【where should i stay on the natchez trace parkway】How to Rise Above an ACT, SAT Test Score Plateau-the abbey in morristown nj

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【where should i stay on the natchez trace parkway】How to Rise Above an ACT, SAT Test Score Plateau

时间：2024-09-29 12:21:22 来源：the abbey in morristown nj

Standardized test scores are a critical component of college applications for many students. For this where should i stay on the natchez trace parkwayreason, many high school students sit for the ACT or SAT at least twice. Not only is retaking these exams common, but new research suggests it is also highly recommended.

According to ACT.org, 57% of 2015 high school graduates scored higher on ACT retake exams, which could have increased their odds of being accepted to their top-choice colleges. However, not everyone is successful on

【where should i stay on the natchez trace parkway】How to Rise Above an ACT, SAT Test Score Plateau

retake exams

【where should i stay on the natchez trace parkway】How to Rise Above an ACT, SAT Test Score Plateau

. The remaining 43% of students received either the same score or a lower score on their retakes.

【where should i stay on the natchez trace parkway】How to Rise Above an ACT, SAT Test Score Plateau

If you find yourself in this frustrating situation, take heart in knowing you are not alone and that there are four steps you can take to improve your score:

-- Address your learning style.

-- Focus on your weaknesses.

-- Revolutionize your routine.

-- Overcome your anxiety.

[

Read:

3 Questions to Help Decide Whether to Retake the ACT, SAT.

]

Address Your Learning Style

Every student has one or more learning styles, the approach to education through which one learns best. The best-known learning styles are auditory, kinesthetic and visual, though several more are also believed to exist and some students learn best with a combination.

If you are not advancing with your

ACT or SAT

studies, it may be because you are not being true to your learning style. But what if you are uncertain about where to start addressing this issue? Consider taking an online quiz to assess your learning style and then use that information to personalize your study regimen.

For instance, a kinesthetic learner might incorporate light exercise into her review sessions -- possibly by reading notes while on the treadmill or playing study games like trash can basketball with peers. Different approaches work best for different types of learners, so find out your style and ensure your test prep reflects that.

[

READ:

3 Mistakes to Avoid When Retaking the ACT, SAT.

]

Focus on Your Weaknesses

Completing full-length practice exams should be an unquestionable part of your study routine. When you review your performance on each

practice test

, look for patterns in your mistakes. Recognize whether there was a section or type of question that cost you a considerable amount of points. Then devote special attention to those areas of weakness.

ACT and SAT guidebooks usually provide a comprehensive breakdown of exam content, question types and recommended tactics. However, as you delve into your test prep endeavors and become more proficient with exam content, you may realize that your test prep book no longer suits your needs. If that happens, seek out new resources and perhaps the assistance of an instructor who can help fine-tune remaining problem areas.

Revolutionize Your Routine

It has been said that insanity can be defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. To reach a different outcome with your ACT or SAT endeavors, you must make significant changes -- and those changes should extend to your study routine.

Consider what aspects of your study routine could be modified: the physical environment, the time of day you study, the

test prep

resources you use and whether you study alone or with classmates. Trying something new could be just the refreshing reboot your mind needs.

For instance, a student with stagnant test scores who habitually studies at night should try studying in the morning instead. If this is not possible during the week due to a heavy course load, the student could dedicate both weekend mornings to test prep.

[

READ:

Online tools that can support ACT, SAT prep.

]

Overcome Your Anxiety

All your hard work can be for naught if you allow your nerves to get the best of you on test day. Getting a grip on

testing anxiety

is therefore essential to breaking through a score plateau.

Exercise is an extremely healthy outlet for releasing stress. Aim to stay active in the final weeks before exam time, but do not try anything too vigorous that could leave you sore or exhausted on the big day. You could also try meditating, taking relaxing baths or reading a fun book.

To break through a test score plateau, you must make changes on every level. Rather than shying away, accept change as the vehicle that will lead you to your target score on the ACT or SAT.

More From US News & World Report

3 Circumstances When You Should Retake the SAT

3 Myths About Guessing on the ACT, SAT

Understand What's a Good SAT Score for College Admissions

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上一篇：5%, led by a 17% increase in average ticket and a slight decline in traffic. Growth in the quarter reflected the impact of households stocking up on essentials like paper goods and cleaning supplies as the pandemic became a nationwide concern, along with strength in discretionary categories as the quarter came to a close and stimulus dollars and tax refunds were disbursed.

As shown below, the results in the quarter materially changed the trend in two-year stacked comps for each of the banners, along with a significant acceleration for consolidated comps.

The increase in consolidated comps was the primary driver of an 8% increase in revenues to $6.3 billion. The company ended the quarter with 15,370 locations, up less than 1% year-over-year. This reflects a 7% increase in Dollar Tree units, offset by a 4% decline in Family Dollar units.

The top-line results at each banner flowed through to their respective income statements, with Dollar Tree gross margins and operating margins declining year-over-year while Family Dollar gross margins and operating margins expanded year-over-year. On a consolidated basis, gross margins contracted by 120 basis points in the quarter to 28.5%, reflective of a shift to lower-margin consumables, tariff costs and the impact of markdowns from the Easter headwinds at the Dollar Tree banner. The company saw slight operating leverage on SG&A from higher comps, with the net result being an 80 basis point contraction in operating margins to 5.8%, with operating income declining 5% to $366 million. This is not adjusted for $73 million of pandemic-related costs, such as PPE supplies.

In the first quarter, the company opened 85 stores (net of closures) and completed 220 Family Dollar renovations to the H2 format. Importantly, comps at renovated Family Dollar stores continue to outpace the chain average by more than 10%. On the call, management indicated that they plan on reducing both the number of new store openings (from 550 to 500) and the number of H2 renovations (from 1,250 to 750) in 2020.

Personally, given the fact that Family Dollar is seeing material benefits to its business from the pandemic with new or lapsed customers coming into its stores, I think the company should try to get more aggressive with its renovation plans, not less. On the other hand, you could argue that renovations cause short-term disruptions and limit their ability to fully capitalize on the business momentum they are currently experiencing.

As a result of fewer new stores and remodels, management now expects 2020 capital expenditures to total $1.0 billion compared to previous guidance of $1.2 billion. In addition, the company has temporarily suspended share repurchases. At quarter's end, the company had $1.8 billion in cash on its balance sheet compared to $4.3 billion in total debt.

Conclusion

In recent years, Dollar Tree has been a tale of two cities. While its namesake banner has generally delivered impressive financial results, Family Dollar has been a persistent underperformer. This quarter, those results flipped, and given what we've seen in the weeks since quarter's end, there's a decent possibility that we will see something similar in the coming months. As the CEO noted, the second quarter is off to a very good start at Family Dollar.

Here's the important question: how useful is that information is in terms of making future predictions about the business? Will recent success at Family Dollar translate into long-term success for the banner? The optimistic take is that new or lapsed customers, especially those visiting the renovated stores, could become recurring business for the banner. The pessimistic take is that they have experienced short-term success out of necessity as people went to any store that was open to try and find essentials like toilet paper and hand sanitizer that were largely out of stock throughout the retail landscape. From that view, many of these customers could abandon the retailer when life returns to normal. As Philbin noted on the conference call, early on [during the pandemic], folks needed us. Will people still shop as much at Family Dollar when it's no longer a necessity?

Personally, I do not place too much weight on the recent results. I will need to see incremental data points that indicate that Family Dollar has truly won sustained business from these new customers. While I still believe that the Dollar Tree banner is a well-positioned retailer with attractive unit returns, I'm not yet willing to say the same thing for Family Dollar. For that reason, along with the recent run-up in the stock price, I plan on staying on the sidelines for now.

Disclosure: None