3 Key Ways to Maximize Your SAT or ACT Score

We often get questions from parents in the greater Philadelphia area about how their high school students can maximize their scores on the SAT and ACT.Since 1992, thousands of college-bound students who have completed A+ Test Prep and Tutoring's one-to-one test prep tutoring program have shown an average score improvement of 200 points on the SAT and a 4-point improvement on the ACT. Here are some of our top tips for maximizing your test score.We have narrowed our list to three main areas: background knowledge, strategy, and practice.For students who are willing to work hard atSAT or ACT test preparation, embracing these three components will help them maximizetheir SAT or ACT scores. In turn, higher standardized test scores greatly increase a student’s chances of being accepted into his or her desired college or university. 1. Review Background Knowledge The first step in preparing for the SAT or ACT exam involves reviewing thebackground knowledge required for success on the exam. Take a diagnostic SAT or ACT to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and to determine which topics to review.A+ offers free diagnostic SAT and ACT exams that can be taken either at home or at one of our proctored practice exam sessions. 2. Develop a Strategy The second step is developing a strategy. Understand what types of questions you aregoing to see on test day. What’s the best way to approach different question types? How will you manage your time through the different sections? Which questions should you focus on first? Should you skip questions or not?Just as a football team prepares for the Friday night opponent with a specific game plan, students who perform best on the SAT and ACT know going into the exam how the test is organized, how many questions to answer, when to make an educated guess, and when to keep moving. Creatinga personalized strategy and sticking to it on test day plays a big part in maximizing your overall score. 3. Practice, Practice, Practice! The third major component of successful test preparation is practice. Practicing with test questions from actual SAT and ACT exams is the best way to improve your test scores. At A+, we useactual test questions from previously administered SAT and ACT tests.The more the youpractice and prepare for the big event, the more likely you are to reach your full potential with a higher score on the big day.We hope you find these tips helpful in finding ways to maximize your SAT or ACT scores. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.