It’s funny to me how this topic always brings out the nastiness. Of course test taking is a skill and, like any other skill, some people are going to be naturally better at it than others but everyone can improve with practice and good instruction. OP, my advice to you would be to look at individual tutoring rather than group practices. Any amount of practicing the SAT/ACT will help but the individual tutoring will help identify your child’s own individual strengths and weaknesses and focus instruction in those areas that can be improved. For some people, the time pressure of the tests increases anxiety. Practicing relaxation techniques will help but also just practicing with the timing and pacing of the test will help with familiarity and will reduce the stress. There are lots of other strategies that can help with test taking and these can definitely be improved with practice and good instruction. If test anxiety is an issue for your son, try not to make too big a deal out of this test. As others have mentioned, there are lots of test optional schools but also, even those that require SAT/ACT scores know that high school performance is the most important predictor of a student’s future success in college.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

NP here. I think it's a fair question.

Many classes have students graded on research papers and presentation.

When people say their child is not good at testing, they mean they get nervous, have anxiety, read questions incorrectly (like prove X instead of prove X is incorrect) and make silly mistakes so they will get an A-, B+, B when they actually knew all the material. It does not mean they get Fs.

Also, my son can't track across a page so he fills out the little bubble incorrectly and sometimes b and d look the same so he can circle answers.

Some are but most are test based grading.

You are so 2000 and late. You need to wake up it's 2016. Computer science does not have tests, you write computer programs. English classes are all papers. Psychology are mostly research papers after 101.

News flash: Every school has accommodation now, even MIT and Harvard... and H/P/Y give a B no matter how badly you bomb the test.

What are you talking about? Of course they have tests; algorithms, linear algebra, statistics, computational theory etc. You also need to take non CS classes to graduate.

We took a different approach for our DD who excels in the classroom but does not test particularly well on standardized assessments. She chose primarily test optional schools that are not pressure cookers for admissions. She will shine much brighter in an environment where she feels confident.

Op ~
He should take the SAT/ACT multiple times

He could decide to focus his best efforts on one section during each test sitting - and hope his chosen schools super-score

For time management during the test wear a watch. He can reset it before each section so he can glance and see 25 minutes will have passed at 25 minutes past the hour - in case it's not written on the board by a proctor.

Do not have any expectation re: admission to a particular college. Apply widely.

I suspect OP meant that her son is not a strong "standardized" test taker. It would be hard to have a 4.0 GPA otherwise. Still, not sure why everyone is being so unkind.

Recommend that OP's son take any one of the standard prep courses that involve a lot of practice test taking. That will make the event somewhat less of an anomaly and allow him to do better (hopefully). Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

Your an idiot.

I don't understand. My question was a serious question and I was not mocking OP or OP's son. Unless he develops a way to handle "testing" stress, he will suffer.

- parent of 3 college kids

Because it is an ignorant and an uneducated question. I don't care if you understand it. Why are you commenting onto a thread where you have no knowledge or insight.

Your post is not helpful. A parent has been dealing with testing issues probably since 3rd grade... I am sure her son has worked 100x harder than most kids for his grades and you want to know if he "is college material" and he has a 4.0 GPA.

Your question is ignorant and passively mean and rude. (I am sure you family has pointed out to you that you are passive aggressive and you "innocently" say, "what .. i was just asking a question".

This thread was not created to educate you. If you want to learn about this.. google it or start your own thread.

Wow, you are a peach... I mean a bit*h...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

NP here. I think it's a fair question.

And the short answer is "by choosing courses wisely." Longer version is "by taking advantage of internships, research opportunities, and extra-curriculars that will enable him to develop and demonstrate his talents."

Standardized testing skills can be acquired thru practice/instruction, and acquiring those skills may mitigate his anxiety. But if he tests well at home at practice (with no pressure), then the anxiety is the main thing and you probably want to find a coach that specializes in coping with that. I'm sure they are out there. Lots of time to practice in the real test setting still too if that might help him learn to calm himself (familiarity with the environment and the process, knows what to expect). Not that many schools insist on having all your test scores and many that do will super score anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

NP here. I think it's a fair question.

Many classes have students graded on research papers and presentation.

When people say their child is not good at testing, they mean they get nervous, have anxiety, read questions incorrectly (like prove X instead of prove X is incorrect) and make silly mistakes so they will get an A-, B+, B when they actually knew all the material. It does not mean they get Fs.

Also, my son can't track across a page so he fills out the little bubble incorrectly and sometimes b and d look the same so he can circle answers.

Some are but most are test based grading.

You are so 2000 and late. You need to wake up it's 2016. Computer science does not have tests, you write computer programs. English classes are all papers. Psychology are mostly research papers after 101.

News flash: Every school has accommodation now, even MIT and Harvard... and H/P/Y give a B no matter how badly you bomb the test.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

Your an idiot.

I don't understand. My question was a serious question and I was not mocking OP or OP's son. Unless he develops a way to handle "testing" stress, he will suffer.

- parent of 3 college kids

Because it is an ignorant and an uneducated question. I don't care if you understand it. Why are you commenting onto a thread where you have no knowledge or insight.

Your post is not helpful. A parent has been dealing with testing issues probably since 3rd grade... I am sure her son has worked 100x harder than most kids for his grades and you want to know if he "is college material" and he has a 4.0 GPA.

Your question is ignorant and passively mean and rude. (I am sure you family has pointed out to you that you are passive aggressive and you "innocently" say, "what .. i was just asking a question".

This thread was not created to educate you. If you want to learn about this.. google it or start your own thread.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

NP here. I think it's a fair question.

Many classes have students graded on research papers and presentation.

When people say their child is not good at testing, they mean they get nervous, have anxiety, read questions incorrectly (like prove X instead of prove X is incorrect) and make silly mistakes so they will get an A-, B+, B when they actually knew all the material. It does not mean they get Fs.

Also, my son can't track across a page so he fills out the little bubble incorrectly and sometimes b and d look the same so he can circle answers.

Some are but most are test based grading.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

Your an idiot.

I don't understand. My question was a serious question and I was not mocking OP or OP's son. Unless he develops a way to handle "testing" stress, he will suffer.

- parent of 3 college kids

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a junior at a public school. His grades are around 4.0 and he takes a lot of challenging courses including 5 AP this year. He is very bright, but has never been good at standardized testing all the way back to 3rd grade. He just stresses out for practically any test. He wants to Apply to several schools that will be out of reach if his test scores are not very good. How would you approach the testing? Are there any prep program you would recommend for a student like this? He is willing to take the classes. He is a very solid student, but not a phenom like some. Thoughts?

how is he going to handle college?

NP here. I think it's a fair question.

Many classes have students graded on research papers and presentation.

When people say their child is not good at testing, they mean they get nervous, have anxiety, read questions incorrectly (like prove X instead of prove X is incorrect) and make silly mistakes so they will get an A-, B+, B when they actually knew all the material. It does not mean they get Fs.

Also, my son can't track across a page so he fills out the little bubble incorrectly and sometimes b and d look the same so he can circle answers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight. OP asks A pretty straightforward question. Several responses are rude and most of the rest aren't the slightest bit helpful. Wish I could help, but I'm a year behind you with a similar kid. Good luck with the rude and self involved world of DCUM

Here's what I think is helpful with my son: I hired a private tutor and they are practicing practicing practicing. We are making sure my son takes the test early enough to redo once or twice. We are not talking about outcomes at home, but only prep work.

How old is your son?