SAT AND ACT Q&A
"My son is interested in going to college and I am not sure which exam he should take in connection with his application process. How does Telos help my son with college entrance exams?"
In beginning to address this question, we want to review that at Telos, one of the cornerstones of our philosophy is making insightful choices. We believe all people have the ability to choose how they view their world. At Telos we promote the development of personal insight that enables us to take positive control of our lives and make insightful decisions.
College applications are no different. While Telos Academy can provide helpful information regarding this question, please remember that the choice to attend college and which university setting to select, are quite personal decisions that will have tremendous impact to both students and their families. We cannot assume responsibility for this important choice, but want to share some insights on how you can reach a decision with confidence and peace. Please consider the following information as you work though this process of college preparation with your son.
"My son is interested in attending college."
Many students who come to Telos have struggled in some fashion with academics before admission. Going to college seemed too "pie in the sky" because getting through high school was already a difficult challenge. As boys gain some ground and root down in our academic environment, they start to feel more and more successful which often leads them start to open up to other possibilities. In the spring, they see other peers getting accepted into universities or start to make plans for college. When your son brings up his desire to explore the option of higher education be sure to listen carefully. You might ask him some of the following broad questions to get a better understanding of his own insight:
Asking these questions and listening carefully is very important to establishing a healthy dialogue regarding the decision to attend college. Do not be afraid to take some time to explore this. If your son is hesitant to answer these questions, set aside the conversation topic for few days/weeks and resume it later. If your son is very excited about these possibilities, take advantage of his enthusiasm and encourage him to investigate such possibilities with multiple people of trust. Then ask for a report of what your son learns and try and support him when he has specific questions about college life and opportunities. Please feel free to include Telos staff in this phase of the process. Nearly all our part-time staff are attending local college or university programs either part time or full time while working at Telos. A large majority of our professional staff have multiple degrees or certifications. Encourage you son to gain lots of perspectives about the college experience and then discuss with you what he learns. Pay attention to what he shares and then council with him as to your experience and anticipations related to college. Such conversations can be the crux of powerful and impacting decisions and an area where you and your son can grow together as you explore and plan together.
Once these more general elements are explored thoroughly, it is helpful to start introducing the more practical requirements of getting accepted into a university program. While geographic, financial, and social elements of college selection are more important considerations, the element of college prep exams are almost always more time sensitive since there are registration deadlines and associated fees with these exams. Share with your son that application to all major universities and college will require that he take either the SAT or ACT test. These exams have registration requirements that are necessary to be aware of so that proper planning can be done in connection with college applications at large.
"Which exam should he take?"
Very few universities have a preference of which test they prefer; most will accept scores from either one. Research the prospective universities that your son wants to apply to and find out what the specific application requirements are. Pay attention to the average test scores of incoming freshman to get an idea of the range of score needed for a competitive application.
This link will take you to a summary of both tests, as of last test update in 2017.
"My son already took one of these exams before he came to Telos and did very poorly. What recommendations do you have?"
Many factors have led to student doing poorly when taking an exam previous to coming to Telos. The factors range from many students still struggling to overcome severe anxiety in a stressful situation to circumstantial elements like not getting any sleep the night before from excessive gaming or even poor cognition ability due to recent substance abuse. Whatever these factors, students who take a college prep exam with the structural support at Telos Academy receive a few basic supports. If nothing else, the routine of Telos will ensure that your son gets a good nights rest before the exam, and forecasting about the test well in advance of it happening.
It is often recommended that a student take both exams and the scores from each can be compared. He may then choose to report the more favorable score based on the average range identified in your college exploration. Most students engage a little more when they are aware that their performance is being assessed. At Telos, we have observed that students who take practice exams a less likely to give full effort while they take a practice test, but it is extremely helpful for them to become familiar to the conditions and format of the test (which helps reduce anxiety and promotes confidence). Statistically speaking, a students overall score will not change radically increase the more times he takes the exam (unless preparation interventions are used, or circumstances change). If your son is not satisfied with his score on either the SAT or ACT, the natural recommendation is to take the other, and/or introduce more focused test preparation.
"How does Telos help my son with college entrance exams?"
From time to time based on need, Telos Academy will conduct prep courses for students who have not taken these college prep exams. While the SAT exam usually carries a more popular demand, we usually have a small contingent of students who are slated to take the ACT. Please reference this school webpage for the most current information on these preparation courses. When prep courses are not available, individual tutoring can be arranged at times through coordinating with the Academic Director.
Our best wishes as you support your son along his educational journey.
Telos Academy Administration
In beginning to address this question, we want to review that at Telos, one of the cornerstones of our philosophy is making insightful choices. We believe all people have the ability to choose how they view their world. At Telos we promote the development of personal insight that enables us to take positive control of our lives and make insightful decisions.
College applications are no different. While Telos Academy can provide helpful information regarding this question, please remember that the choice to attend college and which university setting to select, are quite personal decisions that will have tremendous impact to both students and their families. We cannot assume responsibility for this important choice, but want to share some insights on how you can reach a decision with confidence and peace. Please consider the following information as you work though this process of college preparation with your son.
"My son is interested in attending college."
Many students who come to Telos have struggled in some fashion with academics before admission. Going to college seemed too "pie in the sky" because getting through high school was already a difficult challenge. As boys gain some ground and root down in our academic environment, they start to feel more and more successful which often leads them start to open up to other possibilities. In the spring, they see other peers getting accepted into universities or start to make plans for college. When your son brings up his desire to explore the option of higher education be sure to listen carefully. You might ask him some of the following broad questions to get a better understanding of his own insight:
- What about going to college interests you?
- Have you considered which major or area of study you would want to explore?
- Which careers interest you presently? How would gaining more education help you on that path?
- What is your understanding of the demands/opportunities of college?
Asking these questions and listening carefully is very important to establishing a healthy dialogue regarding the decision to attend college. Do not be afraid to take some time to explore this. If your son is hesitant to answer these questions, set aside the conversation topic for few days/weeks and resume it later. If your son is very excited about these possibilities, take advantage of his enthusiasm and encourage him to investigate such possibilities with multiple people of trust. Then ask for a report of what your son learns and try and support him when he has specific questions about college life and opportunities. Please feel free to include Telos staff in this phase of the process. Nearly all our part-time staff are attending local college or university programs either part time or full time while working at Telos. A large majority of our professional staff have multiple degrees or certifications. Encourage you son to gain lots of perspectives about the college experience and then discuss with you what he learns. Pay attention to what he shares and then council with him as to your experience and anticipations related to college. Such conversations can be the crux of powerful and impacting decisions and an area where you and your son can grow together as you explore and plan together.
Once these more general elements are explored thoroughly, it is helpful to start introducing the more practical requirements of getting accepted into a university program. While geographic, financial, and social elements of college selection are more important considerations, the element of college prep exams are almost always more time sensitive since there are registration deadlines and associated fees with these exams. Share with your son that application to all major universities and college will require that he take either the SAT or ACT test. These exams have registration requirements that are necessary to be aware of so that proper planning can be done in connection with college applications at large.
"Which exam should he take?"
Very few universities have a preference of which test they prefer; most will accept scores from either one. Research the prospective universities that your son wants to apply to and find out what the specific application requirements are. Pay attention to the average test scores of incoming freshman to get an idea of the range of score needed for a competitive application.
This link will take you to a summary of both tests, as of last test update in 2017.
"My son already took one of these exams before he came to Telos and did very poorly. What recommendations do you have?"
Many factors have led to student doing poorly when taking an exam previous to coming to Telos. The factors range from many students still struggling to overcome severe anxiety in a stressful situation to circumstantial elements like not getting any sleep the night before from excessive gaming or even poor cognition ability due to recent substance abuse. Whatever these factors, students who take a college prep exam with the structural support at Telos Academy receive a few basic supports. If nothing else, the routine of Telos will ensure that your son gets a good nights rest before the exam, and forecasting about the test well in advance of it happening.
It is often recommended that a student take both exams and the scores from each can be compared. He may then choose to report the more favorable score based on the average range identified in your college exploration. Most students engage a little more when they are aware that their performance is being assessed. At Telos, we have observed that students who take practice exams a less likely to give full effort while they take a practice test, but it is extremely helpful for them to become familiar to the conditions and format of the test (which helps reduce anxiety and promotes confidence). Statistically speaking, a students overall score will not change radically increase the more times he takes the exam (unless preparation interventions are used, or circumstances change). If your son is not satisfied with his score on either the SAT or ACT, the natural recommendation is to take the other, and/or introduce more focused test preparation.
"How does Telos help my son with college entrance exams?"
From time to time based on need, Telos Academy will conduct prep courses for students who have not taken these college prep exams. While the SAT exam usually carries a more popular demand, we usually have a small contingent of students who are slated to take the ACT. Please reference this school webpage for the most current information on these preparation courses. When prep courses are not available, individual tutoring can be arranged at times through coordinating with the Academic Director.
Our best wishes as you support your son along his educational journey.
Telos Academy Administration
