The SAT, the big, bad scary test that no high school student wants to face. Not only do colleges rely on this test for determining applicants, but they also use SAT scores to determine financial aid packages. Here are four things you can do to help your child prepare for the SAT this fall.

Helping Your Child Prepare for the SAT this Fall

  • Read, read, read- Encouraging your high school student to read over this summer is one of the best things that you can do for them. The SAT verbal score (and college itself!) heavily relies on your child’s reading ability. Encouraging them to read classics and magazines during their down time, will not only prepare them for the SAT verbal section, but college as well.
  • Brush up on math- For most kids, math is a subject they’d rather avoid, but a third of their SAT score is made up by their ability to do basic high school math. Even if it’s just doing basic math exercises every once in a while on Khan Academy (a free educational website), do something to make sure their math skills are on point.
  • Write- While every junior and senior high school student should know how to write a good essay, encourage them to do something writing related this summer. Whether it’s keeping a journal, writing a short story, or doing Camp Nano, keep their writing abilities sharp!  They’ll need it for both the SAT and college.
  • Take a SAT prep class- Taking a SAT prep class has been proven by studies to be one of the best things that you can do to increase your child’s SAT score. Your child might not be exactly thrilled about it, but it will pay off in the long run.

What are you doing to help your child prepare for the SAT this fall?