I took the SAT and ACT in 1969 in the fall, so it was pre- anything changing or adjusting.
Verbal 745, Math 782 for 1527.
I also took the separate “Achievement Tests” with a Math 769, and Physics 784.
On ACT my composite was 31, not so bad, but I really nailed the Natural Science test for a 35 - the third dash mark above 99.9%ile... :-)
I did no prep for any of these tests. The main thing I did do though was read while growing up. A lot, as soon as I COULD read.
I read every single science fiction book in our parish (county) library in the card catalog, front to back. Also lots of nature/adventure books (Jim Kjelgaard for example), and also my high school English and American lit reading lists - not just what was assigned, and not everything, but more than half of each list.
Reading is the thing kids these days miss out on that I believe really develops so many mental abilities.
AND let’s not even bring up spelling, or the ability to compose and write intelligible sentences or paragraphs, let alone reports and papers.
Youngster’s access to computers and the net is definitely a double-edged sword if not restricted.
And home-schooling can certainly be better than almost all public schools, given how much negative impact the public schools can have now.
I read every single science fiction book in our parish (county) library in the card catalog, front to back. Also lots of nature/adventure books (Jim Kjelgaard for example), and also my high school English and American lit reading lists - not just what was assigned, and not everything, but more than half of each list.
Reading is the thing kids these days miss out on that I believe really develops so many mental abilities.
Exactly. Reading is everything.