Tips for successfully raising your SAT & ACT scores and pitfalls to avoid

Are you thinking of going to college? That means you will have to consider taking exams like the SAT.

That can be intimidating for kids and parents.

Ellie Vogel, owner of Chyten Educational Center in Scottsdale, says there are simple ways to successfully raise your college exam scores.

First, she says you don’t have to take the SAT to get into college so you have to know your options.

Today, all colleges accept both SAT or ACT; it is to the student's advantage to put their best foot forward with their best test results.

Chyten Scottsdale offers a free diagnostic test that establishes a baseline for both tests and determines if which test is best for the student.

Vogel says plan sufficient time to prepare for the tests. The average can be 8 to 12 weeks before test dates. This can be very intense when you are doing 3 to 4 hours of preparation per week in addition to the regular school work.

So time management and endurance training are key.

Vogel says, “One major challenge for students is learning to finish the tests on time. Practice tests and continuous review on their own or with an instructor is key to improving scores.”

Chyten Scottsdale is offering a scholarship for test preparation services this spring. They are looking for a Junior in high school that will graduate in 2012, who has an un-weighted GPA of 3.7, has the motivation and potential for a college career, that may not have access to preparation services that can make a real life difference.

Follow the instructions on-line and apply by March 15th. This scholarship has a value of $3000.