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.