Take the SAT Parent Challenge

How long has it been since you took the SAT? Twenty years? Thirty?

If you have a high schooler who will be taking the college entrance exam anytime soon, the Princeton Review has a challenge.

The test prep company is offering the SAT Parent Challenge, a 12-question quiz that will take no more than 15 minutes but will take you back years.

I took the challenge and was humbled by a couple of the reading comprehension questions, certainly not what I expected. The math questions were not as difficult as I had expected; the rest of the quiz was fairly easy.

Like most parents who finished college ages ago, I took the SAT once and did absolutely no preparation. We all know that will not be the case for our kids.

Ed Carroll, Princeton Review’s executive director of high school programs, said the questions taken from a recent SAT will give parents a taste of what their kids will experience.

“The SAT is all about time pressure,” Carroll said. “And it’s tricky.”

He suggests taking the quiz with your teen.

If you take the Parent Challenge between July 3 and August 31, your name will be automatically entered into a drawing. Three grand prize winners will receive a Princeton Review SAT Comprehensive Classroom Course, valued at more than $1,000.

Fifteen first place winners will each receive a copy of “ACT or SAT? Choosing the Right Exam for You,” a new Princeton Review test prep book valued at $16.00. And 10 second place winners will each receive a free download of The Princeton Review’s SAT Vocab Challenge application for their iPhone or iPod touch, valued at $4.99.

Looking for ideas to get started on the college search? Read Such A Smart Mom’s “Simple suggestions and great Web sites for college planning this summer.”