Don't Study for the SATs. Study for the PSATs instead

I have a secret: I'm a closet Tiger Parent. 

Whew. I have that off my chest. 

That said, maybe I'm really a Tiger Cub Parent. I don't push my kids to do tons of stuff, but I do encourage them to pursue their interests. I don't hire private coaches. I don't require the cello/violin/piano. 

But I do care about testing. Sort of. 

Here's what I do: I love these Barron's SAT Flash Cards for vocab. I tape them around the mirrors in the girls' bathroom, in their shower (where they can't get wet), next to their beds. And I do have them take an SAT prep course. But not for the SATs. 

Here's why: There is no test more important for the college-going student than the PSAT. 

You get one shot at the PSAT, and this one shot determines whether or not you qualify for National Merit Semifinalist. It's not until students get their scores junior year that they realize the importance of this test. This test and their results can guarantee tuition reduction or elimination at many schools nationwide. For instance, if a Virginia student is a NMSF, she can get in-state tuition rates at Ohio State, Auburn, Arizona, etc. This means and automatic "scholarship" of $25K/year. 

The SATs are teachable and retakeable. The PSATs are a one-shot chance. 

So, while SATs are always the oft-talked about worry; my kids are secretly studying for the PSAT. Because mamma's big into scholarships. (We can talk about my strategies later. But suffice it to say I know of what I speak. My daughter, independent of university-sponsored scholarships, has earned $23K in scholarships this year through outside scholarships.