5 Benefits of Early Test Preparation for 8th–10th Graders

7/19/2024

By: Nicole Grunwald

When should your child begin preparing for college admission exams? Turns out, the sooner the better. Learn about the benefits of early test preparation from Sensa Educational Systems’ President and Director, Nicole Grunwald, and set your child up for success by registering him/her for one of their summer workshops hosted at CCA Fort Lauderdale.

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Did you know that your children have been preparing for standardized exams for most of their school career? That’s right – the majority of the content asked in college entry exams like the SAT or ACT comes from lessons in grammar and math that your child has likely already learned during their middle school years. Yet, most students don’t begin preparing for these exams until later in high school.

Preparation for the SAT/ACT can (and probably should) begin long before the upperclassmen years, and there are several great reasons why. Here are five benefits of early test preparation!

Exposes them to the content earlier
What I often see is that older students can struggle with these concepts during test preparation because it’s been largely forgotten. This is because by the time upperclassmen begin looking over materials for these exams, it’s been years since they’ve been naturally exposed to the information, and re-learning it can be overwhelming. That means that younger students (8th–10th grade) can do really well with early test preparation and can earn great scores because the content is fresh in their minds.
Teaches them the value of what they’re currently learning
Getting to know the content of the SAT/ACT can help younger students understand that their current classes really do matter and that they will use the information later during these major tests. It’s vital that they learn the correct processes and fundamentals the first time from their teachers so that a great deal of remediation isn’t necessary in the future to boost their SAT/ACT scores. Early test preparation can instill a sense of ownership over their studies and teach them that what they are learning is crucial to their future success.
Helps them overcome academic challenges
The SAT/ACT exams test fundamental concepts thought to be essential for students to succeed in college such as problem-solving, reading comprehension, and the basics of English grammar. Test preparation can help uncover students’ academic weaknesses and teach them the strategies needed to overcome those challenges.

Do they struggle with knowing when to use semicolons or converting decimals to fractions? Test prep can help. Honing in on the academic concepts students need extra support in can not only help boost their SAT/ACT scores, but can also set them up for greater academic success.
Builds their test-taking confidence
According to Healthline, testing anxiety can affect anywhere from 10 to 40 percent of teens. Fortunately, test preparation offers valuable tips and strategies needed for taking standardized tests, which can help mitigate the anxiety around these exams. These skills are not just specific to the SAT/ACT, but apply to other standardized tests and can even apply to classroom tests. The earlier students learn these skills, the more confident they will grow in their ability to do well during tests throughout their academic careers.
Prepares them for the future
Early test preparation can help students earn the highest possible scores with less stress. Students’ lives only get busier and more demanding as they progress through high school, and adding more rigor or additional commitments (like preparing for standardized exams) to their schedules is often a challenge! Many older students fall short of their testing goals because they simply do not have the time to study in a way that will make a significant difference in their test scores. That is why preparing earlier can help set them up for success.

Preparing for these exams doesn’t have to sneak up on you or your child once their junior year hits. Early test preparation has great benefits, so it’s never too early to register your 8th–10th grader for a test prep course.

Sensa Educational Systems will be hosting two one-day SAT/ACT workshops at CCA Fort Lauderdale’s campus on Saturday, July 20 and Saturday, August 10 from 9:00 AM–1:00 PM for only $125. Space is limited!

Nicole Grunwald is the President and Director of Education at Sensa Educational Systems, an organization founded in 1970 that has helped prepare over 1 million students for high school and college with its simple systems for success. Nicole started her career with Sensa in 2009 and has taught in over 25 private Christian schools throughout Florida, including CCA. CCA has partnered with Sensa since 2014.

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