ACT & SAT Preparation
Students who plan to attend a 4-year university following graduation from high school are typically required to submit an ACT or SAT score to the university as part of the application process. Since most universities will accept either the ACT or the SAT, we recommend students
take both tests. There is no way of knowing in advance on which test the student will score higher.
A student is generally not penalized for a low score on one test, as most admissions offices will
only consider the score that will be most advantageous for the applicant. Some schools will even pull subtests from different test administrations, combining scores to bring together a score that offers the student their best chance at admission.
NOTE: Students will register for testing directly through the ACT and/or SAT websites.
Test Preparation
ACT Registration & Dates
Students will register for the ACT test directly through the ACT website. Lakota West offers the ACT (plus Writing) in September, October and April (dates in bold below). Since we have no control over who we test we recommend the student register early in order to secure a spot at the Lakota sites. While student may take the test as many times as they wish, we recommend that our students take the test in the spring of their junior year and fall of their senior year.
When You Register:
When you register for the test you will need the following codes:
- Lakota West (home school): 365-417
- Lakota West ACT test site: 202890
You will also need to provide the code numbers of the colleges and agencies/scholarship
providers where you would like your scores sent. Since many schools no longer accept
unofficial scores forwarded from your high school, please make sure to designate your
college choices when registering. These numbers can be found in the schools' registration booklets.
Important Note for Athletes: If you are registered for NCAA Clearinghouse, you must have your test scores sent directly to the NCAA. Use the code #9999.
Test Dates
| Test Date | Regular registration Postmark Date |
Late Registration Postmark Date |
|---|---|---|
| 2/10/2024 | 1/5/2024 | 1/19/2024 |
| 4/13/2024 | 3/8/2024 | 3/22/2024 |
| 6/8/2024 | 5/3/2024 | 5/17/2024 |
| 7/13/2024 | 6/7/2024 | 6/21/2024 |
*Lakota West will be one of the test sites.
SAT Registration & Dates
Students will register for the SAT test directly through the SAT website. Lakota East offers the SAT (plus Writing) in October and May (dates in bold below). Since we have no control over who we test we recommend the student register early in order to secure a spot at the Lakota sites. While student may take the test as many times as they wish, we recommend that our students take the test in the spring of their junior year and fall of their senior year.
When You Register:
When you register for the test you will need the following codes:
- Lakota West (home school): 365-417
- Lakota East SAT test site: 36-625
You will also need to provide the code numbers of the colleges and agencies/scholarship
providers where you would like your scores sent. Since many schools no longer accept
unofficial scores forwarded from your high school, please make sure to designate your
college choices when registering. These numbers can be found in the schools' registration booklets.
Important Note for Athletes: If you are registered for NCAA Clearinghouse, you must have your test scores sent directly to the NCAA. Use the code #9999.
Test Dates
| Test Date | Regular registration Postmark Date |
Late Registration Postmark Date |
|---|---|---|
| 3/9/2024 | 2/23/2024 | 2/27/2024 |
| 5/4/2024 | 4/19/2024 | 4/23/2024 |
| 6/1/2024 | 5/17/2024 | 5/21/2024 |
Testing Tips & Strategies
Overcoming Test Anxiety
Test anxiety is an uneasiness or apprehension experienced before, during, or after an examination because of concern, worry, or fear. Almost everyone experiences some anxiety. But some students find that anxiety interferes with their learning and test taking to such an extent that their grades are seriously affected.
What can be done about it?
Fortunately, there is a great deal that you can do to keep the anxiety from interfering with your performance. First, it's important to know that you don't have to eliminate it entirely. It helps to be "up" for exams. You just want to reduce the anxiety to a manageable level.
Getting prepared for the exam is more than half the battle. Attend all of your classes, find out what you're expected to know and when the exams are scheduled. Keep up with your work so that you can avoid "cramming" for exams. Become more efficient in your study habits. Have a study schedule that makes use of "wasted time". Study in a location where you can concentrate, get interested in the material, and give it your complete attention. Use a method such as SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review) for reading your textbooks. Make flashcards and review them often. Learn how to take good notes. Go over them right after class and review periodically. Make outlines and summary sheets. Ask yourself, "What is the important information?" Being in a study group with motivated classmates is often helpful. Most colleges have Reading and Writing Centers to help you improve your study and test taking skills. Free tutoring is also usually available. In general, organized, self-confident students with efficient study habits may actually spend less time studying than others who receive lower grades.
So How Do You Get To Be Self Confident?
Self talk. Research shows that the self-talk of test-anxious students almost always tends to be negative and self-defeating. "Everyone in this class is smarter and faster than I am." "I always mess up on tests." "If I don't do well on this exam, then I'll flunk the course." "These are trick questions." "This is a weed-out course."
Become aware of what you say to yourself. Try writing your negative thoughts and then disputing each one with a positive statement. Start to encourage yourself as you would a friend. Repeating your positive statements to yourself will help reprogram your mind for success instead of for failure.
Other Techniques
- Visualize yourself doing well and reaching your goals.
- Aim for an A level of understanding. Don't overprotect yourself by saying you'll be lucky to get a C, so why study more?
- Try not to compare yourself with others.
- Become an expert in learning what is going well and what you can do to improve. Collect data by keeping a journal.
- Reward yourself after studying instead of getting involved in avoidance behaviors.
- Practice relaxing (progressive relaxation, self-hypnosis, guided imagery, etc.) so that relaxation becomes an automatically learned response.
- Aim for a state of relaxed concentration. When you concentrate, you have all of your energy focused on your work with none wasted on worry.
- Take care of yourself by eating well and getting enough sleep.
- Plan time to exercise regularly and do it.
Test Taking Strategies
Before:
- Take a practice test the day before with conditions as much like the test as possible.
- Review your summary sheets for an overall view of the material. Recite in your own words.
- Get enough sleep. Avoid caffeine which increases anxiety.
- Remember to encourage yourself and STOP critical statements.
- Give yourself time to feel composed and to be on time for the exam. Avoid anxious classmates who are talking about the exam.
During:
- Look over the entire test, READ THE DIRECTIONS, plan your approach, and schedule your time.
- Start with the easiest question first.
- Focus your attention on the test. Don't waste time and energy worrying, thinking about the consequences of not doing well, or wondering what others are doing.
- If you don't know an answer, mark the question.
- Suggest to yourself that you probably studied it and the answer will come to you when you get back to it.
- Essay Exams: Organize your thoughts in a brief outline. Look for key words such as compare, contrast, describe, identify. Start with a short summary or topical sentence and then make your points. Don't ramble. Remember what the professor emphasized.
- Objective Exams: Think of your own answer before looking at the choices provided. Eliminate clearly wrong answers and make an educated guess (unless there is a severe penalty for wrong answers). After you have answered those you know, return to those you checked. Think about only one question at a time. After you have answered those you know, return to those you checked.
- If your time is running out, concentrate on those questions you know well and/or have the most weight.
- Use all the time allowed for reviewing your answers, completing ideas. Only change answers if you are sure of yourself.
If you start to feel anxious, practice your relaxation techniques. Use anxiety as a cue to relax. Close your eyes, take three deep breaths and then back to the task.
After:
- Reward yourself for having tried. Don't go over the test questions with others. No matter how the test went, you can learn from the returned exam.
Final Thoughts
- List the resources which are available: free tutors, Reading and Writing Center, etc.
- List at least three specific steps which you can take now to meet your goals. (Check those suggestions you plan to follow).
- If you are still experiencing test anxiety after using these suggestions, you may want to meet with a counselor.