4 Telltale Signs That Your Client's Ready to Take the Real Test
Every client’s goal is to score well on test day. Whether your client has been preparing to take the ACT® or SAT® for the very first time or they’ve been getting ready for an upcoming retake, there are certain benchmarks that should be met prior to test day.
The 4 Benchmarks That Indicate Your Client Is Ready
How can you tell when your client is ready? There are 4 telltale signs, or benchmarks, that indicate your client is primed and prepped to take the real test:
1. Strong Test-Taking Strategies
A strong indicator that your client is ready to take the ACT® or SAT® is how well they’re able to study for them. Finding the right test-taking strategies can be tricky to start, but once a student has found the methods that work best for them, it’s a game changer.
When you notice your client consistently turning to a set of established test-taking strategies that work for them, that’s a great sign that they’re poised to take the real test.
2. Mastery in Test Content
It takes time to fully comprehend the concepts and test formatting of the ACT® and SAT®. The content (Reading, Writing, Math, and Science [ACT®]) is diverse, the concepts are challenging, the question styles are tricky, and there are purposefully-laid traps throughout.
So, when you’ve observed a shift in your client’s comfort level during prep, and they’ve proven proficiency with the content through their practice, those are excellent clues that they’re prepared for test day.
3. Ability to Explain Concepts
To truly grasp knowledge, you must be able to explain or teach it. It’s like showing a child to tie their shoes and then they teach their friend how to do it. Mastery is proven through teaching or explaining an idea or concept.
When your client has demonstrated a strong comprehension of the content, have them explain or teach it; not only is it a great way for them to fully commit the knowledge to memory, but it’s a strong indicator that they’re set to knock out the real test!
4. Solid Practice Exam Scores
Every client has a target test score that they’re aiming to achieve. When they’ve consistently shown that they can attain that score or, better yet, score above that target on full-length practice tests, they’re definitely ready to apply their training and skills to the real test!
Timing is Everything
When your client has met every one of the aforementioned benchmarks, and they’re clearly ready to take the real ACT® or SAT®, it’s time for them to test—and soon!
For our clients whose test day is fast approaching, this is excellent news! Their hard work is about to pay off.
Of course, that’s not always the case. For our clients whose progress is temporarily held in limbo by a test date still a month or so away, they’ll need to continue their test preparation in order to retain the information and maintain their strong foothold. Just because they’ve met these benchmarks does not mean that they can coast until test day. They need to keep sharp and stay focused.
What about your clients who have not yet met these benchmarks, but are showing very promising progress? Now is a great time to advise them to register for one of the upcoming spring test dates. Having a test date booked and on the calendar gives them a firm goal to aim toward, and provides a clear timeline for reaching these benchmarks.
Charting Progress
Score reports are imperative to monitoring our clients’ progress and making sure that they’re on track to meet their goals by test day.
Clear Choice offers custom-branded score reports that can be generated in physical and electronic formats, which makes assessing current students practically effortless. Each practice test score report breaks down every test item on every section of the practice test as well as a full analysis.
For a first hand look at how Clear Choice can help you get the most out of official ACT® and SAT® practice tests, contact us for a free demo.