activity.

Before committing your child to a school coaching program, get the particulars on its teachers. "There is a proliferation of coaching courses all over the country," notes ACT official Patricia Farrant. "We don’t endorse or participate in any one of them. It’s really a ‘buyer beware’ situation. Some are fine. Some are less than-fine."

Is a school course right for your child? Look for quiz answers 2 a or b; 10 c or d; 11 a.

Et Cetera

For a few (and far between) families, the private tutor can be you. A preparation manual (or software) is the real teacher; you are primarily the enforcer. A guidance counselor or independent educational consultant can probably tell you if there is an individual nearby who has had appropriate experience. Look for someone who plans to administer an actual test to your child and then zero in on weak spots. For kids who work best in one-on-one situations, this could be the way to go.

Read, Read, Read. Many studies have proven the benefits of regular reading to young children—and of insisting that they read to themselves as they grow older. Even if this has never been a habit in your household, some experts argue that the months that might be devoted to test prep programs can be equally well spent curled up in the corner with a good book. Even reluctant readers who fought through War and Peace or drowned in Moby Dick can find a friend in Tom Clancy or Robert Parker, Alice Walker or Amy Tan. It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare or Steinbeck—it just has to be every day. (Did you answer "c" on question 4?)

A Word to Wise Parents

No matter which preparation methods you elect, never lose sight of the importance of keeping test anxiety to a minimum. Be an ally, not an antagonist. Instead of nagging about completion of registration forms or score order reports, stay on top of deadlines yourself and help your child complete tasks on schedule. Leave test weeks free of other obligations and try to put controversial family issues on the back burner during those times, too. On testing mornings, be sure that your child eats a healthy breakfast (well, some breakfast, anyway), and keep in mind that an extra smile or a favorite family joke on the way out the door can make a difference in a potentially stressful day.

Above all, don’t make your child feel that his or her value as a person is in any way linked to scores—or that your status at the country club or coffee klatch is on the line. Try to implant in your own mind the seemingly disparate beliefs that, yes, test results may affect where a child goes to college; but, no, that really won’t determine future happiness or success.