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test prep preparation
learnedwisdom May 29, 2008
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learnedwisdom 5 minutes ago
Re: Appropriate age for ACT and SAT Testing
It's all about the materials. A student who has potential to get national merit scholarships through their PSAT or PLAN scores is a prime candidate for Sat prep. I''ve been a high school teacher for 17 years and have seen all the reasons students fail. You don't need to hire expensive tutors or enroll your students in Sylvan Learning center (which to me is just parents paying out of guilt) I know of a program that is quite reasonable (164.00 for the entire course). The publisher offers a free trial of the software which is practically unheard of-once you buy software you're stuck with it. It also offers a written guarantee that if the students grades or scores on their Sat or ACT don't improve byat leastt 200 pts in the verbal section alone and 4 points for the ACT. The programs are fun too-not staid like the Kaplan or Princeton Review. They're all done in a video game style format, and there is place forat leastt 5 students tolog onn and track their progress. The math course alone has a built in tutorial (unlike those teacher edition manuals you can buy at the bookstore) Saves you money on hiring a tutor too-they're only as good as the materials they offer. The vocab program teaches the words needed to know for the test-that's the reason they can guarantee the point increases. and then there is a Progressive Reader Program which works for 3rd graders all the way through college. A lot of students have to retake the test because they just don't finish it in time. If they learned the skill of reading forinformationn instead of reading stuff like social studies and science like a book--they'll never get to answer the questions. It's worth trying it out-in the very least. The publisher sends out a free set of practice SAT and ACT so you can track their progress and know what they need to work on- before they take the test. there is no need to repeat the test over and over if you're prepared. It costs 45 dollars each time. they will also send you free grant and scholarship information-a valuable commodity in this day and age. I'd be glad to help you out if you're interested in knowing
markthomas September 8, 2009
You mentioned an ACT prep course for $169.00, can you give me the specifics on how to get this material? thanks.37330
Lenubienne September 8, 2009
Please visit www.kaptest.com/college for access to all available programs (including $199 courses) and valuable coupons for all of Kaplan's PreCollege program options.37331
Lenubienne September 8, 2009
rob6188- you are absolutely correct, and I thought your blog could have even been longer! =) I would certainly recommend taking a FREE practice test before taking the official exams. Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions offers them all over the country at no charge. Please visit www.kaptest.com/practicetest for a list of Free Practice Tests near you!
learnedwisdom- All families should be VERY wary of point-increase promises, as a student's scaled score is not only based on their individual performance, but also on that of the performance of their peers, as well. Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions has the most comprehensive Money-Back Guarantee in the business, without promising a specific number; you can repeat their courses for free even if your student doesn't feel ready to take the Official Exam; no other company comes close to that. Visit www.kaptest.com/hsg for more information.
There are many "fun" SAT and ACT prep options, but quite frankly, the student's level of enjoyment depends on the student's learning style AND the manner in which they are taught. I have seen students coming out of Kaplan's "boring" classroom programs with smiles on their faces and a skip in their step because they are not intimidated by the test anymore; most students ultimately come out of Kaplan's prep programs with a completely different view of the SAT/ACT/PSAT than when they walked in to class on the first day. The student experience is based on their motivation level, as rob6188 said, as well as how much effort they put into the class, not just the bells and whistles they may get in a video game format.
In addition, Kaplan offers free practice tests, including a Combo SAT/ACT; this allows students to try the analagous sections of both tests so that they don't have to sit for two different tests to find out which one is right for them! Every Kaplan practice test comes with a personalized Score Report which enables students and their families to identify both areas of strength and opportunities for improvement- these Score Reports break down nearly every aspect of each test, including the question types and frequency of the question. It is my hope that everyone reading this reply will take advantage of the plethora of free resources that Kaplan has to offer, and try it for yourself and/or your student today!37332
timhenry December 22, 2009
Some of the online programs can be very useful. Some even have videos of experienced teachers leading the child through practice questions. It is fair to say a video is much more engaging and interesting than text!
Doing practice questions is also a must.
Tim
www.iseeprep.org37498
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