Test Optional, NOT Test-Blind

People will tell you that their kids got into colleges just fine without submitting standardized test scores, and 80% of schools today in the US don't even require them. You should not follow that trend and here's why --> In a study done by the NACAC, they found that four out of five colleges heavily rely on standardized test scores such as the ACT and SAT to determine merit based scholarships. And 1/4 require that you take them to even be eligible to apply. Taking these tests will set you apart from other candidates and put you further ahead in the running for merit based scholarships.

Understanding the ACT and SAT

You don't have to be a genius to excel at these tests, - I'm not.

Many people pre-determine their test results based on how smart they think themselves to be. Many times, it's a negative outlook. The truth is you don't have to be a good test taker, or digest and cram in knowledge like crazy. You just have to learn how to take one specific exam, and repeat the process. It is tedious, and boring... Until it isn't. Until the moment you check your score and see the number you originally never thought possible. Regardless of how you feel about the relevance of standardized test scores, colleges use it as a metric to determine how valuable someone is as a student. If you don't want to pay full price for a four-year degree, you don't want to fall behind on this metric.

My Journey

Hearing about others' success can be motivating. Here is a glimpse at my journey through the ACT.

Full transparency. My first ACT that I took (yes you can take it as many times as you want and submit only the highest score) was less than amazing. The maximum score is a 36, and the average score achieved by a high school student in Illinois is a 25. I got a 22. This put about 60% of all test takers above me, in other words - no scholarship money. Luckily things didn't end there. I was surrounded by people who motivated and supported me to try again, and this network greatly impacted my success in applications. I took the ACT a total of 5 times, and went from a 22 and ended with a 31. I went from the 60^th percentile to the 95^th in the span of a year. This catapulted me from no mans land to leading the pack across Illinois test takers. If you have questions about the ACT or SAT , please reach out through the email provided in "Contact."

Things to Note:

• I employed a strategy for the test, I didn't just magically jump 9 points.

• The ACT is a test given nationally, and occurs typically 7 times a year.

• Each test costs $68, they aren't free.

• The test is 4 hours long, buckle up.

• For complete information, visit act.org

A student studying for the ACT