ACT Deadline Is Approaching

Registration for the ACT test is coming up.  IF you child needs to take the test on Feburary 6, 2010 they need to be registared by January 5.  These pesky deadlinesJ  If your just starting the college admissions process, then check out my other post about college admisison mistakes

This is a pretty big test that will have a lasting affect on your child’s college academic life.   It’s one part of the admission process but also it’s used to give out the FREE the merit money.  Yep, the college will use the ACT as one factor in giving out free money for college.  Yet, many kids go into this test blind and under preparred.  I hear many parents say their high school has taken care of preparing their kids for the ACT.  Don’t believe them!  No I’m not saying they don’t educate our kids or even give them preperation for the test but I am saying that a little more does not hurt.

I’ve worked with hundreds of families over the years and the biggest mistake I see families making is beleiving that the high schools, colleges, and even the government can take care of this for you.  The fact is they just get the ball rolling.  Many times, it’s just that little extra that makes all the difference.

You say your son or daughter has already taken the test and really does not want to take it again.  I understand that one.  I remember going to take the test.  WOW, what a releif when it was over.  This is a very important test but it’s also a very long test.  3 hours and it’s not like sitting through the movie Avatar with popcorn and free refills on your Pepsi. So it’s not wonder that your children don’t want to take it more than once.  The ACT test has four sections — English, mathematics, reading and science.  There is also an optional writing section.  The difference, however, between a 24 and a 28 could mean $5,000 a year in scholarships.

I always recommend an ACT prep course in addition to the prep the children get in high school.  Some of these prep courses take them through weeks up weeks of prep.  I’m sure this helps a few kids.  There is a prep company in my office building.  I’ll come into my office on a Saturday morning and I pass by the kids.  They all look board and miffed that they have to wake up on a Saturday morning.  Let’s face it our kids are pretty busy these days.  The kids have mentioned to me that these classes are a big burden to them.  These test classes can also be expensive but I do believe that ACT prep is a good invetment.

On the otherhand there are other test prep that can be done online and do more show than tell.   Showing is a better way for the kids to learn.  There are programs that will show the kids exactly how to solve the problem or what the correct answer was and why.  Also, the ACT prep course may not go at your child’s pace.  They will go at the pace of the teacher.

One other area to watch out for is the program should track your children’s strengths and weaknesses.  The ACT test is a standard test, if we can focus their energy on the areas of weakness, then they should do much better on the test.

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