SAT/ACT Test Prep for Students with ADHD/ADD

SAT or ACT test prep is even more vital for students with ADHD/ADD, or students on the Autism Spectrum, because the added anxiety will affect the student’s score and fail to show the true potential of the student. The more practice your child does, especially with a private tutor who can accommodate your child’s specific learning style or incorporate the modifications of an IEP, the better your student will perform. As the following article states, there are many ways that test prep will help improve your child’s SAT and ACT test scores–not just through rote practice, but through intensive, individualized attention and skill-building.

Test prep advice for students with ADHD

When you have ADHD it is important to learn to control it with extreme discipline. This discipline can help you get through the SAT or ACT. It may be clichéd, but practice really does make perfect (or, shall we say, a 2400). There’s no better way to learn how to sit through a four-hour-long test than to actually sit through it. When you’re reading a Critical Reading passage, asking yourself questions about what you’re reading forces your brain to pay attention. Coming up with answers of your own in response to Critical Reading and Writing questions makes you an active participant in the SAT, making it harder to focus on the stain on your shirt. To help keep track of time, I recommend placing a watch on your desk. On Math sections, double-check that you haven’t messed up on any of the details.
Students who are eligible can apply for accommodations (like extended time and taking the test in a small group setting) on the SAT or ACT. Make sure you start this process early, as it can take up to seven weeks for them to review all the information and make a decision. Don’t be embarrassed about asking for these accommodations if you really need them.