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SAT PrepIn my opinion, your SAT prep starts with the College Board website. This is the best websites for students thinking about going to college, or getting ready to apply for college, or getting ready to take the SAT test, www.collegeboard.com. College Board is your one-stop-shop for SAT prep, the SAT test, organizing your application process, and transition into college life.Of course just like any similar site, you have to register, but registration is free, and the features you can use makes the short registration process well worth it. College Board is broken down into three major areas: Students, Parents and Professionals. i'll focus mostly on the SAT prep and SAT test areas since that's what most students and parents are interested in. For StudentsClick on the “For Students” tab. This takes you to a page with information about the SAT (such as SAT prep, SAT test dates and registration information), PSAT/NMSQT, AP and CLEP. From College Board, you can prepare for the PSAT, you can register for the SAT, get help with SAT prep, find dates for the SAT tests, register for the SAT test, send SAT test scores and find SAT test centers. They also have sample practice SAT tests to help you get accustomed to the type of questions that are used. If you have a question about the SAT test, more than likely College Board has the answer. Students can also get help for planning for college, finding a college, applying to college and finding help paying for college. If you took the PSAT/NMSQT and don’t use My College Quickstart, you’re missing a golden opportunity. My College Quickstart uses your scores and helps you understand and sort through the numbers. In short, it does the following:
For ParentsOK, college board is really geared toward students who are looking for SAT prep help or SAT test information, but, students should understand the role their parents play in the college planning process. Parents are more than a quasi-bank. You should use them as sounding boards for your college, and major choices.I know, I know, you’re much smarter than your parents. They’re so out of touch that they can’t possibly help you choose a college or a major. All students should remember this universal truth...you are young, inexperienced, over-confident, and your parents will always know more about the way the world works than you ever will...have some humble pie, it’s delicious. One day, when you’re about 30 years old, this will become evident. There’s noone in this world who cares for your welfare more than your parents. Get them involved in your SAT prep. Parents can even help you get ready for the SAT test with daily quizzes. Don’t lock them out of your plans. Now, for “helicopter parents” (parents who hover over their kids), college board helps you find scholarships, apply for scholarships, and spot scholarship scams. College Board also has several publications for the SAT prep, SAT test, college guide and calendars. Parents can also benefit by using the site together with their kids, so everyone is on the same page. Stay involved in your child’s college planning, help them get ready for the SAT exam, they may not say it, but your approval and participation means the world to them. Plus if you know what’s going on, you have something else to nag them about. Parents should also sign up for the College Board’s Newsletter for Parents. If you give them an e-mail address, they will periodically send you e-mail newsletters based on the subscription for which you apply. The newsletters include the SAT question of the day, Parents of Seniors Newsletters and Alerts, Parents of Juniors Newsletters and Alerts, Parents of Sophomores Newsletters and Alerts, and Parents of Freshmen Newsletters and Alerts. It’s a nice way to help parents stay on top of deadlines and planning. For ProfessionalsFor professionals such as teachers, counselors, recruiters, administrators and financial aid staff, college board has a customized starting page to provide you with appropriate tools for their specific educational roles. THis is a nice information site for professionals such as counselors who regularly must answer questions about the SAT test, SAT prep and just about any other SAT question.It’s pretty self explanatory, and the entire site is very intuitive, so I won’t discuss it here. ACT PrepIf you’re taking the ACT and need some help with the ACT prep, go to www.act.org. While the ACT site is divided into educational, workplace, international, research and policy issues and the ACT test itself, I’m going to focus primarily on the ACT test. This is where all of the ACT prep and ACT test information is gathered.At the act.org, you can register for the test, send scores to colleges, learn how to read your scores, and get help with test preparation. Although this site has similar information as the College Board does for the SAT, I found College Board to be a more interesting and helpful site. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a terrific and necessary site for ACT test takers. The ACT site also publishes The Real ACT Prep Guide which is a study guide to the ACT with sample practice tests, in depth explanations of correct and incorrect answers, as well as a look at the optional writing test, and how it is scored. There is also a page on the site for financial aid with standard information on both need based and merit based scholarships, grants, loans and work study programs. College Board and ACT should give you more than enough information to get you started on the road to college applications. Just remember that each college may have one or two additional pieces of information that they require. So, make sure to check the individual websites of the college you’re applying to, to make sure your applications are complete. Remember the SAT and ACT prep and test is just the beginning. Keep moving! Return from SAT prep and ACT prep to Tutor Trend Homepage
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