There’s a medium post going around by a guy who was a former CTY kid and got 1590 on the SAT in eighth grade, and he wrote about how he did it. He says caffeinated mints was the way to go and helped his test taking stamina. I’m seriously considering it given my kid has ADHD and this would just be a one time thing, and it’s no different from drinking coffee. Would you let your kid do it?
In my opinion, it is like training for a marathon. You start off slow, practice, train, perfect your gate and stride. Coffee or caffeine isn’t going to help a couch potato run 26 miles.
For the SAT, the best prep for stamina is by taking multiple timed practice tests.
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My ds took the ACT about 6 years ago and I remember giving him a Dr Pepper that morning, more as a good luck charm and he got a 35-35–35-36. So there is another data point. I would not personally give my kid a supplement for anything, not even really vitamins. Not worth it. Maybe a tic tac would work? Or Smarties?
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I remember being surprised that a friend gave her ADHD daughter coffee before school. But the pediatrician had suggested trying it. For test prep, you might want to do practice tests (or some other activity) with and without.
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No, but my kid was properly medicated for their ADHD. Using caffeine pills to increase focus is a slippery slope. No amount of caffeine is going to help a mentally exhausted kid with EF issues get through college. I agree with the marathon analogy upthread. Test prep is a tried and true method.
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My kids took the SAT without caffeine. They got fine scores. They had never had much caffeine and had done great on practice exams so there seemed no point i. trying to change anything up.
If the kid is used to caffeine and tolerates it well, then, sure, have some normal amount of caffeine before your SAT.
If the kid needs ADHD meds, they should be on ADHD meds.
What you don’t want to do is give them more caffeine than they’re used to (nevermind that some teens are used to way more caffeine than they should be consuming). If they have too much, they can get jitters and diarrhea, and that would be counterproductive. Of course, caffeine overdoses can kill but hopefully you wouldn’t be approaching those amounts.
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My adhd kid took his meds, the others drank whatever tea or coffee they were used to, we are a caffeinated family. I definitely wouldn’t try something new.
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One thing I did do for my absent minded kids was to make sure there was a calculator and sharpened pencils on the table morning of SATs. (I did not do this for school stuff, which is why one of them went to a physics final without a calculator. Luckily the teacher had one to lend).
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Before you do something like that make sure that you will not get an opposite effect.
For example, one of my DD can’t take coffee at all but fine with tea. Coffee puts her to sleep… Just do not mess up with it too much… It is like taking ADHD meds first time on exam day… Not a good idea. Meds work differently at different kids and it takes a long time for some kids and doctors to come up with correct dosage…
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This is a great point. Coffee/tea have zero effect on my ADHD spouse and kid while certain energy drinks make them frenetic. If you decide to give your kid caffeine pills, you will want to calibrate the dosage for the desired effect.
i use caffeine as a substitute when i have issues getting my ADHD meds (like right now; been off five out of the last six months). i’ll get coffee before a big physics test and i’m sure i’ll do it before AP exams if i don’t have them back by then. definitely need to know how it affects you beforehand (i get super anxious if i drink the wrong amount) but i find it helpful, while not being a replacement for proper ADHD medication. wouldn’t suggest it as the only method of test prep, though–just something like accommodations that levels the playing field
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One of my sons thinks he might have ADHD, and drinks caffeinated beverages at night because it makes him sleepy. So before doing anything like this, I would have tested it ahead of time to see if it helps. I would never try anything new without testing it out first.
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I am not a believer in that personally but if you think it could make a difference you really need to do a few test runs using the mints prior to taking them during an actual exam.
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One of my kids has ADHD and it took years to find the right dose/ medication for him because the side effects were just not worth it to him. Our pediatrician suggested him trying one cup of coffee in the morning as a substitute. It did help a bit. This year he has finally found a medication that he tolerates well. He takes that (it’s a pretty low dose) AND has continued with his daily cup of iced coffee. This combo has been highly beneficial to him and does not mess with his sleep at all. He says it feels like he can finally hear himself think.
He will take his meds and have one cup of coffee on SAT day.
But again- this was a 5 year process for him…it was really tricky to find what helps him focus AND not feel negative side effects. I would not attempt anything new on the day of testing.
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play like you practice. In other words, try it at home first under test-like conditions. (Don’t want a full bladder with 20 minutes left on the clock…)
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The student did not get a 1590 because of caffeine. Correlation doesn’t imply causation.
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Closed for Review
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According to medical professionals, kids at the ages 12-17 should have no more than 100 mg caffeine a day, which is the equivalent of one cup of coffee. What the OP claims to be considering endangers their alleged child’s health and wellbeing.
Closing the thread.
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