Testniques

The Importance of Vocabulary

2010-09-28T09:34:00.000-04:00

Vocabulary is an essential component of the SAT. Sure, mastery of definitions is important for sentence completions. However, a great vocabulary is also an asset for success on the entire test. For example, many times there will be a keyword in the sentence itself. How can we complete a sentence we don't fully understand?

Often, difficult words will show up as the answers to passage based reading questions. At other times, difficult words will be in the passage itself. I have even noticed that such words like "respectively" will sometimes show up in a long winded math word problem. Of course, almost immediately, my students will ask me, "What does respectively mean?"

Even in the writing section, a sentence error might contain the improper use of a word.

In one actual 2010 SAT, I counted at least 75 important words to know. Imagine the student who goes into the exam knowing most of these words! What an edge he or she would have.

Learn the Language of the SAT

2010-08-18T23:47:00.002-04:00

Every standardized test has its own rules, its own language. The SAT is no different. To understand the language of a test, is to know how to attack each question type. To understand the language of the SAT is to be prepared and avoid the trick answer. In my next series of posts, I will address the language of the SAT for each topic: Math, Critical Reading and Writing........

Active vs. Passive Voice

2010-07-24T11:19:00.002-04:00

Passive language is awkward and wordy. The SAT grammar section does not like sentences written in the passive voice. Make sure the subject is actively "doing" whatever is meant. For example "Steve loves Amy" is a much better sentence than "Amy is loved by Steve" Steve is the subject and he is doing the loving. Amy is the "object" of Steve's affection. Please listen to a short 4 minute lesson from Grammar Girl by clicking on the following link: http://bit.ly/dcUyMP

Jerry Rice--SAT Philosopher?

2010-07-05T11:01:00.003-04:00

NFL Hall of Fame Wide Receiver Jerry Rice once said: "Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't."

During his playing days, Rice's off season conditioning regimen was legendary. He worked out incessantly in preparation for the grueling NFL season.

I have said many times that the "game" is often won in practice.

How does this quote apply to your studying?

The Voice and the Tone of a Passage

2010-07-03T17:54:00.003-04:00

Voice and Tone are two similar but subtly different concepts in critical reading. Learning to "feel" the writer through his or her voice is an important SAT Critical Reading skill. Many times a student will answer questions about a passage incorrectly because he or she will incorporate his or her world view into the passage. Hint--Your opinion does not count! The questions will start off with language such as "According to the author......" Not "According to Jim Smith.....

Once again Grammar Girl has an excellent discussion of voice and tone, please read or listen to the audio version by clicking here: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com

Grammar Tip-What is a Comma Splice Error?

2010-06-26T17:55:00.003-04:00

The SAT Writing Section tests many of the classic rules of grammar. One main theme is punctuation. When do we use a comma, a semi-colon, or a period? Grammar Girl is an excellent multi media website which addresses this issue and many more. Click on the following link and get the rule on comma splice. There is a written transcript and an audio presentation: http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/comma-splice.aspx

An Inspiration to All of Us

2010-06-26T09:12:00.003-04:00

A student of mine just improved her SAT score 200 points and scored a 10 on her essay. Impressive, but this is not the whole story. Six years ago she was not even living in the United States and did not speak English. Moral of the story--you can achieve any goal which you deem important enough to put in the appropriate time and effort.
Her mother called to thank me. I told her mother, "Don't thank me, its your daughter that put in the work and took the test." Moral of the story--Everyone should own their effort. A tutor is only a conduit of knowledge and test taking advice. How the student uses this knowledge will ultimately determine success or failure.

Critical Thinking: What Is It Anyway?

2010-06-14T22:15:00.002-04:00

From Elizabeth Online--one of the best introductory pieces on thinking critically. The next time you read one of the articles I post from the NY Times remember to ask the important questions that this blog poses: Critical Thinking: What Is It Anyway?

2010-2011 SAT Dates

2010-06-13T16:06:00.002-04:00

SAT 2010 Fall Dates:

October 9, 2010
November 6, 2010
December 4, 2010

Winter/Spring 2011 Dates:

January 22, 2011
March 12, 2011
May 7, 2011
June 4, 2011

Is It Possible to Enjoy Studying for the SAT?

2010-06-12T15:02:00.002-04:00

There is no doubt that something fun attracts more of one's focus, time and energy. I want to hear from students who have studied for the SAT or the ACT. I want to know about any pleasant experience in the preparation of either or both of these standardized tests. Please share your "secrets" with me so that I may pass these tips on to future generations of students. Feel free to be as creative as you wish with your stories and your language. Respond either as a comment to this blog post; or by direct message to my twitter account which is www.twitter.com @tutorsteve or via email Steve@testniques.com

I think this is a great way to improve the process for your fellow students. I thank all in advance for any response.

Your SAT Score Sucks Because.....Part 3

2010-06-01T12:29:00.003-04:00

Because you hate to read. The only time you read is when a book is assigned to you in school. You never pick up a newspaper, magazine, short story. You never visit the library to take out a book for pleasure. During the summer you never bring reading material with you to the beach. During your downtime, you spend endless hours texting and video chatting.

Because you chose this "way of life" you lack worldly knowledge and word power. You lack the ability to "read between the lines"--ie. the ability to analyze what is implied; the ability to anticipate an argument; the ability to "feel" the author's inner voice. All these skills are useful in high school, college and in life.

The only way to acquire these important skills is to read--not because you are forced to do so, but because you are intrigued by all of the potential books can open your mind to. Start now! It's never too late.

Your SAT Score Sucks Because.....Part 2

2010-05-27T20:54:00.003-04:00

You lack the proper fundamentals. You never properly learned the rules of grammar. You don't know the order of simple mathematical operations. Your vocabulary is that of a fifth grader. You never learned how to read critically. Maybe this is not your fault. Maybe your school district leaves a lot to be desired. Fair enough. However, you are foolish if you believe that you can rectify poor fundamentals in a matter of weeks. It will never happen!

It takes a full year of studying the fundamentals so that you can consistently master questions on the SAT. Message to those in this boat--start preparing for the SAT in tenth grade! Its never too early.

Your SAT Score Sucks Because.....

2010-05-25T15:28:00.000-04:00

You did not take the test seriously. You thought your 95 average and general smarts would get you by. But you were wrong because the SAT is unlike any test you have ever taken. Would you just wonder onto a football field and start playing without equipment? Would you just start ice skating without proper instruction? Of course not. Even if you are a natural athlete there are specific skills to each sport.
The SAT is no different. Just as an athlete learns the rules, skills and nuances of the game, a student must do the same with the SAT. You thought you could just go into this test cold and answer the questions? Think again. You think that the PSAT was a good dress rehearsal for the big test? Think again.

3 Reasons your SAT Score Sucks

2010-05-24T12:49:00.004-04:00

If you are disappointed with your SAT Score it is because of one or all of the following reasons:

1. You did not take the test seriously
2. You were not taught the proper fundamentals in High School
3. You hate to read

In my next few posts, I will examine each of these reasons in depth

The May 2010 SAT

2010-05-05T18:32:00.003-04:00

Preliminary comments from my students appear to be the exact opposite of the March SAT. In March most said the Math was easy but the Critical Reading was hard. Now they are saying almost unanimously that the Critical Reading was way easier than March (especially the sentence completions) yet there were a lot of "weird" Math problems that they did not understand.

More to come in the following days.......

2010 Summer Study Guide

2010-05-02T19:04:00.003-04:00

My 2010 Summer Study Guide is out. The Guide is revised from its original form in 2007 to reflect current test prep strategy. Ordinarily, this guide is sold for $9.95, but I will send this 37 page e-Book to anyone who emails me by May 15, 2010. This is my gift to you. My email address is Steve@testniques.com

Sentence Completion Clues

2010-04-20T22:36:00.003-04:00

Of the 67 questions which make up the SAT Critical Reading Sections, 19 are sentence completions. Sentence completions represent about 30% of the total reading questions. After reviewing the March 2010 score reports of many of my students, I found that, for the most part, the sentence completion success rate was less than 50%.

I believe this poor showing can be easily corrected. First, answer all the easy sentence completions first. The easy questions show up in the beginning of the section. There are no tricks to the easy questions and the answers are straightforward.

As the sentences get harder, realize that many times there are several clues in the sentence itself which allows the student to find the correct answer. These clues are much more important than the answer choices. In the more difficult sentence completions,many times the answer choices are full of words the students do not understand. However, by learning how to identify certain key words and by recognizing how the sentence is constructed, students can eliminate many obvious wrong answers. Elimination increases the accuracy of picking the correct choice from only two or three remaining choices.

Working On A New E-Book

2010-04-04T20:07:00.002-04:00

I am working on revising my 2007 E-Book "Your Summer Study Guide and Action Plan for the SAT" Believe it or not a lot has changed in three years. This includes both my teaching methods and some of the resources I now recommend students use. The E-Book should be ready by May 1st. I will email the E-Book to anyone who asks for it free of charge. This is my gift to all. Just email me at steve@testniques.com and I will send it to you via PDF file.

Eliminate Before You Calculate!

2010-03-28T16:55:00.002-04:00

In this fast paced, video game, text messaged world, the desire for instant gratification has never been greater. I have witnessed many students fall into this speed trap, especially when it comes to answering the Math SAT questions. The need for speed often leads to misread questions, sloppy set ups and silly mistakes.
Before coming up with the answer read the question until it is fully understood. Eliminate the obvious incorrect answers. For example--if the answer calls for a positive slope, eliminate the answers with negative slopes; if the answer must be less than 90 degrees, get rid of all those answers greater than 90 degrees. This method allows you to enjoy more accurate calculations while avoiding the "sucker answers" which are designed to catch the careless speed demons!

Reading Scores A Concern Nationwide

2010-03-25T09:27:00.002-04:00

Judging from the comments I am getting from my students, reading is the subject they need to work on the most. As I read through the newspapers this morning, I am finding a slew of articles about the poor nationwide reading scores over the past 17 years. When these reading scores are compared with the math results, the comparisons are even more striking. Is it our culture? To much time spent on video games and texting? For an in depth analysis please click on this link from the NY Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/education/25reading.html

2 Dates Left for the SAT This Semester

2010-03-21T11:11:00.002-04:00

May 1st and June 6th are the last two dates to sit for the SAT exam this semester. High School juniors are encouraged to register and prepare for one or both of these tests. Adequate preparation depends upon the student. 6 to 12 weeks of solid preparation should suffice. The time is now! Crack open those books and get serious. Don't wait to the last minute. Don't get shut out from the most convenient test centers. Don't just show up for the test cold, as many do for the PSAT. This one counts. Make it count!

Well prepared students will be proud of their results and enjoy a stress free summer knowing that the SAT is behind them.

Your Comments on the March 2010 SAT Exam

2010-03-18T23:50:00.002-04:00

Many thought the Math was relatively easy while the Critical Reading was very difficult. Here are some excerpted comments from students who actually sat for the March 2010 SAT this past weekend:

i thought the test was ok, and i had enough time. i thought the math was kind of easy, the reading part was kind of hard

I thought the math section was easier than the reading. I found the reading and the vocabulary difficult, and on the reading sections I was rushing at the end. I think I wrote a pretty solid essay, but it definitely was not my best. I was so nervous going into the test, and when I read the essay question, my mind went blank. But, I picked it up and my nerves subsided as time went on.

I didn't expect the SAT to be like this. It was way harder than i expected it to be. The timing was on average, I had enough time, except for the last writing part, The essay itself was okay, I think i wrote a decent essay

I GUESSED ALL THE ENGLISH PARTS AND MATH I DID ALRIGHT

I personally thought that the March SAT was totally unfair... Each section was so sporadic and nothing was "leveled" I wouldn’t be surprised if someone got like a 300 in the reading and a 800 in the math...
The vocab was ridiculous and the reading passages were super hard. I found myself reading the same lines over and over again trying to comprehend what it was all about.. I felt like I was reading Hebrew or something.
The math was fair-- many have said that it was super easy, but as you know, math is my weakest area so I'm not sure how that might turn out..
Grammar was a bit tricky. There were a lot more tricky and hard questions than I expected...
The essay topic was really random and wasn't one of those typical SAT essay topics with a cliche quote asking for my opinion so I was caught off guard.. I think I managed to BS my way through and get some awesome supporting details from novels and thanks to Hitler, I think I'll be fine

Important Math Formula

2010-02-28T20:13:00.003-05:00

To find the sum of the interior angles of any polygon use: (n-2) X 180 where n represents the number of sides. Using this formula to find the sum of the interior angles of 5 sided figure (a pentagon) (5-2) X 180=540 degrees. Assuming all the angles are equal, to find the value of each angle use (n-2) X 180/n so (5-2) X 180/5=108.

Proof Read Your Essay

2010-02-21T16:51:00.002-05:00

You have carefully outlined and written the assignment. Now it's time to use the remaining few minutes to proof read what you have written. Ask yourself--did I leave out any words? If so, use a caret symbol and insert the omitted word.

Did you lose your concentration and write a double sentence? If so, cross out the superfluous material.

Did you mean to write their instead of there? Or should it be they're? Change it to the proper form.

Make only minor editing changes during the final proof. The graders know your essay was handwritten under time pressure without the use of spell check and grammar check. Do the best you can to make sure the essay is well written, well organized and that it answers the assignment.

Present Your Strongest Point First

2010-02-12T08:50:00.003-05:00

SAT scores are released 17 days after the scheduled test day. For any given SAT, over a million essays are scored in less than 17 days. Think about that! How much time do you think the person grading your essay will actually allocate to reading your essay? The answer--less than two minutes.

Knowing this, it is only logical that you present your strongest argument first. Never assume that the grader will even turn the page to read the rest of the essay, let alone its conclusion.

When writing your essay, use engaging language (not baby words) and make sure your best example is your first example. Make a good first impression on the reader and get a higher score!

Write A Strong Thesis Statement

2010-01-31T19:43:00.003-05:00

Sample Essay Question: Is using humor the best way to approach difficult situations and problems? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience or observations

Example of a weak thesis: Humor is often the best way to approach difficult situations and problems. Okay, but that’s unoriginal and boring. It just repeats the question.

Better or stronger thesis: While everyone loves a good laugh, not all of the world’s problems can be solved with laughter. Sometimes to accomplish great things we need to be serious. This is evident especially in solving the important issues of the day including combating terrorism and tackling the threat of global warming…………

The second thesis statement captures the readers attention and the reader is intrigued to read on.

Step 2-The Thesis Statement

2010-01-10T20:39:00.002-05:00

The thesis statement consists of one to three sentences which:

Lays a foundation
Summarizes the main point of the essay
Helps maps the order of the essay from the outline
Interests the reader so she wants to read on

A weak thesis statement is a bland restatement of the question. This is not what earns a high essay score on the SAT. In my next post, I will give specific examples of a weak vs. strong thesis statement.

Step 1- Plan Before You Write

2009-12-23T23:36:00.003-05:00

Like most people I am at my most creative when it's quiet. When I am isolated from others my mind is able to reflect upon things and ideas rush into my head. My best ideas come when I am walking my dog on a cold winter night, when I am in the shower or when I am just sitting at the beach. If you are like me and agree with the scenario I just laid out, then you should use the first three minutes of Section 1 (the Essay) to read the prompt and quietly outline what you intend to write about.

Many make the mistake of writing immediately. Then suddenly after the first sentence, they freeze--writer's block sets in, palms become sweaty and for the next 25 minutes they find themselves in panic mode. Because the essay topic is random and unpredictable you need time to think of relevant examples to support your position.

Take a deep breath, three minutes is really a long enough time to reflect upon what you intend to write. Let the ideas flow in, then begin to write a dynamite essay!

4 Steps to a Better Essay

2009-12-15T17:23:00.002-05:00

The four steps necessary to improve your SAT Essay are:

Take time to properly reflect upon what you will be writing about and what supporting materials you will be using to make your case
Carefully draft a thesis or topic sentence so that the reader clearly knows your position
Support your position with clarity, organization and engaging language
Check your draft for errors, run on sentences and missed words.

I will examine each of these steps in detail in future posts.

Why Do I Have To Know This?

2009-12-10T08:40:00.002-05:00

Students often ask why do I have to know this? They may not have to know about geometry or ancient Greek poetry per se, but they do need to develop:

Critical Reading Skills, ie. the ability to read between the lines, the ability to infer, the ability to understand the tone and thesis of an article.
Problem solving skills, ie. the ability to solve a math problem from certain given information
The ability to write, ie. express themselves in a clear, logical and concise manner

These valuable skills if mastered will provide a student with valuable assets to perform well in college and in the job market.

Don't Get Overwhelmed

2009-11-29T17:23:00.002-05:00

Students are overwhelmed when they think of school work in its entirety. For example, if you were assigned a 20 page research paper,the enormity of the project would freak you out. "How will I find the time to write 20 pages?" you will ask while getting all anxious and annoyed. The Key? Baby steps! Set out with a small but achievable goal--say to yourself, "I will write one paragraph per day" Soon you will find that your creative mind will show you that it's no problem to write a page or two a day, and before a weeks time your task is done!

Are Your Priorities Straight?

2009-11-24T17:11:00.002-05:00

Many students fail to see the big picture. They claim they have "no time" for SAT prep. Amazingly, they have time for practice, games, rehearsal, recitals, shows, driver's ed, the mall, the movies and hanging out. How is this possible? Priorities! If there is time for play, there certainly is time for work. Allocate some of that play time for study time. If you do it early on the weekends when everyone is asleep, you won't be borrowing from time with your friends. Every Saturday and Sunday morning wake up early and prep for an hour. Start ten weeks prior to test day. That's a full 20 hours of prep in addition to any private tutoring or prep class. Everyone can do that math!

How To Avoid Being Fooled

2009-11-14T16:28:00.003-05:00

The SAT is a tricky test because of its tricky answers. The answers are designed to lead the student astray with half truths and misleading detail. The best way to avoid falling into these traps is to avoid looking at the answers. Answer as many questions as possible without looking at the answer choices. After enough practice any student can answer 80% of the questions on his or her own.

Answer the questions, do not guess which answer is correct and your score will greatly improve!

Ways to Remember New Words

2009-11-07T16:19:00.003-05:00

Play rhyme games in order to remember the meaning of new words. For example, one of my students was curious about the word "eke" which was the word of the day last week from dictionary.com. The standard dictionary definition of eke is to obtain with difficulty. But this is a tough concept to grasp just from a definition. So why not be creative and invent a sentence which will help such as, I eke by when I squeak by. When your sentence is short, original and to the point, you will always remember new words.

How to Increase Your SAT Score

2009-10-25T15:07:00.002-04:00

Successful people set goals, develop a work ethic and focus on attaining those goals. It is no different with standardized tests such as the SAT. The following list is a recipe for SAT success:

Start early, take the PSAT in 10th and 11th grades
Buy a review book in 10th grade and get familiar with the question formats
Read one article per day from a prominent newspaper
look up words you don't know from your daily readings
Join a review class in 11th grade
Do as many practice tests as possible under actual test conditions

All great athletes, musicians, performers and students share the same characteristic--they practice, practice and practice, and by doing so, they put in the time to be great at whatever they do.

Student Comments on the October SAT

2009-10-17T16:40:00.002-04:00

Here are some actual comments from High School Students regarding their October 2009 SAT experience:

“I felt the test wasn't too bad but it had some challenging parts and the passages weren't as confusing and complicated as they usually are”

“I didn't finish any part of the SAT”

“i took the SAT Saturday but I don’t think I did too well. I didn't like my essay and I think that preoccupied my mind throughout the test. I didn’t finish the first reading so I went back to it during second section which didn’t give me enough time to finish section I was supposed to be doing”

“I'm still feeling a little brain dead from the SAT…..Ill keep doing some reading sections because that's what i thought i struggled on the most today”

“The test was fair, yet I still managed to find somewhat of a problem while doing the critical reading section. It was not the passages yet the questions were all hard, and often were misleading”

“I don't know if the test was good or bad, but i felt less stressed during this one and hope for good results”

“I thought the sentence completions were average, and fair”

“I found the critical reading still the hardest part although it was much better than last time. some writing questions were difficult too. However I found the math sections very easy. I'll keep my fingers crossed but I think I improved this time around”

“Overall, I didn't think the test was was too difficult. Surprisingly, I thought that the sentence completions were the hardest part of the whole test. Many of the vocab words and wordings in the sentences I found to be very difficult to make out. I didn't have too much trouble with the passages and I found that the math and writing sections were fairly easy”

“The essay I thought was a little ridiculous. It was about laughter. The questions for math were very easy but the writing was just to hard. The reading was what i expected. all in all it was an SAT”

“The essay and most of the math was pretty easy to me. The rest i had some trouble with. My timing was not to good either. I did not complete the 35 question writing section, two reading sections, and one math section”

Reasons to Read the Newspaper

2009-10-06T22:18:00.002-04:00

An article a day will help a student several ways:

by making her aware of current events which allows for some timely essay topics
by practicing reading, she learns to analyze details, and this results in an
increase in word power, and an
appreciation of good writing

Most students do not get their news from newspapers. But they should try. There is no downside to reading the New York Times. It may not be cool, but the benefits outweigh the perception

Don't Out Think The SAT

2009-09-24T20:41:00.002-04:00

Student after student with extremely high G.P.A.'s seem to have difficulty on one or more parts of the SAT. Why? Many times they are too smart for the test. Their common mistakes include:

Answering math questions too quickly, thus making careless, sloppy mistakes
Misreading questions and falling for the sucker answers
Bringing outside knowledge of a topic into the test
Thinking every question is a trick question with trick answers

My advice to very bright students--no body is out to get you except you! Slow down, breathe, and relax. Do not attempt to answer a question until it is fully understood.

The SAT as a Predictor of Success in College

2009-09-21T09:38:00.001-04:00

According to a recent study, a student's performance on the SAT has a correlation rate of 67% with that student's ultimate college G.P.A. This is in sharp contrast to the 40% correlation rate previously thought. For more on this, please read this recent Newsweek article here: http://tr.im/zeTt

Solving A Hard SAT Math Problem

2009-09-20T16:49:00.002-04:00

One of the more difficult math problems in the Official SAT Study Guide 2nd Edition is on page 527 # 8

The Question:
(x-8)(x-k) = x²-5kx + m
In the question above, k and m are constants. If the equation is true for all values of x, what is the value of m?

The Solution:
Step 1 FOIL the left side so that x² -8x + 8k – kx = x² - 5kx + m
Step 2 add kx to both sides so x² -8x + 8k = x² -4kx + m
Step 3 subtract x² from both sides so -8x + 8K = -4kx + m
Step 4 we know that -8x must equal – 4kx so solve for k as follows:
Divide both sides by x so -8 = -4k; k=2
Step 5 we also know that 8k = m; so 8 (2) = 16; choice B

Characteristics of Effective Tutors

2009-09-13T21:27:00.002-04:00

How do you know the tutor you hired is effective? First off, chemistry between tutor and student is important. Both must feel comfortable with each other. As the sessions progress, the tutor does less and less, and the student does more and more. I call this the 70/30 rule--in the early stages, I usually am doing 70% of the problem solving on the board, but by our 5th meeting or so, this trend should be reversed--the student should be taking the initiative, holding the pen, working things out while I try and coax the thought process along. My job is done when the student is ready to teach me a thing or two!

How A Tutor Can Help

2009-09-07T11:04:00.004-04:00

Why hire a private tutor? There are several reasons:

tutors set up personalized schedules for the busy student
tutors set up personalized lesson plans which focus on specific weaknesses
one on one lessons are without distractions inherent with a large class
there is direct communication between student and teacher in a private setting
in between lessons tutors are accessible via email or telephone
students receive immediate feedback from the tutor

In my next post, I will explain how a parent or student will know the tutor he or she has hired is effective.

Girls vs. Boys on the SAT

2009-08-29T16:45:00.002-04:00

Girls outperformed boys, on average, by 13 points on the writing test, but scored 35 points lower than boys in math and 5 points lower than boys in critical reading, the College Board report said. The complete data breakdown for 2009 can be read here: http://tr.im/xrbG

Don't Be Average!

2009-08-26T18:42:00.004-04:00

The results are in for the class of 2009: More than 1.5 million college bound High School students took the SAT during the past school year. The average scores for this latest group were 501 for Critical Reading; 515 for Math; and 493 for Writing, according to a press release issued by the Collegeboard. The average composite score was 1509. For a more detail please read this article in today's New York Times- http://tr.im/xcS2

For those students still in High School--Prepare hard for the SAT. Try and achieve the highest G.P.A. in school. Distinguish yourself from the masses by presenting the most impressive admission application. Don't be average!

Teach Kids to Write

2009-08-25T08:22:00.003-04:00

In today's NY Times there is an article by Stanley Fish, a Professor at Florida International in Miami. While grading papers, Fish was appalled at the poor writing skills students displayed. In an insightful article, Fish analyzes the root causes of the lack of uniform writing instruction within institutions of higher learning. For the full article click here: http://tr.im/x3lx

Re-Taking the SAT

2009-08-24T10:08:00.004-04:00

Great success results from great disappointment. This fall, many High School Seniors will be taking the October or November SAT. For many, this will be at least the second time they will be sitting for this exam. Poor scores on one or more parts of the SAT is the main reason students choose to retake the SAT.

To ensure a better performance the second or third time around student must:

Start early- 8 to 10 weeks before the exam
Hook up with a good private tutor or review class
Focus on the parts of the SAT he or she performed the poorest on
Do as many practice tests as possible
Take the test seriously!
Have a positive mental attitude
Set goals and write them down

In my experience, those who practice the above, have the most success the second or third time around!

Don't Be Afraid to Guess!

2009-08-23T22:00:00.000-04:00

Every student believes he or she is a terrible guesser. Fortunately, this dogma with respect to guessing on exams is misplaced. Ever since that very first wrong guess on a second grade spelling pre-test students have convinced themselves that if they guess, it will most likely be the wrong choice. Why? Because we tend to remember only those questions which we guessed incorrectly. How many times will a test taker silently say to himself, "I knew it was A, why did I choose B?" Our minds like to revise history. When we review an exam a week later, we don't dwell on the correct answers (even if we had to guess the correct answer). The mind assures us that we "knew" that correct answer all along. We only admonish ourselves for guessing a wrong answer. This is the same reason why dialed wrong numbers are never busy. When we dial a wrong number and receive a busy signal, we think its the correct number-- that the person we want to reach is already on the phone. It is only when an unfamiliar voice picks up and says, "hello" that we realize that we have in fact dialed the wrong number. In the long run if you can pare down 5 answer choices to 2, you will answer 50% of those remaining choices correctly and 50% of the others incorrectly. Unfortunately, we tend only to remember the bad 50%. There is no conspiracy theory working here. The only conspiracy theory is the one in your mind.

Develop a Love For Reading

2009-08-19T19:17:00.001-04:00

Excerpt from zenhabits.net:

How to you discover the joy of reading? Well, start by finding amazing books, as I discussed above. If a book bores you, move on to another. Find a book with a main character you love, doing things that excite you or give you joy.
But beyond the book itself is everything else that surrounds you — where you sit, how quiet it is, how comfortable you are. You want the experience to be as pleasurable as possible. For some, that might be reading while taking a hot bath (reading in the shower is more difficult). For others, that might be with a hot cup of tea or coffee. For still others, it’s reading in the park, near a river or lake or ocean, on their front porch as the sun rises.
Whatever works for you, but make it something to look forward to.
Don’t force yourself to read — do it because it’s fun and enjoyable. If you treat it like a chore, it will feel like one. If you treat it like a treat, that’s what it will be. Make reading a voluntary thing, a hobby, a passion.
Learn to immerse yourself in the world of a book, and forget about the world around you. This is related to being in the moment, or finding the state of Flow — time seems to disappear, and nothing else exists but your book

Tis The Season for SAT Prep

2009-08-05T08:39:00.002-04:00

Its August 5th, and for those who will be sitting for the October 10, 2009 SAT, now is the time to start preparing. How? Read something challenging each day. I post a new article everyday on twitter with at least five new SAT words. Take the time to learn some new words.

Buy the new Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd edition and start doing some practice tests. Pay attention to the SAT Question of the Day.

Wake up sleepy heads! School will be starting before you blink. Use the quiet time in August to do something productive. Senior year is particularly stressful with college applications. Don't put off your SAT prep because September and October will be a mess.

Are You An All Star?

2009-07-14T22:17:00.003-04:00

As I watch the MLB All Star Game this evening I am thinking-We can all be All Stars in some facet of our lives. Whatever path your life takes, strive to be the very best. This is especially true in today's economy. Very highly qualified people are losing their jobs daily. One way to prevent this from happening to you--work so hard that you become an indispensable employee. Become the "Go To" person, the one others look to for leadership and advice.

Students should start early. Find a passion and put in the effort necessary to be an All Star. Do what is necessary to prepare for your standardized tests, obtain the best grades, put forth the best college application. Be the best you can be.

Change Your Habits and Change Your Life

2009-07-07T09:28:00.002-04:00

I know many of my students are sleepy heads during the summer. Believe me, I have two kids of my own, and given the choice they would sleep until the afternoon every day.

Behavioral scientists contend that it takes 21 days to break any bad habit. How about making a pact with yourself to wake up an hour early every day this summer? That hour will be yours and yours only! Run, workout, watch TV, listen to music, blog, eat breakfast, whatever. After three straight weeks, waking up early will be a whole new way of life.

Think of what you can do with this extra time when school starts--maybe the extra hour will help alleviate the stress of classes, applications, test prep, etc.

When to Start Preparing for the October SAT

2009-07-03T13:19:00.002-04:00

The October SAT is scheduled for October 10, 2009. For many seniors this test will be the final attempt to shine for college applications. Ten weeks before any SAT is a reasonable amount of time to prep. My review of the calendar comes up with the first week of August as the ideal starting point. Contact your tutor or group study course and make sure they are available to help you achieve your goals for the October SAT.

Read This Summer!

2009-07-01T08:48:00.003-04:00

Do not let your mind turn to mush this summer! If reading is your weak point on the SAT or ACT, make a pact to read at least one intelligent thing per day this summer! I will be posting one article each day which I think is worthy of your attention. The link to these articles will be posted on www.twitter.com/tutorsteve

June SAT Essay Topics

2009-06-26T09:33:00.003-04:00

The Collegeboard has released the four different essay prompts for its most recent June, 2009 exam. For those who will retake this test in the Fall of 2009, it makes good sense to examine these assignments and even use them to write practice essays under timed test conditions.

To access these essays please click on this link: http://tr.im/pR7f

ACT Scores vs. SAT Scores

2009-06-23T09:12:00.003-04:00

A Student who takes both tests must choose which scores to submit with his or her college application. Knowing which scores are better is a little tricky. Here is a link to an article about this issue. There is also a conversion table which will help in making the correct choice:
http://collegeapps.about.com/od/standardizedtests/a/convertSAT2ACT.htm?nl=1

2009/2010 SAT Test Dates

2009-06-12T00:19:00.005-04:00

From the College Boards Website:

2009-10Test Dates

October 10, 2009 SAT & Subject Tests Register by: September 9, 2009
November 7, 2009 SAT & Subject Tests Register by: October 1, 2009
December 5, 2009 SAT & Subject Tests Register by: October 30, 2009

January 23, 2010 SAT & Subject Tests Register by: December 15, 2009
March 13, 2010 SAT Only Register by: February 4, 2010
May 1, 2010 SAT & Subject Tests Register by: March 25, 2010
June 5, 2010 SAT & Subject Tests Register by: April 29, 2010

Who Are The Best Students?

2009-06-08T09:47:00.003-04:00

Someone asked me, "Who are the Best Students that you come across to tutor?" This was such an interesting question, I thought about the answer for several minutes before answering. The best students to tutor are not the super geniuses with the 99 averages. The best students to tutor are not the low achievers who barely pass their High School courses. The mediocre 75 to 85 average students are not the best either. Girls are not the best students to tutor and neither are boys. So who then?

The motivated student is the best student to tutor. The motivated student listens and puts in the time necessary to master the subject matter. The motivated student asks pertinent questions so that he or she better understands each lesson. The motivated student is focused and organized. The motivated student sets individual goals and does whatever it takes to achieve those goals.

I am the same tutor regardless of the student who hires me. Its the student that is the variable. I have witnessed motivated students with low High School G.P.A. overachieve on the SAT. I have also witnessed lazy "geniuses" underachieve on the SAT. Unfortunately, a poor score is often a wake up call, and the poor score is the motivating factor that lights the fire in that student. It should not have to be this way, but this is a fact of life.

They Laughed But Now They Are Crying

2009-06-04T19:27:00.002-04:00

Every class I teach has some class clowns. Put 20 or more teenagers in a class room together after regular school hours and there will be some who want to fool around rather than learn. Its okay to have fun but not at the expense of others who really want to listen and learn. Each class I teach comes with a 10 minute break specifically to allow students to "blow off steam".

Now that the May SAT results are out, it is no surprise that many of the comedians are not satisfied with their scores. The comedians are not laughing anymore. The comedians are scrambling to take the June SAT this Saturday hoping to improve their scores. For many, this summer was supposed to be a stress free period of relaxation. A time to visit some campuses. A time to work on an application essay and a time to enjoy the sun.

The good news is that those who wanted to learn were for the most part satisfied with their scores. You get out of life whatever you put into it. The SAT is no exception. For some unfortunately it was Garbage In, Garbage Out.

New SAT Study Guide

2009-05-22T00:22:00.003-04:00

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Collegeboard will revise its Official SAT Study Guide this summer. The Official SAT Study Guide has remained virtually unchanged since its original publication in 2004 to reflect the new SAT format which began testing in March 2005. The Official SAT Study Guide currently includes 8 simulated SAT tests. The new and revised guide will feature 3 actual SAT tests along with 7 simulated tests for a total of 10 practice tests.

How To Become A Better SAT Reader

2009-04-22T09:30:00.004-04:00

Many of the major magazines have an essay in each issue. Time, Sports Illustrated, The New York Times Magazine, etc. These essays are approximately the same length as the SAT's long reading passages. Take out a pen and mark up these essays. Underline any key phrases or quotations. Circle any vocabulary words you may not know and look up those words. Ask yourself the following questions: What is the authors point? Why did the author use this example? Does the article read as sad, funny, serious, sarcastic, tragic, or hopeful?

From these questions start to anticipate what questions the test makers would ask if given the passage in front of you, ie. figure out the main idea, vocabulary in context questions, inference questions, function questions, etc. When you put yourself in the shoes of the test makers, you become a better test taker.

Understanding the Structure of Reading Passages

2009-04-19T20:22:00.003-04:00

Often an excerpt from a novel or a short story will serve as an SAT reading passage. Novels are narratives with dialogue. It is important for the reader to identify the fictional characters and keep track of who is saying what. It is also important for the reader to understand who the narrator is, what the narrator's tone is, and what each character's attitude and agenda is. Once the reader is able to master this, the questions which follow are easy to answer.

The other type of reading passage is the more classic reference piece, much like what one would read in a textbook or encyclopedia. This passage will read like a classic essay. It will have an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Figure out the author's thesis. Highlight the topic sentence of each body paragraph. Understand the examples used to prove the thesis. Be aware of the essay's tone and key words. The questions which follow will be easy to answer.

The Wizard of OZ as a source of SAT Vocabulary

2009-04-07T16:13:00.003-04:00

Every time Easter and Passover approach I think of the Wizard of Oz. As a child, this classic always seemed to be on television during this time of year. Who knew that a careful review of the script would be replete with SAT vocabulary words? For instance consider the three following lines from the wizard:

'Why, anybody can have a brain. That's a very mediocre commodity. Every pusillanimous creature that crawls on the earth, or slinks through slimy seas has a brain"

"You dare to come to me for a heart, do you? You clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk!"

"And you, Scarecrow, have the effrontery to ask for a brain - you billowing bale of bovine fodder!"

Just from these three lines, I was able to italicize 8 SAT words! How many do you know?
What is your favorite book or screenplay? Go back, reread them and find some good words to look up. Its a lot more fun than tedious memorization.

A Wonderful Website for Flashcards

2009-04-01T22:53:00.003-04:00

Quizlet is a wonderful free Internet site for students. Many students often ask me what the best way to learn SAT vocabulary. While there is no surefire way, the use of flashcards is an efficient way to increase your word power. Quizlet allows you to create your own SAT vocabulary flashcards. The site displays many different groups of words including the 100 most popular SAT vocabulary words as well as the 250 most difficult words. These are but a few of the word sets the site offers. The link is http://quizlet.com/

Long Reading Passages

2009-03-08T20:09:00.003-04:00

The long reading passage aka The Gigantic Passage should not be feared. Sure, most SAT long passages are seemingly endless and boring. Sure some sport topics as ancient Greek poetry or the history of glass. Do not despair. As long and as boring as the passages are, there is a method which must be employed to successfully answer most of the 12 or 13 questions which usually follow approximately 90-115 lines of reading.

First, lightly skim the passage for no more than 3-4 minutes. Always read with your pencil. Circle or underline key words or themes. This will help the reader quickly locate important information which will facilitate answering the questions. In the case of dialogue, keep track of who is saying what--that's it.

Second, realize that the questions will be always be presented in orderly fashion. For example, the first question may direct the reader to lines 3-6, followed by a question regarding lines 10-12 and so on. Therefore, the reader is forced to re-read the passage once again anyway, so there is no need to panic if the passage was not easy to understand during the initial light skim.

There are more literal comprehension type questions in this part of the SAT. As a result, questions to the long passage are generally easier than other passage based reading questions. Time management and proper discipline are key components necessary to master long passages on the Critical Reading part of the SAT.

Understanding Compound Percent Problems

2009-02-12T15:06:00.003-05:00

Most of my student's parents were sold a bill of goods from their financial advisors who were either ignorant or stupid. I will give them the benefit of the doubt and call them ignorant. After suffering losses of 80% on a stock market investment in 2008, they were told not to sell because their stocks will eventually come back. Everyone with massive losses dreams that their investments will someday come back. Let's fantasize that the same stock which declined by 80% in 2008 increases in value by 100% in 2009. You would then be ahead 20% right? Wrong!!!! Never ever add or subtract percent increases or decreases on the SAT or in life.

The correct way to deal with the above compound percent problem is as follows:

1. Assign a theoretical value for our stock--I like to use $100 when dealing with percent.
2. At the end of 2008 our stock is now worth $20 (an 80% decline)
3. At the end of 2009 our stock is now worth $40 (a 100% increase)

Therefore our two year return is minus 60% not a gain of 20%---So the Rule here is when dealing with compound percent problems start with 100 and work your way up or down step by step. For additional practice try p. 491 problem #13 from the Official SAT Study Guide.

You Are The President Of You

2009-01-22T10:40:00.001-05:00

Many of you will be taking the SAT exam this Saturday or perhaps in March, May or June of this year. Barack Obama may have inspired you but Barack Obama cannot take the test for you. Barack Obama has already been to college and he has much more pressing issues to deal with.The President cannot turn a lazy student into a diligent scholar. He will not study for you, help you write your college applications or even give you a recommendation. Phrases such as "Change" and "Yes We Can" are hollow unless each and everyone one of you decide to take personal responsibility for your actions. Only then will you be able to achieve your goals, not because President Obama scatters some magic "pixie dust" over your soul, but because you have looked in the mirror and shouted, "I am the President of me!"

How Do You Know You Are Ready?

2009-01-06T10:35:00.006-05:00

What is adequate preparation for the first SAT? Can it be measured in study hours? Major test prep companies offer approximately 15-20 hours of in class instruction plus homework and practice tests. What about the student who prefers to study at home? Or the student that has a private tutor? How much out of class study time should that student commit to? Each student is different, but from my experience a student is adequately prepared if:

he or she starts preparing 10-12 weeks prior to test day
he or she studies alone for at least 2 hours per week not including time with a tutor
he or she completes 4 full length practice exams

By my math. a student needs to put in 30 to 36 hours of individual prep time prior to an SAT exam to be ready to succeed. Those who do not put in this time wind up spending much more time in the aggregate over 2 or 3 or 4 subsequent SAT's. Try and do it right the first time. This will actually free up time later.

PSAT Results--How to Use Them

2008-12-04T22:05:00.002-05:00

Sometime in December High Schools will start to distribute the results to the PSAT which was administered in October. The student is given a perfect starting point from which to set goals on the big test, the SAT. I have recently written an article which suggests how to set realistic SAT goals based upon PSAT performance. The link to the article is here: http://ezinearticles.com/?Setting-SAT-Goals-From-PSAT-Results&id=1720942

Examples of Answers that are Too Narrow

2008-11-22T14:39:00.003-05:00

A main idea or global question on the passage based reading section of the SAT is by definition a broad based inquiry. Broad questions are correctly responded to with broad answers. When presented with a question such as "The primary purpose of the passage is to......"

The correct answer to this question cannot contain facts stated in just one specific part of the passage--such an answer may be true but too narrow to be the correct choice. The correct answer must be broad enough to encompass the entire thesis.

For an example of an incorrect answer that is too narrow in the Official Study Guide, see p. 405 #19, answer (A)

Outline Your Essay Before Writing It

2008-11-19T12:08:00.002-05:00

Read the prompt. Figure out what is being asked. Scribble down your thesis. Spend two minutes making a crude outline of the major points which will support your thesis. Refer to this outline while writing the essay. This is two minutes well spent. The notes will keep you calm. The notes will prevent writers block. The outline will provide organization to the essay. An organized essay will often command a higher score and instill confidence as you navigate the rest of the SAT.

Examples of Extreme Language In Critical Reading

2008-11-17T12:01:00.003-05:00

I took the following wrong answers from the Official SAT Study Guide:

p. 458 choice (D) They were universally admired by British women from every class of society

p. 467 choice (A) was exasperated that she allowed Waverly to embarrass her in public

p. 470 choice (B) criticize the human obsession with time

I noticed a common thread contained in the above answer choices--all had extreme language, ie. super positives or super negatives

Extreme language answers are often wrong because the subject matter of the passages is rarely radically one sided. When practicing passage based reading beware of extreme language in answer choices. Look for more moderate and reasonable language.

Try and locate all wrong answers which contain extreme language. This will help eliminate tempting choices and increase the odds of finding the correct answer.

Six Reasons Critical Reading Answers are Wrong

2008-11-12T15:57:00.003-05:00

Do not be fooled! Knowing what not to do is almost as important as knowing what to do. Here are the six most frequent characteristics of incorrect critical reading answers:

1. The answer is too narrow;
2. The answer is too broad;
3. The answer is out of scope;
4. The answer has misused detail;
5. The answer is opposite of what is being asked;
6. The answer is too extreme.

We will examine each of these characteristics in coming posts.

Critical Reading--Paired Passage Strategy

2008-11-09T09:13:00.003-05:00

The paired passage reading questions require the student to compare and contrast themes and ideas between two passages. The length of each passage will vary from a single paragraph to several paragraphs. It is important to tackle these questions with the following systematic approach:

1. Scan the questions without looking at the answer choices. Mark each question--1, 2 or B for Both;
2. Read the italics and the first passage first;
3. Answer only those questions pertaining to the first passage;
4. Read the second passage;
5. Answer only those questions pertaining to the second passage;
6. Finally answer those questions pertaining to both passages.

This approach allows the reader to focus on each passage, one at a time. It avoids the confusion of mixing up the main ideas and points of each passage.

SAT Dates for 2009

2008-11-03T09:56:00.002-05:00

The following SAT exam dates for 2009 are as follows:

January 24, 2009
March 14, 2009
May 2, 2009
June 6, 2009

Register now and plan your prep strategy early. Don't get shut out of the most preferable testing sites.

Planning for 2009-Which SAT to Take

2008-11-02T17:40:00.003-05:00

High School juniors have many chances to take the SAT in 2009. The SAT will be given in January, March, May and June of 2009. There is no single best choice for all students. Each individual should plan to sit for at least one SAT in the second half of the junior year. Some may prefer the March exam due to obligations such as AP exams, Regents exams or SAT II subject tests which are given in May or June. Others committed to a spring sport (such as baseball) may want to prepare for the January SAT before the season starts. Students with heavy work loads may choose to take the January or May test because they may want to prepare without distraction during the extended Christmas break or Easter break. Start thinking about this now. Plan early and register early to insure a reserved spot at a test center most convenient to where you live. Another record turnout in 2009 will mean that many students who are late to register will have to travel long distances just to take the SAT. Don't let this happen!

New E-Book Fundamentals of Good Test Taking

2008-10-28T10:29:00.001-04:00

Testniques.com has just recently finished a short yet to the point E-book, The Fundamentals of Good Test Taking. Primarily written to help prepare for the SAT, many of the tips and hints are valid in High School, College and later on in life. For the next 30 days, anyone can request a copy by writing to me at steve@testniques.com The e-book is in pdf format so Adobe reader is required.

The PSAT Matters

2008-10-13T19:29:00.003-04:00

October is PSAT month. Many students go into the PSAT with the following philosophy-- it doesn't count so why should I try? It is foolish not to try on the PSAT for several reasons. First, the PSAT honors those who do well with National Merit Scholarships. Second, colleges give extra money to National Merit Scholars because it increases a schools prestige to have National Merit Scholars in its student body. But with National Merit Scholars we are talking about the top 2% of High School Juniors nationwide. For most others, the PSAT is an opportunity to take a practice test under proper test conditions. Sometime in December, the PSAT results come out with a detailed analysis which is useful for the preparation for the real deal, the SAT. Use this result sheet to locate those areas which need the most improvement. Give this sheet to your tutor and map out a proper study plan designed to turn those weaknesses into strengths.

You Practice the Way You Play

2008-10-11T23:29:00.003-04:00

Just got back from watching a new movie, The Express, the tragic life story of Syracuse fullback Ernie Davis --the first African American College Football Heisman Trophy winner. In one scene, Syracuse coach Ben Schwartzwalder is upset with the effort of his team on the practice field. Schwartzwalder yells "if you practice half assed, you will play half assed" Immediately I thought about how true this is with tests like the SAT. TAKING NUMEROUS PRACTICE TESTS UNDER TEST LIKE CONDITIONS (meaning--get up early on a weekend or holiday, eat a good breakfast, start the practice exam at 9 a.m. (same time as the actual test) correctly time each section, take the appropriate breaks, use grid sheets with pencils) IS A PROVEN METHOD TO IMPROVE YOUR SCORE.

Proper preparation is a great habit to get into. Whether its preparing for an exam, a job interview, a game or a presentation. The earlier one masters proper preparation, the better the performance will be when it counts.

5 Tips for Cramming for the SAT

2008-09-21T20:48:00.003-04:00

The October and November SAT tests represent the last chance for many high school seniors before applying to college. Here are some things to do in crunch time:

1. During the week make your study sessions count. Set aside an hour with no interruptions. Be focused and organized. Review the types of problems which proved challenging on prior tests;

2. Memorize the instructions for all types of questions;

3. Memorize the given math formulas;

4. Redo all the problems you get wrong;

5. On Saturday and Sunday take a full practice test. Wake up, eat breakfast and be ready to start a practice test at 9 a.m. Use a timer. Take the practice test under actual test conditions. A great rehearsal makes for a great performance.

SAT Tutors Teach Life Skills

2008-08-29T00:15:00.002-04:00

The SAT is much more than a test. The very best tutors provide something much more valuable than preparation for a standardized test. The best tutors instill skills which students use in college and in life. The best tutors teach students how to be critical thinkers. Stanley H. Kaplan summarized his method and the value of tutoring as follows:

"My method, as it evolved, really was quite simple: Teach students to be critical thinkers. My classes were not cram courses. Test-taking tricks and strategies would get students only so far. They had to know the material, analyze the information, and think out the answer. I wasn't preparing them for only a Saturday morning test; I was preparing them for a lifetime of critical thinking. It's like riding a bicycle: once you learn how to ride it, the skill is yours for life. And once you get the knack of taking a test like the SAT, it's also yours for life."

SAT and ACT Statistics

2008-08-26T23:14:00.003-04:00

The Collegeboard has just released its annual SAT scoring results for graduating high school seniors in 2008. The average Math score was 515, the average reading score was 502 and the average writing score was 488. Collectively, these scores and the scores from 2007 are the lowest in a decade. The Collegeboard says the low scores are a mixed blessing because they are a result of a record number of low income students taking the exam. Such students tend to score lower on standardized tests. 1.52 million students took the SAT this year. The very first SAT was administered in 1926 to 8040 high school students.

Average ACT scores released this month showed a decrease to 21.1 from 21.2 on a scale of 36. 1.42 million students sat for the ACT in the latest school year.

Are You a Poor Test Taker?

2008-08-25T22:46:00.002-04:00

More from Stanley Kaplan regarding poor standardized test takers:

"I could wallpaper the walls of my classrooms with letters from students who thought they were poor test takers. Students were baffled over why they received high grades in school and then bombed on an admissions test. Almost all "terrible test takers" have two common features: a high anxiety level and a lack of knowledge about the subject matter and mechanics of the test........I treated anxiety by instilling confidence, which comes from familiarity with the test. The greatest fears spring from the unknown. If students know what to expect, the tests are no longer growling monsters. No surprises, no anxieties."

Bottom line--do as many practice tests as possible. The more questions you see, the more confident you will be on test day. If you have seen every possible question, then they can't fool you.

Stanley H. Kaplan

2008-08-21T00:16:00.005-04:00

I am reading the memoirs of Stanley H. Kaplan, the self proclaimed King of Test Prep. Yes there is an actual Stanley Kaplan and I believe he is still alive and approaching 90 years of age. Kaplan pioneered the industry over 50 years ago. His 2001 book Test Pilot, How I Broke Testing Barriers for Millions of Students and Caused a Sonic Boom in the Business of Education has so many nuggets of great information for both tutors and students that I will be posting many of these wonderful excerpts. The advice is timeless--Kaplan's philosophy is still valid today as it was in 1958.

Kaplan says: "Answering SAT Questions requires focus, reasoning and practice. Acquiring test-taking skills is the same as learning to play the piano or ride a bicycle. It requires practice, practice, practice. Repetition breeds familiarity. Familiarity breeds confidence. Confidence breeds success."

Michael Phelps and the SAT

2008-08-19T07:58:00.002-04:00

Michael Phelps' historic run of 8 gold medals is a lesson for all students. First, he did not do it alone. It took a team effort. He had a coach. In his relay events, he had teammates. And he was dedicated and he practiced harder than his competitors. See any parallels here?

New Assessment Exam For 8th Graders

2008-08-11T22:48:00.002-04:00

The Collegeboard has announced that it will offer an 8th grade assessment exam starting in 2009. Preliminary reports predict the test will be similar to the PSAT and will test reading, math and writing. The exam was created because middle schools requested a specific exam tailored to 8th graders. So the college preparation process begins earlier and earlier. What ever happened to allowing children to be children? Are we creating a nation of robotic test takers? Is the purpose of school to develop young minds or to teach kids how to ace a standardized test?

Book Review-- Hack the SAT

2008-08-10T23:30:00.003-04:00

I am always on the lookout for new and innovative study aids. For the advanced student who is taking the SAT this coming October for the second or third time, I recommend "Hack The SAT" by Eliot Schrefer. An advanced student who has exhausted all the practice tests in the Official SAT Study Guide and who has already read "Up Your Score", "Hack The SAT" will provide additional insight and valuable problem solving lessons. I have read the book and I have written a review of this book. Please click on the Title of this post to read my complete critique.

Is the Internet to Blame for Poor Reading Scores?

2008-07-27T16:08:00.006-04:00

There is a growing debate about the stagnating or even declining reading performance by students on standardized tests, particularly the SAT. Is the Internet the culprit? Does on line reading enhance or detract from the intellectual growth of a young mind? The New York Times examines this issue today. There is no right or wrong answer. There are plenty of opinions however. The debate is a matter of perspective. Students have their opinion, as do parents, educators and certain organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the Educational Testing Service (ETS), the entity which administers the SAT. Click on the title to this post to read this in- depth and fascinating article in the NY Times.

Your Calculator, The SAT and The ACT

2008-07-25T14:05:00.002-04:00

Maybe I am old school, but I look at the calculator on the SAT and the ACT as a hindrance rather than as a useful tool. When I was a kid (many moons ago) there were no stinking calculators allowed in the testing rooms! Finally, when the test makers decided to allow calculators, did you really think that they were doing so for the students' benefit? Think about it! You can solve every math problem on the entire exam without a calculator. Remember the math is easy, its the set up that will get you every time. Never, ever, ever, use a calculator for a division problem when you are asked to solve for the remainder. Don't use a calculator when the answer choices are in fractions. When practicing math, try to solve every math problem without the use of your calculator. Use the calculator only to check for silly mathematical errors and for adding subtracting, multiplying and dividing complex numbers or numbers with decimals. That's my only exception to the NO CALCULATOR RULE!

Inverse Proportion

2008-07-21T22:43:00.004-04:00

In the previous post we basically defined direct proportion as what we do to x, we must also do to y. Specifically we said that if you double x, then we must double y to maintain the relationship as directly proportional. With inverse proportion when we double y we must halve x. The equation xy=k where k is the constant. For example suppose when x=3 y=20. If x is doubled to equal 6, y must be cut in half to 10 to maintain an inverse relationship. Using our equation xy=k we first solve for k--(3)20=60 so k=60; if we double x from 3 to 6 then we have 6y=60; y=10. So when x is doubled from 3 to 6, y is halved from 20 to 10. Simple as that.

Direct and Inverse Proportion

2008-07-20T21:41:00.003-04:00

There is usually at least one question on the math section which requires the student to know either direct proportion or inverse proportion. Quite simply with direct proportion if x goes up y goes up in proportion. If x decreases, y decreases in proportion. Here is a helpful rule for Direct proportion using variables x and y can be thought of as y=xk where k is a constant. Cross multiply and you get a variation of this equation: y/x=k. For example if x=2 when y=4, then when x=4 then y=8. The constant k=2 so y will always be twice x. Simple enough? If x were to be reduced from 2 to 1 then y would still be twice x but in this case it would be reduced to 2. In our next entry the more difficult concept of inverse proportion will be tackled.

New Blog for College Bound Students

2008-07-20T11:29:00.000-04:00

I have started a new blog for those of you who have mastered the SAT or the ACT and are now focusing on the next step--college. This blog will address every important issue and question new college students and their parents may have--from the application process, to furnishing a dorm room. You can access this blog by clicking on the title heading of this post or by the link that I will provide in the margin of this blog. You can also subscribe to this new blog called the College Check List by clicking on the RSS feed icon from your web browser. If anyone needs a relevant question answered on this new college blog, please do not hesitate to pose the question by email to steve@testniques.com

Weekend Reading

2008-07-19T11:42:00.000-04:00

Two articles of interest this weekend with regards to the SAT: US News & World Report outlines 6 steps to plan in advance for the SAT. A solid plan should begin in the freshman year of High School. The link to this article is here: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/k-12/2008/07/18/6-ways-to-tackle-the-new-sat.html

The next article of interest concerns the University of California considering revising its admissions policies by scrapping the requirement of SAT subject tests, known as SAT II's. Currently the University of California is the only large public university system that requires the SAT II for admission. Please read the full story here: http://www.diversityinc.com/public/3865.cfm

Identifying Sentence Errors

2008-07-18T08:41:00.000-04:00

Realize that for approximately 20% of these questions the correct answer will be choice E- no error. Correct sentences are the most often missed answer choices by students. Naturally when you are doing a series of questions which are called IDENTIFYING SENTENCE ERRORS the first thing you are looking for are errors. After searching for an error (or two) if you still have not spotted an obvious error chances are its choice E- no error. Do not try and create an error. Learning to identify correct sentences are just as important as identifying the errors.

Words Can Have Several Meanings

2008-07-17T08:32:00.000-04:00

Knowing that common words have several meanings is a valuable tool towards solving passage based reading vocabulary in context questions. For example the word mean can be used as follows: "Mommy was mean to me!" or "What does that word mean?" or "86 degrees is the mean temperature for NYC in the summertime" or "Danny plays a mean saxophone". See what I mean? No pun intended. Do not fall for the first definition that comes to mind. Read the passage and once you fully understand how a particular word is used in the sentence IN CONTEXT, then predict what you think the answer should be and then find that answer! The ability to master these questions will greatly bolster a student's SAT reading score.

These Two Types of SAT Questions Are Similar

2008-07-16T13:31:00.000-04:00

Sentence Completions and Vocabulary in Context questions are both included in the Critical Reading Section. The techniques used to solve sentence completions are very similar to the approach a student must take toward Vocabulary in Context questions. In my previous post, I urged the student to try and predict in his or her own words how a sentence should be completed. Well, this is especially true with these two question types. Before predicting a Vocabulary in context question, go back to the reading passage and read around the indicated sentence, ie. read the sentence before the actual sentence, then read the sentence, then read the next sentence. Finally, before predicting, realize that most of the time the word in question will have several meanings and the answer will usually be a secondary or third meaning. More about how words have several meanings in my next post.

Do Not Look At the Answers!

2008-07-10T23:05:00.000-04:00

This statement is especially true with respect to the sentence completion and passage based reading questions in the Critical Reading sections as well as the Writing multiple choice questions . Do not underestimate the power of prediction! Read the question only and try and predict what the answer should be. Then glance at the answers and find the answer which closely matches your prediction. Many times its as simple as that. Remember many answer choices on the SAT are designed to confuse you, lead you off track and ruin your concentration.

Put this method into practice-- without looking at the answer choices, focus on the particular grammatical rule by correcting the sentence yourself or figure out the vocabulary word which best completes the sentence This saves precious time and increases your accuracy. When doing practice tests, you may want to physically cover the answer choices with your hand to force yourself to gain confidence in your ability to predict. If you are unable to predict an answer, skip the question and come back to it later. Believe me, subconsciously your mind is still trying to process and figure out the answer even while you have moved on to other questions.

When the Student is Ready The Teacher Will Appear

2008-07-05T18:16:00.000-04:00

This ancient Chinese proverb is a fixture on this blog. Applying it to prepping for your SAT or ACT is simple. Just remember there are many wonderful resources that are ready, willing and able to help prepare you to ace this exam. Internet resources, books, podcasts, blogs, review classes and private tutors to name a few. They are all here for you today tomorrow and next month. Its up to you to avail yourself of these tools and its up to you to put in the time and the effort.

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T11:06:00.000-04:00

The fourth of July marks a time to relax, kick back and have a good barbecue with family and friends. The 4th of July is also exactly three months from the October 4th SAT. Most well thought out SAT study plans are about 12 weeks long. Most of my students hire me for 12 sessions, usually a week apart. The longer you plan in advance, the less stress you have for last minute cramming. Why force a situation where a tutor must meet with you 2-3 times per week? Those who wait until September must prepare with the added stress of senior classes and college planning. The summer is a quiet time to focus on preparing for the October exam. So have a wonderful July 4th. However, starting July 5th, make a pact with yourself to wake up an hour early and study at least 30 to 45 minutes. Slow and steady wins the race.

AP Classes, Think Before You Act

2008-07-03T14:11:00.000-04:00

Advance Placement classes have lots of benefits: the potential to earn college credit; a chance to delve deeply into a subject you enjoy; a transcript enhancer and a plus to any college application. Too much of a good thing, however can often be self defeating and unnecessary. Before signing up for every AP class known to mankind, realize that some colleges impose limits on the amount of AP credits they will accept. Some colleges require AP test scores of 4 or 5 to receive credit while other colleges will not accept certain AP credits even if you achieve the highest score of 5. If you are entering your high school senior year, take the time this summer to learn the AP credit policy for each school you will be applying to. There is no point accumulating 30 AP credits and then applying to schools which will only accept 15.

How to Approach Improving Sentence Questions

2008-07-02T09:30:00.000-04:00

Good writing is short and to the point. A succinct sentence is preferable to a wordy or run on sentence. When approaching the Improving Sentence Questions on the Writing multiple choice section of the SAT try and correct the sentence by inserting the shortest choice possible. If this does not work, then try the next shortest choice and so on. After doing many practice questions in this area the student will begin to discover that the shortest answer choice is usually correct unless such correction makes the sentence a fragment or does not correct the original problem.