When approaching the SAT – especially in South Africa – there are a ton of questions that have no readily available answers. Whether it’s how to register, what to study, or even how the test works, the aspects of the SAT that are intuitive to students and parents in the USA are obscured and difficult to perceive in a system that doesn’t centre around the taking of the SAT.
One of the biggest questions facing any family who are considering the SAT is whether to hire a test prep tutor. As you may imagine, higher scores mean better chances of getting into top-quality overseas institutions, and competition over places is always fierce. So can an SAT test prep tutor help you ace the SAT and find a place at your dream school?
In short, the answer is yes. Let’s look at the different benefits of getting an SAT test prep tutor.
Tutors Know What To Expect
Whether it’s how to register, what to look for, how to approach the test, or what to bring with you, tutors will tell you what to expect on test day. They will know where to go so that you don’t have to face the stress of getting lost just before you have to start writing, and they will know how the test is administered, which means no surprises just when you need to be concentrating. Being prepared while taking a test for the first time can be a big advantage in the final result.
Tutors Help Plan For Tests
The best SAT tutors have plans that they cater to individual students to help prepare them for the test itself. Whether it is time management skills, adjusting studying schedules, or ensuring that students are practising correctly, planning for a test this long and with this much content is a must – and experienced SAT tutors will know exactly how to do so.
Tutors Know The Content
If you have had no experience with the SAT before, an SAT tutor can help you with the material you need to know before taking the test. They have seen it all before, and they are up-to-date with the latest additions and omissions in the test itself, which means they will put each student in the best possible position to succeed by teaching them the correct content. This is especially important in South Africa, where topics that are critical to the SAT are often not taught in school.
The Right Study Materials
Experienced SAT tutors will have loads of great study materials, with practice questions, tests, and notes that will help you learn quickly and effectively. This can only come from years of gathering materials, and access to an archive like this, all in one place, is a big bonus to any student taking the SAT.
Tutors Hold You Accountable
As there is now set learning schedule for the SAT as there is for schoolwork, SAT tutors can help hold you accountable to the work you are supposed to be doing. They will ensure you complete homework, practice questions, and mock tests so that you are as well prepared as possible, and don’t put off studying until it’s too late.
Motivation
Taking the SAT in South Africa, where only a few students around you are even considering writing it, can mean that it is tough to motivate yourself consistently over a long period of time. An SAT tutor can help to remind you why you are choosing to write the test, and build up enthusiasm for the subject matter and studying that you might not be able to muster up on your own. This enthusiasm will lead to more effective studying, which should help you on test day.
Finally, SAT tutors provide a great way for you to effectively learn from mistakes, particularly if you plan on writing the SAT more than once. They have the experience to guide you through difficult parts of the content and can provide clever ways to pick up new tools and methods, having taught them to many different students before.
Although the task of taking the SAT can seem daunting, hiring an SAT test prep tutor will help put your mind at ease, and prepare you as best as possible for success on test day.
