By Jeffrey Dalton

Summer is the perfect time to study for standardized tests. Freed from the demands of ordinary academic term study and effort, students can fully devote themselves to preparing for the SAT or the ACT. While this can be done independently or through SAT classes and regular test prep courses, the important part is to concentrate on the test in ways that are difficult, if not impossible, during the school year.

While education consultants always recommend that students, especially first-time test takers for both the SAT and ACT, enroll in formal instruction that could include both group classes and individual tutoring sessions, self-study for either exam can be equally productive if this best suits an individual student’s learning profile.

Crafting a study plan is both science and art, and below are tips and advice on how best to efficiently and efficaciously utilize the summer weeks (or months!) in pursuit of a great SAT or ACT score.

Time is of the essence

What’s tricky about studying during the summer break is that students simultaneously have both more and less time than they think. Unplanned, unstructured days are the stuff of student dreams during the academic year, and this time is perfect for learning about and preparing for the SAT or ACT. Yet those days fly, especially if students are sleeping in or retiring late or simply generally leaving that time unstructured.

In this way, it can be difficult to appreciate the time that is available: plenty for studying, but of a nature that passes quickly. This may lead to a lack of discipline in the form of procrastination or of haziness—never really focusing on the task at hand.

Therefore, the first step is to develop a structured plan or program that is flexible enough not to result in apathy or grievance but rigid enough to ensure that students are still getting things done, making progress, and actually preparing for the test. This can be accomplished in a myriad number of ways, including blocking time on an app or on Google Calendar, leaving the house and going somewhere quiet for dedicated study time, or merely adhering to a set schedule that has been well-thought-out.

Lean into strengths and address weaknesses: if a student can focus more in the evening or even late night, then that is the ideal bloc of time during which to study. A student who can’t remain attentive for more than an hour should consider allocating multiple sessions per day, as opposed to forcing a two or three hour marathon that quickly degenerates into unproductiveness.

Travelling abroad or staying home—either works

Many students here in Dubai and Abu Dhabi either travel for the summer with family or return home—wherever in the world that may be. Some students may see this as an opportunity not to study or to take some time off (many parents may also feel this way too!) But they would be wrong.

Studying for the exam is like preparing to run a race or training for an event: taking any time off outside of ordinary rest is not only unproductive but actively erodes existing progress.

Consequently, students must take studying with them and carve out time to advance their understanding and abilities, irrespective of where in the world they may be. Similarly, while students on vacation or on family leave may be expected to be entirely present (not only in a physical sense but in a psychological one too), these students must be offered time during the day to complete their regularly-scheduled sessions, be it the group class or self-study.

The online learning revolution—accelerated by recent events—now allows individuals to participate from anywhere. The studying can’t stop just because of physical dislocation.

Patience is key, and other virtues to adopt

Progress can be slow-going, studying is a slog, and the exam is long. It is not easy to prepare to take the SAT or the ACT, nor is it easy to sit through an entire three-plus hour exam.

Students should strive to be patient in their pursuit of a top score. Setting realistic and achievable goals can facilitate this; aim for modest improvement each week, measured by practice sections of the particular section currently being studied. Periodic full-length diagnostic exams (no more than one per week) are a necessary form of instruction and an excellent tool for assessing progress and identifying outstanding needs.

Furthermore, students should aim to remain dedicated to the task and avoid distraction while studying. It’s everywhere, but distraction not only hinders retention but also creates an environment in which actual testing conditions are not adequately mimicked. Ordinary study aides, whatever the student needs, is of course acceptable, but during the summer months students may be pulled toward greater distraction to a greater degree than usual.

It’s not ideal, but avoiding others and the outside world (at least while studying) is a necessary sacrifice in order to establish oneself as prepared for the SAT or ACT.

Conclusion

Even for those who won’t finish until the end of June, students will have plenty of opportunity to study for the SAT or the ACT during their summer break. The overarching goal is a top score, which requires, according to education consultants, not only hard work but strategy and dedication. Not coincidentally, these same skills and attitudes will serve students well at top colleges and universities, including the Ivy League.

The summer doesn’t have to be all about the SAT or ACT either: successful students will be those who allocate just the right amount of time to achieve their target scores while also allowing for diversion and some distraction and, yes, even a little fun. Studying for a standardized test, whether through SAT prep or ACT classes, need not be the sole objective of the summer—it should be part of an array of activities and events (some planned, others spontaneous) that maximize students’ potential during these months off from school.

- Hale Education Group