Colleges use Entrance Exam (ACT/SAT) scores for various purposes. It's helpful to understand these purposes to inform your decision about whether preparing for the exams is worth your time and money.
Admissions Decisions: Most people think of the scores as the most influential factor used by colleges making admissions decisions. Actually, the scores are the third most important factor. Actually, the two most important factors, ahead of test scores, are a rigorous high school curriculum and good grades.
Placement Decisions: Another use of entrance exam scores is to place students into the correct level courses. For example, ACT math scores may help colleges determine whether a student is wiser to start their math sequence at the calculus level, or whether it might be better to start one or two courses below college calculus.
Scholarship Decisions: Some merit scholarships are based solely or partially on a students ACT or SAT score. In our judgment, trying for a higher score so that a student can qualify for a higher merit aid award is one of the few justifications for retaking an entrance exam.
Watch the video of Valerie discussing the issue of Test Prep:
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=837513
The University of Chicago has investigated the relationship between student learning, ACT prep and success in college. Click here for the highlights: http://ccsr.uchicago.edu/publications/ACTReport08.pdf
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