by Wendy Slaton
Getting ready for the SAT/ACT takes careful planning. Today, parents and their students are starting to prepare as early as eighth grade! By the time your student reaches high school, you will be bombarded and sought out by the many tutoring centers, online courses, practice tests, prep books, etc. To help you get a jump start on the planning process, College Raptor (collegeraptor.com) has compiled a list of FREE resources to help you create an action plan, so your student will be ready when test day comes.
Number2.com
This fantastic site allows users to view tutorials, answer practice questions, create flashcards, and so much more in preparation for the ACT or SAT. number2.com
FreeTestPrep.com
A great site with tons of preparation tools for students, including practice questions, video explanations, study guides, ACT/SAT articles, and flashcards. freetestprep.com
Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan offers students a wealth of educational help in the form of tutoring and comprehensive courses, but they also offer a free online SAT or ACT practice test with a score review. By registering for one of the online test dates, students can gain a valuable look into what their chosen test will feel like. kaptest.com
PrepFactory
This awesome site offers a revolutionary and unique take on test prep. By implementing experience points (XP) and a level-up system, PrepFactory engages with students and makes the studying process not only rewarding, but fun. Students can earn XP by watching videos, taking practice tests, and answering questions correctly. prepfactory.com
SparkNotes
In addition to providing invaluable notes, summaries, and analyses of books you may or may not have mostly just skimmed through, SparkNotes also offers in-depth information about the entrance exams. SparkNotes is one-stop-shopping (with a grand total of costing you $0.00) for any and all questions you have about the ACT/SAT. With a comprehensive breakdown of the tests, how they’re graded, guides to each section, and strategies, SparkNotes is a great tool to use. In addition to all that info, the site also offers SAT subject quizzes, tips and tricks for both tests, sample questions, and a thorough guide to just about every aspect of the tests you can think of. www.sparknotes.com
ACT / SAT Websites
What better place to learn all you can about the entrance exams than their very own websites? ACT takers can learn about test tips, read descriptions of the subjects tested, view sample questions, and browse through a downloadable booklet that contains a practice test, scoring key, test info, and more. ACT also has links to other prep opportunities, some of which do cost, but the free resources are great help too. actstudent.org/testprep/
For the SAT students, the official site offers study guides, study plans, practice tests, information on what you’ll be tested on, and a breakdown of the SAT. Additionally, the SAT site provides a bunch of tips, tricks, strategies, and suggestions on how to study for, and take the entrance exam. sat.collegeboard.org
