Which college applicants submitted ACT or SAT scores?

Reporting was “far higher … among applicants living in more affluent communities, as defined by local median household income in applicants’ local ZIP codes.”

Which test should my son or daughter take: ACT or SAT?

This is (by far) the most frequently asked question, even though it has a relatively simple answer: have your daughter or son take practice tests and then we can help you make the decision. Ideally, students should take both practice tests within a 2-3 week period. If your student is a junior, you might be able to compare an ACT practice test score to his or her PSAT score. At Lafayette Academy, practice tests are ALWAYS FREE.

When should my daughter or son take the actual ACT or SAT?

Most students take their first ACT or SAT during the spring of their junior years. Advanced juniors can take a fall test (the beginning of their junior year). In all cases, you should consider extracurricular activities and how your student is scoring on practice tests when choosing a test date.

How many times can a student take a test?

Many students take the ACT or SAT test twice; some take each test once and then take one of the tests a second time. You should NOT take any of the tests more than three times.

What are the major differences between the ACT and SAT?

The math on the ACT covers more topics, ranging from Algebra 1 to Pre-Calc. The math on the SAT tests fewer topics, stopping at Algebra 2, but more in depth. The ACT has a science section while the SAT includes a few reading passages that focus on science topics. Time management is a big challenge on the ACT, especially in reading and science. The content on the SAT reading section is more challenging, even though you have more time. Again, taking practice tests is the best way to pick a test.

“What about the PSAT?” (for some reason, people often phrase PSAT questions like this example)

The PSAT is a good opportunity to get your son or daughter to take a practice test because most students take the PSAT. If you happen to have a genius living under your roof, the PSAT could be hugely beneficial because of the National Merit program. For most students, PSAT scores don’t matter so you should not spend money preparing your son or daughter for this test.

How can I be a great test prep parent?

In the interest of full disclosure, this is not a FAQ. If it were a FAQ, this would be my answer: challenge your children to embrace the preparation challenge on their own by promising to leave them alone (after you enroll them in one of our programs). We all mean well, but we fail to realize how much added stress we place on our children by micro-managing their test prep experience.

Does my son or daughter really need to take either test?

This has become a frequently asked frequently asked question because the University of California schools will no longer consider ACT or SAT scores in their evaluations, and other schools have followed their lead. There are many schools that still require or consider ACT or SAT scores in their evaluations or for scholarship purposes. Unless you are certain that your son or daughter will only apply to schools that won’t consider ACT or SAT scores, your child should still take one of these tests. Give us a call if you want to hear our more detailed thoughts.

Tutoring: The Ideal Way to Help Students Move Past the Pandemic

by Mark B | Apr 26, 2021 | Tutoring | 0 comments

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s primary and secondary education systems have faced unique challenges in terms of meeting students’ academic needs. Economic stressors and emotional insecurity brought on by the pandemic, combined with social distancing requirements, have undermined the role of conventional classrooms in student learning and have raised the burden of parents and caregivers, many of whom now have to conduct classes at home and feel ill-equipped to do so.

Students Need Ways to Feel Prepared for a Return to Normal School Life

Today’s environment, where remote education is now commonly practiced by untrained parents and caregivers, has caused many students to fall behind in their studies and adults to feel overwhelmed. The magnitude of these issues highlights the need to identify and create cost-effective solutions to ensure that students do not suffer long-term earning losses that could last a lifetime. As the world works to transition out of the unprecedented scenario created by the pandemic, it is important to consider ways to help students prepare for an eventual full-time return to the classroom without being too far behind in their studies. In this way, they can avoid feeling unprepared and insecure in the context of their usual school environment.

Lafayette Academy is Here to Assist Your Child in this Time of Transition

When it comes to interventions that can help students get back on track after COVID-19, tutoring, either in a one-on-one or small-group instructional setting, provides the ideal solution. As educators will confirm, tutoring is one of the most prevalent, versatile, and potentially transformative devices in today’s educational tool bag. Long before the birth of the modern education system, scholars taught students in person or in small groups, with more formal tutoring approaches undergoing a renaissance in the 1980s. And today’s challenging environment is one in which tutoring holds great promise in addressing the learning crisis brought on by COVID-19.

To help your child gain the knowledge he or she needs to feel self-assured and ready to return to full-time school, contact us today at Lafayette Academy. We look forward to helping you and your child readjust to normal school life.

Tutoring: The Ideal Way to Help Students Move Past the Pandemic

Students Need Ways to Feel Prepared for a Return to Normal School Life

Lafayette Academy is Here to Assist Your Child in this Time of Transition

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