Area Educational Support Expert Shares ACT Misconceptions; Tips for Approaching Standardized Testing and Selecting the Right Tutor

As certain as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, high school juniors are preparing to take the all-important, college-required ACT test. To help prepare for the test, tutors are often sought to guide the student through the process. However, simply signing on the dotted line doesn’t necessarily guarantee above average test scores. There are steps and issues to consider when selecting a tutor.

Many parents are under the misconception that studying for the ACT should begin six months to a year prior to undertaking the first test or the ACT is easier if taken during a certain time of the year or taking the test every time offered eventually delivers higher test scores. Not true on all accounts says Patsy Prince, director of Academic Tutoring Centers, co-author of the nationally renowned ACT SUCCESS test prep program and Barron’s 6 ACT Practice Tests, a manual to help college-bound students succeed on the ACT.

“Standardized tests, like the ACT, do not mean standardized strategies. Each student is unique with specific strengths and weaknesses that must be addressed and accommodated to ensure success,” said Prince. “My belief is one must focus on understanding each student’s potential; then developing a personalized and customized approach to test preparation.”

Prince has compiled a list of tips for parents and students to consider when approaching ACT testing and selecting a tutor:
• There is no “right” time to take the ACT. Students should determine when to take the test based on their learning needs, math class, and extracurricular schedules. A student who is a golfer should not take the test in September when he/she is in the height of the season.
• Practice is important, but practice without evaluating answers and changing strategies is not enough.
• Generally, tutoring is most effective no more than 10 weeks before the test, but that is dependent on academic level as well as learning style. An initial practice test or evaluation is a good way to determine what type of test prep is needed.
• Although there are certain general strategies that are universal for taking the ACT, an individualized approach based on a student’s strengths and weaknesses is best.
• A good ACT tutor is not just someone who graduated from an Ivy League school or received a high test score. A good ACT teacher is someone who understands how children learn and what success on the test requires.
• A good tutor can change strategies to meet the student’s needs and try different techniques if the student is not progressing.

According to Prince, Academic Tutoring Centers’ Highland Park, IL facility serves upwards of 150 students per week during the school year. Students meet one-on-one with a tutor and tutors maintain subject matter expertise enabling students the opportunity to work with separate tutors for math, science or language arts. Academic Tutoring Centers also offers complimentary ACT practice testing as needed by each student.

ACT scores are accepted at most four-year colleges in the U.S. The ACT test is administered by the American College Testing Program, which says the test “assesses high school students’ general educational development and their ability to complete college level work.”

“For the vast majority of high school students, ACT scores are an important part of the college application process,” said Prince. “A two to three point increase on the ACT can tip the scale for college admissions officers who are deciding between candidates with similar academic and extra-curricular achievements.”

For more information about Academic Tutoring Centers, located in Highland Park and Hinsdale, IL, visit www.academictutoringcenters.com or call 847.432.5100.