Now is the time to start thinking about what your teenager needs to do to prepare for college. Some of the questions you will ponder when selecting a school include…
- public or private?
- in state or out of state?
- dorm housing, apartment living or live at home?
- who foots the bill?

You may feel overwhelmed, especially when you browse the college applications and talk with recruiters. The college representatives want to know about your teen's grades, class rank, extracurricular activities and SAT or ACT score. Most colleges and universities require applicants to take one of these college entrance exams.

One function of the SAT and ACT tests is to level the playing field. Sometimes grades can be subjective or the degree of difficulty in courses varies. SAT and ACT tests help to measure what your teen has learned over the course of several years of schooling. These tests are one indicator used to measure whether or not a student is ready for college-level work. Last-minute cramming usually won't help.

When to take the exam

Typically, you begin to look at college preparation during your child's junior year of high school. This is a good time for your teen to take the SAT or ACT. If your teen is unhappy with the results or believes he or she can do better, there is plenty of time to take the exam again.

Which exam to take

Basically, the decision is up to you. However, you may want to consult with your child's guidance counselor to learn which test is preferred by the colleges or universities your child is interested in attending. Most schools in the United States accept both.

Preparing for the exam

What can your teen do to prepare? One of the best options is to take a pre-test:

• Take practice tests. Test takers have a certain number of questions to answer in a specified amount of time. Practice tests provide a simulated environment, allowing your teen to gain valuable experience in working under time constraints.
  
  
• Know what is expected. By taking a practice exam, your teen will become familiarized with the style of questions he or she can expect on the exam. In addition, your teen will see how various questions are presented and phrased. The sample questions also provide an indication of the material that will be covered.
  
  
• Review subject material. Now isn't the time for your teen to cram all sorts of new information into his or her head. Instead, suggest that he or she review notes from past course work and brush up on areas that may have been forgotten.