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College Entrance Exams Prep
Our college entrance exams prep is comprehensive, skill-oriented and esteem-building. We’ve been providing this specialized training for more than 10 years and we are excited to report that our students typically raise their SAT scores 100-150 points and their ACT composite score as much as 10 points.
Please click on Slide for information
The SAT and the ACT are the two college entrance exams available for students who wish to qualify for entrance into most colleges and universities. Although both tests measure the same skills, each presents the questions/content in very different ways. Some students do better in one or the other, so it is beneficial for students to take each exam at least one time and give it their best shot.
The ideal is that students prep for and complete these exams by the end of their junior year, however, this does not preclude their taking exams early in their senior year. After learning which test is best for them, or that results are fairly equal with both tests, students can then determine how many more times they feel they need to take each exam. Some of the factors that need to be considered are: the scores desired by the colleges, the student’s schedule, the amount of practice needed, if subject tests are needed as well, etc. Whatever the decision, it will help to keep in mind that because these are standardized tests, different results will only be achieved with improved test-taking skill.
The SAT is offered 7 times a year. The ACT is offered 6 times per year. Although it is best to have these exams completed, students can take the SAT or ACT several times in their senior year; sending their scores to potential colleges even after their applications have been submitted. All the information you need and the place you, the parent/student, need to register for these exams are at the following websites: SAT: www.collegeboard.com ACT: www.actstudent.org. The PSAT exam is half of the SAT. The PSAT that is completed in October of the sophomore or junior year is the test that counts towards the National Merit Scholarship Program. The PSAT is explained in detail at the SAT website.
There is a fairly new "Score Choice" policy described on the College Board site that explains how students can now submit their best SAT scores to colleges. (It was always this way with the ACT.) This is good news because students can relax a bit more. If the student does not do well on a particular test, s/he does not have to send it on to the colleges. IMPORTANT: For this reason, do not list colleges, when you register, for the College Board to send your SAT scores to. You will make the decision after you take the exams and when you are applying to these schools.
The College Handbook, printed annually, provides information about the colleges/universities and the range of scores they want to see on both the SAT and/or ACT exams.
If you need Special Accommodations, you must read the information carefully and complete an application to the College Board or ACT well in advance, with the help of your guidance counselor or student support specialist. For the SAT, the application is only required to be done once, but the application for the ACT is required prior to each exam.
Do you need to be prepped to take these exams? In the past, there was not a need to be taught how to score well on the college entrance exams. Today, with so many students vying for acceptance into the colleges of their choice, the scores have become more important. So in a word, YES, you need to be prepped to achieve your best scores on these exams. As with most goals in our lives, we learn everything we can about the subject/object of our goals.
It is the same with these exams as they are both developed to evaluate if you are prepared for college-level work. The more you know about what is expected, and the methods used, the better you can perform.
The PSAT/SAT/ACT Prep Workshop meets for a total of 10 hours and only 5 times in a small group setting (3-8 students). Class #1 provides an overview of the SAT experience, a brief comparison to the ACT, and preparation to take a practice test. Class #2 reviews the Math section. Class #3 reviews the Reading section. Class #4 reviews the Writing & Essay sections. The ACT Class (#5) is attended by students 3-6 weeks prior to their taking their first ACT exam. Students are provided with the strategies they need to practice on their own and are also given opportunities to attend Practice/Review Sessions ($25 per session). The total cost for the Workshop is $400 and this includes the SAT Study Guide and ACT Practice Book. (Minimum number of students for class is 3.)
The SAT (Only) Prep Workshop meets for a total of 8 hours and only 4 times in a small group setting (3-8 students). Class #1 provides an overview of the SAT experience and preparation to take a practice test. Class #2 reviews the Math section. Class #3 reviews the Reading section. Class #4 reviews the Writing & Essay sections. Students are provided with the strategies they need to practice on their own and are also given opportunities to attend Practice/Review Sessions ($25 per session). The total cost for the Workshop is $300 and this includes the SAT Study Guide. (Minimum number of students for class is 3.)
The ACT exam asks the same information as the SAT but in a different format. Plus, the ACT uses a completely different scoring method. This requires students to use a different approach to achieve their best possible scores. This ACT 2-hour Workshop is offered approx. 3-6 weeks before each ACT exam, in a small group setting. The total cost is $100, which includes a copy of the ACT Practice Book. Students are provided with the strategies they need to practice on their own and are also given opportunities to attend Practice/Review Sessions ($25 per session).
PSAT and/or ACT Plan Prep: The PSAT is approximately half of the SAT and minus the essay. The ACT Plan is a practice exam for the ACT. These exams are typically taken by students in the 10th grade to help them see how well they can expect to do on the SAT or ACT. For those students who want to get an overview of both or either exam, to know what to expect, this 1-2 hour session is perfect for them. Cost: $70
Individualized SAT/ACT Preparation is often required by our very busy Juniors and Seniors, or for students who need specific and individualized attention to reach their desired scores. Cost: $70 per session. *Individualized sessions will also be provided for students if there are not enough students for a workshop.
Practice & Review Sessions are offered on an ongoing basis for students who have participated in individual or class preparation. Students meet in small groups for about 2 hours, to help students prior to taking the PSAT, SAT and/or ACT exams. Cost: $25 per session.
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