Is your child ready for the ACT test?

Sports are a huge part of our culture.  Many of our kids are involved in a sport, often more than one.  We take our kids to practice so they can participate and improve in hopes that one day he/she will play on the varsity team or maybe, if really talented, play the sport in college.

Imagine your child is on the varsity basketball team.  The biggest game of the year is on the horizon--conference championship against the school's #1 rival.  Out of the blue, the coach decides to cancel the 5 practices leading up to the big game. The coach figures the team has spent countless hours of practicing already, so they should be just fine.

The players, parents and community would be in an uproar! There is no way people would allow it to happen. Something would be done.  How could they possibly win the championship without practicing?

Now, consider the ACT test.  We send our kids off to school for years giving them lots of "practice" time in math, reading, science, etc...  Then they need to prepare for life after school, most hoping to get more schooling.  They will have to take the ACT test or a similar test to get into a college or university .  The better the score, the better the school. Good scores, good financial aid. Yet, before the "big game" of taking the test on a Saturday morning, not much effort has gone into preparing for the test.  Each student had planned on studying for the test, but they were busy with school work, jobs and activities.

Although our children have attended countless hours of school, it doesn't mean they are prepared to score well on the ACT test.  We need to help them "practice" hard to get the score they deserve.

Here are some ways that you can help your child prepare for the ACT test:

• Get an ACT prep book (found at all book stores
  and online) and give them homework from it.
  Otherwise, it will probably just collect dust.
• Have them take timed practice tests.  Schools sometimes offer these for a minimal fee or many of the test prep books have practice tests.  Time them in each section, just as they do
  for the official test.
• Go to the official ACT test student website and utilize the tools available.
• Enroll them in a quality ACT test prep
  course.  There is one coming up this spring for STMA students via Community Education called PrepStar. 

Don't call off the practices just before the big game.  Your child needs you to coach them since they are taking the biggest test of their adolescent life!  Not only do they have a lot at stake, but so do you because scholarship dollars are on the line!