Good things come in threes
December 19th, 2016Cold weather and snow put us in the holiday spirit and believe it or not, when we hear of the Three Wise Men we begin to brainstorm about other things that come in threes. Let’s see: three colors on a traffic light (which we’ve appropriated for color-coding admission estimates); three tennis balls to a container; and, oh yes, three subscores in the PSAT – reading, writing and mathematics.
Juniors received PSAT reports last week, which is why the PSAT is top of mind. And with scores in hand, it’s time to solidify testing plans for the coming semester. When thinking about a master calendar for taking the SAT or ACT, it’s wise to think about the “rule of three.” In other words, students should plan for three test dates each for the ACT and/or SAT, with the understanding that great results could eliminate the need to test a second or third time in either sphere.
Ahead of each test date, students should prepare and polish. In some cases, this will mean a test prep class; in others, tutoring. A gifted and motivated student may even choose to prepare independently. But it goes without saying that all students should prepare in the way that best matches their needs and learning styles.
Many Shrop Ed students will identify two ACT test dates in the spring semester, reserving their third and final test for the fall of senior year. Many will do the same where the SAT is concerned. Early fall testing – September ACT, August (new!) or October SAT – produces results in time for Early Action and Early Decision deadlines, happily.
Students taking Subject Tests at the end of the school year will fold this College Board test date into the overall testing calendar. Although the number of colleges requesting Subject Tests has been shrinking steadily, a few colleges do continue to hold out for them.
Of course, we’re here to steer students toward the right choices and happy to answer questions that parents may have. The Shrop Ed office will be open on most days over schools’ winter break, although in some cases our office hours may be a little shorter. We’ll appreciate your generous spirit if our response time isn’t as speedy as usual. Our blog will be on holiday break, returning on January 3rd.
Best wishes to all in the Shrop Ed community for happiness, peace and joy in the New Year!
