By: Natalie Johnson
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, an increasing number of colleges have adopted test-optional admission policies. This shift has led many intending college-goers to feel uncertain about whether to continue taking tests like the SAT and ACT or consider skipping them. Parents and students also wonder whether these tests remain essential, especially considering how challenging it has been for many students to achieve high scores on these tests.
However, elite tutor Stephen Johnson suggests that SAT and ACT scores can still play a significant role in the admissions process. According to him, they may still be beneficial for admission into high-tier colleges (even when those schools say that the tests are optional), for winning scholarships, and also for long-term academic success.
Having dedicated over two decades of his career to helping many of his students reach their desired ACT or SAT scores, with several going on to score in the top percentiles, win scholarships, and gain acceptance to their dream schools, Stephen believes that the SATs remain important. “These standardized tests might be even more significant now than they were in the past,” he says.
Stephen argues that a test-optional approach does not necessarily mean that the tests and their scores no longer impact admission decisions. He states, “A top percentile SAT or ACT score will likely give your admission file an edge, even when it is said to be optional.”
According to Stephen, standardized test scores remain relevant for several reasons. He explains, “College admission is competitive. High test scores can give you an automatic edge.” “Many college scholarships are also merit-based, requiring high test scores to qualify.”
Likewise, he has mentored hundreds of students over the years to leverage their SAT scores to secure better academic and career opportunities for themselves.
Through his YouTube channel, ‘TheSATMathGuy’ and his learning platform, AptivPrep, Stephen has helped many students improve their test scores, offering them opportunities that might have been more difficult to attain otherwise. These experiences have led Stephen to be a strong advocate for the idea that a student’s test scores remain an important factor in college admissions, even if they are termed optional.
Driven by that confidence, Stephen dedicated 20 years to tutoring students and preparing them to become strong ACT and SAT scorers. His AI-powered learning platform, AptivPrep, helps students build familiarity with the test structure, develop their knowledge and test skills in gradual, consistent steps, track their progress, practice in a low-stress environment, and refine their strategies for optimal performance. This personalized approach aims to tailor each student’s preparation to their unique needs.
Stephen’s low-stress, slow-prep approach helps students prepare for standardized tests like the SAT through:
- Diagnostic tests to identify students’ areas of weakness and learning styles
- Early training started months in advance
- Test-tailored approaches
- Periodic progress assessments
- Personalized study pace
With AptivPrep, students learn in a low-pressure, individualized environment, at their own pace, and come out more knowledgeable, confident, and well-prepared.
In the midst of the confusion over standardized tests, Stephen tells students and their parents that “ACT and SAT may be optional across major colleges, but they could still be invaluable to students’ success.”
Stephen encourages students to consider these tests if they want their college applications to stand out, gain scholarship opportunities, and be well-prepared for college.
His verdict? SAT and ACT scores appear likely to continue to matter—now, and into the future.
To learn more about improving admission and scholarship opportunities with standardized test scores, contact Stephen Johnson via email at stephen@aptivprep.com or call +1 (310) 617-4183
