As parents and students begin to research information about colleges and look at what different colleges require, we may ask ourselves, "How can my child get a high SAT score to be able to get into the college they dream about?" Is it just that some kids are so much smarter or is it something else? Last year I had a conversation with a neighbor whose son was just accepted into an Ivy League university. I asked him how he did on his SAT's and his father told me that his last test was over a 2300. "Wow!, I replied....he must be really smart!" His father said that yes, he was smart but that his son really, really studied and practiced. The child had taken 3 different review courses, got the SAT vocabulary review on his smart phone and was always taking practice exams.
A solid educational background is absolutely necessary for students to achieve a high score, but it is preparation that gets those high scores. Parents and students need to believe that these other students with high SAT scores are not neccesarily brilliant, but were dedicated in preparing for the exam. Having our students put in the prep time now can pay big dividends later with acceptance into their choice college and can pay off financially with scholarships given out by the college's financial assistance department. Encourage your child to get busy preparing for the SAT....they will thank you later!
