Frequently Asked Questions: ACT, SAT, and SSAT Prep
I'm lost. I don't even know which questions to start asking!
We have a step-by-step intro for parents who are totally new to the world of ACT and SAT.
How important are the ACT and SAT?
When should students start prepping for the ACT and SAT?
I heard that I should take the ACT since some colleges won't accept the new SAT because it's "been made easier." Is this true?
Which test should my child take - the ACT or the SAT?
How much time does my child need to get ready for the test? (Which package do do we need to purchase?)
Can students do fewer than 12 hours of tutoring?
How much does test prep cost?
Can a student split a package of tutoring with a sibling or a friend?
What do students work on during one-on-one tutoring?
How successful is Illini Tutoring's test prep?
I heard some colleges and universities don't require ACT or SAT scores. Does this mean my student doesn't need to take these tests?
FAQs about ACT and SAT Prep at Illini Tutoring
The ACT and SAT are a really big deal! Over 1.6 million students take the ACT and another 1.6 million students take the SAT each year, and these scores have a huge impact on each student's college application. At the most competitive universities, a single point can mean the difference between getting accepted or rejected and between getting a full scholarship or no merit-based aid. Schools provide very little ACT and SAT prep, so it is up to students to prepare for these tests. Here are some frequently asked questions we receive about ACT and SAT prep through Illini Tutoring.
Think of an ACT or SAT score as having the same importance as several semesters of classes. Serious students do not casually study for the ACT or SAT. They don't buy a prep book and crack it open whenever they have free time. Students who want to earn a higher score on the ACT or SAT need to study regularly. They need to approach test prep like a class with a final grade - their test score!
Everyone is different. Most students should start actively studying for the ACT or SAT several months before they intend to take the test. Students who have struggled in school or who speak English as a second language should start preparing for the ACT or SAT 6 - 12 months in advance so that they can have plenty of time to develop the fundamental skills needed to get a high score.
Students should sign up for one-on-one ACT or SAT prep through Illini Tutoring before the Deadline of their desired test prep cycle. You can find out what cycle your child will be in on this page.
Students should sign up for one-on-one ACT or SAT prep through Illini Tutoring before the Deadline of their desired test prep cycle. You can find out what cycle your child will be in on this page.
Neither test is better. Virtually every college and university accepts either test. Both tests are similar in that they are multiple-choice tests with an essay section (which is optional on the ACT). The ACT has a Science Reasoning section, unlike the SAT, but this section primarily tests a student's ability to interpret data from charts, graphs, and short reading passages and not specific knowledge from high school science classes. The tests are formatted slightly differently from each other, and so many students have their own personal preference, but there is no advantage to taking one test over the other. We highly discourage students from preparing for both tests at the same time. A student should explore practice ACT and SAT tests first, then decide which test to focus on. We can help your child choose the test that will be best for him or her - register for an Evaluate to Elevate consultation with Taso!
Most students choose either the 12 or 18 hour package. These packages are designed to be completed in a test prep cycle, and each cycle is about 6-8 weeks long. This means your child will come in for tutoring two to three times a week for an hour at a time, and they will complete their tutoring right before they take the test.
If your child needs a 24 or 30 hour package, they will complete this in two cycles. Find the test date your child is aiming for on our Deadlines page to find out what prep cycle they'll be in. Students who are completing a 24 or 30 hour package will start in the cycle that comes BEFORE their test's cycle. Some students start even earlier because they want to.
So how many hours will YOUR child need? It's entirely up to you. We recommend 12-18 hours for ACT students who need to raise their score by 3-7 points or for SAT students who need to raise their score by 150-350 points. Students who start with a low score (below 20 for ACT students and below 950 for SAT students) or students who start with a very high score (above a 32 for ACT students and above a 1400 for SAT students) will need to invest more time into studying to raise their score for a comparable score improvement. For example, a student who initially scored a 32 on the ACT and wants to improve by 3 points will have to work much harder than a student who initially scored a 24 on the ACT and wants to improve by 3 points.
Students and parents choose a package at registration. We encourage students and parents to choose a package based on scores on tests they've already taken (whether they were official ACT's and SAT's, or they were practice ACT's or SAT's administered at home or through school.) If you would rather have your child take a diagnostic exam through Illini Tutoring before choosing a package, select that option on your registration form. You can always switch from a smaller package to a larger package, or you can add additional hours as needed. However, you cannot switch from a larger package to a smaller package once tutoring has begun.
Outside of tutoring, students must plan on investing about 3 hours of at-home studying each week.
If your child needs a 24 or 30 hour package, they will complete this in two cycles. Find the test date your child is aiming for on our Deadlines page to find out what prep cycle they'll be in. Students who are completing a 24 or 30 hour package will start in the cycle that comes BEFORE their test's cycle. Some students start even earlier because they want to.
So how many hours will YOUR child need? It's entirely up to you. We recommend 12-18 hours for ACT students who need to raise their score by 3-7 points or for SAT students who need to raise their score by 150-350 points. Students who start with a low score (below 20 for ACT students and below 950 for SAT students) or students who start with a very high score (above a 32 for ACT students and above a 1400 for SAT students) will need to invest more time into studying to raise their score for a comparable score improvement. For example, a student who initially scored a 32 on the ACT and wants to improve by 3 points will have to work much harder than a student who initially scored a 24 on the ACT and wants to improve by 3 points.
Students and parents choose a package at registration. We encourage students and parents to choose a package based on scores on tests they've already taken (whether they were official ACT's and SAT's, or they were practice ACT's or SAT's administered at home or through school.) If you would rather have your child take a diagnostic exam through Illini Tutoring before choosing a package, select that option on your registration form. You can always switch from a smaller package to a larger package, or you can add additional hours as needed. However, you cannot switch from a larger package to a smaller package once tutoring has begun.
Outside of tutoring, students must plan on investing about 3 hours of at-home studying each week.
Our goal is to help each student meet their full potential. We recommend a package of 12,18,24,or 30 hours for a complete preparation prior to the exam. The number of hours depends on the student's starting score, goals, and target test date. We also offer hourly tutoring.
ACT and SAT prep is an investment, just like higher education. Higher test scores may translate to more scholarship opportunities, financial aid, and higher rates of acceptance at the most prestigious universities. Many colleges and universities offer partial or even full tuition scholarships based on ACT or SAT scores alone, which means that Test Prep is an excellent way to save tens of thousands of dollars in college costs.
All of the test prep at Illini Tutoring is currently one-to-one.
The tuition can be found here: Registration Page
Is there a difference between taking a class and one-on-one prep? We want to be honest and upfront with all of our prospective students: most students who complete our one-on-one Test Prep Packages do significantly better than students who take a test prep class. Most students do not reach their fullest potential in a class setting - this is true for test prep class, math class, Spanish class, any class in any subject. Every few week, we receive registration forms from students who took another ACT or SAT prep class in our area and saw little improvement. We offer classes because we recognize that one-on-one prep just isn't possible for some families in Champaign-Urbana, and we want to make better test scores available to as many students as we can. We strongly encourage you to register for one-on-one prep if you are able to. It truly is an investment that, when taken seriously, can save you and/or your child tens of thousands of dollars in university tuition in a few years. That said, we have had many students who have raised their ACT scores by an average of 4 points and SAT scores by an average of 150 points after taking one of our classes.
All of the test prep at Illini Tutoring is currently one-to-one.
The tuition can be found here: Registration Page
Is there a difference between taking a class and one-on-one prep? We want to be honest and upfront with all of our prospective students: most students who complete our one-on-one Test Prep Packages do significantly better than students who take a test prep class. Most students do not reach their fullest potential in a class setting - this is true for test prep class, math class, Spanish class, any class in any subject. Every few week, we receive registration forms from students who took another ACT or SAT prep class in our area and saw little improvement. We offer classes because we recognize that one-on-one prep just isn't possible for some families in Champaign-Urbana, and we want to make better test scores available to as many students as we can. We strongly encourage you to register for one-on-one prep if you are able to. It truly is an investment that, when taken seriously, can save you and/or your child tens of thousands of dollars in university tuition in a few years. That said, we have had many students who have raised their ACT scores by an average of 4 points and SAT scores by an average of 150 points after taking one of our classes.
Yes! The cost of a package is multiplied by 1.5 and split between the students. (For example, the 12-hour package is $1100. When split with another student, the total cost is $1650, which means each student pays $825.) Students must come to each session at the same time.
The ACT covers material that students have been learning throughout high school - English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning. The SAT covers Reading/writing and math sections.That means there is a TON of info that can be on either test, and what's more, students who want to score well need to learn test-taking strategies like pace, anxiety control, and time management. Students benefit by working with a test prep expert who knows the test inside and out, and who can help them develop an efficient study plan. Everyone's ACT or SAT prep plan is different because everyone has different needs and everyone tests in his or her own unique way. We have a variety of strategies and methods that help students score higher, and we help each student find his or her plan for success.
We have been endorsed throughout the past 13 years by schools such as Parkland College, Centennial and Central High Schools (Unit 4,) Gibson City, and Urbana High School, and the University of Illinois for our SAT and/or ACT prep. We have helped over a thousand students improve their ACT scores by at least 5 points and a handful have even scored a perfect 36. As for the SAT, a typical score improvement for our students ranges from 160-220 points overall, though some of our students have raised their overall scores by more than 500 points. Many of our students have been accepted to the most prestigious universities in the country, like Washington University in St. Louis, University of Chicago, Purdue, Stanford, University of Illinois, The Ohio State University, Ole Miss, University of Georgia, Northwestern, University of Michigan, and countless others. The students who take test prep seriously do see excellent results. When students are committed to coming to every tutoring session, doing all of their homework, and putting forth their best effort, their scores will go up.