In Like Me » SAT / ACT

Students Boost SAT and PSAT Scores with TestRocker

lynn — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:56:10 +0000

TestRocker Customized Study Plan

There are many ways to prepare for the PSAT and SAT. Many students are successful prepping on their own using study guides such as Kaplan PSAT/NMSQT Premier and The Official SAT Study Guide, while others enroll in SAT prep classes and hire private tutors.

Modern technology has led to the creation of comprehensive online SAT prep programs such as TestRocker that uses diagnostics to develop a customized study plan for each student and enables students and parents to track progress. Each of the 1,200 questions on TestRocker is accompanied by video explanations.

Enthusiasts consider TestRocker the ‘Ultimate Private Tutor’ because it combines one of the best private tutors with the best technology has to offer leading to efficient learning. Since its launch on December 2012, TestRocker has students from the U.S., U.K, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and India on its platform. You can visit TestRocker at www.testrocker.com to learn more or to sign up for a free trial. The program costs US$699 for 6 months of access. Discount codes for InLikeMe fans can be found below.

TestRocker’s premium users have access to a study plan tailored to help them study smarter, not longer. Premium users are encouraged to track their progress against this plan in order to ensure the most effective use of time.

TestRocker has divided all SAT material into modules to help users focus their efforts. Each module contains questions most frequently seen on the SAT, broken into easy, medium, and hard based on level of proficiency.

TestRocker premium users can take a full-length timed practice test to help them gain confidence and test their progress which includes a hand-graded essay with feedback.

InLikeMe Special Rates:

Preparing for the SAT?
Use discount code “InLikeMe” at checkout to get $50 off TestRocker’s 6 month SAT program. Offer valid till June 30, 2013 only. Sign up here: www.testrocker.com

Preparing for the PSAT?
Get 3 months of TestRocker’s SAT program for free to help you prepare for your PSAT ($300 value) when you purchase TestRocker’s 6 month SAT program. Email michael@testrocker.com or call 210-413-0570 and mention InLikeMe to redeem this offer.

Would you like a free TestRocker demo?
Contact Michael at michael@testrocker.com to schedule a free one-on-one demo today!

Note: Discount offers cannot be combined. Must not have already taken Junior-year PSAT to redeem PSAT offer.

SAT or ACT? Choosing the Right Exam for You

lynn — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:10:40 +0000

SAT or ACT? ACT or SAT? Or Both?

Since almost all U.S. universities accept either the SAT or the ACT without preference, you may have a hard time deciding which test(s) to take and how to best direct your college entrance exam preparation efforts.

It is not unusual for individual students to perform better on one of the two exams. Figuring out, as early as possible, which test is a better fit for you can help you direct your preparation efforts to achieve your highest potential score.

The two entrance exams are very different — the SAT is based on reasoning; the ACT is focused on curriculum. Many students will tell you that finishing the various ACT sections, within the allowed time period, can be a challenge.

ACT or SAT?: Choosing the Right Exam For You from the Princeton Review can help you decide based on an assessment of your strengths, weaknesses and personal test-taking skills.

Testing Timer Watch Helps Students on ACT

lynn — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 23:11:29 +0000

One of the biggest challenges students face on college entrance exams is managing their time. Many students spend valuable test time checking the clock to figure out how much time is left and if they are on pace to finish.

Made specifically for the ACT, the Testing Timers ACT aTest Timer Watch contains preset timing for all 5 sections of the test: English, Math, Reading, Science and Writing.

Design for alternate use as a regular watch, the Testing Timers ACT aTest Timer Watch is programmed to help students pace themselves when they prep for, and take, the ACT entrance exam. The watch helps keep students on pace to complete each section. That is particularly important on the ACT. Because there is no penalty for a wrong answer, students should try to answer every question.

The watch is programmed for each section of the ACT. The ACT math test is set for 60 minutes and 60 questions; the English section is programmed for 45 minutes and 75 questions.

The ACT Testing Timer watch is available at Amazon: Testing Timers ACT aTest Timer Watch

SAT Losing Clout at Colleges and Universities

lynn — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:03:27 +0000

The venerable SAT college entrance exam is losing its clout at some colleges and universities. According to The Boston Globe the SAT is “under heavy assault on several fronts.”

Smith College, Wake Forest University and hundreds of other colleges dropped the SAT as a requirement for admission. Other colleges are considering similar action and many institutions cite studies concluding that the exam favors wealthier students, and that SAT scores are not compelling predictors of college success.

Many colleges that continue to require the SAT are reducing its importance in admission decisions. Tufts University, for example, employs a holistic admissions process of which the SAT is one of many components.

According to The Boston Globe article, Amherst College interprets SAT results with perspective. ”It is not an intelligence test, and aptitude is going to be strongly affected by opportunity,” said Tom Parker, dean of admission and financial aid at Amherst College, which requires the test. “And the difference in opportunity [between the rich and poor] is almost unimaginable.”

A holistic process with less emphasis on SAT results seems to be the trend at many colleges and universities where admissions officers seek a national measure but at the same time understand the tests’ limitations.

At the same time, the ACT has become increasingly popular. Nearly all colleges that accept the SAT will also accept the ACT with preference. In recent years more college-bound students have taken the ACT than the SAT.

A list of test-optional schools is available at: http://www.fairtest.org/

SAT & ACT: Test Prep Recommendations

lynn — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:34:04 +0000

Standardized test results — SAT & ACT — are a key admission factor at almost all competitive colleges and universities. Increasing your score can not only make you more attractive to the dean of admissions, but also to those awarding merit aid.

These test prep resources (along with study and practice) can help you improve your scores:

ACT:

The Real ACT (CD) 3rd Edition (Real Act Prep Guide) (InLikeMe Favorite)

McGraw-Hill’s 10 ACT Practice Tests, Third Edition (InLikeMe Favorite)

Cracking the ACT, 2012 Edition (College Test Preparation)

Kaplan ACT 2012 Premier (Kaplan Act (Book & Online))

SAT:

The Official SAT Study Guide, 2nd edition (InLikeMe Favorite)

Dr. John Chung’s SAT Math (InLikeMe Favorite)

Barron’s SAT 2400: Aiming for the Perfect Score

Increase Your Score in 3 Minutes a Day: SAT Essay

Cracking the SAT, 2012 Edition (College Test Preparation)

College Board’s Score Choice Sets Off Debate and Angst — Some Schools to Require All Scores

lynn — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:21:55 +0000

The College Board’s Score Choice, a new policy that lets students report selected SAT scores, has set off both a national debate and heightened anxiety. Until recently, students who took the SAT more than once had no choice but to submit scores from all test administration dates. Score Choice eliminates that requirement, except when the college or university opposes the policy.

The new policy, called Score Choice, permits students to choose which of their SAT and SAT Subject Test scores (based on test administration date) colleges and universities will receive. Score Choice became available starting with the March 2009 testing date.

According to the College Board, which administers the SAT, Score Choice will help to alleviate stress associated with college admissions and entrance exam preparation. The ACT has provided reporting flexibility similar to Score Choice for years.

Some colleges and universities oppose the policy. A loophole allows admissions offices to override Score Choice and request to see all scores from all testing dates. A number of schools, including Stanford, Yale, University of Pennsylvania, Cornell, USC, Georgetown and Pomona College, have already indicated that they will not honor Score Choice and will continue to require applicants to send a complete score report. Harvard, MIT and University of Chicago support Score Choice. Princeton is said to be undecided.

Some admissions officers believe that Score Choice can actually hurt students because many colleges already give students the benefit of using only composite scores based on the highest score for each individual section of the exam. Often these composite scores comes from different administration dates (e.g. best Math score achieved in March and Reading in June).

Another concern is fairness based on the position that Score Choice provides an advantage to more affluent students who can afford to pay to take college entrance exams multiple times.

Click here to link to SAT Score-Use Practices by Participating Institution (with information accurate as of publication date) from The College Board web site.

Adaptive SAT Practice – Google

lynn — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:18:25 +0000

11 Free and Low-Cost Prep Tools for PSAT, SAT, ACT & Subject Tests

lynn — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:51:20 +0000

College test-prep anxiety has caused many parents and students to wonder if solid preparation is possible without paying up for expensive tutors and classes. For self-motivated students, the answer is “yes”.

Here are eleven free and low-cost web prep tools, resources and study guides to help prepare for the college entrance exams.

Sign up to receive a free daily Official SAT Question of the Day from The College Board. (http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-question-of-the-day). You’ll also find links to practice questions and tips for the Reading, Math and Writing sections, as well as a full-length practice test – all for free.
MajorTests.com (http://www.majortests.com/sat) offers a free self-study SAT preparation program complete with vocabulary word lists, practice questions for math, writing and critical reading along with an eight-week guided study plan.
Brightstorm’s Online Learning Network, includes low-cost video-based test prep with teaching videos in short, personalized formats as well as practice tests, downloadable materials and comprehensive study guides. More information is available at Brightstorm SAT Test Prep and Brightstorm ACT Test Prep.
Number2.com (http://www.number2.com), a popular free web test prep resource that provides students with ACT or SAT questions and tracks their progress. The site includes a feature that allows parents to monitor their student’s efforts and improvement.
Vocabulary is an important component of the SAT. Students can build their vocabulary while helping to fight hunger at FreeRice.com (http://www.freerice.com). When vocabulary questions are answered correctly, the site’s sponsors donate to the United Nation’s World Food Program.
Spark Notes (http://www.sparknotes.com/testprep) provides lists of common SAT words along with free diagnostics, practice tests and flashcards. You’ll find a myriad of free test prep resources for the SAT, ACT and Subject Tests.
For those seeking math and physics assistance, Erik Jacobsen, Ph.D. (Erik the Red) a New Jersey tutor (http://erikthered.com/tutor), shares “must know” facts, formulas and strategies on his free web site.
INeedAPencil.com (http://www.ineedapencil.com), is a free, comprehensive online SAT prep program that provides dozens of lessons, hundreds of practice questions, and practice exams.
ACT Student Test Prep (http://www.actstudent.org/testprep) provides both free and inexpensive ways to prepare for the ACT including three retired exams, diagnostics, content review, practice questions and test-taking tips covering all four subjects: Math, Reading, Science and English. There is also a special page with tips for the optional essay section.
Strong reading comprehension skills will help you succeed in college and on the entrance exams. This ability is best developed over time by reading challenging books, as well as articles from publications such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Economist. The New York Times Learning Network (http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com) offers a wealth of free tools from Word of the Day to article comprehension quizzes based on recent New York Times content.
Looking for an excellent list of SAT words? You can find more than 250 common SAT words along with concise definitions and sentence usage on The Berkeley Parents Network (http://parents.berkeley.edu/current/sat_words.html)

Test prep books (along with study and practice) can help you significantly improve your scores. Listed below are some InLikeMe.com favorites available at Amazon.com:
PSAT

ACT

SAT

SAT Subject Tests

2010 SAT ACT Prep Resources

Compiled and Written by: Lynn Radlauer Lubell, Publisher of InLikeMe.com and Founder of Admission By Design (lynn@admissionbydesign.com), an Educational Consultancy based in Boca Raton, Florida.

‘Can’t Miss’ Ways to Boost Your Scores

lynn — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:46:46 +0000

Here are some can’t miss, FREE on-line programs to boost your scores. Since building your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills is a cumulative process, it is recommended that you get started as early as possible.

Sign Up for SAT Question of the Day provided by The College Board.
Get The Free Official SAT Practice Test.
Sign Up for Dictionary.com Word of the Day
Check out The New York Times Learning Network — Daily News Quiz, Test Prep Questions, Word of the Day
Sign up for The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times and try to read at least one article or op-ed piece each day. A free daily newsletter such as the WSJ’s On The Editorial Page (one of many newsletters offered by the WSJ) is a great way to learn about current issues while improving your vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.
Sign Up for My College QuickStart ™ from The College Board.

If you took the PSAT/NMSQT on or after 2006, you have access to My College QuickStart, which includes these features:

My Online Score Report – An enhanced score report that allows you to review each PSAT test question, your answer, and the correct answer with answer explanations.

SAT Study Plan – A customized SAT study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT test performance, highlighting skills for review and practice.

Recommended Testing Timeline

lynn — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:44:28 +0000

RECOMMENDED TESTING TIMELINE

10th grade:

PSAT- October
Optional: SAT Subject Test (e.g. World History)- May or June

11th grade:

PSAT- October
ACT + Writing – Fall, Winter and/or Spring
SAT – Winter and/or Spring
SAT Subject Tests – May or June

Summer between 11th grade & 12th grade:

Examine test scores and focus on areas that need improvement

12th grade:

Re-take tests, if necessary
ACT + Writing – September, October, or December*
SAT – October, November, or December*
SAT Subject Tests – October, November, or December*
Language with Listening ONLY offered in November

* December is usually the final acceptable test date.