The recent release of the June SAT and SAT Subject test scores give the class of 2017 all the data needed to plan the “home stretch” of their college application process. With this unusual summer release of scores, students can be caught off guard, enjoying the reprieve from the rigorous pace of academics and testing that junior year entails.
What a better time to take a moment to make your plan for this important step in your academic journey. Do you have your school list? How competitive is your application?
Programs such as Naviance will show decisions the colleges and universities have made about students from your high school by GPA and SAT or ACT scores. It’s a great starting point to help structure your planning process. Are you planning on taking more tests? Did you know that in addition to admission decisions test scores are also a factor in merit scholarship awards?
Many students are also able to use their scores to place out of exams like the Praxis, a series of teacher certification exams taken by education majors. A thorough review of your scores can help you make the decision to do further testing or check the completed box.
Just remember to not only evaluate them on entrance criteria but also on scholarships and future use.
If you’re planning to take more tests, do you have a preparation plan?
At this stage be cautious about online tutoring; it might not be effective for the ‘home stretch’. While online tutoring may offer convenience, providing free generic instructional help and repetitive practice exercises, they also use generic approaches, not keeping in mind a student’s unique learning style.
An experienced tutor teaches a student how they can personalize and make the strategies and concepts their own. Using verbal and nonverbal cues, a great tutor will diagnose and assess a student’s unique learning profile, resulting in improved learning skills and self-confidence. Online programs have yet to bridge that human touch.
Academic Journeys can take the process a step further. We offer to all our clients the Mindprint test, a data-driven tool to assess learning skills. Your student can take this one-hour, online test at one of our centers. It uses a series of exercises to evaluate core skills which our tutors will then use to customize their student’s sessions tailoring each lesson for optimum learning results and stronger test preparation.
Whatever your student’s academic needs may be, Academic Journeys has a summer program that can help. Contact us today at 973-564-5220, or via email at info@academicjourneys.us or visit our website AcademicJourneys.us to view our current offerings.
