Does your student self-identify as a poor test-taker because others have convinced them that test-taking is their insurmountable weakness? Tina was very worried about the ACT: she comes from a low-income family led by a widowed mother, so college options, Pell Grants, and merit aid were foremost in her mind.

When Miss Claire first met Tina, she found a bubbly, engaging, eager student who lacked self-confidence. Tina wanted to conquer the ACT, but she told Miss Claire that she wasn’t a good test-taker. She was convinced of this for two reasons: first, an adult role model had repeatedly told her that test-taking was her weakness, and Tina believed them. Second, she was starting at a 19.5 on the ACT. (Her score was equivalent to 1030 on SAT.) Miss Claire questioned that narrative and asked Tina to be open to the possibility that she could learn to become a good test-taker! Tina really liked that idea, and they got to work learning to beat the test.

In their first lessons, Miss Claire worked to build Tina’s confidence in her abilities as a test-taker as Tina saw her skills improve. Miss Claire also taught Tina about mindful test-taking, including some basic mindfulness strategies. Tina loved these, and when Miss Claire offered her the opportunity to work with a mindfulness coach, Tina eagerly accepted.

Together with her mindfulness coach, Tina explored a variety of mindfulness techniques. Quickly, Tina realized that while taking practice tests, breathing techniques helped her stay calm and focused; visualizations helped her feel in control of the test and her future. Tina loved learning the science behind mindfulness, and she learned that high-performance athletes and performers use the same kinds of strategies.

With these new mindfulness tools in hand, Tina took on the ACT with renewed vigor.  Both Miss Claire and her coach helped her question her inner narratives, and her growing success in practice built her confidence. She knew she could beat the test and become a more skilled test-taker if she worked hard.  Tina was thoughtful, inquisitive, and an incredibly hard worker, and over time she developed the critical thinking skills that both the test and colleges require. For Tina, test-taking was becoming an opportunity to harness her potential and be fierce, rather than anxious. On the eve of her ACT, Tina and Miss Claire shed happy tears together because Tina was able to say proudly, “Miss Claire, I’m a good test-taker now!”

With mindful test-taking, Tina scored an amazing 27 Composite on her ACT! (A 27 is equivalent to 1280 on SAT.) Tina saw a score increase of 7.5 points on ACT (250 points on SAT), and she had a score that was competitive for every college she wanted to attend. Tina was so excited at her ACT achievement! She breathed a huge sigh of relief and finished her junior year.

Tina remembers, “There are three skills I took away from ACT prep with Ms. Claire: asking questions, identifying solutions, and presenting the best solution. First, because of ACT prep, I always ask questions about material I learn in school. I stopped myself from asking questions before because I believed my questions were ‘dumb.’ I’ve learned now that if a question will clear up any confusion, then that question is not dumb. Second, I learned how to identify the best solutions through the process of elimination. Ms. Claire taught me skills that I have used on every test since ACT.

“Out of all three skills, the most challenging one was ‘presenting the best solution.’ For example, if I knew the correct answer for a multiple-choice question, I would have trouble explaining why the answer was correct. Lesson after lesson, I became more comfortable and confident in myself to explain the correct answers and often volunteered to do so. 

“Before ACT prep, these skills were a weakness, but now I consider these skills to be my strengths. I found myself utilizing these skills every day as a senior in high school, so I know I will utilize them every day in college and every day in my future.”

Once she achieved her ACT goals, Tina returned to RTC to complete a 6-week summer Mindfulness program with her coach. In her test prep program, Tina had noticed that the mindfulness techniques she was learning were making a positive impact in her everyday life, and she wanted to explore that further.

During her summer mindfulness program, Tina found herself sleeping better, less distracted, healthier, and happier. Tina is a runner, so her coach introduced her to yin yoga, a style that is very complementary for runners. Tina loved this practice most of all. She said, “Every time I finish this style of meditation, I feel like a brand-new person!”

Tina’s mindfulness program enabled her to cultivate a toolkit that gave her the power to help herself feel better even during life’s most challenging moments. By the end of the coaching, she was filled with self-confidence, self-compassion, and a sense that she could tackle anything life had in store for her.

During her senior year, Tina was accepted to many remarkable universities. Then came the call that Tina had been honored among only 25 students in her year with Villanova University’s Presidential Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship which will cover all the costs of her undergraduate education. Tina is excitedly entering the Class of 2026 at Villanova University. With her empathy and smarts, she’s going to be an extraordinary Physician’s Assistant or a Physical Therapist.

We at RTC saw Tina transform from a doubtful student who feared her future to a confident young woman who knows that she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to with grit and hard work. Tina herself remarks, “After finishing ACT prep with Ms. Claire, I learned that achieving my goals starts with my mindset. On the days I did not score well on the practice tests, I was not confident and let my anxiety take over. As my confidence built through the lessons, I started receiving consistently high scores. Watching my growth in every lesson inspired me to continuously strive to find my own definition of success, and I am happy to say that I found it. If I am happy doing what I am doing, I’m successful. As ACT prep taught me, achieving my goals starts with my mindset, and I want everything I accomplish to be started with positive thinking, determination, and self-confidence.”

Tina’s mom Diana agrees that she is unstoppable!  Diana remarks, “Tina knows I’m her biggest cheerleader. Words cannot describe how super proud I am of her, and I know her Dad is looking down on her with the biggest smile on his face and saying, “That’s my girl!”

Tina told us recently, “I wish I could go back and give my junior year self a hug and tell her it’s going to be alright, that you’ll find your place.”

Tina has found her place, her self-confidence, and the next step in her very promising future. On the journey to college, we hope you’ll choose teachers who will be good guides to your student. Diana says, “Words cannot express how thankful I am to RTC for helping Tina build her confidence and encouraging her that nothing is impossible to reach her goal. RTC truly cares about their students’ education. If your child needs help, RTC will help them. You will see such an amazing improvement in their scores and their mindset. I highly recommend RTC.”  At RTC, we believe test prep is about so much more than a score. Your child’s future matters to us.®