Often students wonder about the amount of time, effort and money they should be putting towards preparing for admission tests such as the SAT or the ACT. Based on the strong consideration schools give to these scores, it is an important point to consider. There are many resources available to explore in order to get an idea of what is the best match for you. For example, there are several free web based resources that allow a student to take sample tests, get test taking tips and pointers, and view video lessons to name a few. There are also many fee based on-line courses that students can take where they can work with a tutor and receive lessons, test practice, etc. Depending up on the level of support a student feels he or she needs, it makes sense to start with the free services and determine from there if additional support is needed. Please see the resources section of this web page for more information on web based test prep options.
There are often local test preparation resources available in communities. These can be a good option for students as well. They will likely be more costly, but depending on the needs of the student and the family circumstances it might be an option. Before embarking on spending large amounts of money on test prep, students and their parents should be aware of the research regarding the impact of test preparation on a student’s scores. Here is an excellent article that addresses this issue. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/05/20/testprep
An area for students on the autism spectrum to consider are accommodations and special preparation that can help a student be at their best during the test. Here is a link to an article with a great deal of information, as well as links to resources to learn about accommodations and how to apply for them. http://www.asd-dr.com/index.php/high-school/26-college-preparation-for-high-school-sophmores Finally, here is a link to an article written by a parent about their experiences preparing for the college entrance exams. https://autismsocietyofnc.wordpress.com/2013/04/13/college-admissions-testing-and-autism/ It is wonderful to read about the experiences of other families, and the article also includes helpful resources for students and their parents.