Looking back on it now, I have no idea how I did it.
Endless study sessions of an hour and half each time, at least two times a week. Homework packets as thick as an encyclopedia. Managing sleep on top of all of that to make up for the 8 am mornings once a month to take the actual exam. Personally, I took the ACT, and did I get a 36? No. In fact, I took the ACT about 6 times, got the same score, and ended up superscoring.
The point here is there is a school for everyone. Just because you may not hit your ideal number when it comes to these standardized tests, doesn’t mean you won’t end up at a great school. There are so many other factors that go into the recruitment process other than standardized testing, like extra curricular activities, community service, and employment. These things all go a long way when schools are reviewing your application.
To my juniors in high school, take advantage of this year while you can to get involved in your school, like joining clubs and organizations; Give back to the community and do some volunteer work. And gain some experience in the workforce even if it’s just babysitting or a leadership role in school. The more you have on your resume, the more factors that go into your application to make your test score not be the only thing worth counting. I’m not a college planner, I’m just a student who has gone through the process and the one thing I learned is that at the end of the day, your score is your score and it’s not the only thing that defines you as a student or a person. I know it’s super easy to focus on a number but at the end of the day, everyone ends up where they are supposed to be.