With the summer in full swing, the idea of studying is out of sight, out of mind for most teenagers. However, for high school seniors looking to attend a four-year college in the near future, the last few chances to take the SAT and ACT exams are fast approaching—but First Choice Admissions is here to help!
Founded by former teacher, UCLA Test Prep Instructor, and Wharton MBA graduate Bruce Hanson, First Choice Admissions offers an innovative, highly affordable approach to online and in-person test prep, unlocking the secrets behind the SAT and ACT standardized exams.
For just $50, the course features materials written by Hanson himself and is designed to effectively boost skills, confidence, and scores. Truly an educational expert, Hanson specializes in getting top students into top schools, regardless of testing abilities or financial limitations.
Now is the time for students to finesse their final SAT and ACT scores for college submissions. First Choice Admissions is dedicated to helping students do just that.
You can learn more in this interview.
Why is it important to have preparation specifically for the ACT or SAT tests?
The big secret about the SAT and ACT is that nearly all of the English and math on the tests is stuff the kids learned freshman year. So you gotta ask: If the material is mostly basic English and math (and it is), what makes the tests so hard (because they are)?
The SAT and ACT aren’t hard because of WHAT they ask, they are hard because of HOW they ask it. The tests tend to ask questions in deliberately deceptive and confusing ways. In fact, a common comment you hear from test takers is, “Sometimes I wasn’t even sure exactly what I was being asked to do.”
So doing well on the SAT and ACT is kinda about having good English and math skills and a lot about mastering very specific ACT and SAT test taking skills. What test prep does is teach kids to read the questions in a way that allows them to immediately know: 1) what the heck they’ve just been asked to do and 2) which steps the test wants them to take to get to the right answers…FAST.
Being able to interpret ACT and SAT questions in that way is THE KEY to unlocking great scores. And those very specific ACT/SAT skills are simply not taught in most high schools. I should also point out, good test prep also rigorously reviews all that English and math the kids have forgotten since freshman year.
With some colleges changing their requirements, why can it still be valuable to take one of those tests?
The short answer is, a good ACT or SAT score will definitely help your chances of being accepted - even into a ‘test optional’ school. Okay…but what’s a good test score? If your ACT/SAT score is above the median for your target school then you should submit your score with your application. It will definitely help you. Generally schools publish that information on their website - if they don’t, you can always call the admissions department.
Keep in mind, if you are applying to several test optional schools, you don’t have to use your scores in every application - only use it if it will help you. If you’ve taken the ACT or SAT then you always have the option to submit a score. If you haven’t taken the test, it’s not the end of the world, you just have one less tool to help you get accepted.
I should also point out that there is serious scholarship money attached to ACT, SAT (and PSAT) scores. Some schools will give automatic scholarships based on GPA and test scores and some competitive scholarships require a test score in order to apply.
How can families find quality test preparation for their students?
High quality test prep doesn’t have to be expensive. First Choice Admissions offers a comprehensive ACT/SAT on-line course (based on the course I developed for UCLA) for $50. We’re big believers that the size of your wallet shouldn’t determine the size of your opportunities. If you’re interested, you can find out more here: www.firstchoiceadmissions.com
If you’re looking for live classes, I generally recommend avoiding the big national test prep companies and sticking to smaller, local companies that have been around for a while.
If you are looking for affordable one-on-one test prep help, Wyzant.com is a website that matches students with tutors - it has reviews and you can set your own price.
What sets First Choice Admissions apart from other test prep programs?
We are fully committed to providing world-class test prep to everyone. And that means not only creating an affordable online class for $50 but also packing that course with exactly the same lessons, practice sets, quizzes, practice test break-downs, etc that we provide for our private students.
We also understand that just teaching English and math isn’t enough to really unlock a student’s full potential on these tests. The English and math needs to be married with a deep understanding of how the ACT and SAT actually work and what is actually being tested on each question. When students learn both (the English and math AND how the tests work) - that’s when we see scores rocket up and students start to outstrip their own expectations and are astonished at how well they can do and how high they can score.
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