If you’ve decided to sign up for individual tutoring or a test prep course, congratulations on taking the first step! Having an experienced instructor who can help you better understand the test material can go a long way toward boosting your score on the SAT or ACT. However, showing up for lessons once or twice a week is not enough to guarantee success. What you do outside of class is just as important as working with a tutor. At 5 Points Prep, we like to emphasize the value of regular practice. 

Here are a few tried and true ways to make sure you’re getting the most out of your test preparation:

1. Do a little every day – We know that you have a busy schedule! Between homework and extracurricular activities, you might feel too overwhelmed to study for the test. Nevertheless, just a little bit of review every day can be extremely beneficial. We recommend spending 20-30 minutes each day working through some reading passages or math problems to keep your skills sharp. Your tutor is giving you useful strategies, but you won’t remember them if you don’t apply them on a regular basis. The only way to make the lessons stick is to keep practicing. 
2. Use your resources – If you’re a student at 5 Points Prep, your tutor has given you several resources that can help you prepare for the test. The workbooks contain practical tips for answering different kinds of questions, so be sure to review these strategies and work on any additional problems that haven’t been assigned for homework. Also, you may have been given access to online resources, such as MentoMind, a platform that has a large question bank as well as full-length tests. Don’t wait for your tutor to assign questions! You can–and should–practice on your own whenever you have time. In addition to resources provided by 5 Points Prep, there are many websites and apps available for test preparation. Do a little research and find what works best for you. 
3. Take as many practice tests as you can – We generally recommend that students take around three practice tests before the official test date. First, we suggest a diagnostic test to determine which areas to focus on when studying. Second, we advise taking a test about halfway through the prep course to measure progress. Third, we recommend taking a practice test the week before the official test date as a confidence booster. Taking lots of practice tests helps you build familiarity with the format and get used to the timing. The more you know what to expect, the less anxiety you’ll experience on the day of the test.

These tips all boil down to “practice, practice, practice.” There are no shortcuts to success on the SAT or ACT, but with a supportive tutor and a good self-study routine, you will see significant gains in your overall score. If you haven’t already registered for tutoring but are interested in starting, fill out a signup form on our website!