USVI-On-Line

Hi, I am wondering when the best time to start this test prep stuff (it seems everyone now takes a course or gets a tutor or something-- very different than in the old days)
my daughter is a sophomore. testing does not come easy to her. I am wondering if late spring or this summer is too early to start? I assume if she wanted to apply early to any schools then she would have to have this all wrapped up by about 12-15 months from now? -- am i being way too neurotic? (probably...)

You should sign up on collegeboard.com there is a great SAT readiness section,they will even send you an SAT question everyday. Three of my kids have already taken their SAT and gone on to college so we've been through this before. Its never too soon to start especially if testing makes your child nervous. The SAT courses that are offered are wonderful and can help increase their scores. We had our kids do the SAT in their spring of their junior year and then again a few months later after doing the SAT course. Each time their scores increased by several hundred points. This leaves time to do an additional test in the fall if necessary. Good luck.

If you have an iPad, lots of free SAT/ACT APPS..... PSAT'S are a soph thing ..good practice and they actually give you a detailed report on what questions you got right or wrong. People say ACT easier. Also, some colleges require a senior year SAT.

It's never too early to start. I've given both tests and the ACT is the easier of the two. She can keep taking them until she gets a score she likes. It's the last one she takes that counts. As stated in previous posts, there is a lot of test prep software. Just make sure she has an approved calculator and that she knows how to use it.

Hi Loria - Maybe get yourself a book to help you figure out the process. One to consider would be:
The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price by Lynn O'Shaughnessy = common sense advice about the entire process.
She has a blog at: http://www.thecollegesolution.com/category/blog-2
Good stuff in the archives there.

Re the test taking, almost as important as knowing the subject matters are the test taking strategies and test taking techniques. You can get them from the various college prep courses. Chat up fellow parents at you daughters school about this whenvever you get the chance at school or social events etc. to see who might be better in your area. Believe me, it will come to dominate those conversations soon.
Maybe consider doing the PSAT without any extra prep just so your daughter gets an idea of what she is dealing with, and that would maybe make her more likely to buy into doing the extra prep for the big stuff.

I cant recommend any courses because my daughter really didn’t have the time to do a multi-week prep course, so we relied on the Kaplan practice software and this book was helpful too:
Outsmarting the SAT: An Expert Tutor Reveals Her Proven Techniques, Strategies, and Confidence-Building Exercises That Will Maximize Your Score by Elizabeth King

Later, you will also have to figure out SAT II Subject Matter and AP Testing strategies. We have some recent experience with that I can share if/when interested.
JMQ

Agree with all info given thus far. One thing to remember about the PSAT is this the only test that counts for national merit eligibility if that is something that your kid might be up for. Some schools pay for the PSAT or first ACT for kids - check with your school. When deciding which test to take for my two boys- age 18 and 20 - it came down to three things-
1. What they thought they were going to major in
2. What the colleges they applied to liked better and
3. Test taking abilities. We were always told ACTs test what you know in four different categories while SATs test how to apply what you know in two areas (plus writing now) .

I am happy to help more if you want. Just PM me ! Good luck!!

I was an SAT prep teacher (verbal, not math) for a major test prep company after college, years ago now!

In my opinion, what the courses mainly do is demystify the test and teach you how to be a better test-taker. This can really work for some kids, but may not help as much for others. I really think it can't hurt, unless the cost is prohibitive.

Also, for the verbal section, good old-fashioned study & memorization helps a ton with vocab (mnemonics can help with this). It's never too early for your daughter to start beefing up her vocabulary arsenal. Get some good SAT flashcards and encourage her to do a few each night starting now!