SSAT + PSAT + SAT

After so many years of preparing students for the SAT and PSAT, I finally got an opportunity to work with students on the SSAT.

As part of the Stevenson Summer Camp, I put on a five-week workshop for rising 8th Graders on the ins and outs of the SSAT. The SSAT, for those that don't know, is an assessment that independent high schools use to qualify their applicants. Think of it as the SAT for high school applicants.

There are some differences between the SSAT and the SAT. First of all, the SSAT tests your vocabulary via analogies and synonyms. The SAT, on the other hand, tests vocabulary primarily via Sentence Completion questions in which you must fill in the correct blank by using contextual clues in a sentence. The SAT also assesses writing much more than the SSAT since there is a whole section on the SAT dedicated to writing.

Despite these differences, the tests are quite similar. Both the SSAT and the SAT have similar Reading Comprehension questions, both have similar Math questions and both are scored in a similar way. And since the PSAT is just the SAT Jr., students can get a jump on their SAT preparation by preparing for both the SSAT and the PSAT.

There is no question that the students in my workshop learned a great deal about how to attack the verbal sections of any standardized test. They have also learned individual strategies to help them improve their scores. Sometimes this has meant reworking individual test-taking techniques because the SSAT, like the PSAT and the SAT, require unique strategies that may not be used on the typical school-based assessments.

Prepping for the SSAT may not be the most popular summer activity, but those that do will not only get a leg up on their high school applications, they will also gain a greater understanding of what the PSAT and SAT are all about. SSAT prep is not needed for everyone, but the sooner you start understanding this type of assessment, the more comfortable you will be on SAT  test day.

CROSSWALK, located in Pacific Grove, CA, provides private tutoring and Boot Camps for SAT, ACT as well as private tutoring in all academic subjects. Contact us here to learn more. 

Summer S.A.T. Prep Tips

What's the best thing about summer? Wearing shorts and sandals every day? Sleeping in late? Spending the day at the beach?

While all of these are wonderful things to do in summer, the best thing about summer is the free time you have to prepare for the S.A.T.

Hear me out on this. I know that spending your summer prepping for a tough test like the S.A.T. is not your idea of a good time. You'd much rather see the new Amazing Spider-Man movie, grab an ice cream at Coldstone Creamery or hang out with some friends at the mall. However, summer represents the ideal time to get ready for the S.A.T. for a number of reasons.

First of all, there is no added stress of school. Preparing for the S.A.T. requires complete focus. This can be very hard to do during the school year when homework and extracurricular activities dominate your life. With summer free time, you should be able to schedule some blocks of time where your only concern is test prep.

Secondly, assuming you do some good test prep over the summer, you can take your S.A.T. early in the fall and be done with the test. While you relax in November and December, your friends will stress out during S.A.T. weekends. Wouldn't that be nice? And even if you don't get a great score in early fall, you will still have another chance (or two depending on the school admissions deadlines) to retake the test and improve.

Really, it goes without saying that summer is a great time to prep for the S.A.T. The question is thus, what is the best way to prepare for the S.A.T. over the summer? Here are five ways to spend your summer gearing up for test day:

1) Take a Course: depending on where you live, there are a variety of courses throughout the summer. Some are long, some are short. CROSSWALK, a tutoring company servicing the Monterey Peninsula, runs several S.A.T. and A.C.T. Boot Camps. Check here for information.

2) Self-Paced Study: grab an S.A.T. study guide, like the Official S.A.T. Study Guide. This book is produced by the College Board, which is the same organization that produces the S.A.T. This book has great strategies and tons of test questions. You can even visit Khan Academy to find video solutions for most problems.

3) Hire a Private Tutor: since not all students feel comfortably studying independently, a private tutor is an excellent option. Be sure to look for a tutor with significant experience (more than three years). More importantly, make sure the tutor's personality and style will allow for positive and productive sessions.

4) Set a Routine: no matter what you do, you will need a structured routine. Even if you just do one thing, like the College Board's S.A.T. Question of the Day, make sure you do it routinely. I once had a student that blocked out four Saturdays leading up to the S.A.T. One each Saturday, this student took a full length practice test at home. Four weeks of this routine had the student primed and prepared for test day. His brain and body was ready for test day and he walked out with a 2200 overall score and never took it again. The five week routine was difficult, but it was a short term pain for a long term gain.

5) Read: remember that the S.A.T. is a reading test. Almost 30% of all of the questions on the test are passage-based reading questions. As for the rest of the test, even if you think it is a math or writing assessment, you are tasked with reading the information presented before uncovering the right answer. So read, read and read some more. Read actively, meaning you annotate what you read and ask yourself lots of questions while you read like "what is the purpose?" or "what action does the author want me to take now?" The more you read, the more prepared you will be.

So summer can still have trips to the beach, visits with friends and ice cream parties. You don't have to give up your summer to get ready for the S.A.T. Nevertheless, be sure to find ways to be productive during your free time. Carve out some predictable and routine blocks of time to get yourself ready for test day. Don't let summer pass you by without a little S.A.T. prep. If your future is important to you, then the Amazing Spider-Man and Coldstone can wait for another day.

Spring & Summer Boot Camps

CROSSWALK has recently added some new SAT and ACT Boot Camp dates for the spring and summer:

• April 21: SAT Boot Camp (9:00am-3:00pm)
• May 19: SAT Boot Camp (9:00am-3:00pm)
• June 2: ACT Boot Camp (9:00am-3:00pm)
• June 5 and 7: afternoon SAT Boot Camp (3-6:00pm both days)
• June 12 and 14: afternoon ACT Boot Camp (3-6:00pm both days)
• July 10 and 12: afternoon SAT Boot Camp (3-6:00pm both days
• July 17 and 19: afternoon ACT Boot Camp (3-6:00pm both days)

If you are interested in signing up for an upcoming Boot Camp, contact CROSSWALK at 831-70-TUTOR (88867) or email us at mail@crosswalkeducation.com.

For future dates and information, be sure to check the calendar.

If you are interested in forming a group for your own Boot Camp, CROSSWALK offers some great money-saving ways to get you and your friends ready for test day. Contact CROSSWALK to learn more.

Also, for the latest events at CROSSWALK as well as educational insights delivered directly to your inbox, please subscribe to the CROSSWALK blog by inputting your email into the box on the right. Check out past blog posts right here.

For questions and more information, or to set up your FREE meet and greet with one of our tutors, contact CROSSWALK directly.

CROSSWALK is Monterey Peninsula's local resource for SAT & ACT Boot Camps, Test Prep and Private Tutoring.

Are Bilinguals More Prepared for College?

A recent article in the New York Times touts the benefits of bilingualism. According to the article, children that grow up speaking two languages demonstrate improved cognitive skills as compared to children that grow up with just one language.

There are several studies cited in this article that illustrate the connection between bilingualism and increased cognitive function. One such study suggests that bilingualism can even slow the onset of dementia in the elderly .

All told, the case is pretty strong that bilinguals indeed can be smarter than monolinguals.

However, the bilingual advantage appears to be a disadvantage when it comes to standardized testing. Just last year, the College Board reported that SAT reading scores dropped to their lowest levels in decades. The reason? The College Board would have you believe that bilinguals, or more precisely English language learners (ELLs), are part of the reason why reading scores have dropped. The College Board reported that the 2011 SAT had the largest and most diverse group of test takers in history. In fact, 27% of all test takers in 2011 did "not speak exclusively English."

So on one hand, if you speak more than one language, your brain will be more efficient and more effective than someone that speaks only one language. However, if you do not exclusively speak English, you may find that you are not as prepared for standardized tests as those that do.

The irony of all of this lies with those colleges that place significant weight on SAT scores in the admission process. These colleges may be missing out on lots of bilingual students that are cognitively more adept than their monolingual counterparts.

SAT Test Optional?

Ah, the debate continues. Is the SAT a viable predictor of college performance?

One one hand, it is perhaps the only standardized measurement on a prospective student's application. GPAs? Hardly standardized. A 4.0 at one school does not equate to a 4.0 at another school. So what can a college do? With so many college applicants, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff?

So goes the argument for the SAT: without anything else in place, it can serve as a predictor.

On the other hand, as more and more data is showing, the level of predictability is minimal. According to the latest from Joseph Soares, GPAs are indeed the best predictor of performance. Even if schools have varying standards, it seems that your GPA will determine how well you do in college. Not a standardized test.

Read more about Dr. Soares and his book, SAT Wars: The Case for Test-Optional Admissions (Teachers College Press) and see for yourself.

So where will the SAT go? Nowhere for now. But the long term future of standardized tests may be a question.

Free Resource: The Khan Academy

It's hard to argue with the premise that you get what you pay for.

However, sometimes a very valuable resource comes along that doesn't cost a thing. The Khan Academy is just one of those valuable resources that won't cost you a penny.

What started as an uncle creating math tutorials via YouTube for his family has turned into a major hub of educational content. Check out the videos and create an account to track your progress. (Note: you must be at least 13 years old to create an account.)

Free education at your own pace? Sounds like a lot of value for no money. Kudos Khan Academy.

De-Standardize Education?

Sir Ken Robinson suggests a new paradigm for education.

Very thought-provoking and, dare say, revolutionary?

Have a look for yourself: