SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WITH OR WITHOUT WRITING?

SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WITH OR WITHOUT WRITING?

OK WHAT THAT MEANS IS SHOULD I TAKE THE ACT WITH OUR WITHOUT THE ESSAY. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT YOU SHOULD ALWAYS TAKE THE ACT WITH THE WRITING OR ESSAY PORTION. MOST COLLEGES WANT IT THIS WAY. IF YOU HAVE EXPLICIT INFORMATION THAT THE ONLY COLLEGES YOU ARE APPLYING TO DON'T REQUIRE THE ACT WITH THE ESSAY THEN BY ALL MEANS DON'T DO IT. HOWEVER, I HAVE RARELY EVER SEEN THAT CONDITION.

CLARIFICATION OF THE ACTUAL LENGTH OF THE ACT AND SAT I

THROUGHOUT THIS BLOG I HAVE STATED THAT THE LENGTH OF THE NEW SAT I COULD BE AS MUCH AS 5 HOURS OR MORE. LET ME CLARIFY WHAT I MEAN. THERE ARE TWO THINGS TO CONSIDER HERE. THE FIRST IS WHAT I CALL "ACTUAL TEST LENGTH". THE ACTUAL REAL TEST TAKING TIME OF THE NEW SAT I IS 3 HOURS AND 45 MINUTES. THE ACTUAL REAL TEST TAKING TIME OF THE ACT IS 3 HOURS AND 25 MINUTES WITH THE ESSAY AND 2 HOURS AND 55 MINUTES FOR THE ACT WITHOUT THE ESSAY. EITHER WAY THE ACT IS SOMEWHAT SHORTER.

SECOND, WHAT I CALL "ACTUAL TEST CENTER TIME" MEANS THE ACTUAL TOTAL TIME YOU WILL SPEND AT THE TEST CENTER WHICH INCLUDES GETTING THERE 30 MINUTES EARLY, BREAKS, TEST POSSIBLY STARTING LATE, ETC. FOR THE SAT I YOU COULD BE THERE ALMOST 5 HOURS OR MORE. FOR THE ACT YOU COULD BE THERE 4 HOURS OR MORE. SO, THE NEWER SAT I AS OF MARCH 2005 IS ALMOST AN HOUR LONGER THAN ITS PREDECESSOR (I BELIEVE 45 MINUTES TO BE EXACT) AS FAR AS ACTUAL TEST TIME. I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR THIS UP AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THIS. WITH EXTENDED TIME, THE NEW SAT I BECOMES 5 HOURS AND 37.5 MINUTES OF ACTUAL TEST TAKING TIME. THAT IS DAMN LONG! WHEN YOU INCLUDE THE ACTUAL TIME SPENT AT THE TEST CENTER, THIS COULD BE ALMOST 6 AND A HALF HOURS OR MORE! I HAVE HEARD HORROR STORIES OF STUDENTS GETTING THERE AT 7:30 AND LEAVING AT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. THAT IS ABSURDLY LONG TIME FOR ANYONE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH TAKING A TEST AT THAT AGE. THE LENGTH OF ACT WITH EXTENDED TIME (WITH THE ESSAY ON IT) IS 5 HOURS AND 7 MINUTES. AGAIN ACTUAL TEST CENTER TIME IS LONGER! THUS, OVERALL THE ACT IS SOMEWHAT SHORTER IN EVERY RESPECT THAN THE SAT. NOT MUCH SHORTER, BUT WHEN DEALING WITH TESTS OF THIS LENGTH BEING SHORTER BY 30 MINUTES OR MORE IS A BIG DEAL. THE ACT AND SAT I BOTH HAVE THEIR OWN RESPECTIVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES. YOU SHOULD EXPLORE THESE OPTIONS WITH A PROFESSIONAL AND SEE WHICH TEST IS BETTER FOR YOU PERSONALLY.

I WOULD LIKE TO ORDER MY SON'S TEST BOOKLET WITH THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS HE MISSED?

I WOULD LIKE TO ORDER MY SON'S TEST BOOKLET WITH THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS HE MISSED?

THIS CAN BE DONE ON THE ACT AND THE SAT. IT IS USUALLY AVAILABLE ONLY THREE TIMES A YEAR (3 TESTS OUT OF THE YEAR). FOR THE ACT IT IS CALLED THE "TEST INFORMATION RELEASE SERVICE" AND ON THE SAT I IT IS CALLED THE "SAT ANSWER REPORTING SERVICES". YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE SERVICES AT EACH WEBSITE. FOR THE ACT IT IS WWW.ACT.ORG AND FOR THE SAT IT IS WWW.COLLEGEBOARD.COM.

THIS SERVICE DOES COST AROUND $20 BUT IS WORTH EVERY SINGLE PENNY! THEY SEND YOU BACK THE ENTIRE STUDENT'S ACTUAL TEST WITH HIS ANSWER SHEET WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS WHICH QUESTIONS HE MISSED AND WHICH ONES HE OR SHE GOT CORRECT. TRUST ME, YOU SHOULD ORDER THIS!

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE ACT SCIENCE SECTION?

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE ACT SCIENCE SECTION?

I HAVE HEARD THIS A THOUSAND TIMES ESPECIALLY FROM STUDENTS!! THE ACT SCIENCE SECTION HAS BECOME MUCH HARDER SINCE 2005. I THINK IT IS JUST AN EFFORT TO COMPETE WITH THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THE SAT, BUT NONETHELESS IT HAS BECOME HARDER. I DEFINITELY AGREE. THE ONE SAVING GRACE THAT THE ACT SCIENCE SECTION HAS IS THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW ANY ACTUAL SCIENCE AT ALL! 99% OF THE ANSWERS ARE EITHER IN THE CHARTS OR THE READING. USUALLY, ABOUT 80% OF THE ANSWERS CAN BE FOUND DIRECTLY OFF THE CHARTS AND 20% ARE TO BE FOUND IN THE READING. SO, BASICALLY THIS IS A PSYCH OUT TEST SECTION. THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO SCARE YOU WITH THE BIZARRE DIAGRAMS, CHARTS, ETC. BUT ALL THE INFORMATION IS THERE TO BE HAD!!

MY DAUGHTER TOOK THE ACT TWICE, AND THE SECOND TIME SHE TOOK IT SHE CAME UP 5 POINTS WITH LITTLE OR NO MORE TUTORING??

MY DAUGHTER TOOK THE ACT TWICE, AND THE SECOND TIME SHE TOOK IT SHE CAME UP 5 POINTS WITH LITTLE OR NO MORE TUTORING??

I JUST GOT ASKED THIS QUESTION YESTERDAY, AND IN FACT I HAVE BEEN ASKED THIS TYPE OF QUESTION LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TIMES. THE REASON THIS HAPPENS IS THAT SOME ACT/SAT TESTS ARE EASIER THAN OTHERS AND ALSO SOME STUDENTS JUST MIGHT HAVE A BETTER DAY THE SECOND TIME THEY TAKE THE TEST. REMEMBER, WE ARE DEALING WITH HUMAN BEINGS HERE, MAINLY TEENAGERS!! SO, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD LIKE THINGS TO BE AS PREDICTABLE AS POSSIBLE SOMETIMES THEY ARE JUST NOT THAT WAY WHEN DEALING WITH THESE TESTS. HOWEVER, THIS IS CERTAINLY A WONDERFUL THING THAT MANY STUDENTS WHEN THEY TAKE THE TEST AGAIN LIKELY THEIR SCORE WILL IMPROVE.

BRIEFLY, WHAT ARE THE TOP REASONS A STUDENT MAY NOT DO WELL ON THE SAT OR ACT TEST EVEN AFTER TUTORING?

BRIEFLY, WHAT ARE THE TOP REASONS A STUDENT MAY NOT DO WELL ON THE SAT OR ACT TEST EVEN AFTER TUTORING?

THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN GREAT DETAIL IN ONE OF THE POSTS FROM SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. HOWEVER, I GET ASKED THIS OFTEN BY POTENTIAL CLIENTS WHO HAVE ALREADY GONE TO ANOTHER TUTORING SERVICE (AND SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS) AND DID NOT GET ANY IMPROVEMENT WHATSOEVER FOR THEIR CHILD ON THE ACT OR SAT. WHAT I AM GOING TO DO IS LIST SOME OF THE TOP REASONS (BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE) WHY A STUDENT WOULD NOT IMPROVE ON THE ACT OR SAT AFTER TUTORING. HERE ARE SOME OF THE REASONS I KNOW OF (PLEASE SEE MY OTHER POST ON THIS TOPIC AS IT IS HAS MORE INFORMATION AND IS VERY VALUABLE).

• 1) GROUP TUTORING - GROUP TUTORING SERVICES RARELY WORK WELL. THEY DO NOT WORK WELL UNLESS THE STUDENT IS A VERY HIGH ACHIEVER ALREADY. THE INFORMATION ON THE ACT AND SAT IS HIGHLY DIFFICULT IN PARTS, AND THIS REQUIRES ONE ON ONE TUTORING. I USED TO DO GROUP TUTORING BUT IT DID NOT GET THE HIGH RESULTS I LIKE TO GET SO I DISCONTINUED GROUP TUTORING IN THE LATE 1980'S. GROUP TUTORING IS ESPECIALLY NOT GOOD FOR ANY LEARNING DIFFERENCED STUDENT! THIS IS CRITICAL!!! AN LD STUDENT SIMPLY CANNOT USUALLY FUNCTION IN A CLASSROOM OF 10 TO 50+ STUDENTS WHO ARE ALL COMPETING FOR A HIGH SCORE ON THE ACT OR SAT. JUST WON'T WORK. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY CALLS I GET FOR THAT ON A DAILY BASIS (LD STUDENT WHO HAS ALREADY DUMPED THOUSANDS ON A GROUP COURSE THAT DID NOT HELP AT ALL). NO MATTER WHAT THE GROUP COURSE SAYS, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT ANY LD STUDENT WOULD DO BETTER WITH PRIVATE TUTORING. SOME GROUP TUTORING SERVICES ARE VERY GOOD, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT STUDENT TO MATCH WITH A GROUP TUTORING SERVICE.
• 2) ANXIETY - STUDENTS WITH A PAST HISTORY OF NOT DOING WELL ON LONG TESTS SUCH AS ERB'S OR OTHER ACHIEVEMENT TESTS ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME TROUBLE ON THE ACT OR SAT. THIS IS USUALLY DUE TO SOME DIAGNOSED OR UNDIAGNOSED ANXIETY PROBLEM. MEDICATION CAN AND USUALLY DOES HELP. IF YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER HAS A HISTORY OF DIFFICULTIES ON LONG, STANDARDIZED TESTS ALWAYS COMMUNICATE THIS TO THE TUTOR, AND DO NOT EXPECT THIS TO GO AWAY UNLESS YOU SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH MEDICATION, TUTORING, OR COUNSELING. I HAVE DECADES OF EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH THESE TYPE OF ISSUES. HOWEVER, SOME STUDENTS I CAN HELP OVER COME THIS WITH STRATEGIES, ETC. AND SOME I CANNOT. THE ONES I CANNOT HELP USUALLY RESPOND WELL TO MEDICATION. ALWAYS GO TO A PROFESSIONAL MD FOR MEDICATION. NEVER SELF MEDICATE! I HAVE ALSO HAD MANY STUDENTS WHO CAME TO ME WHO DID HAVE LEARNING DIFFERENCES AND OR ANXIETY PROBLEMS AND THE PARENT WAS NOT HONEST WITH ME ABOUT THAT FROM THE BEGINNING. IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT, YOU ARE ONLY HURTING YOURSELF BECAUSE IF I KNOW THE PARTICULARS OF A LEARNING ISSUE/ANXIETY ISSUE, ETC. I CAN WORK WITH IT BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH SUCH MATTERS. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO BE HONEST WITH TUTORS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS REGARDING THIS MATTER.
• 3) INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL PRESSURE - IT IS OF IMMENSE IMPORTANCE TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENT UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE TESTS CAN BE TAKEN MORE THAN ONCE. THIS WILL HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE PRESSURE ON ANY ONE TEST SITTING. SOMETIMES PRESSURE COMES FROM THE PARENTS OR THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE A SAFE, NURTURING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE STUDENT TO DEAL WITH THESE TESTS. THIS INCLUDES AT HOME! I HAVE HAD SOME VERY UPTIGHT STUDENTS IN THE PAST WHO PUT WAY TOO MANY EXPECTATIONS ON THEMSELVES THAT NOT EVEN THEIR PARENTS EXPECTED. USUALLY, I CAN DETECT THIS AND WORK WITH THE STUDENT SOME ON THESE ISSUES.
• 4) UNDIAGNOSED LEARNING DIFFERENCES MAY HAVE SOME TYPE OF LD ISSUES THAT I DO NOT SAY THAT LIGHTLY. I HAVE THUS FAR BEEN 100% CORRECT ANYTIME I HAVE THOUGHT THIS. A STUDENT WHO HAS TAKEN THE ACT OR SAT MANY TIMES AND JUST CANNOT DO WELL MAY HAVE LEARNING ISSUES THAT ONLY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR LD STUDENTS CAN HELP AMELIORATE. YOU WOULD THEN NEED TO GET YOUR STUDENT TESTED.
• 5) USING INAPPROPRIATE TUTORING RESOURCES - NOT ALL TUTORS ARE EQUAL. SOME ARE VERY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO AND SOME ARE NOT. IT HAS TAKEN ME EVERY BIT OF EXPERIENCE SINCE I OPENED IN 1982 TO LEARN HOW TO TUTOR WELL. IT IS JUST THAT DIFFICULT TO HANDLE THE MYRIAD TYPES OF STUDENTS ONE ENCOUNTERS IN TUTORING. BEFORE YOU HIRE A TUTOR CHECK OUT THEIR REFERENCES (IF THEY HAVE ANY). MAKE SURE YOU ARE HIRING A TUTORING RESOURCE THAT HAS A PROVEN RECORD OF SUCCESS. IF YOU DON'T TAKE THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE THE TUTORING RESOURCES YOU MAY END UP SPENDING THOUSANDS WITH NO RESULTS.  ALSO SOMETIMES A STUDENT JUST DOESN'T GET ALONG WELL WITH A CURRENT TUTOR.  YOU CAN TRY SWITCHING TUTORS TO SEE IF THAT HELPS.  HOWEVER, IF YOU DO HAVE A CURRENT TUTOR THAT HAS A GOOD TRACK RECORD I WOULD EXAMINE OTHER SUGGESTIONS FIRST BEFORE CHANGING TUTORS. 
• 6) OTHER LIFE CONCERNS GOING ON - BELIEVE IT OR NOT I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE A STUDENT DID NOT DO WELL BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE WITH A RELATIONSHIP, I.E. BOYFRIEND OR GIRLFRIEND TROUBLES! SO BE SURE THAT NOTHING EXTRANEOUS IS GOING ON LIKE THAT BEFORE YOUR CHILD TAKES THE TEST.  I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MUCH BREAKING UP WITH A GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND COULD INTERFERE WITH THESE TESTS!!!  I HAVE SEENT THIS TOO MANY TIMES.
• 7) PHYSICAL REASONS - I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL CASES WHERE A STUDENT TOOK AN ACT OR SAT RIGHT THE DAY AFTER A MAJOR SPORTS EVENT AND THEY WERE TOO TIRED AND DID NOT LIVE UP TO THEIR POTENTIAL. MAKE SURE WHEN YOU ARE SCHEDULING THESE TESTS THAT NO SIGNIFICANT EVENT IS SCHEDULED THE DAY BEFORE THE SAT OR ACT. THE FRIDAY BEFORE THE TEST SHOULD BE AS NORMAL A DAY AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE EVEN TOLD CERTAIN STUDENTS TO JUST TAKE A HALF DAY OFF SCHOOL AND COME HOME AND REST. YOU NEED TO REST AND EAT WELL THE DAY BEFORE THE TEST (I HAVE AN ENTIRE 8 PAGE HANDOUT I GIVE TO MY STUDENTS THE WEEK BEFORE THEY TAKE THE TEST THAT DETAILS THIS TYPE OF STUFF - I.E. WHAT TO DO THE DAY BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR ACT OR SAT). OBVIOUSLY ONE SHOULD NEVER DRINK ALCOHOL THE NIGHT BEFORE THE ACT OR SAT!! (YES I HAVE HAD TWO STUDENTS SINCE 1982 THAT CONFESSED TO DOING JUST THAT AND OF COURSE THEY DID NOT DO WELL). ALSO, NEVER TAKE ONE OF THESE TESTS IF YOU ARE PHYSICALLY ILL. IF YOU HAVE A FEVER OVER 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT JUST DON'T TAKE THE TEST. YOU CAN ALWAYS TAKE IT AGAIN. BEING ILL TEST DAY IS NO WAY TO DO WELL.  YOU PROBABLY SHOULD NOT TAKE A TEST DURING A HOLIDAY (SUCH AS SPRING BREAK, CHRISTMAS, ETC.) UNLESS REALLY NECESSARY.  WHEN STUDENTS ARE IN HOLIDAY MODE, TESTING GOES OUT THE WINDOW SOMETIMES.
• 8) PHYSICAL INJURIES - YES EVEN IF YOU HAVE A SMALL PHYSICAL INJURY (ESPECIALLY IF IT IS VERY RECENT) THAT CAUSES PAIN IT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST IDEA TO TAKE THE TEST. IF YOU HAVE BROKEN ANY BONES WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE TEST IT WOULD NOT BE A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE THAT TEST. OF COURSE, THIS IS A PARENTAL DECISION ALSO BUT I HAVE SEEN MANY CASES WHERE A STUDENT WENT AHEAD AND TOOK THE ACT OR SAT UNDER PHYSICAL DURESS FROM A RECENT INJURY; THEY DID NOT DO AS WELL AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. THEY TOOK THE TEST AGAIN AFTER SOME TIME HAD PASSED AND THE INJURY HAD HEALED SOMEWHAT AND THEY DID A LOT BETTER.
• 9) PREVIOUS ESTABLISHED HISTORY OF HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH LENGTHY TESTS - THERE ARE MANY STUDENTS I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THAT ARE JUST NOT GOOD AT TAKING THESE LONG TESTS! HOWEVER, THEY CAN BE IMPROVED SOMEWHAT WITH TUTORING. NOTICE I SAID SOMEWHAT. THEY WILL NOT GET AS MUCH IMPROVEMENT VIA TUTORING VS. ANOTHER STUDENT WHO IS GOOD AT SUCH TESTING.- THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO CATEGORY #2 BUT WHAT I MEAN HERE IS THAT A PARTICULAR STUDENT WHO COMES TO TUTORING AND I NOTICE THAT THEY MAY HAVE SEVERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A STUDENT WHO HAS DIAGNOSED LEARNING DIFFERENCES. YOU CAN BE SURE THAT IF I TELL A PARENT THAT I SUSPECT THEIR CHILD

REPORT ON THE OCTOBER 2008 SAT I

OF COURSE ONCE AGAIN IT APPEARS THE OCTOBER SAT I WAS DIFFICULT IN BOTH SECTIONS. SCORES WERE NOT AS HIGH AS OTHER SAT I TESTS. THIS IS VERY MUCH INLINE WITH THE SAT MONEY MAKING SCHEME OF MAKING THE OCTOBER TEST HARD SO STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT AGAIN IN THE FOLLOWING MONTHS OF NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, OR JANUARY (MY OPINION ONLY). ALL OF MY STUDENTS EXCEPT MAYBE ONE OR TWO IMMEDIATELY SAID THE TEST WAS HARD AFTER TAKING IT, AND THEIR SCORES INDICATED THIS. I AM SURE THE NOVEMBER AND ESPECIALLY THE DECEMBER SAT I OF THIS YEAR WILL BE MUCH BETTER. I WILL PUBLISH THE OFFICIAL STATISTICS ONCE I FIND THEM ONLINE. THE PRINCETON REVIEW WEBSITE USUALLY POSTS A GOOD STATEMENT ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THE MOST RECENT SAT I. YOU CAN SEE THAT AT WWW.PRINCETONREVIEW.COM.

CAN YOU TAKE A TIMER INTO THE ACT OR THE SAT?

ABSOLUTELY NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  YOU WILL BE THROWN OUT.   HOWEVER, YOU CAN TAKE A TIMER INTO EITHER TEST AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SOUNDS WHATSOEVER.  I DO SELL SUCH TIMERS HERE AS I HAVE SURGICALLY REMOVED THE SOUND MAKING MECHANISMS.

YOU CANNOT TAKE ANYTHING INTO THE TESTS THAT MAKES SOUNDS!

SEPTEMBER 2008 ACT STUDENT REPORT

SEPTEMBER 2008 STUDENT ACT REPORT

IT SEEMS AS USUAL THAT THE FIRST ACT OF THE FALL WAS QUITE HARD. MOST STUDENTS REPORT NOT FINISHING THE MATH SECTION AND THAT AS USUAL THE SCIENCE SECTION WAS QUITE HARD. SCORES IN ENGLISH SEEMED HIGH, BUT SCORES IN READING SEEMED LOW. THUS, OVERALL THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN A HARD ACT. MUCH HARDER THAN THE ACT OF LAST JUNE 2008. THIS IS AGAIN ON PAR WITH THEIR USUAL TACTIC OF MAKING THE FIRST TEST OF FALL HARD SO LOTS OF STUDENTS MUST TAKE IT AGAIN THEREBY MAKING THEM MORE $$$$$ (MY OPINION ONLY). THE LAST JUNE 2008 ALL OF MY STUDENTS SCORED ROUGHLY 1.75 POINTS HIGHER AND MATH SCORES WERE MUCH HIGHER AS WERE OTHERS.

HOW DO YOU COMPARE ACT VS. SAT I SCORES?

HOW DO YOU COMPARE ACT VS. SAT I SCORES?


THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CONVERSION TABLES ONLINE. MOST COLLEGES ACTUALLY PUBLISH THEIR OWN BECAUSE THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL WAY OF DOING THIS! I CAN SUGGEST SOME WEB SITES FOR YOU SUCH AS:

http://www.spartanburg6.k12.sc.us/dhs/Guidance%20website/SAT-ACT%20Conversion%20chart.html

http://aolsearch.aol.com/aol/search?s_it=topsearchbox.search&query=ACT+vs.+SAT+scores+conversion+charts

http://www.ivywest.com/acttosat.htm

(this one below is from UT Austin):
http://www.utexas.edu/student/admissions/research/ACT-SATconcordance.html

So there are dozens of these sites. Best thing is to check with the particular universities you are interested in. Usually these are posted on the University web site. Be careful to make sure you are using the NEW comparsion charts vs. the older ones.

DOES MY SON/DAUGHTER NEED MEDICATION FOR TEST ANXIETY OR ENDURANCE ISSUES?

DOES MY SON/DAUGHTER NEED MEDICATION FOR TEST ANXIETY OR ENDURANCE ISSUES?

In the past 28 some odd years I have run across approximately 3 clients who had extreme test anxiety and or endurance issues and they absolutely could not overcome them without the aid of medication.

The scenario is usually a student who has since grade school had obvious difficulty on longer type tests like achievement tests, final exams, etc. This typically is usually a very, very good student who makes very high grades. It doesn't seem to happen on tests of length one hour or less but bigger tests they really have a problem. Tutoring can improve a lot of this problem, but sometimes medication is the only way to assure the problem really gets improved. I not at all saying that I am an advocate of medicating our children, but I have seen medication make miraculous improvements in this type of situation; these short acting medications do not have to be taken regularly. One takes them before tests or before studying for long periods of time and it seems to really help.

I have found that there exist some types of medication that act in the short term and do not have to be taken regularly that truly can help a situation like this! You would have to see a professional doctor/psychiatrist to obtain such medications, but I have seen lives completely turned around by this.

I TOOK THE SAT I THREE TIMES AND FINALLY JUMPED 200 POINTS ON THE LAST SAT I WHY IS THIS?

I TOOK THE SAT I THREE TIMES AND FINALLY JUMPED 200 POINTS ON THE LAST SAT I WHY IS THIS?

WELL I HAVE SOMEWHAT EXPLAINED THIS BEFORE. THE SAT I AND THE ACT MAKE SOME TESTS MUCH HARDER THAN OTHERS. THIS IS ALSO SUBJECTIVE; YOU MIGHT KNOW SOME CONCEPTS BETTER THAN OTHERS. IF THE TEST YOU TAKE JUST HAPPENS TO COVER THE CONCEPTS YOU KNOW WELL THEN TO YOU IT WOULD BE AN EASY TEST. PROBABLY ON THE THIRD ATTEMPT YOU TOOK A GOOD SAT I FOR YOU AND YOUR PRIOR PRACTICE OF TAKING TWO SAT TESTS DID HELP. ALSO IT TAKES SOMETIMES TWO OR THREE TESTS TO GET USED TO HOW LONG THE ACTUAL SAT I IS. OFTEN I TELL CLIENTS THAT DOING BETTER MAY JUST BE AN ISSUE OF TAKING ANOTHER SAT I INSTEAD OF MORE TUTORING.

MY SON/DAUGHTER HAS TAKEN THE SAT SEVERAL TIMES AND JUST CANNOT DO WELL??

MY SON/DAUGHTER HAS TAKEN THE SAT SEVERAL TIMES AND JUST CANNOT DO WELL!!??

I HAVE SEEN THIS SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE NEWER, LONGER SAT I AS OF MARCH 2005. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE IN THIS BLOG, THE NEW SAT I IS LONGER THAN THE MCAT (MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST - THIS TEST IS TAKEN BY COLLEGE GRADUATES!), LSAT (LAW SCHOOL ENTRANCE TEST), GMAT (GRADUATE MANAGEMENT APTITUDE TEST), AND THE GRE (GRADUATE RECORDS EXAM), AND MORE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IT IS ABSURD THAT A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL TEST IS THIS LONG. NONETHELESS, IT GOES ON. WHAT I RECOMMEND A PERSON DO IS SWITCH TO THE SOMEWHAT SHORTER ACT IF THEY ABSOLUTELY CANNOT DEAL WITH THE SAT I. THE ACT IS SHORTER AND DIFFERENT THAN THE SAT I. THE ACT WITH EXTENDED TIME IS ALSO SHORTER THAN THE SAT WITH EXTENDED TIME. THIS SITUATION IS HAPPENING MORE AND MORE WITH THE NEW SAT I. MANY HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE COLLEGE BOARD WITH NO RESULTS.

OUR TUTOR HAS MY SON TAKE ACTUAL TESTS AT HER OFFICE - IS THIS WISE?

OUR TUTOR HAS MY SON TAKE ACTUAL TESTS AT HER OFFICE - IS THIS WISE?

WHAT YOU MEAN IS SHOULDN'T THEY BE DOING SOMETHING BETTER WITH THEIR TIME? WHY AM I PAYING FOR SOMETHING MY SON CAN JUST DO AT HOME?

IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT MOST ALL SUCCESSFUL TUTORS HAVE STUDENTS TAKE TESTS AT THEIR PREMISES AS PART OF THEIR PROGRAM. I DO THIS ALSO. IT IS IMPERATIVE TO ME TO HAVE A STUDENT TAKE AN ACTUAL, PAST, REAL TEST SECTION RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME ON PREMISE SO THAT I CAN IMMEDIATELY SEE WHAT THEY MISSED AND MOVE IN TO CORRECT THEIR INCORRECT THINKING. I OF COURSE ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO DO SOME TESTING AT HOME ON THEIR TIME, BUT SOME OF IT MUST BE DONE AT MY OFFICE. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TUTORING SINCE 1982, AND BEFORE I REQUIRED STUDENTS TO DO THE TESTING AT MY OFFICE I HAD THEM DO MOST OF IT AT HOME. OF COURSE, OFTEN NOTHING WOULD GET DONE OR THEY FORGOT THEIR BOOK OR THEY SPILLED MUSTARD ON THEIR TEST, ETC. ETC.! THE QUALITY OF WORK THE STUDENT DID AT HOME WAS ABYSMAL. I FIXED THIS PROBLEM BY RENTING A SLIGHTLY LARGER OFFICE SO MY STUDENTS COULD DO SOME OF THEIR WORK WITH ME AT THE OFFICE. THIS NEW STRATEGY PAID OFF BEYOND MY WILDEST DREAMS. ALL OF MY SCORES WENT UP THROUGH THE ROOF AND MY WAITING LIST OF CLIENTS TRIPLED!!!!

NOTHING IS BETTER THAN HAVING A STUDENT TAKE THE MATERIAL RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE TUTOR WHILE THE INFORMATION IS FRESH IN THE STUDENT'S MIND.

SHOULD A STUDENT TUTOR FOR MORE THAN ONE TEST AT A TIME?

SHOULD A STUDENT TUTOR FOR MORE THAN ONE TEST AT A TIME?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. EACH TEST, EITHER SAT OR ACT, IS HARD ENOUGH IN AND OF ITSELF. ITS BEST TO STUDY ONLY ONE TEST AT A TIME AND THEN WHEN THAT TEST IS DONE (OR YOU HAVE SECURED A DECENT SCORE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WITH) MOVE ONTO THE NEXT ONE. THIS INCLUDES SAT II TESTS. MY ADVICE WOULD BE TO SECURE A DECENT SCORE ON EITHER THE ACT OR SAT I BEFORE MOVING ONTO THE SAT II'S. WHY? WELL MAINLY BECAUSE THE ACT AND SAT I ARE THE PRIMARY SCORE USED FOR ADMISSIONS. IF YOU DON'T DO WELL ON THOSE, ITS OF LITTLE VALUE TO TAKE THE SAT II'S.

WHY ARE SOME SAT TESTS HARDER THAN OTHERS?

WHY ARE SOME SAT TESTS HARDER THAN OTHERS?

I HAVE NO IDEA! NO, REALLY MY GUESS IS TO FORCE YOU TO TAKE MORE TESTS THEREBY MAKING THEM MORE MONEY. I HAVE TAKEN MYSELF MANY PAST, REAL SAT TESTS AND I CAN ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT SOME TESTS ARE MUCH HARDER THAN OTHERS! THIS IS PROBABLY WHY MOST COLLEGES WILL TAKE YOUR HIGHEST SCORES PER SECTION (HIGHEST MATH, HIGHEST READING, AND HIGHEST WRITING) TO DETERMINE YOUR FINAL OVERALL SCORE FOR ADMISSION. USUALLY THEY DO NOT PUT TWO HARD TESTS BACK TO BACK. WHAT THEY USUALLY DO IS ON ANY ONE PARTICULAR SAT THEY MAKE THE READING HARDER THAN THE MATH OR VICE VERSA. THIS WOULD FORCE YOU TO TAKE THE TEST AGAIN TO GET YOUR BEST OVERALL SCORE. THE ACT IS NOT AS GUILTY OF THIS AS THE SAT IS, BUT THEY DO IT ALSO. THE ACT TESTS DO NOT SEEM TO VARY IN DIFFICULTY AS MUCH AS THE SAT TESTS, BUT NONETHELESS THEY DO VARY IN HARDNESS. WHAT I MEAN TO SAY THAT ANY PARTICULAR ACT CAN BE HARDER THAN ANOTHER ACT, BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT THE SAT TESTS ARE. I HAVE SEEN INCREDIBLE VARIANCE IN THE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY BETWEEN ONE SAT TEST VS. ANOTHER SAT TEST.

USING STIMULANTS SUCH AS "RED BULL" OR "MONSTER" BEFORE TAKING THE ACT AND OR SAT I

USING STIMULANTS SUCH AS "RED BULL" OR "MONSTER" BEFORE TAKING THE ACT AND OR SAT I - ABSOLUTELY NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DO NOT USE ANY STIMULANTS OTHER THAN COFFEE OR TEA (OR A SOFT DRINK) BEFORE TAKING YOUR ACT OR SAT OR ANY TEST FOR THAT MATTER. "RED BULL" OR "MONSTER" AND OTHER SUCH DRINKS HAVE DOZENS OF EXTRA CHEMICALS IN THEM BESIDES JUST CAFFEINE AND THESE CAN SERIOUSLY INTERFERE WITH YOUR THINKING PROCESSES. I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY STUDENTS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING POPULAR THAT IS GOING AROUND. IT IS A TERRIBLE IDEA, AND THE OTHER CHEMICALS THEY PUT IN THESE DRINKS ARE TERRIBLE FOR YOU (THEY PUT ALL SORTS OF BIZARRE HERBS AND OTHER HORRIBLE INGREDIENTS IN THESE)!! JUST DRINK SOME COFFEE, COCA COLA, ETC. IF YOU NEED SOME CAFFEINE. PLEASE ADVISE YOUR CHILDREN OF THE DANGER OF USING THESE CHEMICALS.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES

A prospective student-athlete is someone who is looking to participate in intercollegiate athletics at an NCAA Division I or Division II institution in the future. There is a website that prospective student-athletes can register on so that coaches can view their information. I have listed it below. Please read the instructions there very carefully. If you are looking to play NCAA Division I or II sports in college, this is very important for you!

https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/index.html

DISCUSSION OF THE ESSAY ON THE ACT AND SAT I

DISCUSSION OF THE ESSAY ON THE ACT AND SAT I

THE ESSAY ON BOTH THE ACT AND SAT I IS VERY, VERY SIMILIAR. THEY ARE NOT HARD. THEY ARE SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT TO COLLEGES; SOME COLLEGES USE THEM MORE THAN OTHERS. OF COURSE IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO A DIFFICULT COLLEGE TO GET INTO THE ESSAY IS GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT. NOW, THE ESSAY ON THE SAT I IS MORE IMPORTANT AT THE MOMENT THAN THE ESSAY ON THE ACT BECAUSE OF THE WAY IT IS GRADED. THE SAT I USES YOUR ESSAY SCORE AND INTEGRATES INTO YOUR WRITING SCORE TO PRODUCE A FINAL COMBINED WRITING/ESSAY SCORE. THUS ESSAY + WRITING SCORE ON SAT I = FINAL COMBINED ESSAY/WRITING SCORE. YOUR ESSAY SCORE CAN REALLY BRING UP YOUR WRITING SCORE OR REALLY CAUSE IT TO CRATER DEPENDING HOW WELL YOU DO OR DON'T DO.

THE ACT JUST POSTS A COMBINED WRITING/ESSAY SCORE BUT DOES NOT USE IT IN THE COMPUTATION OF THE COMPOSITE SCORE (AS OF NOW). EITHER WAY, YOU SHOULD DO YOUR BEST ON THE ESSAY BECAUSE IT IS VERY EASY. I WILL POST LATER ON SOME BASIC INSTRUCTIONS ON THE ESSAY. MOREOVER, THE ESSAY IS DESIGNED TO BE JUST A SIMPLE CHECK TO SEE IF YOU CAN WRITE ANYTHING. IT IS NOT COMPLICATED AT ALL. IN FACT, IF YOU MAKE IT COMPLICATED YOU WILL NOT GET A GOOD SCORE. THEY ARE JUST A FEW GUIDELINES TO FOLLOW AND THAT IS IT.

TOP REASONS WHY A STUDENT MAY NOT DO THEIR BEST ON THEIR ACT OR SAT I (EVEN IF THEY HAVE OUTSIDE HELP SUCH AS A TUTOR):

TOP REASONS WHY A STUDENT MAY NOT DO THEIR BEST ON THEIR (FIRST) ACT OR SAT I (EVEN IF THEY HAVE OUTSIDE HELP SUCH AS A TUTOR):

IT IS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN TO WONDER WHY YOU DID NOT DO SO WELL ON YOUR (FIRST) ACT OR SAT I, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE OUTSIDE HELP. THERE ARE DOZENS OF REASONS, AND I AM GOING TO POST HERE THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES. BEAR IN MY ALL MATERIAL HEREIN IS MY OPINION AND EXPERIENCE ONLY. THE SAT I IS THE MUCH WORSE OFFENDER. STUDENT'S SCORES ON THEIR VERY FIRST SAT I SEEM TO BE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE ACT SEEMS TO BE MORE PREDICTABLE, BUT NOT ALWAYS PREDICTABLE. STUDENTS STILL DON'T DO WELL AT TIMES ON THEIR FIRST ACT, BUT THE SAT I IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN A GREAT DEAL OF THE TIME. SO BE AWARE, YOU MAY HAVE TO TAKE THESE TESTS SEVERAL TIMES TO ACHIEVE YOUR OPTIMUM SCORE; THE SCORE THAT TRULY REPRESENTS YOUR ABILITIES. TUTORING WILL ENABLE YOU TO HAVE A VERY SAFE SHOT AT GETTING YOUR VERY BEST SCORE, BUT IT MAY TAKE A FEW TIMES TAKING THE TEST. HERE THEY ARE:

1) THE NEW SAT I AS OF MARCH 2005 IS MUCH LONGER AND HARDER THAN ITS PREDECESSOR. IN FACT, THE NEW SAT I IS LONGER THAN THE MCAT (MEDICAL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TEST), GRE (GRADUATE RECORDS EXAM), THE LSAT (LAW SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAM), AND THE GMAT (GRADUATE MANAGEMENT APTITUDE TEST). MAKING AN EXAM IN HIGH SCHOOL LONGER THAN A POST COLLEGE EXAM IS A SERIOUS EXAMPLE OF STUPIDITY. IT SHOWS ABSOLUTELY NO CONCERN WHATSOEVER FOR STAMINA. A TEENAGER CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO DO WELL ON AN EXAM THAT IS THREE HOURS AND 45 MINUTES LONG (THE OLDER ONE WAS LESS THAN 3 HOURS). THIS IS A 25% INCREASE IN LENGTH. THAT IS A LOT. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE AT THE TEST CENTER 30 MINUTES EARLY AT 7:30 IN THE MORNING. SOMETIMES BY THE TIME EVERYONE IS SEATED AND READY TO BEGIN THE TEST IT MAY BE AS LATE AS 9:00!! THIS IS ABSURD. SO IF YOU BEGIN AT 9 YOU WILL FINISH AT THE EARLIEST AT 12:45. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL BREAKS SO YOU WILL ACTUALLY FINISH BY ABOUT 1:15 OR LATER. BEING AT A TEST CENTER FROM 7:30 IN THE MORNING TO 1:15 IS A DAMN LONG TIME FOR A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT. ALMOST EVERY SINGLE STUDENT I HAVE TUTORED ON THE SAT I HAS COMPLAINED THAT THE TEST WAS TOO LONG. THEY SAY THAT TOWARDS THE END OF THE EXAM EVERYTHING LOOKS THE SAME AND THEIR MINDS WONDER AND ARE TIRED. I CAN AGREE THERE! THUS, THE LONGER TEST TIME HAS CAUSED INITIAL SCORES TO BE ALL OVER THE PLACE. THE OLDER SAT I WAS MUCH MORE PREDICTABLE AT 3 HOURS OR LESS. FOR GOD'S SAKE THE LSAT (LAW SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAM) IS ONLY 3 HOURS AND 25 MINUTES!! UNBELIEVABLE!! HERE IS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE I FOUND REGARDING THIS MATTER:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DXK/is_4_22/ai_n13720126

OR JUST HIT THE LINK BELOW

Link

SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE LONGER TEST PRODUCES GRAVE PROBLEMS WITH CONCENTRATION AND STAMINA - SOMETHING THE COLLEGE BOARD EITHER TOTALLY FORGET TO CONSIDER OR TOTALLY DECIDED TO NEGLECT. EITHER WAY, IT IS PRODUCING MANY PROBLEMS. MY PERSONAL THEORY IS THAT THEY WANT YOU TO HAVE TO TAKE THE EXAM MORE THAN ONCE SO THEY MAKE MORE MONEY. THEY ARE NOT A NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION!

2) AS WITH ANYTHING IN LIFE, THE FIRST TIME YOU DO SOMETHING NEW YOU CAN BE ANXIOUS. MANY STUDENTS WHOM I HAVE TUTORED TEND TO BE VERY ANXIOUS ON THEIR VERY FIRST SAT I TEST. THIS IS NORMAL, AND I DO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE (I HAVE MANY PSYCHOLOGICALLY INSPIRED TUTORING METHODS THAT CAN HELP SOMEWHAT WITH THAT). FURTHERMORE, MANY STUDENTS TELL ME THEY HAVE NEVER EVER EXPERIENCED A TEST THAT LONG (SEE #1) SO THEY WERE CERTAINLY NOT USED TO ANY TEST BEING THAT LONG. TAKING THE TEST AGAIN IS THE SOLUTION TO THIS. I HAVE HAD LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS WHO DID MUCH BETTER ON THEIR SECOND SAT I VS. THE FIRST ONE WITH LITTLE OR NO MORE TUTORING. RECENTLY, I HAD 4 STUDENTS WHO GAINED 50-200 POINTS ON THEIR SECOND SAT I WHICH WAS ONLY ONE MONTH AFTER THEIR FIRST ONE. SO, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED MORE TUTORING YOU JUST NEED TO TAKE THE TEST AGAIN. SOME STUDENTS DO NEED MORE PRACTICE, BUT NOT ALL. I ALWAYS TELL MY PARENTS WHAT I THINK.

3) THE SAT I AND THE ACT ARE FAMOUS FOR MAKING CERTAIN TESTS HARDER THAN OTHER TESTS. HOW DO I KNOW THIS? BECAUSE I PHYSICALLY SIT DOWN AND TAKE EVERY SINGLE SAT I AND ACT FOR PRACTICE. I ALSO HAVE STUDIED MOST EVERY BOOK ON THE MARKET TODAY ( I HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED HERE AT MY OFFICE) REGARDING THE SAT I AND ACT. SO I CAN ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT SOME TESTS ARE MUCH HARDER THAN OTHERS. STUDENTS WILL ALSO CONFIRM THIS. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS ABSURD, BUT IT IS TRUE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THEY DO THAT TO MAKE MORE MONEY. THAT WILL FORCE A STUDENT TO TAKE THE TEST MORE THAN ONCE. THEY MAKE $50 PER TEST OR SO. WHY ELSE DO YOU THINK THEY HAVE 8 TESTS DATES PER YEAR!? COLLEGES KNOW THIS, AND THAT IS WHY MOST ALL COLLEGES WILL ACCEPT YOUR HIGHEST SAT I SCORES NO MATTER WHAT THE DATE. THE ACT IS NOT AS GUILTY OF THIS AS THE SAT I IS, BUT IT IS STILL SOMEWHAT TRUE OF ACT TESTS. I HAVE SEEN SAT I TEST VARY IN THE EXTREME IN DIFFICULTY. FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE SET TWO MATH TESTS SIDE BY SIDE FROM DIFFERENT DATES AND FOUND THE GRADES OFF THEM I GET TO VARY TREMENDOUSLY BETWEEN STUDENTS. ONE IS OBVIOUSLY EASIER THAN THE OTHER. YOU CAN SEE THIS FOR YOURSELF IF YOU PURCHASE THE SAT I BOOK CALLED, "THE OFFICIAL SAT I STUDY GUIDE" BY THE COLLEGE BOARD. THE LAST 3 SAT'S IN THE BOOK ARE EXTREMELY HARD IN THE MATH. USUALLY ON ANY TEST DATE IT IS EITHER THE MATH OR THE VERBAL THAT IS THE HARDEST.

4) USUALLY OUT OF THE 8 TESTS THE SAT I GIVES PER YEAR, 2 OR 3 ARE VERY HARD. THE FALL OCTOBER TEST IS ALMOST ALWAYS BAD. THEN IN THE SPRING, ONE OR TWO TESTS SEEM TO BE HARD. THE EASIEST SAT APPEARS TO BE IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER (WHEN IT IS THE LAST ATTEMPT FOR OUTGOING COLLEGE SENIORS WHO CANNOT TAKE ANY MORE SAT TESTS - NO REASON TO MAKE THOSE HARD AS THEY CANNOT GIVE THE SAT I ANY MORE MONEY BY TAKING THEM AGAIN). THERE IS NO FOR SURE WAY TO PREDICT WHICH TESTS ARE GOING TO BE HARDER SO I CANNOT SAY ANY OF THIS WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINLY (BECAUSE IF IT WAS PREDICTABLE THEN YOU WOULD KNOW WHICH TESTS TO AVOID). JUST SAY THAT ON THE ACT AND SAT THAT THE FIRST TEST OF THE FALL IS USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS, THE HARDER ONE. THERE SEEMS TO BE ALSO ANOTHER HARD ONE OR TWO IN THE SPRING.

5) THE SAT I AND THE ACT ARE DESIGNED TO BE SENIOR YEAR TESTS AND YOU MAY BE TAKING THESE TESTS TOO EARLY WITHOUT TAKING THE CLASSWORK THAT CORRESPONDS TO THEM. THEY ARE DESIGNED TO BE TAKEN AFTER THE STUDENT HAS COMPLETED 3 YEARS OF MATH (ALGEBRA I AND ALGEBRA II AND GEOMETRY), 3 YEARS OF ENGLISH, 3 YEARS OF HISTORY, ETC. ETC. JUNIOR YEAR IS NOT ALWAYS APPROPRIATE FOR A STUDENT TO TRY AND FINISH THE SAT I OR ACT TESTING. SOME STUDENTS CAN DO THIS, SOME CANNOT DO THIS. INITIALLY, TAKING THESE TESTS JUNIOR YEAR WAS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THE REASON OF TESTING THE WATERS SO TO SPEAK. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU TOOK THE TEST JUNIOR YEAR TO SEE HOW YOU FARED AND TO SEE IF YOU NEEDED ANY OUTSIDE HELP OR FURTHER PRACTICE. NOWADAYS, THAT HAS TURNED INTO LETS TAKE ALL OUR TESTING JUNIOR YEAR AND BE DONE WITH THIS! THAT IS GREAT IF YOU HAVE THE APPROPRIATE COURSE WORK BEHIND YOU TO DO THIS, BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF STUDENTS DO NOT. SOME HIGH SCHOOLS DON'T EVEN START HAVING STUDENTS STUDY VOCABULARY WORDS UNTIL LATE IN THE JUNIOR YEAR OR EARLY SENIOR YEAR. SO YOU HAVE TO BE RATIONAL ABOUT THIS. EVEN TUTORING CANNOT MAKE UP FOR THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE NOT HAD THE PROPER COURSE WORK YET. IT CAN HELP, BUT CANNOT REPLACE IT. MOST PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE CAPABLE OF TAKING THE ACT OR SAT I THEIR JUNIOR YEAR AND DOING WELL.

6) PRESSURE BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL. PARENTS, TEACHERS, TUTORS, AND PEERS PUT TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON STUDENTS TO DO WELL ON THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT. DO NOT PUT EXTRA PRESSURE ON YOURSELF. YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT YOU CAN TAKE THESE TESTS MORE THAN ONCE. THIS IS A WONDERFUL THING. USED TO WE COULD NOT TAKE THESE TESTS MORE THAN ONCE. NO COLLEGE WHATSOEVER WILL PENALIZE YOU IN ANY WAY FOR TAKING THESE TESTS 4 OR 5 TIMES. DON'T EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT. IN FACT, MANY COLLEGES PROBABLY SEE A STUDENT WHO TAKES SEVERAL ACT'S OR SAT'S AS A STUDENT WHO IS HIGHLY MOTIVATED. TAKE THE ANXIETY AND PRESSURE OFF. PRESSURE AND ANXIETY WILL DESTROY A CHANCE AT A GOOD TEST GRADE.

7) TEST DAY ANXIETY. MANY STUDENTS ON THE ACTUAL DAY OF THEIR VERY FIRST TEST GET EXTREMELY ANXIOUS. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS ISSUE WITH THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS SINCE 1982. WHAT I DO IS GIVE ALL OF MY STUDENTS AN 8 PAGE HANDOUT WHICH HAS EVERY SINGLE POSITIVE THING ON IT THAT I CAN THINK OF. THIS SEEMS TO HELP SOME WHAT. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO WAY TO TOTALLY ELIMINATE TEST DAY ANXIETY. ITS A FACT OF LIFE. EVEN WITH GOOD TUTORING STUDENT'S WILL STILL GET TEST DAY ANXIETY. HOWEVER, I MUST SAY THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS I WORK WITH TELL ME THAT ON THEIR SECOND TEST THEY FELT MUCH LESS ANXIETY (OF COURSE BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY TAKEN THE TEST ONCE BEFORE). EXPERIENCE LESSENS ANXIETY. FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN ALSO CAUSES ANXIETY. YOU CANNOT BUY ANXIETY AWAY; YOU CANNOT MEDICATE ANXIETY AWAY; IT IS A FACT OF LIFE WHICH CAN ONLY BE ALLEVIATED.

8) TEENAGERS IN GENERAL. REMEMBER WE ARE DEALING WITH TEENAGERS. CUT THEM SOME SLACK. THEY ARE NOT ADULTS. THEY DO NOT HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH LONG TESTS LIKE THIS. THEIR SCORES USUALLY ARE VERY NOT PREDICTABLE ON THEIR FIRST TEST (ALTHOUGH MY STUDENT'S HONESTLY ALMOST ALWAYS GET WITHIN 5-10% OF WHAT THEY WERE SCORING ON PRACTICE TESTS AT MY OFFICE). BE EASY ON THEM. BEING NEGATIVE NEVER HELPS THEM. I TRY TO BE AS POSITIVE AS I POSSIBLY, HUMANLY CAN WITH ALL MY CLIENTS. NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TO TEENAGERS ABOUT THEIR ACT OR SAT I SCORE USUALLY NEVER MAKES A HIGHER SCORE HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS COMING FROM PARENTS. I WOULD RECOMMEND BEING AS HIGHLY KIND AS POSSIBLE. CONGRATULATE THEM FOR DOING WELL UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, ETC. ETC. I REALLY CANNOT EMPHASIZE IN WORDS HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.

9) PHYSICAL ILLNESS. I HAVE SEEN STUDENTS GO RIGHT AHEAD AND TAKE AN ACT OR SAT I WHEN THEY WERE VERY SICK. THAT IS RIDICULOUS! POSTPONE YOUR TEST. IT COSTS NOTHING OR VERY LITTLE. JUST DON'T SHOW UP AND CALL THE ACT OR COLLEGE BOARD (SAT) THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY AND TELL THEM YOU WERE SICK. DON'T BE STUPID; I HAVE HAD STUDENTS TAKE A TEST WHEN THEY WERE DESPERATELY ILL AND THEY DID TERRIBLY BAD ONLY LATER TO FINALLY ADMIT THEY TOOK THE TEST WHEN THEY WERE SICK. YOU CAN CANCEL A TEST SCORE AFTER THE TEST BEFORE YOU SEE YOUR SCORES IF YOU FEEL YOU HAVE A VALID REASON TO DO SO. I HAVE HAD CASES OVER THE YEARS WHERE IN SUMMER'S HEAT THE A/C WENT OFF AT A SCHOOL AND EVERYONE WAS DRENCHED WITH SWEAT AT THE END OF THE TEST. I REALIZE THAT IS A SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE, BUT IT HAPPENS. NO ONE CAN DO THEIR BEST UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS. CANCEL YOUR TEST OR LEAVE. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A HEADACHE THAT CAN BE ENOUGH TO LOWER YOUR TEST SCORE SIGNIFICANTLY. STUDENTS NEED TO BE AT THEIR VERY BEST WHEN TAKING THESE LONG TESTS.

10) "ADVERSE CONDITIONS" THE NIGHT BEFORE OR THE MORNING BEFORE THE TESTS. MEANING LET'S SAY THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU STAY UP UNTIL 2 A.M. THAT IS ABSURD. YOU SHOULD GET A MINIMUM OF 7 TO 8 HOURS SLEEP THE NIGHT BEFORE; I MEAN GOOD SLEEP. I EVEN HAD A STUDENT GET DRUNK THE NIGHT BEFORE HIS TEST; HE ADMITTED THIS LATER ON AFTER WE GOT A TERRIBLE SCORE BACK. GO TO BED BY 9 OR 10. EAT BREAKFAST THE MORNING BEFORE. TAKE MEDICATION THAT IS NORMAL FOR YOU TO BE TAKING. IF YOU ARE ON ADD OR ADHD MEDICATION TAKE IT AS PRESCRIBED. I HAVE HAD STUDENTS MISS THEIR MEDS AND DO POORLY. BELIEVE ME, I HAVE SEEN ALMOST IT ALL IN 26 YEARS. OF COURSE, NEVER GO AND AND "PARTY" THE NIGHT BEFORE A TEST!!

11) ADVERSE CONDITIONS AT THE TEST SITE. THIS WAS TOUCHED ON ABOVE. IF ANYTHING BIZARRE HAPPENS AT THE TEST SITE THAT YOU FEEL HAS STOPPED YOU FROM DOING YOUR BEST JOB TELL YOUR PARENTS OR TUTOR. WE WILL HELP DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO CANCEL THE SCORES. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 1990 I HAD AN LD STUDENT TAKE AN SAT I AT A LOCAL SCHOOL IN DALLAS. THE CLEANING CREW WAS VACUUMING THE ROOMS WHILE STUDENTS WERE TAKING THEIR TESTS, AND THE PROCTOR WAS GRADING PAPERS AND NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE TEST TIMES SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE POSTING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, BOTH AFOREMENTIONED THINGS ARE A REASON TO CANCEL YOUR TEST. USUALLY THE ACT OR SAT I WILL ALLOW YOU TO RETAKE THE TEST FREE IF SUCH THINGS HAPPEN. ANOTHER TIME I HAD A PROCTOR TAKE UP A STUDENT'S CALCULATOR BY MISTAKE SO SHE HAD NO CALCULATOR TO TAKE THE TEST WITH. WE REPORTED THIS TO THE SAT AND GOT THE TEST CANCELLED.

12) EXPECTATIONS. EXPECTATIONS ARE VERY DANGEROUS. DO NOT GO IN EXPECTING A CERTAIN SCORE. JUST FOCUS ON DOING YOUR BEST. THAT IS ALL. EXPECTATIONS, WHETHER APPROPRIATE OR NOT, PRODUCE ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS. FOCUS ON STUDYING THE TEST MATERIALS, LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES, ETC. FOCUS ON WHAT IS AT HAND. IF YOU DO YOUR BEST, YOU WILL EVENTUALLY GET THE SCORE YOU WANT.

13) LACK OF EVER TAKING A FULL LENGTH PRACTICE EXAM. MOST TUTORS DO NOT HAVE STUDENT'S TAKE A FULL LENGTH PRACTICE EXAM. I HAVE RECENTLY DECIDED TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROCESS AT MY OFFICE (IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR ALL STUDENTS BUT CERTAINLY SOME). THE PRELIMINARY RESULTS APPEAR TO BE EXTREMELY PROMISING. PRACTICING A FULL LENGTH EXAM AT ONE SITTING GETS THE STUDENT READY STAMINA WISE. I HAVE MY STUDENTS THEN EXPLAIN TO ME IN WRITING WHY THEY MISSED EACH PROBLEM. THIS MAKES THEM BASICALLY MY TUTOR. AGAIN, INITIAL RESULTS SEEM TO BE VERY PROMISING.

14) EXTENDED TIME TESTING FOR LD STUDENTS. WITHOUT BREAKS, THE SAT I WITH EXTENDED TIME IS EXACTLY 5 HOURS AND 37.5 MINUTES. VERY LONG! WITH BREAKS, IT WOULD BE 6 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES OR SO. THUS, IF YOU GET TO THE TEST CENTER AT 7:30 AND THE TEST BEGINS AT 8:30, YOU WILL GET OUT AROUND POSSIBLY 3:30. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS IS A HUGE SHOCKER FOR THE LD STUDENT. FOR LD STUDENTS, THIS IS AMOUNTS TO AN ACTUAL DISADVANTAGE. SOME LD STUDENTS GET TO TAKE THE TEST OVER 2 DAYS, BUT THAT IS VERY RARE. THIS IS REALLY GROSS. IT HAS ACTUALLY BACK FIRED ON MANY AN LD STUDENT. THEY HAD TO SWITCH TO THE SHORTER ACT. HOWEVER, THE ACT IS ALMOST AS LONG WITH EXTENDED TIME. ITS ABOUT 5 HOURS AND 10 MINUTES OR SO WITH EXTENDED TIME. THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE BREAK TIME, GETTING TO THE TEST AT 7:30 ETC. SO THEY BOTH ARE JUST ABOUT THE SAME LENGTH WITH EXTENDED TIME. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. HOW DO THE TEST MAKERS AVOID THE QUESTION OF STAMINA? EVEN THE MOST RUDIMENTARY LIFE FORMS ON THE PLANET KNOW WHAT IT MEANS WHEN YOU GET TIRED!!! TRY SITTING DOWN AND TAKING HARD TEST MATERIAL FOR 5 HOURS OR MORE. MOST PEOPLE BECOME VERY ANXIOUS, BORED, AND ANTSY TO SAY THE LEAST!

15) THE ACT AND ESPECIALLY THE SAT I ARE NOT EASY EXAMS! LOTS OF PARENTS WILL ALWAYS TELL ME STORIES ABOUT WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR SAT I (INSERT LENGTHY STORY HERE). THIS IS NOT AT ALL, IN ANY WAY, THE SAME EXAM YOU OR I TOOK FIFTEEN YEARS AGO. THEY HAVE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON SO CALLED DEVELOPMENT OF THIS EXAM. THEY ARE DAMN HARD. IT IS LONG, AND THE READING PASSAGES ARE HORRIBLY LONG AND THE TIME CONSTRAINTS THEY PUT THE STUDENT UNDER ARE ABSURD AND THEY EXIST NOWHERE IN THE REAL WORLD EXCEPT ON THE ACT AND OR SAT I. THE SAT I IS THE WORSE OFFENDER HERE. IT IS MUCH HARDER THAN THE ACT FOR MOST STUDENTS. FURTHERMORE, VERY FEW HIGH SCHOOLS PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS IN ANY WAY FOR THESE EXAMS. THEY JUST LEAVE IT UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL. SOME SCHOOLS DON'T EVEN BOTH OFFERING VOCABULARY STUDY PROGRAMS.

16) HIGH SCHOOLS DO NOT PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THESE TESTS. NO THEY DO NOT. VERY RARE THAT ANY HIGH SCHOOL HAS ANY TYPE OF PROGRAM OR CLASS DEVOTED TO ACT OR SAT I WHICH IS A PART OF THEIR REGULAR CURRICULUM. MOST PARENTS ASSUME THAT HIGH SCHOOL WILL PREPARE YOU ADEQUATELY FOR THE ACT OR SAT I. IT OFTEN DOES NOT. NOT EVEN PRIVATE SCHOOLS PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE ACT OR SAT I.

17) SKIPPING BREAKFAST THE DAY OF THE TEST. A LOT OF STUDENTS I HAVE TALKED TO GET INTO A RUSH AND SKIP BREAKFAST. THIS IS A HUGE NO NO. YOU CANNOT DO WELL WITHOUT FOOD FOR YOUR BRAIN. SO, EAT SOMETHING FOR BREAKFAST. DO NOT EAT A LOT OF SUGAR OR CAFFEINE. EAT SOMETHING GOOD LIKE FRUIT, EGGS, ETC. YOU DEFINITELY NEED A SOURCE OF PROTEIN AND CARBOHYDRATES.

18) NOT MEMORIZING THE INFORMATION YOUR TUTOR HAS GIVEN YOU OR NOT DOING HOMEWORK FOR YOUR TUTOR OR NOT FOLLOWING YOUR TUTOR'S ADVICE, ETC. I HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT TIMES WITH SOME STUDENTS. I WILL TELL THEM TILL I AM BLUE IN THE FACE TO MEMORIZE EVERYTHING AND THEY JUST DON'T. I DO ALWAYS REPORT THIS TO PARENTS BUT SOME PARENTS GIVE ME NO FEEDBACK. IT IS HARD TO ENFORCE ANY OF THESE THINGS WITHOUT PARENTAL HELP. HAVING A TUTOR CAN BE EXTRAORDINARILY BENEFICIAL ON THESE TESTS AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW THEIR DIRECTIONS TO THE LETTER! I HAD A VERY NICE YOUNG LADY TELL ME RECENTLY THAT I HAD MADE HER LIFE SO MUCH MORE EASIER BECAUSE BASICALLY FROM TUTORING SHE LEARNED EXACTLY HOW TO HANDLE EACH OF THE PROBLEMS ON THE TESTS (SHE SAID THAT I BASICALLY SPOON FED HER ALL THE SECRETS WHICH WAS TREMENDOUS HELP). THIS YOUNG LADY SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME MEMORIZING MY INSTRUCTIONS AND DOING HER HOMEWORK.

19) NOT ENOUGH PRACTICE. SOME STUDENTS BEGIN PRACTICING OR TUTORING WAY TOO CLOSE TO THE ACTUAL ACT OR SAT TO DO ANY GOOD WHATSOEVER. I WOULD SAY THAT THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM YOU SHOULD BEGIN SOME TYPE OF STUDYING FOR THE ACT OR SAT IS 6-9 MONTHS PRIOR TO YOUR VERY FIRST TEST. THAT WAY, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF BREATHING ROOM. SOME OF THE THINGS ON THIS TEST REQUIRE A LOT OF PRACTICE, SUCH AS THE READING. READING IS AN ACQUIRED SKILL. SOME STUDENTS CAN LEARN IT VERY QUICKLY SOME CANNOT. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT!

20) THESE TESTS ARE LONG AND HARD PERIOD, ESPECIALLY FOR A STUDENT WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES! YOU CAN EXPECT A STUDENT WITH LD ISSUES TO DO WORSE ON THEIR VERY FIRST TEST VS. A STUDENT WITH NO LEARNING DIFFERENCES. IT JUST TAKES AN LD STUDENT LONGER TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH THESE TESTS. DO NOT COMPARE NON LD SIBLINGS TO LD SIBLINGS. THAT COMPARISON IS TOTALLY INVALID AND INAPPROPRIATE.

21) SOME TUTORS ARE NOT GOOD TUTORS! IF YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER DOES NOT IMPROVE AFTER THEIR 2ND OR 3RD ACT/SAT JUST FIND SOMEONE ELSE. PERSONALLY, AT ANYTIME 15%-25% OF MY CLIENTS HAVE COME FROM ANOTHER TUTOR WHO DID NOT DO A GOOD JOB. SOME TUTORS JUST HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE THAN OTHERS AND KNOW MORE. I HAVE OVER 27 YEARS DAILY EXPERIENCE TUTORING THESE EXAMS. IF THE TUTOR OR ORGANIZATION YOU ARE USING IS NOT HAVING THE STUDENT TAKE ACTUAL TIMED PRACTICE SECTIONS THEN YOU NEED TO GET ANOTHER TUTOR. THE ONLY WAY TO TUTOR THESE EXAMS IS TO HAVE STUDENTS TAKE PAST EXAMS AND TEACH THEM EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM THEY MISS. PRACTICE IS A MUST! I KNOW OF TUTORS WHO JUST DISCUSS THE EXAM, ETC. THAT IS NEXT TO WORTHLESS. THAT WOULD BE LIKE TRYING TO PLAY SOCCER BY JUST TALKING ABOUT IT AND NEVER PRACTICING IT! LUDICROUS. LOOK FOR A TUTOR WITH LOTS OF EXPERIENCE WHO CAN ALSO SHOW YOU THEIR PAST SUCCESSES. I HAVE OVER 400 LETTERS ON FILE FROM PAST CLIENTS WHO CAN SHOW I DO A GOOD JOB. PLUS, I HAVE A VERY LONG WAITING LIST USUALLY.

22) TEENAGERS HAVE BAD DAYS! EVERYONE HAS A BAD DAY HERE AND THERE. YOU CAN CERTAINLY HAVE A BAD TEST DAY. THE REASON FOR THIS IS BEING A HUMAN BEING. THIS JUST HAPPENS. THERE ARE DOZENS OF REASONS FOR THIS. JUST TAKE THE TEST AGAIN AND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD DAY.

23) DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. YES I HAVE HAD STUDENTS GET DRUNK THE NIGHT BEFORE THE TEST AND DO HORRIBLY. LUCKILY THE CONFESSED THIS TO THEIR PARENTS. THEY DID TAKE THE TESTS AGAIN!

24) UNDIAGNOSED LEARNING DIFFERENCES - SOME STUDENTS IF THEY HAVE UNDIAGNOSED LEARNING DIFFERENCES MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FINISH A TEST ON TIME. FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS IS LOCATED IN THIS BLOG (SEE THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WHERE I LIST THE QUESTION TOPICS).

25) EITHER DIAGNOSED OR UNDIAGNOSED LONG STANDING ANXIETY ISSUES - IF A STUDENT HAS A LONG HISTORY OF NOT DOING WELL ON LONG TESTS SUCH AS ERB TESTS OR ACHIEVEMENT TESTS, THEN THEY WILL PROBABLY HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THE ACT OR SAT. THEY SHOULD BE TESTED FOR LEARNING ISSUES/DIFFERENCES. ANXIETY CAN BE MEDICATED AS CAN MANY OTHER LEARNING DIFFERENCES. I HAVE SEEN MANY STUDENTS WHO GOT MEDICATION FROM THEIR DOCTOR AND SUDDENLY THEIR SCORES REALLY JUMPED UP! BE HONEST WITH YOUR TUTOR OR OTHER PROFESSIONALS ABOUT THESE ISSUES. I HAVE HAD PARENTS NOT TELL ME THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS TYPE OF ISSUE WHEN IF THEY HAD TOLD ME THE TRUTH IT WOULD HAVE MASSIVELY HELPED ME DEAL BETTER WITH THAT PARTICULAR STUDENT. IF I KNOW A STUDENT HAS AN ISSUE OF ANXIETY ON A TESTING SITUATION I CAN USE THE SPECIAL STRATEGIES I HAVE FOR THAT TYPE OF ISSUE AND GIVE THOSE TO THE STUDENT IMMEDIATELY!

26) LIFE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE TEST - THIS IS A STRANGE ONE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL STUDENTS WHO BROKE UP WITH A BOYFRIEND/GIRLFRIEND A WEEK OR SO BEFORE THE ACT OR SAT AND THIS MOST DEFINITELY ADVERSELY AFFECTED THEIR SCORE! THESE THINGS HAPPEN IN HIGH SCHOOL. THEY CANNOT BE DISCOUNTED. DO NOT DISCOUNT YOUR CHILD'S FEELINGS; REMEMBER, TO THE TEENAGER THEIR FEELINGS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!! I RECENTLY HAD A MALE STUDENT WHO BROKE UP WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND THE WEEK OF THE SAT AND HE BOMBED IT! HE WENT TO COUNSELING AND TOOK THE SAT AGAIN JUST 8 WEEKS LATER AND MADE 300 POINTS HIGHER!

27) IMPROPER SELF MEDICATION THE DAY BEFORE OR DAY OF THE TEST- I HAVE SEEN STUDENTS WHO WERE ALREADY TAKING ADD MEDS TAKE MORE OR LESS THE DAY BEFORE OR DAY OF TEST! THAT IS STUPID! TAKE THE MEDICATION EXACTLY AS PRESCRIBED. YOU RISK DOING GREAT DAMAGE TO YOUR HEALTH AND TEST SCORE IF YOU DON'T!!!!!!! NEVER TAKE MORE MEDICATION THAN IS PRESCRIBED. NEVER!! NEVER TAKE ANYONE ELSE'S MEDICATION EITHER!!!!! NEVER!! ONLY TAKE YOURS THE EXACT WAY IT IS PRESCRIBED. IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED MORE MEDICATION THE DAY OF THE TEST BECAUSE THE TEST IS LONGER YOU MUST CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT THAT, PERIOD.

HOW MUCH MATH IS ON THE ACT AND THE SAT I?

HOW MUCH MATH IS ON THE ACT AND THE SAT I?

THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MATH ON BOTH THE ACT AND THE SAT I THAT DOES NOT CHANGE. THE ACT HAS ON IT ALGEBRA I, ALGEBRA II, GEOMETRY, TRIGONOMETRY, AND SOME PRECAL QUESTIONS (WHAT SOME SCHOOLS WOULD CALL PRECAL QUESTIONS). THEY BASICALLY REPEAT THE SAME TYPE OF QUESTIONS EACH TEST; THEY RARELY ADD NEW QUESTION TYPES. THUS, I WOULD SAY ONLY ABOUT 5-10% OF THE MATH YOU LEARN IN HIGH SCHOOL IS REPRESENTED ON THE ACT. THAT IS NOT A HUGE AMOUNT. IT IS VERY MUCH LEARNABLE EVEN IF YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN IT ALL. THIS IS WHAT MAKES THESE TESTS VERY TUTORABLE; THEY HAVE THE SAME THING ON THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN SO ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS MASTER PAST OLD TESTS AND MOST ALL OF THE TIME YOU WILL DO VERY WELL.

THE SAT I HAS ON IT ALGEBRA I, ALGEBRA II, AND GEOMETRY. THERE IS NO TRIGONOMETRY AND NO PRECAL. HOWEVER, SAT I MATH QUESTIONS TEND TO BE ON THE TRICKY SIDE WHEREAS ACT MATH QUESTIONS ARE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD. SOME STUDENTS WHOM I SEE NEEDS LOTS AND LOTS OF REMEDIATION AND SOME NEED VERY LITTLE. WHILE TUTORING, I HAVE SPECIAL FORMS THAT I MADE WHERE I WRITE DOWN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING A STUDENT NEEDS TO REMEMBER FOR THE PARTICULAR TEST THEY ARE TAKING.

HOW DO I TELL WHAT SCORES ON THE ACT AND SAT COLLEGES REALLY WANT?

HOW DO I TELL WHAT SCORES ON THE ACT AND SAT COLLEGES REALLY WANT?

THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. RUMORS AND FALSEHOODS ABOUND WHEN IT COMES TO DISCUSSING WHAT SCORES COLLEGES ACTUALLY NEED. IN MY OPINION, THE BEST PREDICTOR OF WHAT SCORES A COLLEGE WANTS IS THE ACTUAL COLLEGE ITSELF! THEIR ARE MANY BOOKS PUBLISHED THAT LIST THESE, BUT THEY ARE MASSIVE AND VERY EXPENSIVE. THE BEST WAY IS TO CALL THE COLLEGE OR VISIT THEIR WEB SITES. COLLEGES USUALLY POST WHAT IS CALLED THE "MID 5OTH PERCENTILE SCORE" OF LAST YEAR'S INCOMING FRESHMAN CLASS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THE MEDIAN SCORE THAT WAS MADE BY INCOMING FRESHMAN. IN OTHER WORDS, OF ALL THE STUDENTS WHO GOT IN 50% MADE HIGHER THAN THIS SCORE AND 50% MADE LOWER THAN THIS SCORE. IT IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, AND IS A VERY SAFE PLACE TO BE. OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE VERY POOR GRADES AND OR EXTRACURRICULARS YOU MIGHT WANT TO MAKE HIGHER THAN THE 50TH PERCENTILE SCORE. HOWEVER, IF YOU HAVE DECENT GRADES AND DECENT EXTRA CURRICULARS THEN THE 50TH PERCENTILE SCORE WOULD BE A VER SAFE PLACE TO BE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE WHEN I CHECK THE "2007 COLLEGE HANDBOOK" PUBLISHED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD FOR ST. OLAF'S COLLEGE LOCATED IN MINNESOTA IS SEE A MID 50TH PERCENTILE SCORE ON THE ACT OF 25-30. THAT IS SOMEWHAT HIGH, BUT IT I WOULD TAKE THAT TO MEAN A SCORE OF 27. SO, APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE STUDENTS THAT GOT INTO ST. OLAF'S IN 2007 GOT BELOW A 27 ON THEIR ACT, AND THE OTHER HALF GOT ABOVE 27 (APPROXIMATE). SO BASICALLY, IF YOU SCORE AROUND 27 OR IN THE 25-30 RANGE YOU ARE CONSIDERED TO BE IN THE MID 50TH PERCENTILE SCORE. I CONSIDER THAT TO BE A VERY SAFE PLACE TO BE IF YOU HAVE A B AVERAGE OR HIGHER, GO TO A DECENT HIGH SCHOOL, AND HAVE SOME EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES ON YOUR TRANSCRIPT.

I MUST ALSO WARN YOU TO BE REALISTIC ABOUT YOUR SCORES. YOU DON'T NEED AN SAT I SCORE OF 1500 IF THE MID 50TH PERCENTILE SCORE OF YOUR COLLEGE IS ONLY 1100. I HAVE SEEN BEFORE MANY GOOD STUDENTS WHO DID NOT APPLY TO COLLEGES BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEIR SCORES WERE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. FURTHERMORE, DO NOT LISTEN TO IDLE GOSSIP! I HAVE HEARD THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS, ABSURD THINGS ABOUT ACT AND SAT SCORES. ASK A PROFESSIONAL OR SOMEONE YOU TRUST.

I JUST TOOK MY FIRST SAT I/ACT AND DID NOT DO AS WELL AS I EXPECTED....

I JUST TOOK MY FIRST SAT I/ACT AND DID NOT DO AS WELL AS I EXPECTED....

LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO WHAT I AM SAYING HERE. THE NEW SAT I (AS OF MARCH 2005) IS VERY LONG COMPARED TO THE OLD ONE. HOW LONG? ALMOST 4 HRS OR SO (IF YOU FACTOR IN BREAKS AND GETTING TO THE TEST SITE 30 MINUTES EARLY YOU MIGHT BE THERE OVER 5 HOURS!!). DO NOT EXPECT YOUR CHILDREN OR YOURSELF TO DO PERFECT ON YOUR VERY FIRST TEST. IT IS QUITE SHOCKING TO TAKE A TEST THAT LONG!!!! IF YOU DO WELL ON YOUR VERY FIRST SAT I, FINE. BUT MOST STUDENTS REPORT NOT DOING WELL ON THEIR VERY FIRST SAT I. WHAT I MEAN IS THEY REPORT GENERALLY DOING MUCH BETTER ON THEIR SECOND OR THIRD SAT'S.

SOMETIMES THINGS DO NOT WORK OUT AS WELL AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED. I HEAR THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT OFTEN. JUST TAKE THE TEST AGAIN. NO HARM DONE. IT IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE. DON'T WASTE TIME OR ENERGY WORRYING ABOUT IT!!!!!!

LOOK FOLKS, LETS BE RATIONAL. WHENEVER YOU TRY SOMETHING FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME IT IS GOING TO BE A NEW EXPERIENCE. YOU MAY NOT DO AS WELL AS YOU LIKE. THANK GOD YOU CAN TAKE THE SAT I OR ACT AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT WITH NO HARM. SOME STUDENTS DO GREAT ON THEIR FIRST TEST. SOME DON'T. I HAVE HAD STUDENTS DO NOT SO HOT ON THEIR FIRST TEST ONLY TO TURN AROUND AND GET A 300 POINT IMPROVEMENT ON THEIR SECOND SAT I WITH LITTLE OR NO MORE TUTORING!! SO RELAX. IT IS NO BIG DEAL IF YOU DON'T DO SO WELL ON YOUR VERY FIRST SAT I OR ACT. JUST TAKE IT AGAIN. BOTH TESTING SERVICES OFFER WAYS OF SEEING WHICH QUESTIONS YOU GOT RIGHT OR WRONG. SOMETIMES YOU CAN EVEN GET THE ENTIRE TEST BACK! ORDER THOSE SERVICES SO YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES.

ALSO AS I HAVE SAID IN OTHER SECTIONS OF THIS BLOG, SOME TEST DATES SEEM TO BE HARDER THAN OTHERS! ITS JUST THE WAY IT IS. NO BIG DEAL. JUST TAKE THE THING AGAIN. I KNOW YOU MAY NOT WANT TO, BUT THAT IS THE WAY THINGS ARE. BE GRATEFUL THAT YOU CAN AT LEAST TAKE THE TEST MORE THAN ONCE - THAT USED TO NOT BE THE CASE!!!

FURTHERMORE, THE SAT I IS DESIGNED TO BE A SENIOR LEVEL TEST. SO, IF YOU ARE TAKING IT ANYTIME YOUR JUNIOR YEAR THAT IS CONSIDERED EARLY. ACROSS THE BOARD, I SEE PARENTS, ESPECIALLY PARENTS, WHO UNDERESTIMATE JUST HOW HARD THIS TEST IS. IT IS DANG HARD!!! BE POSITIVE TO YOUR KIDS PLEASE! ENCOURAGE THEM TO TAKE THE TEST AGAIN AND DO BETTER. MOST ALL OF MY TUTORING STUDENTS DO BETTER ON THEIR SECOND ATTEMPT, IF THEY NEED A SECOND ATTEMPT. BE ALSO POSITIVE TO ANY TUTORS YOU ARE WORKING WITH. THEY ARE HUMAN ALSO AND NEED ENCOURAGEMENT. BEING NEGATIVE DOES NO ONE ANY GOOD WHATSOEVER, ESPECIALLY YOUR CHILDREN.

A LOT OF PEOPLE I WORK WITH ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO TAKE THE SAT I OR ACT TOO EARLY. THEY THINK THERE IS SOME ADVANTAGE TO DOING THAT. THEIR IS A RIGHT TIME TO TAKE THESE TESTS. THE ONLY REASON YOU TAKE A TEST YOUR JUNIOR YEAR IS TO SEE HOW YOU ARE DOING. IF YOU DO WELL, YOU ARE DONE. IF YOU DO NOT DO WELL, JUST TAKE IT AGAIN. YOU HAVE ALL THE WAY TO SENIOR YEAR PAST CHRISTMAS TO KEEP TAKING TESTS. I AM SORRY THESE TESTS ARE SO HARD AND SUCH A PAIN, BUT I DID NOT MAKE IT THAT WAY. IT IS JUST REALITY.

HOW SOON SHOULD ONE BEGIN STUDYING/TUTORING FOR THE ACT OR SAT I BEFORE THE ACTUAL TEST?

HOW SOON SHOULD ONE BEGIN STUDYING/TUTORING FOR THE ACT OR SAT I BEFORE THE ACTUAL TEST?

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT QUESTION THAT JUST GOT EMAILED IN. I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND YOU START AT LEAST OR AT A BARE MINIMUM OF 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE TAKING THE ACTUAL TESTS FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU SHOULD FOR SURE START TUTORING AT LEAST 6-9 MONTHS BEFORE YOU TAKE YOUR FIRST TEST IF YOU CAN DO THIS. SHORT TERM TUTORING VS. LONG TERM TUTORING - LONG TERM TUTORING IS ALWAYS BETTER. YOU JUST HAVE MORE OPTIONS THE EARLIER YOU START. YOU WON'T BE BACKING YOURSELF INTO A CORNER. I AM VERY GOOD AT SHORT TERM TUTORING (LESS THAN 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE TEST) BUT I AM BETTER AT LONGER TERM TUTORING FOR SURE. LONGER TERM TUTORING JUST SEEMS TO GET THE INFORMATION INTO A STUDENTS LONG TERM MEMORY AND THEY SEEM TO DO BETTER. OF COURSE THE MORE PRACTICE THE BETTER. THE OLD MOTTO, "PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT" IS VERY APPLICABLE HERE.

SO TRY AND BEGIN ANY PREPARATION AT LEAST 6-9 MONTHS PRIOR TO TAKING THE ACT OR THE SAT I FOR THE FIRST TIME. 6-9 MONTHS IS A MINIMUM RECOMMENDATION ONLY! IDEALLY, IT WOULD BE BEST TO START 1 YEAR EARLY. SUMMER AFTER SOPHOMORE YEAR IS ABSOLUTELY IDEAL.

ADVANTAGES OF TAKING THE SAT I OVER THE ACT?

ADVANTAGES OF TAKING THE SAT I OVER THE ACT?

WITH THE ADVENT OF THE NEW SAT I AS OF MARCH 2005, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF DISAPPOINTMENT WITH THIS "NEW" SAT I. IT IS MUCH LONGER THAN THE OLDER ONE. FOR MANY, THIS MAKES THE ACT A MORE VIABLE OPTION. HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL SOME ADVANTAGES TO TAKING THE SAT I OVER THE ACT FOR SOME STUDENTS.

HERE ARE A FEW:

-SAT I HAS MORE MATH ON IT THAN THE ACT. SO IF YOUR A GOOD MATH STUDENT, THE SAT I MIGHT BE BETTER FOR YOU

-SAT I HAS VOCABULARY ON IT AND THE ACT DOES NOT. SO IF YOUR GREAT AT VOCABULARY, SAT MIGHT BE BETTER FOR YOU.

-SAT I DOES NOT HAVE ANY SCIENCE ON IT AS DOES THE ACT. SO IF YOU DESPISE SCIENCE SAT I MIGHT BE BEST FOR YOU.

-SAT I IS MORE ABOUT TRICKS/STRATEGIES/METHODS THAN WHAT YOU KNOW. THE TRICKS CAN BE LEARNED VERY FAST. SO IF YOUR GRADES IN SCHOOL ARE NOT THAT GREAT BUT YOU ARE GOOD AT PLAYING GAMES AND TAKING TESTS SAT I MIGHT BE BETTER FOR YOU.

AGAIN, YOU HAD BEST TAKE SOME SECTIONS FROM BOTH TESTS BEFORE MAKING YOUR FINAL DECISION. YOU CAN DO THIS BY GOING ONLINE TO BOTH SITES, http://www.act.org/ AND http://www.collegeboard.com/ AND TAKING SOME OF THEIR ONLINE TEST QUESTIONS TO SEE HOW YOU DO OR PURCHASING BOOKS AT THE BOOKSTORE ON BOTH TESTS. THIS BLOG HAS SEVERAL SUCH BOOKS MENTIONED (SEE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF BLOG).

AGAIN THE NEW SAT I HAS MADE THE ACT VERY POPULAR. REMEMBER THAT MOST ALL COLLEGES NOW TAKE BOTH TESTS. EVEN WAKE FOREST NOW ACCEPTS BOTH TESTS (WAKE FOREST USED TO NOT ACCEPT THE ACT BUT THEY DO NOW!).

ADVANTAGES OF TAKING THE ACT OVER THE SAT I?

ADVANTAGES OF TAKING THE ACT OVER THE SAT I?

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE TO DISCUSS. I WILL RELATE HERE MY EXPERIENCE SURROUNDING THIS TOPIC. THE ACT TEST DOES HAVE MANY ADVANTAGES OVER THE SAT I FOR SOME STUDENTS. KEEP THAT IN MIND - SOME STUDENTS DOES NOT MEAN ALL STUDENTS.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ADVANTAGES OF THE ACT VS. SAT I FROM MY EXPERIENCE:

-ACT IS A LITTLE SHORTER TEST THAN THE SAT I

-ACT HAS LESS MATH AND MORE VERBAL MATERIAL ON IT THAN THE SAT I

-ACT SEEMS TO BE BETTER FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES

-ACT IS VERY GOOD FOR STUDENTS WITH EXTENDED TIME

-ACT WITH EXTENDED TIME IS NOT TERRIBLY LONG WHEREAS THE SAT I WITH EXTENDED TIME IS LONG

-ACT IS MORE LIKE WHAT ONE WOULD SEE IN SCHOOL MEANING IT HAS LESS TRICKERY ON IT THAN THE SAT I DOES

-ACT IS CURRENTLY JUST AS WELL RESPECTED AS IS THAT SAT I BY ALL COLLEGES

SO THE ABOVE ARE JUST SOME OF THE TOP ADVANTAGES TO ME OF TAKING THE ACT VS. THE SAT I. OF COURSE, EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT WILL HAVE TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHICH TEST MAKES THEM LOOK BETTER. HOW TO DO THIS? WELL GO PURCHASE THE PRINCETON REVIEW ACT AND SAT BOOKS AND WORK SOME TESTS AND SEE WHICH ONE YOU SCORE HIGHER ON! SIMPLE. YOU CAN ALSO PURCHASE BOOKS DIRECTLY FROM THE ACT AND THE SAT. THESE ARE MENTIONED ON THIS BLOG UNDER BOOKS TO PURCHASE (RIGHT HAND SIDE OF BLOG).

I HAVE SEEN MANY STUDENTS TAKE ALSO TAKE BOTH TESTS. YOU LOOK ESPECIALLY AWESOME TO COLLEGES IF YOU END UP TAKING BOTH TESTS. I HAVE HAD STUDENTS WHO TOOK BOTH THE ACT AND THE SAT I DO FAR BETTER THAN STUDENTS THAT JUST TOOK ONE TEST. NOT EVERYONE CAN HANDLE BOTH TESTS, BUT IF YOU CAN GO FOR IT. IT WILL GIVE YOU A HUGE ADVANTAGE COME COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TIME. THE REASON THAT IT DOES THIS IS COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PEOPLE SEE BOTH TESTS AS BEING VERY DIFFERENT AND VERY HARD FOR A SINGLE STUDENT TO DO WELL ON BOTH.

ACT IN LIEU OF SAT II SUBJECT TESTS?

ACT IN LIEU OF SAT II SUBJECT TESTS?

YES, MANY SCHOOLS WILL ALLOW YOU TO TAKE THE ACT TO FULFILL THE SAT II SUBJECT TEST REQUIREMENT. THIS HAS MANY BENEFITS!! HOWEVER, CHECK WITH YOUR SCHOOLS! EMAIL THEIR ADMISSIONS OFFICES TO BE SURE.

1. THE ACT IS A FULL COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TEST SO BY TAKING IT ALSO WITH THE SAT I YOU ARE TAKING ANOTHER ADMISSIONS TEST WHICH IF YOU DO WELL WILL FURTHER BOOST YOUR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PORTFOLIO. I HAVE SEEN DOZENS OF STUDENTS WHO TOOK BOTH THE ACT AND THE SAT AND DID EXTREMELY WELL. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY GOT INTO MORE COLLEGES THAN SOMEONE WHO JUST TOOK ONE TEST ONLY. MANY COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENTS SEE A STUDENT WHO CAN TAKE BOTH THE ACT AND THE SAT I AND ASSUME THEY ARE BRILLIANT BECAUSE THEY CAN HANDLE THE MATERIAL ON BOTH TESTS. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, THIS LOOKS VERY POWERFUL TO A COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT (YOU TAKING BOTH THE SAT AND THE ACT AND DOING WELL ON BOTH AS OPPOSED TO JUST TAKING ONE OF THE EXAMS). IT ALSO SHOWS THAT YOU WENT THE EXTRA MILE SO TO SPEAK.

2. THE ACT IS A MUCH SHORTER TEST THAN THE SAT I. SOME STUDENTS LIKE IT A LOT BETTER THAN THE SAT I.

3. THE ACT IS ONLY ONE TEST. MANY SCHOOLS WANT YOU TO TAKE 2 OR 3 SEPARATE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS. THAT CAN BE QUITE HARD AND TIME CONSUMING.

THE MOST ELITE SCHOOLS MAY NOT ALLOW YOU TO REPLACE THE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS WITH THE ACT, BUT THEY MIGHT. AGAIN YOU MUST CHECK WITH THEM. MANY SCHOOLS HAVE THE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS AS A "REQUIREMENT" ONLY WHICH THEY SAY IS NOT GOING TO BE USED IN THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT AT ALL - SO DO YOUR BEST.

RECENT LAWSUIT AGAINST KAREN DILLARDS TEST PREP IN DALLAS TEXAS

YES THIS IS MOST UNFORTUNATE. I HAVE BEEN ASKED MANY, MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. I DO NOT COPY OR USE ANY COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS WHATSOEVER SO I CANNOT BE SUED. ALL OF THE FORMS I USE ARE PROPRIETARY IN NATURE ( I MADE THEM MYSELF!). I REQUIRE ALL MY STUDENTS TO PURCHASE A COURSE BOOK OF THEIR OWN FROM THOSE THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE MARKET. I HAVE WORKED THE TEST PROBLEMS IN ALMOST EVERY SINGLE BOOK ON THE MARKET, AND THEREFORE I KNOW WHICH BOOKS ARE THE BEST AND WHICH ARE NOT. I USE ONLY THE BEST BOOKS WITH MY STUDENTS. AS I SAID MANY TIMES BEFORE, IT IS BEST TO GET INDIVIDUAL TUTORING INSTEAD OF GROUP TUTORING. IT IS OFTEN LESS EXPENSIVE, AND IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS TO ANYONE WHY ONE ON ONE TUTORING IS BETTER THAN HAVING 30 KIDS IN THE SAME ROOM!! IF YOU HAVE LEARNING DIFFERENCED STUDENTS, YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NEVER USE A GROUP TUTORING SERVICE FOR THEM. YOU MIGHT AS WELL TAKE $2399.00 AND LIGHT IT ON FIRE.

SAT I - HOW HARD IS AN SAT I SCORE OF 1400 OR ABOVE TO GET?

SAT I - HOW HARD IS AN SAT I SCORE OF 1400 OR ABOVE TO GET?

A 1400 IS WHAT I CALL A TOP END SCORE. IT IS VERY HARD TO GET FOR A NORMAL STUDENT. IT IS ALSO VERY UNECESSARY TO GET A SCORE LIKE THAT UNLESS ONE IS PLANNING ON GOING TO A HIGHLY SELECTIVE COLLEGE. 1400 SCORE IMPLIES THAT YOU MAKE ON THE AVERAGE A 700 IN THE MATH AND A 700 IN THE VERBAL. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, A STUDENT WOULD ONLY BE ABLE TO MISS 2 OR 3 QUESTIONS PER SECTION ON THE SAT. THAT HIGH OF ACCURACY IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE, BUT IT CERTAINLY CAN BE DONE. GETTING A 1400 ALSO IMPLIES THAT YOU ARE VERY, VERY GOOD AT VOCABULARY ON THE VERBAL SECTIONS. FROM MY EXPERIENCE, A SCORE OF 1200 OR ABOVE WITH DECENT GRADES AND EXTRA CURRICULARS WILL HELP GET A STUDENT INTO OVER 90% OF THE COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES. SCORES 1300 OR ABOVE START TO BE NEEDED ONLY BY THE MOST SELECTIVE SCHOOLS.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN - DOES UT USE THE WRITING PORTION OF THE SAT I FOR ADMISSIONS?

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN - DOES UT USE THE WRITING PORTION OF THE SAT I FOR ADMISSIONS?

SADLY, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT WRITING SCORES WILL BE USED IN ADMISSIONS DECISIONS FOR APPLICANTS FOR SUMMER/FALL 2009. THIS IS BAD NEWS. JUST ANOTHER THING THAT STUDENTS HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

THE BELOW IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WEBSITE:

http://www.utexas.edu/student/admissions/


From UT web site:
Use of Test Scores in Admission Decisions
You must submit an SAT or ACT score that includes a writing score by the application deadline to complete your application. (Writing scores will be part of the cumulative score used to make admission decisions beginning with applicants for summer/fall 2009.)
So, for this year’s applicants, we’ll use the scores in the following ways:
SAT: We’ll combine an applicant’s Critical Reading score (in place of the Verbal) with the Quantitative score to determine the composite score used for our review process. The total score will be out of a possible 1600 points.
ACT: We’ll continue to consider scores in the same way we always have, while collecting the Optional Writing Test scores for establishing baseline data. The total score will be out of a possible 36 points.

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY - DOES VANDERBILT USE THE SAT I WRITING SECTION FOR ADMISSIONS (2008)?

VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY - DOES VANDERBILT USE THE SAT I WRITING SECTION FOR ADMISSIONS (AS OF JANUARY 2008)?

I HAVE JUST RECEIVED TWO EMAILS FROM VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY'S ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT REGARDING THIS QUESTION. THEY BOTH GAVE DIFFERENT ANSWERS. SO, FINALLY I CALLED THEM AND YES THEY DO USE THE WRITING SECTION OF THE SAT I IN THEIR ADMISSIONS EVALUATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO IF YOU ARE PLANNIN ON ATTENDING VANDERBILT, YOU SHOULD STUDY THE SAT I WRITING SECTION AND THE ESSAY AND DO YOUR BEST. REMEMBER, THE ESSAY SCORE IS MIXED IN WITH THE WRITING SCORE TO GIVE YOU A COMBINED ESSAY/WRITING SCORE.

SAT I - SHOULD I STUDY THE WRITING SECTION, IS IT USED FOR ADMISSION RIGHT NOW??

SAT I - SHOULD I STUDY THE WRITING SECTION, IS IT USED FOR ADMISSION RIGHT NOW??

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION. IDEALLY, IF YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT COLLEGES YOU ARE APPLYING TO YOU CAN CHECK THEIR WEBSITES AND SEE IF THEY ARE USING THE WRITING PORTION OF THE SAT I FOR ADMISSIONS PURPOSES. MOST COLLEGES ARE NOT DOING THIS RIGHT NOW (JANUARY 2008) BUT MANY HAVE PLANS TO DO SO IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. IT SEEMS THAT ONLY THE TOP 80 COLLEGES OUT OF 3,000+ IN THE USA ARE GOING TO REQUIRE THE WRITING PORTION OF THE SAT I TO BE USED IN ADMISSIONS. THESE ARE SOME OF THE TOP TIER SCHOOLS ONLY (THE MOST COMPETITIVE COLLEGES). IT REQUIRES A LOT MORE TIME TO STUDY THE WRITING PORTION OF THE SAT I IN ADDITION THE THE MATH AND THE CRITICAL READING. THE WRITING PORTION IS NOT NEARLY AS DIFFICULT AS THE MATH OR CRITICAL READING, BUT IF YOU NEED IT THIS WILL EXTEND THE AMOUNT OF PREPARATION TIME OR TUTORING TIME THAT YOU NEED. SO BOTTOM LINE IS CHECK THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE MOST INTERESTED IN. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IN 2009 FOR INCOMING FRESHMAN THEY WILL BEGIN LOOKING AT THE WRITING SECTION OF THE SAT I FOR ADMISSIONS. I AM SURE SINCE UT AUSTIN HAS ANNOUNCED THIS, THAT SEVERAL OTHER COLLEGES WILL FOLLOW SUITE. SO RIGHT NOW CHECK WILL THE COLLEGES YOU ARE MOST INTERESTED IN APPLYING TO. IF YOU DON'T NEED TO STUDY THE WRITING SECTION THEN DON'T. HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WRITE A DECENT ESSAY BECAUSE COLLEGES SEE THE ESSAY SCORE SEPARATE FROM THE WRITING (YES IT IS ALSO INTEGRATED INTO THE FINAL WRITING SCORE WITH ESSAY) AND IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO SHOW ANYONE ANYTHING POOR OR NOT IN YOUR FAVOR. I WOULD SAY AN ESSAY SCORE OF 9 OR ABOVE IS GREAT.

AGAIN NOTE THAT IN THE FUTURE, I THINK MORE AND MORE SCHOOLS WILL BE USING THE WRITING PORTION OF THE SAT I FOR ADMISSIONS PURPOSES. IT IS BEST JUST TO CHECK WITH ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GOING TO CONCERNING THEIR POLICY ON THIS MATTER.

GRADUATE SCHOOL - HOW DO I APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL?

GRADUATE SCHOOL - HOW DO I APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL? GOOD NEWS HERE FOLKS. GRADUATE SCHOOL IS A LOT EASIER TO APPLY TO AND GET IN THAN REGULAR COLLEGE. GRADUATE SCHOOL IS ATTENDED AFTER YOU HAVE RECEIVED A 4 YEAR DEGREE FROM AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE. YOU PROBABLY SHOULD START THINKING ABOUT APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL YOUR JUNIOR YEAR IN COLLEGE. GRADUATE SCHOOLS WILL REQUIRE YOU TO TAKE EITHER THE GMAT (GRADUATE MANAGEMENT APTITUDE TEST) OR THE GRE (GRADUATE RECORD EXAM). THE GRADUATE SCHOOL AT THE COLLEGE YOU ATTENDED IS PROBABLY THE EASIER CHOICE FOR YOU. GRADUATE SCHOOLS TEND TO LIKE AND PREFER THEIR OWN STUDENTS. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IT WOULD BE EASIER FOR YOU TO ATTEND THE SMU GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IF YOU ALREADY HAD A DEGREE FROM SMU UNDER GRADUATE SCHOOL. MOST GRADUATE SCHOOLS HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ONE WOULD WANT ONLINE. THEIR ARE A LOT LESS STUDENTS THAT APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL THAN TO UNDER GRAD SCHOOL SO IT IS FOR THE MOST PART EASIER TO GET IN GRAD SCHOOL THAN IT WAS TO GET INTO REGULAR UNDERGRAD SCHOOL (REGULAR 4 YEAR COLLEGE). IF YOU HAVE WORK EXPERIENCE, THAT HELPS ALSO TO GET INTO GRADUATE SCHOOL. YOU CAN ALSO APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AT ANYTIME. LETS SAY YOU GOT YOUR BACHELOR'S DEGREE 20 YEARS AGO. WELL YOU CAN STILL APPLY TO GRADUATE SCHOOL AND GO. YOU WILL PROBABLY STILL HAVE TO TAKE THE GRE AND THE GMAT. I TUTOR BOTH THOSE TESTS AND SO DOES KAPLAN AND THE PRINCETON REVIEW.

REGISTRATION FOR THE ACT - HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE ACT?

REGISTRATION FOR THE ACT - HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE ACT? THE FASTEST, SIMPLEST WAY TO REGISTER FOR THE ACT IS TO DO IT AT THE WEBSITE WWW.ACT.ORG. YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER VIA PAPER. YOU CAN PICK UP THE ACT REGISTRATION FORM AT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL (PROBABLY IN THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING OFFICE). YOU FILL THIS FORM OUT AND MAIL IT IN. BEWARE, YOU MAY BE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THIS MAY TAKE SOME TIME. YOU MUST ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS AS THEY WILL USE THEM TO HELP COLLEGES FIND YOU. FURTHERMORE, YOU MAY WANT TO NOT SEND ANY SCORES ON YOUR FIRST ACT SO YOU CAN SEE HOW YOU DO. YOU CAN ALWAYS AT A LATER DATE SEND SCORES ANYWHERE.

REGISTRATION FOR THE SAT - HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE SAT?

REGISTRATION FOR THE SAT - HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE SAT? YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE SAT I AND SAT II AT THE WEBSITE WWW.COLLEGEBOARD.COM. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE EASIEST, FASTEST WAY TO REGISTER. YOU CAN ALSO REGISTER ON PAPER. YOU CAN ALMOST ALWAYS GET THIS FORM AT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL. YOU NEED TO FILL IT OUT PROPERLY AND SEND IT IN. BEWARE, WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE MANY, MANY QUESTIONS THAT TAKE ABOUT 20 MINUTES OR MORE. THESE QUESTIONS ARE MAINLY TO HELP THE COLLEGE BOARD LEARN ABOUT YOU AND THEY CAN THEN SEND THIS INFO TO COLLEGES. IF YOU ARE TAKING BOTH THE ACT AND THE SAT I, I WOULD NOT SEND ANY SCORES TO ANY COLLEGES ON THE FIRST OF THESE TESTS. THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT YOU CAN SEE WHICH TEST YOU DO BETTER ON AND MAYBE IN THE FUTURE YOU WOULD ONLY WANT TO SEND THAT TEST SCORE TO COLLEGES. OF COURSE, IF YOU DO WELL ON BOTH ACT AND THE SAT YOU CAN SEND BOTH SCORES. YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND ANY SCORES AT A LATER DATE TO ANYONE YOU WANT TO.

STANLEY KAPLAN - WHAT IS THIS SERVICE?

STANLEY KAPLAN - WHAT IS THIS SERVICE? THIS IS ANOTHER VERY LARGE COMPANY THAT OFFERS NATIONWIDE TUTORING SERVICES FOR MANY, MANY TESTS INCLUDING THE ACT AND THE SAT. THEY ALSO PUBLISH MANY, MANY BOOKS ON THESE TESTS AND MANY, MANY OTHER TOPICS! I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE VERY RELIABLE. THEY ARE MY SECOND FAVORITE LARGE COMPANY AS I LIKE THE PRINCETON REVIEW JUST A WEE BIT MORE. KAPLAN OFFERS GROUP TUTORING, INDIVIDUAL TUTORING, ETC. THEY HAVE A VERY WELL ORGANIZED PROGRAM. THEY ARE NOT CHEAP. YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE ALSO ANY PRIVATE TUTORS IN YOUR AREA AS YOU CAN SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY WITH A PRIVATE TUTOR AND THAT WOULD GET YOU A LOT OF TIME WITH A PRIVATE TUTOR. GROUP TUTORING SHOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED FOR STUDENTS THAT DO NOT HAVE ANY LEARNING DIFFERENCES. GROUP TUTORING SHOULD ALSO ONLY BE CONSIDERED FOR THE BEST OF STUDENTS. YOU CANNOT GET THE ATTENTION YOU NEED IN A CLASS OF 30 OR MORE STUDENTS! GROUP TUTORING FEES CAN RANGE UP TO AND ABOVE $2000.00! THAT MUCH MONEY WOULD GO A LONG WAY WITH A PRIVATE TUTOR SUCH AS MY ORGANIZATION. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE MY POST ON THE PRINCETON REVIEW. THE WEBSITE FOR KAPLAN IS WWW.KAPLAN.COM.

PRINCETON REVIEW - WHAT IS THIS SERVICE?

PRINCETON REVIEW - WHAT IS THIS SERVICE? THE PRINCETON REVIEW IS A NATIONWIDE COMPANY THAT SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH EDUCATION (AND SOME OTHER THINGS). THEY ARE A VERY LARGE ORGANIZATION. THEY PUBLISH DOZENS OF BOOKS ON EDUCATIONAL TOPICS. IN MY OPINION, ANYTHING BY THE PRINCETON REVIEW IS AN EXCELLENT, UP TO DATE, ACCURATE SOURCE OF INFORMATION. THEY PUBLISH BOOKS ON THE SAT, ACT, TOP COLLEGES, SCHOLARSHIPS, ETC. THEY ALSO OFFER TUTORING SERVICES FOR MANY, MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TESTS. YOU CAN CHECK THEIR ONLINE WEBSITE TO SEE IF THEY OFFER SERVICES IN YOUR AREA. I HAVE FOUND THE PRINCETON REVIEW TO BE A RELIABLE, GOOD SOURCE FOR TUTORING OF THE ACT OR SAT. I WOULD NOT HOWEVER, SEND A LEARNING DIFFERENCED STUDENTS TO THEM AS THEY MAINLY ONLY OFFER GROUP TUTORING SERVICES. THEIR INDIVIDUAL TUTORING SERVICES ARE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE. THEIR GROUP TUTORING SERVICES ARE ALSO NOT CHEAP. HOWEVER, THEY ARE A GOOD SOURCE OF HELP IN MY OPINION. THE BOOKS THEY PUBLISH ARE ESPECIALLY A VERY TRUSTWORTHY SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND HELP.

THEIR WEBSITE IS:

http://www.princetonreview.com/

POPULATION EXPLOSION - ARE COLLEGES GETTING HARDER TO GET INTO?

POPULATION EXPLOSION - ARE COLLEGES GETTING HARDER TO GET INTO? YES ABSOLUTELY RIGHT NOW THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT AN ALL TIME AS FAR AS STUDENTS APPLYING TO COLLEGES BOTH IN THE USA AND WORLDWIDE. I THINK THEY CALL IT THE BABY BOOMER GENERATION. ALSO, CHINA AND THE FORMER COUNTRIES OF THE SOVIET UNION NOW HAVE VERY LIBERAL EDUCATION POLICIES AND A LOT OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE COMING HERE AND COMPETING FOR OUR COLLEGE SPOTS! THIS YEAR (2007) ESPECIALLY HAS SEEN SOME EXTREMELY HIGH NUMBER OF APPLICANTS TO MANY, MANY COLLEGES. COLLEGES MAKE A LOT OF MONEY FROM FOREIGN STUDENTS. HOPEFULLY AS MORE AND MORE COLLEGES EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS THEY ARE ACCEPTING THIS WILL HELP ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM SOMEWHAT. WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT THIS? WELL, A LOT ACTUALLY. MAKE SURE YOU START YOUR COLLEGE PLANNING EARLY. DON'T BE FOCUSED ON ANY ONE SCHOOL. BE AWARE THAT THERE ARE MANY GOOD COLLEGES OUT THERE. DON'T PLAY THE NAME GAME!! MOST COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT; THAT IS WHY THE ENTIRE WORLD SENDS THEIR KIDS TO GOTO SCHOOL HERE! STUDY FOR THE SAT AND ACT SO YOU CAN GET THE SCORES YOU DESERVE. MAKE COLLEGE VISITS AS EARLY AS YOUR SOPHOMORE YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL.

GROUP TUTORING SERVICES FOR THE ACT AND SAT I - YOUR OPINION

GROUP TUTORING SERVICES FOR THE ACT AND SAT I - YOUR OPINION

I MAY HAVE ADDRESSED THIS SOMEWHAT IN ANOTHER POST. MY OPINION ON GROUP TUTORING SERVICES IS POOR. THEY ARE USUALLY EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THERE COULD BE 20 OTHER STUDENTS OR MORE IN THE CLASSES! IN FACT, WHEN YOU COMPARE GROUP TUTORING SERVICES PRICE WITH THAT OF INDIVIDUAL TUTORING YOU WILL SEE THAT FOR THE MONEY YOU CAN GET A HECK OF A LOT OF INDIVIDUAL TUTORING FOR THE PRICE OF GROUP TUTORING. I WOULD ABSOLUTE RECOMMEND INDIVIDUAL TUTORING OVER GROUP TUTORING IN MOST ALL CASES. IF YOU HAVE A CHILD THAT IS LEARNING DIFFERENCED, ABSOLUTELY DO NOT, DO NOT USE A GROUP TUTORING SERVICE. LEARNING DIFFERENCED CHILDREN ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE INDIVIDUAL TUTORING. MY TUTORING FIRM HAS AT TIMES IN UPWARDS OF 80% OF THE CLIENTS AT ANY ONE TIME BEING LEARNING DIFFERENCED CHILDREN. I SPECIALIZE IN THAT AND HAVE OVER 20 OR MORE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HELPING LD KIDS. FIND A TUTOR IN YOUR AREA THAT HAS SUCH EXPERIENCE. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY CLIENTS I HAVE GOTTEN OVER THE YEARS THAT HAD ALREADY SPENT THE $2000 FOR A GROUP TUTORING SERVICE ONLY TO FIND IT DID NOT WORK AT ALL SO THEY THEN HAD TO HIRE A PRIVATE TUTOR LIKE MYSELF. FOR SOME KIDS, THE ACT AND THE SAT ARE JUST TOO DANG HARD TO BE PUT IN A CLASS WITH 20 OR 30 OTHER KIDS AND LEARN THE MATERIAL. I MYSELF DISCONTINUED GROUP TUTORING ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO AS IT DID NOT GET THE TYPE OF RESULTS THAT I LIKED.

NEW SAT I - MY SON HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN UNABLE TO IMPROVE HIS SAT SCORE EVEN WITH TUTORING, WHAT CAN I DO?

NEW SAT I - MY SON HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN UNABLE TO IMPROVE HIS SAT SCORE EVEN WITH TUTORING, WHAT CAN I DO?

THIS IS NOW HAPPENING QUITE A BIT MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. OF COURSE IT IS DUE TO THE NEW SAT I AND ITS INCREDIBLE LENGTH AND ITS MANY OTHER PROBLEMS. WHAT YOU CAN DO IS GET HIS COLLEGE COUNSELOR AND OR TUTOR (IF HE HAS ONE) TO WRITE A LETTER STATING THAT HE HAS TRIED HIS BEST TO IMPROVE HIS SAT SCORE BUT FOR WHATEVER REASON HE JUST CANNOT. HE MAY NOT BE THE BEST TEST TAKER, ETC. BUT HE (OR SHE) IS AN EXCELLENT STUDENT WHOSE MERITS INCLUDE ........ THIS SEEMS TO BE VERY HELPFUL. I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO ARE COUNSELORS AND APPARENTLY YOU CAN INCLUDE SUCH A LETTER WITH ALL THE STUDENT'S COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND OR SEND THEM TO THE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT(S). YOU WOULD NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU INCLUDE THE STUDENT'S SOCIAL SECURITY AND FULL LEGAL NAME. THESE LETTERS DEFINITELY CANNOT HURT AND PROBABLY DO HELP QUITE A BIT. AGAIN, IT SEEMS THAT MORE AND MORE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PERSONNEL ARE BECOMING AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE NEW SAT I. MAKE SURE IN THE LETTER THAT YOU LIST SOME OR A LOT OF THE STUDENT'S GOOD QUALITIES SO THEY CAN FOCUS ON WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT THE STUDENT RATHER THAN THE SAT SCORE. I THINK MAKING A COLLEGE AWARE THAT YOU HAVE REALLY TRIED AND EVEN GONE SO FAR AS TO HIRE SOME OUTSIDE HELP SUCH AS TUTORING WILL REALLY HELP. I THINK COLLEGES MORE AND MORE ARE LOOKING AT THE TOTAL STUDENT RATHER THAN JUST TEST SCORES. OF COURSE GOOD GRADES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.

OF COURSE YOU CAN ALSO TRY TO TAKE THE ACT. I MYSELF IN MY OWN TUTORING BUSINESS HAVE HAD RARE CASES WHERE STUDENTS JUST COULD NOT DO WELL ON THE SAT I, THEN WE SWITCHED TO THE ACT AND THEY DID GREAT!! MORE AND MORE STUDENTS ARE TAKING THE ACT THAN EVER BEFORE. YOU CAN THANK THE SAT FOR THAT; THE NEW SAT I'S LENGTH HAS MADE IT VERY UNPOPULAR.