I have more than a few thoughts about the ongoing corona virus pandemic we are facing, but for the purposes of this post, I’ll focus on how it is impacting SAT and ACT prep for current juniors. As of now, all exams have been canceled until June at the earliest, and there’s a not insignificant possibility that those exams will be canceled as well.
So, the big question is whether juniors should be spending this time prepping for an exam that may or may not occur in several months. While every student is different, my overall advice would be to primarily focus on your schoolwork for now. That said, there are definitely some things that you can be doing that will help you when it comes time to focus more intensively on test prep. First and foremost, READ. Read anything grade level or above and make flashcards for any words you don’t know. The SAT and ACT are, at their cores, tests of your ability to read and comprehend in a timed setting. So, anything you can do to improve your reading ability will be beneficial come test time. Find a topic you’re interested in and dive in!
For those students who have time and want to do a little more, or those students who have already done some prep and want to stay sharp, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to go back through past math and grammar lessons every once in awhile. You can also go back over past tests to refresh as well.
I’m hopeful we will have some more clarity on the testing timeline in the next month, and if it looks like the June tests will take place, I’d recommend starting back up with prep at the end of April or early May.
I know there are some less than scrupulous tutoring companies out there who are only thinking about their bottom line and will therefore recommend that you continue tutoring online throughout this crisis. While there are some students that might make sense for (i.e. a lower scoring student who needs a lot of prep and hasn’t done much to this point), for the majority of students, I don’t think it’s necessary at this time. That obviously means my business will continue to suffer, but ultimately I always have the student’s best interest at heart and will always give my honest assessment of how to proceed.
Feel free to reach out to me to discuss further, or if you have any questions. I’m staying safe at home (and I hope you are too!), so I’ve got time to talk!
Take care and stay safe,
