Reply to Thoughts on help for the SAT/ACT for a smart student who is struggling with these tests

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I have twins. 
They both do equally well at a rigorous school that is very stingy with As. 
One is in harder classes (physics C, multivariate, etc).

The one in the easier classes takes standardized tests extremely well.  NO PREP.  First try ACT 35.  First try SAT 1540/ 
The one in the harder classes just really struggles with the ACT/SAT.  Scores have been 1410 and now 1360.  ACT was 27.
He/she has done fine on AP exams (all 5).  There is something about the SAT/ACT that he/she cannot perform on. 
He/she has done extensive prep (several hours a week doing problems for months).

We're realizing that this kid probably has some sort of undiagnosed learning issue (too late for this now). 
He/she can't read at the speed needed for the passages (even the short ones on the digital SAT).  Has to read 
things 2 and 3 times to focus.  Also having issues with the math although it's less clear what. 
Where would you go from here?
They're not going to apply to Ivies but we were hoping for reasonably competitive schools. 
If not applying test optional, is there some way to do intensive prep?

It's so frustrating because on a daily basis these kids perform the same or if anything the second one is a stronger student in harder classes and able to grasp more abstract concepts.

Thoughts on what to do about prep?

[/quote]

Don’t do anything other than push the 1540 kid to maximize their course rigor. That kid is not being challenged to their potential by their classes—they either did not put in effort in earlier grades where math tracking is done or the school did not use standardized testing as a part of math tracking or both: but the kid was “missed” as far as placement into the harder courses sibling is in.
The lower scoring kid in MV and PhysicsC now: my guess based on scores is that Physics C has been hard if the school only gives 1/3 As(you said stingy with As). The vast majority of private schools in DCUm and Va have grade distributions giving 1/3 or moreA-/A. Some are more like half As or more. Sounds as though both of your kids have a fair amount of Bs. The 1410 makes perfect sense in that context. 1410 is typically right around top 1/3 of these types of rigorous high schools. How that kid got pushed ahead to MV in 11th grade is a bit concerning because it seems as though that was too far. 
You should have standardized testing on the kids from when they got into the school. The 1410 kid has likely always been around 90th%ile which is very bright and if they work very hard they could get a mix of As and Bs in rigorous courses. I would be very surprised if the kid in the lower classes hasn’t always been 98-99%ile just does not work up to their potential or somehow was not selected when the top math group track was formed. That one may have a focus or organizational issue OR just isn’t very motivated by academic challenge. However, they could definitely handle much harder rigor in the HS.

(Yes i have access to various prep school profiles and grade curves across DC and Va and experience in this area regarding psychoEd testing and  giftedness and the like)[/quote]

OP here.  I really do appreciate the thought you put in the post but you are assuming all sorts things that aren't correct.  My kids are not in private and they don't have "a fair amount of Bs".  The one with the lower SAT has had no Bs at all and the other one has had 1. They've each had A minuses. The one in multivariable is doing great in the class (about to finish).  He/she is one of a few kids with an A or A-  (from what I understand). [/quote]

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