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.
Your child's ACT and/or SAT scores are worth about one-third to one-half of his or her college application. 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.
We also offer in-person and live online Power Prep classes and regular Prep Classes through Parkland College and Unit 4 schools. Registration information for these classes can be found here.
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.
We also offer in-person and live online Power Prep classes and regular Prep Classes through Parkland College and Unit 4 schools. Registration information for these classes can be found here.
NO, this is categorically false! We couldn't find a single college that will not accept the new SAT. What is actually true is that colleges accept SAT scores that are up to 3 years old, so some students who took the OLD SAT may no longer be able to submit their old scores. If your scores are old, you should either take the new SAT or the ACT. You should visit the website of every school you'd like to apply to just to confirm you can submit scores from the new SAT.
And anyway, is the new SAT easier? "Easy" is a relative, subjective term. There is less emphasis on obscure vocabulary words now on the redesigned SAT. The new SAT has a greater focus on evaluating information and drawing conclusions, rather than relying on information you've memorized. Some students feel the math questions are more straight forward and have fewer "traps," but other students don't notice any difference. The SAT was updated to reflect what research has taught us over the past few decades -- that successful college students know how to solve problems with new information, not just memorize thousands of tough words and math facts.
And anyway, is the new SAT easier? "Easy" is a relative, subjective term. There is less emphasis on obscure vocabulary words now on the redesigned SAT. The new SAT has a greater focus on evaluating information and drawing conclusions, rather than relying on information you've memorized. Some students feel the math questions are more straight forward and have fewer "traps," but other students don't notice any difference. The SAT was updated to reflect what research has taught us over the past few decades -- that successful college students know how to solve problems with new information, not just memorize thousands of tough words and math facts.
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, 18, or 24 hour package. These packages are designed to be completed in the 6-12 week period before the test. 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. Check out our Test Prep Wizard to find out when your student should register for test prep with Illini Tutoring. The Wizard can even calculate how many hours of prep we recommend for your student based on their starting score and goal score.
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.
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 have found that 12 hours of prep is the absolute minimum that students need to improve their test scores. We do not meet with students for fewer than 12 hours. However, students who have already completed any test prep package can add additional single hours to their tutoring plan. (So, for example, a student could complete 13 hours of prep if they purchase a 12 hour package and add a single hour, if needed.)
ACT and SAT prep is an investment, just like higher education. Higher test scores easily 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.
When exploring ACT and SAT prep options, consider the value of each class or program. All of our classes include a diagnostic ACT or SAT and 12-14 hours of instruction. All of our test prep one-on-one packages include a diagnostic exam, 12-24 hours of one-on-one tutoring, parent consultation, all practice materials, and up to 14 real ACT or SAT practice exams. It also includes Taso's mentoring and expertise when it comes to choosing the right strategies on the test all the way to choosing colleges and universities that are a good fit for your child.
We accept check and all major credit cards (Parkland processes the registration and payments for our ACT Prep Class - please direct any payment questions to the Community Education department at 217-353-2055). All one-on-one packages include a $150 deposit, due at registration. Installments range from $313-$800, depending on the size of the package.
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.
When exploring ACT and SAT prep options, consider the value of each class or program. All of our classes include a diagnostic ACT or SAT and 12-14 hours of instruction. All of our test prep one-on-one packages include a diagnostic exam, 12-24 hours of one-on-one tutoring, parent consultation, all practice materials, and up to 14 real ACT or SAT practice exams. It also includes Taso's mentoring and expertise when it comes to choosing the right strategies on the test all the way to choosing colleges and universities that are a good fit for your child.
- ACT prep classes through Unit 4 and Parkland: $350 to $399
- ACT Power Prep: $425
- Honors ACT, SAT or SSAT Prep (12-hour One-on-One Package): $1150 (payable in 3 installments)
- Scholar ACT, SAT or SSAT Prep (18-hour One-on-One Package): $1700 (payable in 3 installments)
- Elite ACT, SAT or SSAT Prep (24-hour One-on-One Package): $2200 (payable in 4 installments)
- Premier ACT, SAT or SSAT Prep (30-hour One-on-One Package): $2700 (payable in 4 installments)
We accept check and all major credit cards (Parkland processes the registration and payments for our ACT Prep Class - please direct any payment questions to the Community Education department at 217-353-2055). All one-on-one packages include a $150 deposit, due at registration. Installments range from $313-$800, depending on the size of the package.
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. 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 Language, Math, and Essay 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 are the only ACT and SAT prep company in Central Illinois that has been endorsed throughout the past 7 years by Parkland College, Centennial and Central High Schools (Unit 4,) Gibson City, and Urbana High School. 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, University of Illinois, The Ohio State University, Ole Miss, University of Georgia, 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.
There have always been a few colleges that haven't required standardized test scores. A tiny number of these colleges are highly competitive, small, private liberal arts colleges. The majority of schools who do not require any standardized test scores are seminaries and religious schools (such as Bible colleges and Yeshivas) and small, non-competitive colleges. Some of these institutions still require ACT or SAT scores if an applicant's GPA or class rank doesn't meet a minimum, or if the applicant is out-of-state. The vast majority of accredited colleges and universities in the United States require ACT or SAT scores. It would be a very unwise choice to choose not to prepare for the ACT or SAT just because a few schools don't require these test scores. If you have any questions or need some direction, we would be happy to schedule Get Started and Evaluation Sessions with you to discuss your options and help you develop a plan that helps you meet your own goals.