What if I told you that there is a secret sauce to boost your SAT or ACT score? What if I said there is a simple, fun and easy way to improve your performance on standardized tests?
Would you believe me? And even if you believe me, would you be willing to try it?
Here's the deal: the one thing that all top scorers on the SAT and ACT have in common is that they read. In fact, they read a lot. High scorers don't just read text books for school. They independently read novels, articles, magazines, newspapers, blogs and more.
You see, there is a direct correlation between how much a student reads independently and how well they score on standardized tests like the SAT and ACT. "Students who read independently become better readers, score higher on achievement tests in all subject areas, and have greater content knowledge than those who do not," according to the U.S. Department of Education in a study done decades ago.
What's more, the SAT and ACT are essentially reading tests. Don't be fooled by the Math sections. The math sections are filled with word problems that require deft reading skills to translate words into mathematical operations. And the Science section on the ACT is just reading, too. Questions in that section ask students to read data from charts, tables and scientific experiments.
So how do you get better at a reading test? You guessed it: Read.
It's no wonder that English language learners, who have little experience reading, struggle mightily on the SAT, even on the math sections.
CROSSWALK has been in business over two decades. From way back when, we were championing the need for students to read more in order to perform better. Nowadays, students are reading less. With video games, smart phones and so much accessible video content, the "number of children and young adults who say they read for fun has dropped to an all-time low."
I see this as a major opportunity. If fewer students are reading in today's day and age, those who do read have a major opportunity to differeniate their college applications with strong test scores.
So go out and read. Read your way to a high SAT and ACT score.
But, wait. There's more.
Here's the best part: Read whatever you want! Truly. You don't need to read Shakespeare to improve you SAT and ACT scores. Read whatever interests you. Want to learn about a favorite person? Read a biography or memoir. Passionate about a hobby? Read blogs about that hobby. Want to get lost in a novel? Find some fun science fiction that will open your imagination.
Visit your school or local library and come out with things you would be excited to read. Then, set a routine to read a little every day. Nothing crazy. Maybe twenty minutes a day to start. Do this regularly, and watch your vocabulary build, your comprenension grow and your test scores improve.
And for you parents out there, encourage your children to read early and often. Read to your child. As they get older, read with them and discuss what you read.
As long as top scorers are reading their way to better scores, why wouldn't you?
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