Improving Test Taking Skills

Our son, a high-school senior, would like to go to college. He is interested in a particular major and a couple of schools with strong programs in those areas.
He is a B student, and has taken some more academically challenging courses like chemistry and geometry. He generally is good at "black and white" type questions, especially memorization.
His problem is that he is a horrible test taker. He receives A's and B's on routine coursework and quizzes but consistently bombs exams. He recently scored very low on his ACT test, and this has put his hopes for attending the colleges that interest him in serious jeopardy.
We believe it is a combination of how he prepares for tests and just plain weak test-taking skills. The local high school has been very poor in addressing this concern. Working harder or longer doesn't seem to be the answer. Is there anything you can suggest, especially before he retakes the ACT test or gets more discouraged about college? - Worried Parents
Answer: Any high-school student who has B grades can realistically consider college. Even if a student's ACT or SAT scores are quite low, these scores are only one part of the admissions picture and do not necessarily stop a student from being admitted to some very appealing schools.
It is not too late for your son to improve his test-taking skills. Right now, his grades seem good for a poor test taker; however, in college, grades are often based largely on test scores. This could be a problem for him.
First of all, your son needs to work on improving his ACT score if it is significantly less than the range of scores for the colleges he is considering. There are several ways that he can go about this task. He can take a class devoted to preparing for the ACT, work with a tutor or do sample tests online or in workbooks.
What might be most helpful for him is to go over the ACT test that he has already taken to see exactly where he made errors. All of the ACT tests will be similar in both content and format. If he can eliminate some of his errors, his score will improve.
The following tips should help your son do better on classroom tests:
* Know exactly what a test will cover.
* Write the answers to questions in end-of-the-chapter materials and study guides as preparation for a test. (Very important)
* Go over tests with teachers to figure out where he is making errors.
* Enroll in a study-skills class at a learning center or local college.