What to do if you SAT or ACT Test Date Was Cancelled Because of COVID-19

Thousands of rising high school upperclassmen have been and will continue to be denied the ability to take the SAT and ACT over the coming months because of COVID-19. While some students were able to take the March test dates, all later tests were canceled. The College Board and ACT—the companies that offer these tests—have decided to add additional test dates later this year while offering priority sign-ups to high school seniors. The SAT will be offered on August 29^th, September 26^th, October 3^rd, November 7^th, and December 5^th. Likewise, the ACT test dates for the remainder of the year are September 12^th, October 24^th, and December 12^th.

The additional test dates will help maximize the number of students who can take the test. However, both tests are scored on a curve and as such, the increased number of students taking each test will make the average score on each test lower than it would have been under normal circumstances. Below are a few tips for how to best study with the extra time before the tests and additional ways to ensure that your child’s test score will not suffer from increased competition.

Practice

With a few extra weeks or months to study for the tests, one of the most important things a high school student can do is take practice exams or do practice questions. Taking full-length practice tests is the most beneficial as you get accustomed to how fast you must answer each question. However, if it is not feasible to set aside a 2 – 3-hour block to take a full test, taking individual sections or questions will still help raise the score. Finally, to get the full benefit of practicing these questions, make sure that you check your answers and spend time reviewing the questions you got incorrect.

Strengthen Your Memory

This skill is extremely important during the math and science sections of the test. While the SAT exam lists certain equations at the beginning of each math section the ACT test does not. Thus, if your child is taking either test but especially the ACT, make sure they understand the basic math formulas and concepts attached to them. After a lot of practice, they should be able to memorize some of the formulas and know-how the concepts work. This will directly help them improve their scores by bettering their understanding of the test and saving them time while answering questions.

Strive for a Better Vocabulary

Practice reading challenging books and articles in conjunction with widening your vocabulary. Both the SAT and ACT are more easily understood if a high school student has a strong vocabulary. The College Board goes so far as to even publish a list of suggested reading to help prepare for the reading comprehension passages. Finally, underline and highlight words that you do not understand and review them after you finish the section or test.  

How We Can Help

At Reading Escapades and Math Explorers, we have been helping students reach their full potential on the SAT and ACT for over 15 years. We look to maximize each student’s ability through customized games and unique teaching strategies that are developed individually for your student. In order to help your child prepare for the upcoming SAT and ACT tests, we are offering multiple class schedules that have 12 classes over a 6 week period. To sign up for these classes or additional tutoring you can contact us at 610-826-7323, info@read2day.com, or schedule a consult directly.