Two of the most important college entrance requirements are a student's academic record and performance on the SAT or ACT achievement test. Increasing a student's SAT or ACT score can increase the likelihood of acceptance into a student’s first choice of college and help bring opportunity for increased scholarship money to the school.  Also, successfully graduating from a college or university can help increase earnings by more than four to ten times than a student without a college degree.  Therefore, a vital first step in helping students realize their dreams is to help them effectively prepare for the SAT or ACT.

“Interesting and targeted summer programs and test prep can help your teen better prepare for the competitive college admissions process,” explains Rusty Greiff, vice president of Sylvan Learning College Prep.  “Summer is a perfect time to ‘get ahead’ through SAT/ACT test prep classes as well core subjects that will help your teen reach his or her full potential.”

College admissions today are more competitive than at any time. New tools, such as the common application, encourage students to apply to more schools.  This increases the competition, making it more difficult for students to gain acceptance into the colleges and universities that were once seen as safe bets.

What does this mean for students?

“A well-rounded application, including strong SAT and ACT scores, is critical,” adds Greiff.  “Getting into the right college requires a great deal of time, effort and careful planning – as early as Freshman year of high school – for students and their families.”

How Sylvan Learning Can Help This Summer
Sylvan understands that preparing to enter college isn’t always easy.  That’s why Sylvan Learning’s individualized programs help students gain the skills needed for academic success while beginning to see results before the next SAT or ACT test.

Sylvan provides targeted programs that will help students improve their test scores. Offered in small group settings, Sylvan's SAT and ACT Prep classes are five to eight weeks in length. Students take a practice exam before the classes begin, at the halfway point and at the end of the classes. The programs focus on the exact skills needed to successfully answer test questions and offer specialized instruction in specific subject areas such as advanced mathematics, college prep writing and advanced reading.

Sylvan can boost your child’s math skills in Algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, and integrated and senior math.  Judy Ann Brown, mathematics program manager for Sylvan Learning, states, “Success in higher mathematics correlates with success in higher education and learning reasoning skills.  Taking additional or enrichment math classes helps students to become logical, independent thinkers and achieve higher scores in the math sections of the SAT and ACT tests.”  Good problem-solving skills even improve a teenager’s ability to create a coherent essay on the SAT test, since essays require students to shift between abstract concepts and supporting facts.

Writing is also crucial to achieving higher test scores, composing college application essays, and becoming a better communicator. Sylvan's College Prep Writing is a 36-hour writing program designed specifically for the college-bound student. The program goals are designed to give high school students a solid foundation in upper-level writing, including targeting efforts on SAT/ACT writing sections and “how-to” help with college applications and essays.

In addition, Sylvan’s Advanced Reading program offers individualized learning plans to build reading skills, habits and techniques. High school juniors or seniors can pair the advanced reading program with Sylvan’s SAT or ACT Prep course to increase their college entrance scores.

Are you looking for free college preparation assistance to help your teen?  Attend Sylvan’s FREE, national workshop for parents, “Test Stress: A Parent’s Real Guide to College Test Prep.” This interactive discussion is dedicated to helping families navigate through the SAT/ACT and the complex college admissions process.  The fun seminar will feature advice from Sylvan educators and leading college admission experts, college coaches and guidance counselors to help parents understand how to create a successful plan for the test-taking season. Families can then use their customized college planner to ensure their children are college admission ready.  Contact your local Sylvan Learning for additional information about seminar availability or to take a FREE diagnostic SAT/ACT test to determine improvement areas that can bolster your child’s scores!

Use the summer to prepare for the September and October SAT/ACT tests!  Visit the “College Prep” area of www.SylvanLearning.com or call 1-800-228-3413 for additional information.