Tag Archives: SAT

test prep

Test Stress Relief Tips for Students

 

test stress

These days, a lot of kids feel pressured to perform academically. Getting into a good college generally requires superior high school grades, and that means passing tests. Even junior high schoolers and kids in lower grades can feel stressed about school, especially right before an important test. In the interest of calming pre-test jitters for all, we offer the following quick tips that offer fast relief.

Study better, not harder

If your child excels at studying and note-taking, they may fare better as test time approaches. Students who brainstorm together in small groups may improve their study skills and boost confidence in their test-taking abilities, so say education experts at Cengage magazine.

Just chill out and relax, relax, relax

There are a number of proven relaxation techniques that can go a long way toward relieving pre-test anxiety. Among them are listening to classical or ambient music, taking a walk to refresh the brain and playing with puppies, according to GoConqr. And never, ever underestimate the importance -and stress relief- of a great night’s sleep. Hours spent asleep help the human brain to store new knowledge into the memory center of the brain where it can be recalled on test day. If you’ve ever tried to concentrate after a missed night’s sleep, you know that this is true.

Snack on chocolate, but make sure it’s the dark kind. Comprising around 70 percent pure cocoa, dark chocolate helps to counteract a stress hormone called cortisol. As an extra added bonus, deeply dark chocolate is known to cause the brain to release the happiness chemicals called endorphins. Sounds like a win-win proposition, right? It is.

Go low tech

Students intent on passing a crucial exam do themselve an enormous favor when they turn off their phones. Checking messages, scrolling a Facebook news feed and messing around on Twitter are fun, but they’re also amazing time-wasters. Students who waste time online may not have enough time to be fully prepared for a test, and that can be a huge stressor.

Teens who meditate tend to be far less stressed than teens who don’t. The ancient art of meditation is a brilliant way to take a relaxing break from study and ‘reset’ the mind. Meditation may also help nervous students to maintain their sense of focus while boosting mental health. Mandalas are a nice part of some student’s meditations. An Adroid app such as mandala coloring book app offers calming geometric patterns and a rainbow of colors that give students a stress-relief break any time they need it. Mandalas aren’t the only things you can illustrate with this free Android app from Google Play. Animal pics, flowers and other entertaining coloring projects come with Coloring Book For Me & Mandala from Apalon.

Puppies, hamsters and fish tanks can be good stress relievers, too. Playing with pets, petting cats and popping bubble wrap are relaxing forms of play that can do much to calm those pre-exam jitters.

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Today’s guest post is from Leo Wright, a Dad who works part time as an assistant at his son’s school. He writes about educating your kids at home, as well as supporting their schoolwork.

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Parents Guide to the SAT and the ACT

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Wouldn’t it be great to have all the test dates AND registration deadlines in one place, along with tips on how to support your high school student during testing season? Magoosh thought so too! They created the Parents Guide to SAT and ACT Testing.

Below is an infographic with “everything you need to know about standardized tests but were afraid to ask”. Also, check out their High School SAT & ACT blog: https://magoosh.com/hs/ with resources there for both parents and students to help them learn more about the SAT and ACT, how to prepare, and what to expect on test day.

 

parents guide

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What’s a Good SAT Score for Colleges?

good sat score

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I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of change. Even if it’s good change. Maybe it’s my age, or maybe it’s that I know with change comes confusion. Such was true when the new SAT was rolled out. Then came the ACT and the confusion about scoring. Such is the life of a student who has plans to apply to college in the fall.

Magoosh certainly recognizes your confusion. In an effort to help, they provided students and parents a breakdown of the new scoring process and how colleges view them. In their post about this, they commensurate with your pain over the new SAT:

Okay, I’m just going to come out and say it: the new SAT scoring system is extremely confusing. There are subscores, cross-test scores, a science score and much more. And don’t even get me started on the new concordance tables (though started I’ll get, but later in the post!)

Because I don’t want you to be uncertain about something as important as your SAT scores, I’m here to dispel any confusion and answer your questions.

I’ll talk about all of the different scores: what they mean, SAT score ranges, what SAT scores you need for top colleges, and how everything ties together.

I’ll also let you in on a little secret: the SAT scoring tables comparing the old SAT and new SAT are a little wonky (but more on that later).

We’ve also put together this table of SAT score ranges for the top 100 universities in the United States.

Read through the article using the link below and see the comparisons. It will help your student set score goals and it will help you understand why change might not be welcome, but might just be better for your student.

SAT Score Range: What’s a Good SAT Score for College

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Your SAT Score Can Help Win Scholarships

 

sat score

Working hard in school can help you land great scholarships that will help you with the cost of going to school. Scholarships are a much better alternative to student loans because you don’t have to pay them back. How well you do in school can have an impact on the amount of scholarship money you will receive. Scoring high on your SAT exam is one way to ensure you have a good chance at receiving a scholarship.

Preparing for your SAT Exam

Since most colleges in the United States require students to take the SAT exam, it’s important to be prepared on testing day to get a good score. The current 2016 SAT exam takes approximately three hours to complete, with an additional 50 minutes given for the essay portion. Scores can range anywhere from 400 to 1600 and is usually taken by high school juniors or seniors. Being prepared for the exam is the best way to ensure you’ll receive a good score. Read Kranse SAT reviews to learn about a great course that will ensure you’re prepared and confident on testing day.

Merit-Based Scholarships

If you’ve done exceptionally well in school and if you received a good score on your SAT exam, you may be eligible to receive a merit-based scholarship. Merit-based scholarships are granted to individuals who have great academic records, high GPAs, good standardized test scores and other types of achievements. Many merit-based scholarships are sponsored by colleges and universities, so if you think you may qualify for one, be sure to find out more about them.

Outside Scholarships

Merit-based scholarships aren’t the only scholarships available. Many also require a high SAT score to apply. There are hundreds of different types of scholarships available. The first place you should look for scholarships is local. Browse the websites of the high school in your area because they might have scholarship information on them. Social media and scholarship search engines are also great resources. If you’re really good at something, such as art, you can use that to find specific scholarships based that interest and expertise.

College is stressful enough for most people, but with scholarships you will worry less about the cost of going to school and focus more on your studies. Do well in school now and prepare for standardized tests so you can ensure you have a better chance at receiving some great scholarships to help you out. 

 

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Are Standardized Tests Flawed?

 

standardized tests

Colleges use these standardized tests to predict a student’s ability to perform well academically in college. But are the tests are flawed?

Test prep tutors across the board are recommending students avoid the new SAT test. Their reasons: the test is untested and its impossible to predict a student’s success. One test prep tutor, Lauren Gaggioli of Higher Scores Test Prep, is steering all her students toward the ACT:

This new test is a bad bet for this year’s juniors. Frankly, our students shouldn’t be guinea pigs and there is a very easy solution to the problem – take the ACT. Might sound too good to be true, but the solution really is that simple.

In a recent podcast, Lauren gives four reasons why students should avoid the SAT and focus on the ACT.

But wait…

Now the ACT is having its own issues. The essay scores are inexplicably low causing concern for students and test prep tutors. The Washington Post interviewed students and ACT officials:

Controversy erupted soon after the ACT introduced a revised essay-writing task in September that is being graded for the first time on the same 36-point scale as the rest of the test. Counselors across the country are complaining that many of their top students, who routinely earn marks higher than 30 on other parts of the ACT, are getting writing scores in the low-to-mid 20s.

One tutor I spoke with said after looking at her student’s essays from the test, it was impossible to see why they were scored low and difficult to understand the reasoning behind the scoring.

Now what?

ACT assures students that once they become more familiar with the writing prompts their scores will improve. But what about those students who have already taken the test? You can pay $50 to have the essay re-graded (hand scored). In most instances the score will improve. One student went from a 19 to a 31 after regrading.

Here’s the question: will colleges put less weight on both the SAT and the ACT knowing the new tests are controversial? Will students begin viewing “test optional” schools as a viable alternative to avoid these flawed standardized tests? Only time will tell.

Need help understanding the ACT essay problem? This is a great article that explains what happened and how to take action if you feel your score is wrong: Think Your New ACT Writing Score Is Wrong? Recent Issues, Explained

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Test Prep Week: The Best Test Prep Tips

 

test prep tips

We’re going to close out Test Prep Week with some test prep tips. I’m certainly not a test prep expert, but I do know where to find the best test prep tips. The key to any standardized test is preparation. Add to that knowledge of how the test works and the formulas you should know, your student should be prepared to take the test with confidence when the time comes.

Here are some excellent tips that should help your student prepare for standardized tests, both SAT and ACT.

21 SAT Tips and Tricks You Must Use

Samantha Lindsay of SAT Strategies provides a comprehensive, step-by-step list of tips broken down by section. From basic rules, to math tips, to reading tips, to writing tips, she gives students a game plan to follow during the test. This is the ultimate test prep.

Read the complete article

5 Tips for Higher SAT Scores

In Higher Scores Test Prep podcast episode, you will learn five test strategy tips for the SAT.

Listen to the podcast

5 Tips for Higher ACT Scores

In Higher Scores Test Prep podcast episode, you will learn five test strategy tips for the ACT.

Listen to the podcast

6 Tips for ACT Success

These six tips will help your student understand the inner workings of the ACT. The article breaks down each section, giving tips on how to better prepare and tackle each one.

Read the complete article

Last Minute SAT Tips

Alexis Avila of Prepped and Polished gives his best tips for SAT test takers. These tips will not only help you prepare for the test by giving tips on its content, but help you prepare for test-taking day.

Read the entire article

As with any test, preparation is key. You can’t expect to do well if you don’t prepare. Encourage your student to create a study plan and stick to it. Going into a test prepared will make a huge difference on the test results.

For more test prep tips read:

Should you hire a test prep tutor?

Where do I find free test prep?

Can test prep help you win scholarships?

Questions about the new SAT

test prep

Test Prep Week: Questions About the New SAT

 

questions about the new sat

If you have a college-bound teen, test prep is at the front of you mind. And with it, comes the new (and improved—according to the College Board) SAT. Most test prep experts are hesitant about the new test, taking a “wait and see” attitude. Others are recommending students take the ACT instead, reducing the stress level and avoiding the unknown.

In an effort to ease your mind (and your student’s), I thought I would gather some expert advice from the test prep gurus to help you answer some questions about the new SAT.

Lauren Gaggioli of Higher Scores Test Prep wrote an article for TeenLife Magazine about the new SAT. In it, she points out that the only information we have about the new test is the information provided by the College Board. No one has been able to take the test yet, therefore its content is still sketchy at best. But she does address some of the false information circulating about the test.

Read her article: Five Myths About the New SAT

Akil Bello, a noted test prep tutor and founder of Bell Curves, addresses the new SAT in his blog, Bellowings. He asks the question: how hard is it? In his post he concentrates on the math portion of the test and compares the two tests resulting in a conclusion about the new test’s ability to indicate “college readiness”.

Read Akil’s article: New SAT—How Hard is It?

Lynn O’Shaughnessy, author of The College Solution blog and several books about college prep, believes that the new SAT is going to cause great challenges for students. Her guest blogger, Jed Applerouth of Applerouth Tutoring Services, points out the increased difficulty in the reading and writing section, the so-called “optional” essay, and the calculator free math section. According to Jed Applerouth, this will be the “hardest SAT we have ever seen.”

Read the entire post: Why You Should Worry About the New SAT Test

The bottom line: Nobody likes change. Although the College Board is telling us that the new test is going to be easier for students, the new test is also going to give college’s a better picture of a student’s college readiness. What does that mean for students? Only time will tell. In the meantime, follow the experts’ advice—stick to the ACT.

If you want to see a comparison of the new SAT vs the ACT, click here to see an infographic from Alexis Avila of Prepped and Polished.

And on that note, read yesterday’s post: Should You Hire a Test Prep Tutor

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Test Prep Week: Should You Hire a Test Prep Tutor?

 

test prep tutorIn February and March, your college bound teen could be taking the ACT or the SAT. This week, I’m going to discuss test prep. First on the list–should you hire a test prep tutor? Is it worth the investment? Will it improve your student’s score? Is a tutor really necessary with all the free help you can find online?

Here are five reasons you might
want to hire a tutor:

Motivation

For any student to do well on the test, they need motivation. A tutor could help your student find that motivation.

Accountability

If your student isn’t accountable for their study and progress, it’s easier to slack off and not keep to the plan. A tutor will keep them accountable.

Evaluation

Part of the study process is recognizing mistakes and coming up with a plan to improve. Tutors can help with formulas, test tips, and recognizing the cause of the errors.

Study plan

With standardized tests, “if you don’t have a plan, you plan to fail”. A tutor can provide a regimented study plan to help your student stay on track.

Measure progress

A tutor will have a view of the “bigger picture” and help your student measure progress. Progress spurs motivation and improves accountability.

Spending hundreds of dollars on an effective, well-chosen tutor will certainly improve your student’s standardized test scores. Improved scores will not only improve your student’s chances of acceptance, but it will also improve your student’s chances of becoming a National Merit finalist and/or merit scholarship awards from the colleges offering admission.

Before you hire a tutor, evaluate the benefits and the expected outcome. A small investment could reap huge financial rewards.

Need help finding a tutor, click here for my list of recommended test prep tutors.

For a list of upcoming standardized test prep registration and testings date, click here.

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When Should Your Child Take the SAT?

 

Today’s Guest Post is from Shaan Patel, found of 2400 Expert

sat This is perhaps the most common question we get asked at 2400 Expert. Parents always want to know when the “best” time to take the SAT is. First, let’s discuss what your high school counselor will probably tell your child. Traditionally, counselors advise students to take the SAT during spring of their junior year. This advice is based on the fact that most juniors have taken algebra II by the end of their junior year. Because algebra II is the highest level of mathematics tested on the SAT, counselors tell students to wait until they have completed this subject in school before attempting to take the SAT. On the surface, this reasoning seems logical. However, this advice also goes against my belief that high school classes don’t prepare students for the SAT. In fact, students really don’t need to have taken a class in algebra II to take the SAT. Although there are some basic algebra II concepts, it is not necessary to go through an entire algebra II course. Instead, we teach students the few algebra II concepts they need to know for the exam in the 2400 Expert SAT prep course.

Spring of junior year is actually one of the least ideal times to take the SAT. This is one of the busiest times of your child’s high school career. If your child is taking AP classes, he or she will have to study for multiple AP exams that occur in May. I also advise students to take SAT Subject exams that correspond with their AP exams during this time of year. For example, if your child is already studying for the U.S. History AP Exam in May, then he or she should also take the U.S. History SAT Subject exam in May or June. In addition to AP exams and SAT Subject exams, your child also needs to study for finals in high school during this time. There are also many social events during this time of year (i.e. junior prom). On top of all of this, high school counselors are recommending that students take the SAT exam. Does this make much sense? No. I don’t think many people realize the amount of time and work it takes to score high on the SAT. While some students are able to balance all of this adeptly, I would not recommend spring of junior year as the ideal time to take the SAT.

My advice on when to take the SAT is not one you will probably like: it depends. When your child decides to take the SAT depends on his or her high school schedule. Your child should select a time in high school that he or she is not obscenely busy. This means, select an SAT test date that your child will be relatively free a couple months before to dedicate time to studying for the SAT. Your child can take the SAT anytime in her high school career and it will count (if she takes the SAT before 9th grade, it will not count towards college admissions – essentially, it’s like “practice”). This means your child can select any SAT test date between October of her freshmen year and January of her senior year. Although many students are most “free” during the summer, the SAT is not administered during the summer months. However, your child can study over the summer and take the first SAT administered in October if that works for her. If your child does decide to take the SAT during spring of her junior year, make sure she is studying for specifically for the SAT in March/April so that she is adequately prepared for the May or June exam.

For younger students, I actually think it’s ideal to start preparing for the SAT early. This is primarily because of the PSAT. The benefits of scoring high on the PSAT and qualifying for National Merit are tremendous (i.e. hundreds of thousands of dollars in college scholarships). And if your child is looking to become a National Merit Semifinalist/Finalist, then she needs to start preparing for the SAT prior to her junior year of high school. Unfortunately, many parents don’t realize this fact and their child misses out on this big opportunity.

Now if your child is an exceptionally young student (i.e. 7th or 8th grade), I would recommend taking the SAT now. The SAT will not show up on her high school record if she takes it before 9th grade. If your child takes the SAT now, she can get a sense of how a real test day will be without the risk of a low score showing up on her College Board score report. Your child will get a feel for how it feels to wake up early Saturday morning to take a 4-hour exam, how many breaks she will get, how many snacks she should bring, where the restrooms are, etc.

In summation, your child should take the SAT when he or she is least busy in high school – anytime between October of her freshmen year and January of her senior year. Although I know your child is busy with AP classes, sports, and extracurricular activities, she needs to find a time in high school when she can dedicate an exceptional amount of time to SAT prep. This exam is crucial to your child’s future and can possibly change his or her life (as it did for me) – so make sure you don’t put it on the back burner. SAT prep should be a top priority.

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Shaan Patel is the founder of 2400 Expert, a #1 bestselling SAT prep book author, and an MD/MBA student at Yale and USC. He also raised his own SAT score from average to perfect and teaches students his methods in an online SAT prep class.

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Dealing with SAT and ACT Anxiety

 

sat and act anxietyWhen it comes to standardized testing, SAT and ACT anxiety is the elephant in the room. No matter how thoroughly you address the material, strategic, and timing-based demands of these exams, the potential for anxiety-induced problems remains.

Many parents and students view testing anxiety as an “intangible” – an issue that can’t be addressed in any sort of reliable or systematic fashion. Fortunately, this isn’t the case. With the right knowledge and procedures, parents can easily make anxiety a non-issue for their children and set them up for the best possible chances of testing success.

A Quick Note: When Anxiety is Real

Everyone on Earth gets nervous. When you get anxious before a big exam, it means that you’re a human being and that your neural and emotional wiring are firing properly. However, some students do have legitimate, diagnosable anxiety issues – levels of anxiousness that become detrimental to normal functioning.

If you suspect that your child has a legitimate anxiety issue (and if you’re a parent, you’ll know), it’s best to consult a licensed psychiatrist or behavioral therapist to figure out your options.

For everyone else, read on!

The Four Factors That Kill Anxiety

  • Familiarity
  • Preparation
  • Keeping Things in Perspective
  • Having a Backup Plan

If you address all four, your kid will walk into the SAT or ACT cool as a cucumber. Let’s address all four in a bit more detail:

Familiarity

Have you ever been on a roller coaster? The first time you went on, it was probably horrifying. You didn’t know what to expect, you didn’t know if it was safe – and so you were terrified. By the third time you got on, you were bored. You needed to find a new ride just to maintain some level of excitement.

Tests are the same way. The more you take them, and the more you deal with them, the less frightening they become. Find me a kid who has never taken a full-length practice test before, and I’ll show you a kid who’s terrified of taking the real thing. On the other hand, find me a kid who has already taken ten full-length, timed, graded diagnostics, and I’ll show you someone who’s practically bored by the prospect of these tests.

And that’s what you want your kid to be! If you start the prep process early, and if you make sure to build timed, graded, realistic practice tests into the process, then you’ll build more than enough familiarity to axe anxiety.

Preparation

This is just an extension of familiarity. Have you ever given a presentation without enough prep time? Sweaty palm city. On the flip side, have you ever been nervous to do something that you’d prepared for properly? I doubt it.

The more time you give your child to prepare, and the more consistently he or she studies, the less anxiety you’ll need to deal with. When it comes to these exams, you cannot prepare enough. This seems counterintuitive – don’t “tiger moms” make their kids study for hours on end!? And aren’t their kids nervous wrecks? Actually, the more studying you do, the less nervous you’ll be. “Tiger moms” get a bad rap for another reason, and this leads us right to element #3:

Keeping Things in Perspective

We all know that test scores are important. However, once you’ve set the proper goals with your child, you need to stop talking about them. Once your goals are set, you need to focus on consistent work and on the process, rather than on outcomes.

Want a miserable kid? Focus only on the end result. When he improves by 50 points, don’t congratulate him – just ask him “why he isn’t there yet.” Never reward consistent effort – just scold him for “not improving fast enough.”

If you want a relaxed, confident, and motivated kid, just convey the following:

You love him/her no matter what

You’re proud of all the work that he/she is doing

No matter what happens, he/she is going to get an amazing education

You know that he/she is going to do well!

That’s it. The SAT and ACT aren’t sports – you can’t scream and push your way to victory. These behaviors create adrenaline – fantastic for physical performance, and horrible for mental performance. Trust me: your kid is already feeling enough pressure. Your job is to be a teammate, not a boss.

If you reward consistent labor, keep things in perspective, and give your kid enough runway to get the proper preparation and familiarity built in, only one last element remains:

Have a Backup Plan

When you register for your SAT or ACT, make sure to register for a backup date. This is absolutely essential. Three reasons why:

 

  1. Insurance. Your kid might have a bad day – he might get sick, he might break up with his girlfriend the night before, he might pull an all-nighter studying for a chemistry test – who knows! You can’t tell the future, but you can get an insurance policy.
  2. Statistical variance. Some tests are easier and harder than others for the students who take them. For instance, one test might have more algebra, and another might focus more heavily on geometry – one is going to favor your child more heavily. By taking both tests, you have a better chance of catching the more favorable exam.
  3. Pressure reduction. Keep all of the points above in mind and you’re going to be dealing with a much more relaxed, centered student. Anxiety is real, but it doesn’t have to be a problem – and by following all these guidelines, you’re sure to keep it at bay!

Keep all of the points above in mind and you’re going to be dealing with a much more relaxed, centered student. Anxiety is real, but it doesn’t have to be a problem – and by following all these guidelines, you’re sure to keep it at bay!

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Anthony-James Green is world-renowned SAT and ACT tutor with over 10,000 hours of experience teaching these tests, crafting curriculum, and training other tutors to teach their own students. He is also the founder of TestPrepAuthority.com. CNN recently named Anthony: “The SAT tutor to the 1%”