Preparation for standardized tests such as ACT and SAT usually involves some form of test prep where students are acquainted with the test structure, strategies on how scores can be maximized, best approaches, etc. Unfortunately such standard prep also leads to an average vision of performance where students are rarely encouraged to maximize their potential.
The truth is that like charity, preparation for such tests should also begin at home. For instance, take the dreaded reading sections of the ACT and the SAT. The passages there expect the test taker to be comfortable reading and making sense of college level texts, without assuming any knowledge of the specific subjects, say Federalist papers on the SAT History passage or a passage on linguistics on the ACT Humanities passage. Therefore, these tests focus on the ability to read and absorb information from texts irrespective of their difficulty levels.
The first step to a higher score on the reading section, therefore, is not a traditional coaching center but a commitment to start reading online articles and books relevant for the SAT and the ACT.
1) Books could be a good stepping stone
According to the CollegeBoard test specifications for the SAT, a passage is considered difficult based on “Language Conventionality and Clarity”, on the difficulty of finding the purpose of the author, on the difficulty of putting together examples and supporting arguments and coming up with a clear picture of the passage. However, what we need to understand is that the focus remains on the basic ability to read a passage 500-700 words long and make sense of it within a few minutes.
A comprehensive test prep program facilitates and refines the student’s ability to approach such passages. However, what is usually glossed over is the necessity to increase the baseline reading capacity of the student. Reading capacity cannot be increased effectively only through solving questions but requires the ability to approach texts with confidence, concentration, and interest. Students need to start reading a spectrum of books and articles well in advance of the actual test thereby becoming empowered readers and test takers.
2) The importance of spending time all by yourself
Tests such as the ACT and SAT require as much self reflection and focus as any other activity with significant cognitive demands. Understand that a test taker will spend approximately 3 hours sitting in one place and focusing on a range of questions that demand consistent focus from her or him. In a sense these tests require that the test taker can handle not just the questions but also the stress and boredom of taking the test. There is no easy way around these demands. If the test taker develops a healthy reading habit she or he will be empowered to approach these tests with more confidence and enthusiasm than she or he would have otherwise. A good score on the ACT or the SAT requires more than a commitment to endure stress and boredom. It requires training to circumvent these. Reading a range of texts will ensure that the student learns the value of sustained focus and self analysis while breaking down preconceived notions of reading as a boring activity.