That can lead to great anxiety—which, in turn, can mean that teens don’t do as well on the tests.

How can high school students overcome their fear of college entrance exams? They need to start by collecting information.

Have your teen list the colleges he might like to attend. Then, using resources from the guidance counselor, the school library or the Internet, have him find answers to two questions:

• How important are scores on the college entrance exams? In some cases, students with a very high grade point average may be accepted to a college even if their SAT or ACT score is lower.

• What range of SAT or ACT scores do students need to be accepted at the school?

In many cases, this research will tell your teen that he doesn’t need a 1500 SAT or a 30 ACT score to get into the college of his choice. He will feel less pressure if he knows that a lower score will still allow him to attend the college he wants.

Your teen should also check with the guidance office to see whether the school offers classes to prepare students for the SAT and the ACT.

Copyright © Parent Institute