Almost two years ago I wrote a blog post about 850 reasons to NOT stress about the SAT and ACT.
Now there are more than 1,000 reasons.
Check out this list produced by FairTest of over 1,000 colleges that “do not use SAT and ACT scores to admit substantial numbers of students into bachelor-degree programs.”
Cue the sound of a valve turning and pressure releasing.
Do you hear that? That is the sound of the release of any stress and pressure around the SAT and ACT. With over 1,000 schools that don’t care about your test score, why should you stress?
Stress clouds the brain. An unstressed brain learns better than a stressed brain. Walk into the SAT or ACT stressed out and your score will drop.
The first step in any test prep is to remove as much stress as possible from the process. My students repeat the following mantra over and over: “Stress is the enemy of test performance.”
It’s okay to use a little stress to get focused and prepared but too much stress will lead to miserable testing experiences and performances. So use this latest update from FairTest as confirmation that you need NOT stress.
Sure, you may be interested in schools that are not on this list. Schools not on this list still weigh SAT and ACT test scores heavily in the process of admission. However, at a minimum, the schools on the FairTest list offer terrific alternatives.
So don’t stress. Let your brain work and learn to its full capacity. Consequently, your confidence and your score will improve.
For studying advice on the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SSAT and academic subjects, contact CROSSWALK.
Is the SAT Dying a Slow Death?
The validity and efficacy of standardized testing remains a highly debatable topic.
On one hand, highly competitive universities continue to use standardized test scores to sift through thousands of applications received annually. For these schools, an objective and standardized assessment can prove to be an efficient way to determine whether or not a student has the potential to succeed in college.
On the other hand, many schools realize that standardized tests create unnecessary stress for students and results are often biased against certain groups. These schools are moving away from using test scores as a means to weigh an applicant’s potential for college success.
And according to FairTest, the number of schools moving away from using test scores in their process of admission is growing.
FairTest states that, since the SAT launched its revised version of the test in March 2016, more than 100 colleges and universities have dropped SAT and ACT requirements. Now, there are almost 1,000 colleges and universities that “do not use the SAT or ACT to admit substantial number of bachelor-degree applicants.”
The good news is that with so many schools eliminating the need for SAT and ACT, there are now more reasons to not stress about SAT and ACT performance. The bad news is that there are still thousands of other schools that continue to use test performance in their admission evaluations.
The SAT may be dying slowly but cynics note that the College Board is a big business with stakeholders and investors who will fight for its relevance, survival and, most importantly, profitability.
My work as an SAT and ACT tutor is safe for now because I will continue to remind students that they need not stress about test performance. Stress is the enemy of test performance and with almost 1,000 schools not using SAT or ACT performance in their admission decisions, there should be no reason to stress on test day.
To prepare for the SSAT, PSAT, ACT or SAT stress-free, contact CROSSWALK today.
850+ Reasons to NOT Stress About ACT & SAT
My students know my mantra, “stress is the enemy of test performance.” In a given class, I might repeat this phrase five or ten times.
Science proves that an unstressed brain learns more efficiently than a stressed brain. Science also proves that stress fosters anxiety which leads to poor test performance.
While a little stress can keep students focused and on task, too much stress will push test scores down. The SAT and the ACT are not content-driven tests that reward cramming and all-night study sessions.
As such, the recommended approach to SAT and ACT prep is to avoid stress. If you remove stress from the process, you can practice problem sets with your best problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
But if you are not convinced with my one reason to avoid stress, here are 850 additional reasons to avoid stress.
This link will take you to a list of over 850 school that do not use ACT or SAT scores to admit a substantial number of students. The list is produced by FairTest, the National Center for Fair and Open Testing.
In other words, there are over 850 schools that will ignore your test scores and instead focus on your GPA, your letters of recommendation, your essays and the many other elements in your application package to consider your admission.
More importantly, there are many excellent schools on this list. Perhaps some schools are unfamiliar to you but all of these schools offer tremendous educational opportunities. Chances are, there is a school on this list that can offer exactly what you are seeking in a college experience.
So avoid stress in your ACT and SAT preparation. Find the motivation to keep working at it if you want your score to improve, but don’t forget that are many schools that will consider the other elements your bring to the table before considering your test score.
For more stress-free test preparation, contact CROSSWALK. The Monterey Peninsula’s local resource for SAT/ACT/PSAT/SSAT prep, CROSSWALK offers face-to-face tutoring and Skype tutoring for standardized tests and academic subjects.
The Path Towards Learning Success 