It didn’t matter that Maya’s top-choice schools were test-optional.
To be competitive, she needed a strong ACT score.
And she hated every second of it.
The reading passages felt impossible. The timer made her anxiety spike. She couldn’t even finish half the exam before time ran out.
So how did Maya go from dreading the ACT to getting a perfect score?
The hidden factor holding Maya back
When we first met, Maya told me she thought she might have ADHD. She’d seen TikToks that felt uncannily accurate—but her parents brushed it off.
Her dad, in particular, thought ADHD was just an excuse to be lazy.
But as I worked with Maya, I could tell something deeper was going on. I suggested her parents seek a neuropsychological evaluation. They agreed—and the results surprised everyone.
Maya didn’t have ADHD. She had a processing speed disorder.
That discovery changed everything.
How we rebuilt her approach
Once we understood Maya’s real challenge, we rebuilt her prep around strategies that worked for her brain:
- Extra time accommodations. She received more time on the test, and we coached her to use it strategically—pacing her reading, double-checking her math, even taking quick mental breaks to reset.
- Iterative strategy. Together we experimented with different approaches to the reading section until she found one that worked.
- Reflection and refinement. After each practice test, Maya reflected on what helped and what didn’t, so we could keep fine-tuning.
The results?
On her very first official ACT, Maya earned a perfect score.
Her confidence soared. She realized she wasn’t “bad at test-taking” after all. She just needed the right tools and strategies.
What parents often miss about testing
Maya’s story highlights something many families overlook:
The SAT and ACT aren’t tests of knowledge or IQ.
They are executive functioning challenges—measuring a student’s ability to perform under pressure and within strict time constraints.
That’s why simply putting in more practice hours often backfires. Without the right approach, students just entrench bad habits.
To succeed, students need to learn how to:
✅ Work with their brains instead of against them
✅ Self-monitor, budget time, and stay calm under pressure
✅ Replace endless drills with targeted, deliberate practice
And this isn’t just true for neurodiverse students. These are the same strategies that help any student break through a score ceiling and keep their college options open.
What this means for your teen
Testing isn’t for everyone. It’s not the only way to get into a great college. But before you decide to opt-out, make sure your teen isn’t selling themselves short.
With the right support, many students unlock hidden strengths, build useful performance skills, and discover they’re capable of more than they imagined.
📌 Curious what your teen might achieve with the right approach?
Schedule a free college clarity call today. We’ll walk you through your options and help you determine what matters most for your kid.
