Preparing for the SAT/ACT tests cause panic and stress for college-bound teens and their parents. Why? Because colleges use those test scores as part of the college admissions evaluation process. Some parents are willing to shell out massive amounts of money to assure that their teens do well on those tests. But controversy around the “cost vs return” swirls.

I had a Twitter conversation the other day with Elizabeth King, an SAT coach and author of “Outsmarting the SAT” and she made a profound statement:

I’m just ideologically opposed to test prep without educational value.

She makes an excellent point. As parents, we worry and fret about those scores and often nag our teens to “study” for the SAT. Is it all about the score? Or are we concerned that they improve their vocabulary, writing and math skills? Do we worry that they might not have that high score or worse yet, fall into that “average” category. Are we so concerned about the score that we forget there is little value in any test prep that has no educational value?

Jenn Cohen of Word-Nerd.com, a free SAT vocabulary prep site, makes a valid point in her recent blog: The SAT and Me, Me, Me. She proposes that it’s not the test itself that is flawed, but the inability of parents and students to accept the concept of being “average”:

…a test that generates primarily average scores must be a bad test in the culture of narcissism, so it’s roundly criticized for its inability to capture the “unique” abilities of average students.  The SAT awards scores that separate students from each other, and trophies are certainly not awarded to everyone.  Tests that might make our children feel less than extraordinary are awful, and should be eliminated… Accepting the test as an opportunity, rather than an act of persecution, can open doors and motivate students to live up to their actual potential.

Let’s look at the big picture here. As parents, we have a tendency to demand and expect the best of our children. That “best” often translates into indulging them and often overlooking their failures and faults. We will do just about anything to see that they get into their first choice college. But will we encourage learning? Or will we drop a bundle on test prep as a means to an end–a high test score? Will we criticize the test because it levels the playing field and gives those students with poor grades a chance to shine? Or criticize it because it says that our college-bound teen is “average”?

The bottom line–Promote learning and not just your version of success. Remember that even “average” students excel in life. Encourage your teen to read and expand their vocabulary. The benefits will produce more than just a good test score.

If you liked this post, you might also like:

Creating an SAT Study Plan

Outsmarting the SAT