Dayle in Guatemala Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 My dd16 is a Junior in high school and will be taking the PSAT on Oct. 13 here in Guatemala. We are getting the test prep booklet from the school where she will be taking it. So, just how much time should we put into it? I'm not looking for a national merit scholarship--in fact, as of right now, she doesn't even talk about college. But, I want her to have all her options open when she graduates, kwim? So, how much prep time for the PSAT? How much prep for the SAT? What books did you use? How much prep time did you all use for the GED? Is the GED necessary? Has anyone had a major issue if their graduate didn't have the GED test taken getting into a college or university of their choice? (meaning, did they not gain entrance becasue of that?) Thanks in advance for helping me out. I'm getting a little overwhelmed!:001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Ds has spent about 10-15 hours studying for the PSAT/SAT this year. He took the PSAT in 10th and I wanted a true baseline score on him, so he did zero prep for it. His studying had very little to do with content. It was about HOW to take the test. How the questions are worded, staged in the test (easy to hard), trick words to watch for, strategies to answer a question you don't know the answer to, time practice to know how to pace yourself, etc. We bought an SAT prep book for this summer and he has spent about an hour a day, a few days a week in it. It is pretty interesting to see how much a prep book can make you think different about the test and the format. Good Luck, I hope she does great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Here's what I'm thinking. Take it this fall and just see how she does. If it's good, fine, if not, we can prep and retake it again in the spring. The SAT won't be taken until next year so we have a year for that. I don't know. Like I said, it's not like I'm thinking national merit scholarship, I'm more thinking, this is a good way to really see what the SAT is kind of like. We haven't had to do much standardized testing since we've moved here so I don't want her first experience to be with the SAT. Kind of overwhelming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 When ds registered for teh PSAT he got a pre-test booklet. It was helpful for him to see what kind of questions were on the test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Ds has spent about 10-15 hours studying for the PSAT/SAT this year. He took the PSAT in 10th and I wanted a true baseline score on him, so he did zero prep for it. His studying had very little to do with content. It was about HOW to take the test. How the questions are worded, staged in the test (easy to hard), trick words to watch for, strategies to answer a question you don't know the answer to, time practice to know how to pace yourself, etc. We bought an SAT prep book for this summer and he has spent about an hour a day, a few days a week in it. It is pretty interesting to see how much a prep book can make you think different about the test and the format. Good Luck, I hope she does great! This is the same approach we followed. DS is spending about 10 hours per week on test prep using a test prep book put out by the college board. We also hope to do 2-3 practice tests prior to the actual day. Unless you have a special dispensation for being out of the country, isn't the PSAT offered only once each year, in the fall? Is retaking it in the spring actually an option, or do you mean SAT/ACT then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 This is the same approach we followed. DS is spending about 10 hours per week on test prep using a test prep book put out by the college board. We also hope to do 2-3 practice tests prior to the actual day. Unless you have a special dispensation for being out of the country, isn't the PSAT offered only once each year, in the fall? Is retaking it in the spring actually an option, or do you mean SAT/ACT then? I may have misunderstood, but, my understanding was that they offered it in the fall and the spring. Not a problem really, if this is her only chance to take the PSAT. We'll just step up the prep for it and work through the SAT book alongside which will help a little too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 This is the same approach we followed. DS is spending about 10 hours per week on test prep using a test prep book put out by the college board. We also hope to do 2-3 practice tests prior to the actual day. Unless you have a special dispensation for being out of the country, isn't the PSAT offered only once each year, in the fall? Is retaking it in the spring actually an option, or do you mean SAT/ACT then? He took the PSAT fall 2009. 10th grade (a year early) He will take it again this fall as an 11th grader. Fall 2010 He will take the SAT in the Winter/Spring 2011 and Fall/Winter 2011. It depends on if his college plans on how his SAT will be spaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Oh, sorry for the confusion. Tap, I meant the question for Dayle. Anyway, what you (Tap) have done is the plan we hope to follow, except with the ACT unless ds actually makes semifinalist and needs to take the SAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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