How The Odd Couple Helps SAT and ACT Prep

Originally a Broadway play by Neil Simon in 1965, The Odd Couple was a television show I remember watching as a kid.

The premise is comedic genius: an uptight neat freak and an easygoing slob live together in one apartment. Hilarity ensues as polar opposites struggle to coexist. 

While The Odd Couple has been remade on both the big and small screens, "the odd couple" is also a viable test-taking strategy. 

Consider the following odd couple: the test booklet is the easygoing slob and the answer sheet is the uptight neat freak. 

On your test booklet, you should make notes, annotate passages, draw pictures and cross out wrong answers. In other words, use all of the space and sloppiness necessary to understand questions, make calculations and write notes to help you uncover the correct answer. 

Your answer sheet, on the other hand, should be neat, tidy and free of any stray marks. A computer will ultimately read your answer sheet so it should be precise and accurate. 

Getting sloppy with your test booklet can help you pick apart the test to get to the right answer. Once your messiness leads you to the correct answer, get very neat and tidy with the bubbles on your answer sheet. 

The Odd Couple isn't just a famous play, movie or television show. It is a way to ensure you maximize your score on just about any standardized test.

If you are preparing for the ACT, SAT, PSAT, SSAT or another standardized test, contact CROSSWALK and learn how we can help you achieve the score you desire. 

Best Part of Tutoring: Success Stories!

Despite my almost two decades of teaching test prep, there is one thing that will never get old: hearing from students about their successes. 

Here is a recent e-mail that put a smile on my face (name is changed to protect the students): 

"I wanted to let you know that Sierra just received her test score from the September ACT and she did so well. She increased from a 28 to a 31. She is really happy and we wanted to thank both of you for your help."

Sierra spent some time with two of our tutors, but more importantly she put in the practice time. 

And here is a text that brings me joy (name is changed here, too): 

"Bianca got a 30 on the ACT! Thank you. She did better in the science part. The first thing she said after she left the test venue was that your strategies really helped, how you taught her to approach each question, etc." 

Bianca, too, put in the time. 

As much as I share in the student's success, the real story for both of these students is that they put in hours of practice and preparation. 

Test-taking is a skill. And like any skill, test-taking improves with consistent and quality practice.

Want to be a CROSSWALK success story? Contact us here to learn more.