sat-act 12 secrets 120413

NEW Opportunities in College Readiness

NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc.

12 Secrets

Parents Need to

Know About

SAT & ACT

© 2012 Kuni Michael Beasley, LLC all rights reserved 2 SAT/ACT Secrets

NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc.1

5000 Eldorado Parkway

Suite 150

Frisco, Texas 75033 Phone: 866-429-5951

FAX: 214-292-9379 www.NEWCollegePrep.com

[email protected]

This document is a publication of NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc., (NCPA). Your use of this document implies your compliance with the following terms of service. Please read the following before using this Program Overview. Warranty The information in document is strictly for information purposes only. The document is not intended for use as a substitute for consultation or advice given by a qualified professional. NCPA makes no representations, and specifically disclaims all warranties, express, implied, or statutory, regarding the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose of any material contained in this document. The material included in the document is provided for personal, educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute a rec-ommendation or endorsement with respect to any other company, organization, or entity. Disclaimer NCPA disclaims any responsibility for any independent actions taken as a result of the information displayed on any pages of this docu-ment. This document is designed to provide interested persons with ideas and information about potential opportunities with NCPA. This docu-ment shall in no way be construed as being stand-alone specific educational advice. Your use of this document and all information, products and services made available through this document is at your own risk. You agree that NCPA, its assigns, affiliates, contractors, employees, members, and/or associates will not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages or any other damages whatsoever arising out of your use or inability to use this document or any infor-mation, products or services of NCPA, whether based on contractual, statutory, tort or other grounds. Copyright This document is copyrighted © 2012 Kuni Michael Beasley, LLC and NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc. (NCPA), and all rights are reserved. All logos, trademarks, trade names, and materials comprising this document are owned by NCPA or by third parties who license NCPA. This NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc, document is confidential, containing information proprietary to the company. Your use of the document implies your agreement and compliance of maintaining business confidentiality of the information contained herein and to use it for information purposes only. No part of this information may be captured and reproduced in any form or by any means for the purpose of distributing the information to other parties without permission in writing from NCPA. SATTM and PSATTM are trademarks of the College Board and ACTTM is a trademark of American College Testing, and are used for informa-tional purposes only in the document. The information in this document is not endorsed by College Board or American College Testing. The opinions expressed in the document represent the personal views of its writer. If you have any questions, please contact: [email protected] Thank you. Kuni Michael Beasley, Ph. D. President NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc.

Electronic copies of this document in pdf format are available on request.

Printed April 13, 2012

1 NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc. (NCPA) is a dba of NEW American School, Inc. (NAS).

http://www.newcollegeprep.com/

mailto:[email protected]


Dr. Kuni Michael Beasley BS, MBA, D. Min., Ph. D. Dean, NEW College Preparatory Academy, Inc. Director, REAL College Solutions

Greetings, Welcome to your next step towards College Success! I am Dr. Kuni Beasley, Dean of the NEW College Preparatory Academy1 and Director of REAL College Solutions.2 On the following pages is important information to get you started towards better PSAT-ACT-SAT scores for your student. This is part of our College Bound Program used by students at our satellite schools, our homeschool academy students, and it is now available to public, private, and homeschool students everywhere. We are making a deliberate effort to make our programs available to the greatest number of students. I believe we have the best college preparation resources available and we have a 17-year track record of preparing, packaging, and positioning students for college success. I have inserted some photos of our people who have successfully benefitted from what we do. Please go through the information in this document thoroughly. Please pay special at-tention to the material in the Information Boxes and Graphs. They contain critical sup-plemental information that you don’t want to miss. I hope these will be helpful to you in pursuing your college goals. When you are ready to move to the next step in your path to success, please contact me to get the next step in College Success. Thanks, Dr. Beasley [email protected]

1 www.NEWCollegePrep.com 2 www.REALCollegeSolutions.com


http://www.newcollegeprep.com/

http://www.realcollegesolutions.com/


12 Secrets Parents Need to Know About the SAT & ACT

Contents

# Secret Brief Pg

1. First Impression The ACT/SAT score is the first impression the college receives about the student’s qualifications for admission & scholarships.

5

2. SAT & ACT Websites Students who use the SAT & ACT websites tend to score 50 points higher on the SAT and 5 points higher on the ACT!

6

3. Not Academic Tests The PSAT, ACT, & SAT are NOT Academic Tests. They are Tests of REASONING Ability & PROBLEM SOLVING Ability.

7

4. When to Take the Tests Take the tests early and often. Start as early as Middle School and gain valuable test experience before you go for record.

8

5. Myths & Truths There is so much misinformation being dispensed. You better make sure you know the facts about taking the tests!

9

6. PSAT/NMSQT? Most parents have little or no knowledge about the importance and purpose of the PSAT and how it is used for scholarships.

10

7. Testing Universe Few parents understand the difference between the SAT and ACT, much less the range of tests and services available.

11

8. Test Components Few parents know what is actually on the SAT and ACT and how long the test takes. Make sure you know.

12

9. Truth About Essays The essay is included in the SAT and optional on the ACT. Need to know if your student even needs the essay score.

13

10. Test Prep Strategies Most prep courses provide a quick test intro or try to re-teach high school. Real test prep focuses on test-taking-techniques.

14

11. Bad Test Practices It is good to practice, but way too often students practice the wrong things and do the wrong things very well on the test.

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12. Week of the Test Failing to do the right things the week of the test, the night before, the morning of, and during the test can cost you a lot.

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13. BONUS: Duke TIP The Duke University Talent Identification Program for 6th and 7th graders is a great way to get on the college radar.

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Students, family, and staff depicted in this document are actual former or current students, families, or staff of NCPA and its prede-cessor organizations.

Stephen Hurdle studying the SAT Solutions Guide we produced in 2005 when the SAT changed to its current form. All subsequent SAT

tests are derivatives of this base test. Dr. Beasley dissected each question on this test and provided solutions using our unique Test-

Taking-Techniques. These solutions and the test questions are still

valid and applicable until they change the test format again.


1 – First Impression

Adelle Buede Top Scholarship Winner 2011

West Point Nomination Navy ROTC Full Scholarship

Embry-Riddle Univ. Scholarship NY Maritime Acad. Scholarship

Marion Institute Scholarship US Army National Scholar Athlete

USMC Distinguished Athlete USMC Distinguished Scholar

The ACT/SAT score is the first impression the college receives about the student’s qualifications for admission & scholarships.

The more competitive the college, the more test scores are used to separate the GREAT students from the Good students. Although, Grade Point Average (GPA) and Class Rank are used to rate a student’s relative merit, the ACT/SAT scores are the great “leveler” to assess relative college readiness across the board.

In addition, ACT/SAT score can be a great “Mitigator” in that a student with a relatively lower GPA and/or Class Rank may be viewed in a different light if there are higher test scores. In addition, at colleges where there are class rank restrictions, test scores are a way to circumvent class rank restrictions.1

Who REALLY Makes the Admissions

Decision?

The biggest decision is made in pre-screening candidates. If you notice in the photo, these are students, usually those who are on a Work-Study assignment in the Admissions office. The screener usually has a very narrow band of criteria and sorts student into three piles:

YES – Meets all the criteria MAYBE – Meets most of it NO – Doesn’t meet it

The ACT/SAT score is often the most critical

element of the screening criteria.

1 In Texas where we are, the University of Texas and Texas A&M limit their admissions to students in the top 8% of their high school class. However, there may be a wide variance among the relative strengths of classes from different schools. To circumvent this, students who have SAT/ACT score higher than the mean score of those in the top 8% can be granted a waiver for admission. This is also used to determine criteria for homeschoolers.

Sorting Applications at Vanderbilt University


2 – SAT & ACT Websites

Sean G. (Texas)

Jumped his ACT 10 points Accepted at ALL THREE

service academies: West Point, Annapolis, &

Air Force, he chose Air Force

Students who use the SAT & ACT websites tend to score 50 points higher on the SAT and 5 points higher on the ACT!

Most students go on the websites to register for the tests and check out test scores. They click past by some of the most help-ful information about the test and some of the most helpful tools for college readiness. The websites are very dense with helpful information. As a minimum, we recommend:

SAT Website: BOTH Students AND Parents set up an account and student sign up for the SAT Question of the Day which is emailed to you every day, and go through the practice ques-tions.

ACT Website: Students set up an account and go through the practice questions.

BIG Tools on SAT & ACT Websites

CollegeBoard.com:

Plan for College

My College Quick Start

MyRoad Careers and Majors

College Search

Scholarship Search

Financial Aid EasyPlanner

ACT.org:

DISCOVER Career Planner

COMPASS Assessment

ASSET Advising

ENGAGE Pyschosocial

SAT resources are more College Bound focused. ACT resources are more

workforce & career focused.

ACT.org

CollegeBoard.com

We consider this so important that in our SAT/ACT Preparation Program, we require students to go through the website, do the

practice questions, and complete a questionnaire on the websites.


3 – Not Academic Tests

Lauren L. (Texas)

Scored perfect 800’s on her SAT, a perfect 36 on her ACT, and perfect 800s on her Biology

and Math SAT Subject Exams Accepted at MIT and Princeton

The PSAT, ACT, & SAT are NOT Academic Tests. They are Tests of REASONING Ability & PROBLEM SOLVING Ability.

The SAT & ACT are:

NOT Math Tests, NOT English Tests, NOT Reading Tests, NOT Writing Tests, and

NOT Science Tests.

Until recently, the SAT published on their website that the SAT was a test of “Reasoning Ability.” Indeed, the two types of SAT tests were titled the “Reasoning” Test (the regular one) and the “Subject” Tests. Recently, they dropped the “Reason-ing Test” moniker in favor of just “SAT” and changed to this:

“The SAT doesn’t test logic or abstract reasoning. It tests the skills you’re

learning in school: reading, writing and math. Your knowledge and skills in

these subjects are important for success in college and throughout your life.”

Beyond the convoluted description, it is still a “Reasoning Test,” and if a student learns the proper reasoning and prob-lem solving skills, he or she can score higher on the SAT.

The ACT is not much different. Although its test questions are more content based, Problem Solving Ability can overcome most content deficiency. The ACT describes its test:

“The ACT® test is a curriculum- and standards-based educational and

career planning tool that assesses students' academic readiness for college.”

One major difference between the SAT and ACT is that the ACT contains a “Science” section. When someone sees this, they assume the typical subject matter when one thinks of Science: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, etc. However, in the ACT Science, the questions are focused on reading charts and diagrams, and interpreting data from reading passages – all of which are Reasoning and Problem Solving skills that students should focus on instead of traditional science content.

SAT Subject Tests Part 1

Several colleges require SAT Subject Tests for admission. These ARE Academic Tests that specifically assess subject matter mastery. These are:

English Literature

World History

US History

Math Levels 1&2

Math Levels 3&4

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Foreign Languages

The content material is very similar to Advanced Placement (AP) tests and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Some colleges will award credit and/or advanced placement for high scores.

SAT Subject Tests are administered on selected SAT testing dates in the afternoon following the

regular SAT.


4 – When to Take Tests

Stephanie K. (Texas) Increased her SAT 200 points; 100 points each in Reading &

Writing!

Take the tests early and often. Start as early as Middle School and gain valuable test experience before you go for record.

The best long term preparation for the SAT and ACT is to take the tests early and often.

We recommend students start in middle school taking the PSAT in October and an SAT and ACT just for the experience once during the school year.

In the 9th and 10th grade, we recommend the PSAT in October and an SAT and ACT each semester.

In our program, we insert an intensive PSAT/ACT/SAT Prep in the

summer between the Sophomore and Junior years.

Junior year, take the September ACT, the October PSAT for record, and the October SAT. Continue to take the SAT and ACT until you get the score you need for admissions and/or scholarships.

We put a lot of emphasis on getting your “send to colleges” score by

the end of the Junior year because most applications to competitive

colleges have an October or November deadline, not leaving much

time to take tests in the Senior fall.

Senior year, repeat the same sequence until you get the score you need. Take a proper prep course to help you bump the score.

Typical Annual Testing times

PSAT SAT ACT

September

October October October

The PSAT is administered

ONLY in October

November

December December

January

February

March/April April

May

June June When administered the same month as the SAT, the ACT is typically adminis-

tered the week after the SAT

Test Maturity Testing Early & Often

The more you take the test, the more your score should go up. Even the SAT and ACT people acknowledge that the more you experience the test, your score will likely rise… to a point.

The average student can expect their score to go up 50 points each time the take the SAT… up to about 550 in each component. After that, you have to increase your test-taking-ability to bump the score.

Likewise with the ACT. Students can expect a 5 point increase spread across the 4 components each time they take the test up to about 24 for the component score.

Test Maturity gives you a edge if you start early. When you actualy take a prep course, you have a lot of experience that will help you assimilate test-taking-techniques better, faster, and easier!


5 – Myths & Truths

Jonathan N. (Texas)

Received the “Magic Carpet Ride” from Louisiana Tech including a full scholarship, dorms, & meals!

There is so much misinformation being dispensed. You better make sure you know the facts about taking the tests!

The vast majority of the unsolicited information you get on SAT and ACT is BOGUS! It always seems that I get the…

“Well I heard that…” and they heard WRONG!

Quite frankly, if you cannot backup what you “heard” from a written source from the SAT or ACT, or from a college website or catalog, it’s probably BOGUS.

The typical “expert” on college testing is often someone who never went to

college, but they certainly know everything about it. A few minutes online

will dispel most all BOGUS counsel.

Unfortunately, many students and parents make major deci-sions based on this BOGUS information and make a BIG MIS-TAKE, often losing out on admissions and scholarships.

Myth/Truth

You can only take the tests once. You can take them as many times as you want.1

Colleges average your scores. Colleges will always take your best score.

You can only take it your senior year. You can take as early as you want.

Colleges disqualify you if you take it too many times. Colleges don’t know how many times you take it.

You decide which scores to release.

I have to wait until I get my scores before I can apply. Apply and tell them you’ll send your scores when you get them.

Colleges can look at all my test scores. Colleges only see the scores you send them.

I can use my PSAT scores instead. Colleges do not use PSAT scores.

Where are you getting your advice?

A College Education is now the single most expensive investment a family will make. Indeed, the cost of a student going to college is over $100,000 for a state college and more than double that for a private college. With more than one child in the family, the cost of college will often be more than the cost of a home… and you don’t build equity in the money you pay for college.

Caution!

College Consulting has more than its share of phony charlatans out to get your money. Often these “consultants” or “planners” didn’t even go to college. They are worse than the people giving Bogus advice because these crooks are scamming you for your money.

Check out who’s giving you advice

1 You are limited to 12 times on the ACT. I don’t know anyone who needed to take it that many times


6 – PSAT/NMSQT

Daniel T. (Colorado)

National Merit Scholarship winner, scored a perfect 800 on the SAT

writing, and received a full scholar-ship to the University of Oklahoma

Most parents have little or no knowledge about the importance and purpose of the PSAT and how it is used for scholarships.

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is administered in October primarily for Juniors (and anybody else who wants to take it). The stated purpose of the test:

“The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test

(PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and

National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). It's a standardized

test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®

. It also gives you a

chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to

college and career planning tools.”

Technically, it is a practice for the SAT and the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship.

Quite frankly, as a practice for the SAT, it’s pretty lame. Some 25 years ago it might have been true, but today, with intense completion for admission and scholarships, taking the PSAT in October of the Junior year as the starting point for SAT testing is way too late. The best practice is to take the real SAT early and often.

The only practical function of the PSAT is the National Merit Scholarship competition. The scholarship itself is only $2,500. However, it is a “money magnet” in that colleges pile on addi-tional scholarships and incentives to attract National Merit Scholars. Indeed, the University of Oklahoma likes to brag that the highest percentage of National Merit Scholars chose Oklahoma… and they are willing to heap a lot of incentives on them to entice them to come. Many other colleges are getting on board to attract these top students.

For serious competitors, there is intense preparation, especially the summer before their Junior year. In addition, qualification is done by state, so the standard varies depending on where you are from.

Finally, it is not the end of the world if you don’t get it. There are still plenty of great scholarships for the other 97% of us mere mortals.

The “Other” National Merit Programs

In addition to the National Merit Scholarship, the PSAT is used to award two other programs:

National Achievement Scholarship is awarded in “recognition for out-standing Black American high school students.” Criteria is similar to the National Merit Scholarship.

National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) was initiated to identify outstanding Hispanic-Latino high school students. In order to be eligible, the student must be at least one-quarter Hispanic/Latino as defined by the NHRP, meet the minimum PSAT/NMSQT cutoff score for their state, and achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA) requirement.

The PSAT is an impoprtant opportunity


7 – Testing Universe

Kyla H. (Texas)

Homeschool Student Received the “Magic Carpet Ride”

At Univ. Texas – Dallas With full tuition & fees, $1,500 cash per semester for campus housing, & $2,000 cash stipend per semester

for books & expenses.

Few parents understand the difference between the SAT and ACT, much less the range of tests and services available.

The College Testing Universe is divided into two camps under the SAT and ACT. Each provides similar services in basic col-lege testing (i.e., SAT and ACT); however, each provides a unique range of other testing resources and college support services that are beneficial regardless of which test you take.

The SAT is a product of the College Board in New York City with actual test development by the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, NJ (where the

Princeton Review got its name). In addition to the SAT, they produce:

SAT Subject Test (addressed earlier)

Advanced Placement Program (AP)

PSAT/NMSQT (addressed earlier)

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The ACT is a product of American College Testing in Iowa City, Iowa. In addition to the ACT, they provide:

EXPLORE Test of 8th and 9th Graders

PLAN Test for 10th Graders

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) processing

NCAA Eligibility processing

Here’s how the two tests divide by popularity:

Which Test to Take?

We recommend you take both SAT & ACT. Colleges will accept both tests, but some colleges may prefer one over the other or the criteria for the tests at one college is different than the criteria at another.

SOHCAHTOA

If your student understands this term, then the student may be more ready for the ACT. However, we recommend both and at least 4 times each to gain sufficient Test Maturity to enter intensive prep.1

Take REAL Tests

We recommend taking the REAL SAT and REAL ACT in the actual test environment. The experience is invaluable and you cannot duplicate that in some practice session.

Take BOTH Tests Take Them EARLY Take Them OFTEN

1 SOHCAHTOA is the acronym for the Trig functions: Sin = Opposite/Adjacent; Cosine = Adjacent/Hypotenuse, and Tangent = Opposite/Adjacent.


8 – Test Components

Stephen T. (Texas)

Graduated from University of Tex-as-Arlington at 16 with a 4.0 GPA, completed his Masters at Oklaho-ma University at 19, hired by the Federal Reserve as a research economist, and working on his

Ph.D. at Stanford.

Few parents know what is actually on the SAT and ACT and how long the test takes. Make sure you know.

The PSAT, SAT, & ACT have distinct components on their tests. Although the Test-Taking-Techniques are the same, there are some specific differences that you need to know in order to better prepare your student.

PSAT is a mini version of the SAT with:

Two 25-min. Reading Sections Two 25-min. Math Sections One 30-min. Writing Skills Section NO Essay About 2½ hours plus administrative time

SAT has 4 Elements & 10 Sections:

Math (3 Sections; two 25-minute, & one 20-minute) Reading (3 Sections; two 25-minute, & one 20-minute)

Writing (2 Sections: one 25-minute & one 10 minute) Essay Section (25 minutes – included in the test) “Experimental” Section (Math, Reading, or Writing section)

The “Experimental” Section is inserted to pre-test questions to determine

difficulty. Students are not scored on this section, but you don’t know which

section it is, so you can’t skip it.

About 4 hours plus administrative time

ACT has 4 Sections plus an Optional Essay

English (45 minutes) Math (60 minutes) Reading (35 minutes)

Science (35 minutes) Optional Essay Section (30 minutes) About 3 – 3½ hours plus administrative time

SAT Subject Tests Part 2

Subject Tests are administered the afternoon after the regular SAT. Some students take both tests in the morning AND the afternoon. This is fine if you are taking the Subject Tests for experience. However, if you are taking them for record, we recommend you’re your student NOT take the SAT the morning. Just take the SAT Subject Tests in the afternoon.

Take Subject Tests in the courses you took for AP, Honors, or have a deep knowledge.

Subject Tests are as difficult as AP Exams

SAT offers a Question and Answer Service on selected tests. If this is available for the test your student is taking, we highly suggest you get this service. You will receive a copy of the actual test and your student’s actual answers so the test can be critiqued and used to improve the next test.


9 – Truth About Essays

Dustin F. (Louisiana) Scored high enough on the ACT by Christmas his Junior year to

qualify for a full scholarship. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad!

The essay is included in the SAT and optional on the ACT. Need to know if your student even needs the essay score.

In 2005, SAT introduced an Essay section as a part of the test; ACT followed with an optional Essay section. SAT also inserted two “Writing” sections; ACT already had a similar “English” sec-tion. For SAT historians, the Writing is a rehash of the old grammar section in earlier versions with some paragraph and sentence improvement included.

However, this may be irrelevant to your student because the vast majority of colleges do not use the Writing score on the SAT. Many colleges believe the grading is flawed, so they use only the Math and Reading scores in admission and scholarship qualification.

The single MOST important thing to do is determine if the colleges you are

considering require the Writing Component. If they don’t, you won’t need to

spend a lot of time preparing for it. This does NOT mean you “blow it off.”

Colleges will still see your Writing and Essay scores, and if it looks like you

blew it off, it will have an impact even if your other scores are stellar.

If you are considering colleges that require the Essay, you need to prepare for both the Writing sections and the Essay. We have simple and easy-to-learn Test-Taking-Techniques for the Writing sections. For the Essay, we use a systematic tem-plate that follows on the “perfect” sample SAT essay.1

The template consists of 26 sentences broken down into specific elements of

the “perfect” essay: Introduction (2), Key Points (4), Insights and Signifi-

cance (6), Details (8), Summation (2), Conclusion (2), and Closing (2).

We have a long-term “Core Essays” strategy in our Advanced Program where we form 4-6 Core Essays in different general subject areas based on past SAT Essay prompts. The student practices the Core Essays multiple times until it is second na-ture. When the student takes the test and reads the prompt, it should fall into one of the general realms of one of the Core Essays. The student simply modifies one of the Core Essays to address the prompt.

Penmanship Separates GREAT

from Good!

Although the SAT & ACT say they do not count off for penmanship, in reality – penmanship counts! It’s not part of the “grade,” but it can certainly affect the grade if your writing is hard to read.

To coax a good essay score, you have to make it easier for the grader to read and understand the essay. The better the writing, the easier it is to read, and the easier it is for the grader to think highly of the essay.

There has actually been research done with the exact same essay receiving better scores when it was easier to read.

Good penmanship on the essay can mean the

difference of 4 points on the 12 point scale.

1 Two people grade each essay with a score range of 1-6, and the scores are added together for a maximum score of 12. If there is a significant difference be-tween the two scores, a third grader is used.


10 – Real Prep Strategies

Morgan R. (California) Raised her ACT from 27 to 33 in just a few weeks, qualifying for a schol-arship to the college of her choice!

Accepted at Berkeley

Most prep courses provide a quick test intro or try to re-teach high school. Real test prep focuses on test-taking-techniques.

Few students actually do REAL preparation. Books stores have shelves of man-uals and of those that were purchased, 99% are never used. Handing a student

a thick SAT or ACT manual and expecting the student to gain anything from it is

like handing someone an Inorganic Chemistry book (which has fewer pages) and saying, “Here, get ready to take the test in three weeks.” These books sell

“hope” and not much more. They are great tools, but without some sound guidance, they are worthless because the student has no idea how to use them.

The two common approaches to SAT/ACT prep are:

Flash & Dash – Some trainer comes into the school auditorium and puts on a

one-hour show of what’s on the test and a few tricks on how to answer

questions. Re-Teach High School – Ask a teacher for help and they are likely to hand

you basic math review sheets over decimals, fractions, and percentages, or

a list of vocabulary words. The national prep companies do much the same

– try to re-teach high school in 6 weeks – and charge you several hundreds of dollars to do it.

Two Things to Consider:

Not Academic Tests (Item 3) – Students can be taught Reasoning Ability and

Problem Solving Skills in a few hours, and learn to score higher.

When to Take Tests (Item 4) – Taking the test itself contributes to Test Ma-

turity and higher scores. At this point, if the student is taught specific Test-Taking-Techniques, students can raise their scores in less time with less ef-

fort – working Smarter!

In our program, we want the student to take each test several times for experi-ence and then take the prep course. Since the student has a better working

knowledge of the test, it is much easier and faster to assimilate the Test-Taking-

Techniques.

“Our approach to Test Prep has been highly successful for over 20 years. Taking

the tests early and often, training on Test-Taking-Techniques to improve

reasoning ability and problem solving skills, and proper practice for mastery”

Secret Weapon: The Critique

One thing that separates us from all other prep programs is that we “Critique.” Critique is a systematic way to learn from your mistakes and get your “head into the test.”

When a student gets a question incorrect, we have the student go through a six-step process to “Critique:” A-B-C-D-E

What is your incorrect Answer

You chose this answer Because

What is the Correct answer

Describe why your answer was incorrect

Explain what you should do to avoid this in the future.

3 Rules for Success: Always Take Notes Always Critique Always Take the Higher Standard

The figure at left shows are our

College Readiness statistics from American College Testing, who

produce the ACT, depicting the percentage of our students ready for

college compared to the rest of the

state. No school in Texas could come close to these numbers!


11 – Bad Test Practices Partial list of where our stu-

dents have been admitted and received scholarships*: Air Force Academy* Alabama* Alvernia* Arizona State* Arizona* Arkansas State* Arkansas* Arkansas-Little Rock* Baylor Medical Baylor* Berkeley Brigham Young* Colorado* Concordia (TX)* Dallas Baptist* Denver* Duke* Embry-Riddle* Florida Tech* Florida* Georgetown Law* Georgia Tech* Georgia* Harvard* Houston* Leeds (UK) Lehigh* LeTourneau* Louisiana Tech* Morehouse* Merchant Marine Academy* MIT Naval Academy* New York Maritime* North Texas* Northwood* Notre Dame* Oklahoma State* Oklahoma* Oral Roberts* Oregon State* Patrick Henry* Pepperdine* Princeton San Diego Savannah College of Art* Schreiner* Southern California Southern Methodist* Stanford* Texas-Arlington* Texas-Austin* Texas-Dallas* Texas-San Antonio* Texas A&M Galveston* Texas A&M* Texas Christian* Texas Medical Branch Texas Tech* Trinity (TX)* Vanderbilt Law* Virginia Tech* Virginia* Wake Forest* West Point*

It is good to practice, but way too often students practice the wrong things and do the wrong things very well on the test.

When a student asks what to do to prepare for the SAT or ACT, the typical answer is “Practice.” Although this is a sound response, it begs the question: “Practice what?” Bookstores dedicate significant shelf space for the plethora of prep manuals full of practice tests, and as we addressed earlier, few actually use them.

For the few who actually use the manuals, there is some benefit from simply taking

practice tests. However, all too often the student never learns “How” to take the test.

Like telling a student to “Study hard” without showing the student “How” to study,

handing the student a practice test with the encouragement to “Practice hard” will

summon similar results. Without guidance and training, the student usually spends a

lot of time honing the wrong skills and does the wrong things very well on the test.

Flash & Dash and Re-Teaching high school strategies are of little real value and often do more harm than good. Like placing a student be-hind the steering wheel the first time, someone has to show the stu-dent not only “What” to do, but “How” to do it and “What Not” to do.

You would no more want to hand the student the prep manual with a “Practice hard” cheer than you would hand the student the car keys after the student’s only introduction to driving was a video game.

It is a shame that otherwise bright, motivated students get short-changed on their

scores and, ultimately, on their admissions and scholarship opportunities because they

invested time and effort practicing (and, indeed, mastering) the wrong things.

The Recipe to Avoid Bad Test Practices Have the student:

1. Learn “What” the test is by going through the SAT and ACT websites, setting up an account, doing the sample questions, and downloading the sample tests.

2. Schedule the tests early and often. 3. Learn “How” to take the test with proven Test-Taking-Skills 4. Critique answers on practice tests and on actual tests with the Questions and

Answer service. 5. Find out if the colleges require the SAT Writing component. 6. Retake the tests to improve their scores as many times as needed.

Finally – and most important Get Sound Counsel and Professional help

Don’t try to do this alone!


12 – Week of the Test

Zackary Lindstrom Top Scholarship Winner 2012

$358,120 in Scholarship Offers! Univ. Texas – Dallas-$68,672

Louisiana Tech-$80,048 Baylor-$60,000

Oklahoma State-$66,700 Oklahoma State-$56,700

Texas A&M-$48,000

Failing to do the right things the week of the test, the night be-fore, the morning of, and during the test can cost you a lot.

Here’s your checklist:

Week of the Test

Practice/Review 1-2 Hours per day Mon–Thurs Don’t try to CRAM! Go easy. Focus & Practice Test-Taking-Techniques Drive to the Testing Site sometime BEFORE the test Make sure you have your Test Registration forms

Night Before

Stay HOME! Get a Dumb Movie – Relax. No drama, horror, etc. Eat a Light Dinner – Fish, Chicken, etc. No BBQ or Spicy Bathe Night Before – Set Clothes Out Bed by 10 – Read if you can’t sleep

Put the registration, ID, snack, 6 pencils, 2 calculators in a plastic grocery bag and tape it to the bedroom door

Park your car close, with an easy exit, with tank filled

Day of

Up at 6:00! – Hydrate, drink 16 oz of water Light Breakfast – no OJ, meat, dairy Eat oatmeal, tea, apple juice Dress light, loose, layers – jogging suit over shorts & shirt Make sure of Registration, ID, pencils, calculators, etc,

Pack a Snack: bottle water, crackers, cookies Get there early Cell phones OFF – leave them in the car After the test, go someplace to eat

Dr. Beasley’s Horror Story: I made this list up from my bad experiences. I

didn’t drive to the test site before the test, so on the day of the test, the exit off

the highway for the site was closed. I had to drive another 5 miles, turn

around, drive back, lost about 20 minutes, and made my daughter a nervous

wreck about being late. I probably cost her 50 points on the test. Drive to

the test site BEFORE the test!

Don’t Try to Cram

Cramming before the test is useless. Your brain will overload and you’ll be more likely to get brain-lock during the test. If you haven’t properly prepared by now, there is little you can do the week before.

SAT/ACT Crash Course

We do a Crash Course the week before the test. This is a review for those who have taken our program and kind of a “life jacket” for those who haven’t. If you have not signed on to our notificationlist, you shold do so at [email protected].

The BEST way to prepare Start Early, Take Tests Often,

Learn Test-Taking-Techniques, Critique, & get REAL help



13 – BONUS: Duke TIP

Levi W. (Texas)

Received a medal from the Duke University Talent Identification

Program as a 7th grader. He scored higher than half the seniors that year on the SAT.

Levi started college at 13.

The Duke University Talent Identification Program for 6th and 7th graders is a great way to get on the college radar.

Each year Duke University seeks out top students in the 4th and 6th grades. These students compete for state and national recognition as the top 3% of students while in the 5th and 7th grades. Eligibility testing is usually done by the student’s school with application information forwarded to parents if the student qualifies.

Qualified students apply and take standardized tests to com-pete, EXPLORE test for 6th graders and SAT or ACT for 7th graders. Students who score above the 50% level on the tests get state recognition; those who score in the 90% receive na-tional recognition.

We have been participating in this program since 1996 with our own

students and providing preparation strategies for eligibility testing and

competition testing for students attending other schools.

Students who qualify for the program are offered opportunities for special programs and resources. http://www.tip.duke.edu/

The DUKE TIP is one of many reasons we recommend staring early and taking the tests often. There is no substitute from the experience of taking the test in the real testing environment. After several tests, students become mature “veteran” test-takers with little or no test anxiety.

For students in the DUKE TIP, we recommend the stu-dent take an SAT and ACT early in the fall for the expe-rience, and take the test for record in January (SAT) and February (ACT). The test for record is registered through the DUKE application, so you won’t have to schedule that yourself. However, do schedule an Oc-tober or November testing dates for an ACT and SAT to get some experience.

We have a complete program to help students qualify for the DUKE TIP and compete on the SAT & ACT.

Extra Bonus CLEP Exams

The College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) allows persons to obtain college credit by testing. Most colleges accept CLEP cred-it, indeed, some colleges encour-age CLEP credit.

CLEP Exams are written by the same people who write the AP Exams, and cover the same or similar material. CLEPs are shorter and easier that APs (90 minutes vs. 3 hours) and can be administered anytime. APs are offered only once a year.

CLEPs are very inexpensive, es-pecially when compared to the cost of a college course. There is a large selection of CLEP prepa-ration material at most larger book stores.

CLEP is an easy way to pick up college credit and save some money

http://www.tip.duke.edu/


College Readiness Resources

PSAT-ACT-SAT Resources

Preview & Review Resources

Secrets to PSAT-ACT-SAT Success Video version of this document

SAT Crash Course Quick SAT preview prior to the test date

ACT Crash Course Quick ACT preview prior to the test date

PSAT Crash Course Quick PSAT preview prior to the test date

Preparation Resources

Module 1: PSAT-ACT-SAT Orientation Introduction & Overview of the tests & Preparation Strategies

Module 2: Test-Taking-Techniques Specific techniques to answer every type of question on each test.

Module 3: Critique Process Our unique method to learn how to understand the test

Module 4: ACT & SAT Essay Our special template method to write a timed essay

SAT Solutions

SAT Math Solutions Each Math question is solved using the Test-Taking-Techniques

SAT Reading Solutions Each Reading question is solved using the Test-Taking-Techniques

SAT Writing Solutions Each Writing question is solved using the Test-Taking-Techniques

Learning Dynamics

Ultimate Reading – Speed Reading & Accelerated Learning Strategies

Study Dynamics – Systematic Study Strategies & Note-Taking Methods

Testing Dynamics – Academic Test Preparation Strategies & Testing Methods

Writing Dynamics – Writing Strategies, Writing Templates, & Writer’s State

College Counseling & Coaching

College Selection – Coached College Selection Process with Counseling

College Application –Applications & Essays with Supervision & Editing

College Funding – Funding Search & Qualification

College Enrollment – Final Preparation for College

Special Resource:

M.O.N.E.Y. for College –Opportunities, Strategies, & Sources of College Funding

Contact us for more information: [email protected]


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