Boost SAT/ACT Score with Workshop Series

If you need a boost to your SAT or ACT score, contact CROSSWALK today to sign up for the Spring Test Prep Workshop Series. 

Join us for six topics over six weeks. If you don't need all six, then just pick the sessions you need. 

Here are the dates and topics:

• 3/14/17: SAT and ACT Overview and General Strategies
• 3/21/17: SAT and ACT Reading Strategies for Success
• 3/28/17: SAT and ACT Math Strategies for Success
• 4/4/17: SAT and ACT Writing Strategies for Success
• 4/11/17: SAT and ACT Science Strategies for Success
• 4/18/17: SAT and ACT Essay Strategies for Success 

The class size is limited to a small group to ensure for individualized instruction. Students will exit each class with a game plan and a study plan to maximize score improvement. 

All sessions will take place at the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach, CA. 

Reserve your spot today by contacting CROSSWALK here. 

CROSSWALK is the Monterey Peninsula's resource for test prep and academic tutoring. 

Conquer SAT & ACT Math with Math Toolbox (Part 6)

This is the sixth part in a series of how to conquer SAT and ACT Math by utilizing a Math Toolbox. For the complete list of the tools in the Math Toolbox and Part 1, visit here. 

Plug & chug is the final tool in your Math Toolbox. This tool will help you with nasty algebra problems that contain multiple variables or complicated equations with variables. 

The basic idea with plug & chug is to make the problem more manageable by replacing variables with easy numbers. For example, a good problem to use the plug & chug tool would look like this: 

"What is the product of the complex numbers (4z+3) and (-4z+3)?"

At first glance, you need to use the FOIL (first, outer, inner, last) method to multiply the two sets of parentheses. However, instead of charting out all of the FOIL steps and potentially miscalculating something, why not plug in a number for z and chug away? If you pretend z is 2, then the first set of parentheses yields 11 and the second yields -5, or solution of -55. Much easier to solve, right?

Try a couple of numbers for the variables, like 1, 0 or -1, just in case. 

You should then check the answers for one of the numbers you found. If the variable z is in the answer choices, then plug and chug the number into the variables on the answer choices as well so that the answers choices do not contain variables. 

The plug & chug tool can make complicated algebra quite simple. It may not work for all problems, but it will work on some. 

This last point is a good way to close out this series on the math toolbox by reminding you that not all tools will work for every problem. Your job, now that you have a full toolbox, is to figure out which tool works best on the problem at hand. Your pencil, calculator, mental math, translator, back door and plug & chug tools can all be useful ways to solve SAT and ACT problems quickly and accurately. 

For more test prep advice, contact CROSSWALK, the Monterey Peninsula's resource for test prep for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SSAT and more. 

Conquer SAT & ACT Math with Math Toolbox (Part 5)

This is the fifth part in a series of how to conquer SAT and ACT Math by utilizing a Math Toolbox. For the complete list of the tools in the Math Toolbox and Part 1, visit here. 

Now that your toolbox is filling up with tools to conquer SAT and ACT math like your pencil, calculator, mental math and the translator, one of the remaining tools may be the most valuable: the back door. 

The back door, or back-solving, means you start with the answer choices at the outset of the problem. Instead of solving an equation to find an answer, plug the answer choices into the equation to find which one solves it. 

Think of it this way: for all multiple choice questions, the test writers give you the correct answer. Yes, there are three or four other answers also presented, but the correct answer is staring at you in the face. 

So take advantage of that information! Use the back door: insert one of the answer choices into the problem and find your solution through back-solving. 

One major key with the back door tool: start with the answer choice in the middle. Answer choices are typically ordered from least to greatest or greatest to least, so start with one of the numbers in the middle. That way, if you find you need a number that is larger, you can eliminate all answers that don't work without having to solve the problem four or five times. 

The back door can also be used to help set up your problem. For instance, on a word problem, a quick peek at the answers can help you frame your equation. 

The back door is a simple yet supremely effective way to get to the right answer. Since the answers are given to you, start with the answers and work backwards to find which one is best. While this tool will not help you with the grid-ins on the SAT, it will help on all multiple choice problems in the ACT and SAT. 

For more tools and resources on conquering the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SSAT and more, contact CROSSWALK today. 

Conquer SAT & ACT Math with Math Toolbox (Part 4)

This is the fourth part in a series of how to conquer SAT and ACT Math by utilizing a Math Toolbox. For the complete list of the tools in the Math Toolbox and Part 1, visit here. 

Your pencil, calculator and mental math tools will help solve math problems on the SAT and ACT more quickly and accurately. But there are more tools to add to your toolbox. 

This post is dedicated to the translation tool. 

Your translation tool will help you work through word problems and other math problems that contain a bit of reading. 

Truth be told, these types of questions are more reading problems than math problems. If the test writers were to provide the equation along with the word problem, the work would be easy. Since the equation is not provided, the challenge with these types of problems is sifting through the words to come up with the equation. 

Thus, your translation tool will come in handy. 

The translation tool is the tool that helps you convert words or written expressions into mathematical expressions. For example, if the problem says "the total" or "increased by",  then this would likely be an addition problem. If there is an expression like "amount per serving" the "per" means division (amount divided by servings). Words like "was" or "yields" means equals. 

Many reputable SAT or ACT guide books include a table of the mathematical operations that correspond to specific words. If you struggle with word problems, it may be a good idea to spend some time learning how to translate certain words into mathematical expressions. 

For further assistance, contact CROSSWALK. Our tutors work in SAT, ACT, PSAT, SSAT and other areas to help students feel more confident and comfortable. 

Conquer SAT & ACT Math with Math Toolbox (Part 3)

This is the third part in a series of how to conquer SAT and ACT Math by utilizing a Math Toolbox. For the complete list of the tools in the Math Toolbox and Part 1, visit here. 

Now that you mastered how to best use your pencil and your calculator, it is time to learn how to use the math tools you don't carry in your pocket on test day.  

The first of said tools is mental math. 

I mentioned mental math in the last post by stating that a calculator is not needed for every calculation since many problems can be solved in your head. The truth is, if you have to pull out your calculator for every problem on the SAT calculator math section or the entire ACT math section, you will waste a lot of time. 

Instead of using the calculator as a crutch, learn to leverage your mental math. 

Mental math isn't really that hard. Say you have to multiply 408 by 12. Sounds like a problem that requires a calculator, right? Actually, it doesn't. 408 x 12 is the same as (400 x 12) + (8 x 12). With mental math, you break calculations down into manageable chunks. 4 x 12 is 48, so 400 x 12 is 4800. 8 x 12 is 96 so your final answer is a pretty easy sum of 4800 + 96 or 4,896. 

Another useful trick with mental math is estimating. Often on the SAT and ACT, you can eliminate answer choices and get closer to the correct answer quickly by estimating. For example, let's say there is a question asking the area of an L-shaped pool. You could calculate the area of one section of the pool then add that to the calculation of the area of the other section. This would mean two different calculations which means lots of time. 

On the other hand, with mental math, you could estimate the area of both sections pretty quickly and eliminate any answer choices that are too small or too large. In most situations, this means you would eliminate as many as three answer choices.

Now, with the hard work already done, you can back into the correct answer much faster by looking at the remaining answer choices. But more on the back door in a future blog post as that is another tool in your math toolbox.

Ultimately, mental math can take you far when it comes to saving time and uncovering correct answers. Calculators are a useful tool but they can slow you down. Let your brain do some heavy lifting and watch correct answers appear faster. 

Next post will address the next math tool: translating. 

For more test-taking tips, contact CROSSWALK and learn how we prepare students stress-free for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, SSAT and more. 

Conquer SAT & ACT Math with Math Toolbox (Part 2)

This is the second part in a series of how to conquer SAT and ACT Math by utilizing a Math Toolbox. For the complete list of the tools in the Math Toolbox and Part 1, visit here. 

Along with your pencil, the calculator is a pretty obvious resource for the test. You can use a calculator on the entire ACT math portion. The SAT and PSAT only allow calculators on one of the two math sections (no calculator on the SSAT by the way).

Nevertheless, a calculator can actually hinder your performance on the test if you don't use it wisely. A calculator can cause you to spend lots of extra time. Many students feel the need to use the calculator for every calculation. The test is designed such that, if you need to use a calculator for every problem, you might not be able to finish the test in time. 

Also, a calculator does not allow you to visually track all of your calculations. If you do all calculations on the calculator and you don't jot down any notes in your test booklet, it can be challenging to check your work and confirm the correct answer. 

So how do you effectively use a calculator as a part of your Math Toolbox? 

First of all, be sure you do all of your practice and studying with the same calculator you use on test day. Many students use their cell phone calculators when they practice for the test for reasons of convenience. Since cell phones are not allowed into the test, students have to learn the keys and format of a new calculator on test day. Major time waster! 

Secondly, learn to leverage your mental math skills instead of taking out a calculator for every calculation. Next blog post will detail the power of mental math, but for now, just be sure you understand that there are many calculations you can do in your head that are faster than plugging and plotting on a calculator. 

Finally, a calculator should not replace note taking. Getting pencil to paper and making a mess of your test booklet is the path to determining and confirming the correct answer. 

In all, your calculator should ultimately help you with both speed and accuracy on math problems on the SAT, ACT and PSAT. Use it wisely, and it can be one of the most productive tools in your Math Toolbox. 

For more test taking tips and tools, contact CROSSWALK today. 

Conquer SAT & ACT Math with Math Toolbox (Part 1)

For many students, SAT and ACT math differ greatly from school or classroom math. A typical math class in school is content driven: learn a specific concept, practice the concept and take a test on all of the concepts from the chapter. 

On the other hand, SAT and ACT math problems leverage context and not content. Word problems, for example, challenge students to sift through the words and numbers in order to determine an equation. Similarly, other problems on the SAT or ACT require multiple steps that force students to use more than one content-based skill--like both algebra and geometry on one problem--to reach a solution. 

Given the significant difference between the content approach in school and the context approach on the SAT and ACT, some of the best math students falter on the SAT and ACT. 

Nevertheless, success for any student is attainable on the SAT and ACT when you have a Math Toolbox. The Math Toolbox is not a revolutionary idea. Simply put, the Math Toolbox is a series of different ways to solve a math problem. On the SAT and the ACT, each math problem may necessitate a different set of tools. 

With that, the Math Toolbox we help our students develop consists of the following six tools: 

• Pencil
• Calculator
• Mental Math
• Translation 
• Back Door
• Plug and Chug

This blog post, the first in a series of six, will detail how to best use the first tool: your pencil. Be sure to follow this blog for the rest of the series and details on each tool in the CROSSWALK Math Toolbox.

With respect to the pencil, it is obviously one of the few things you can carry into the test. Since you can walk into the test with a pencil, let's really learn how to use it. 

The pencil allows you to do several things to get to the right answer more efficiently:  

• Annotate the question: Questions on the SAT and ACT math can be misleading or tricky. For example, an algebra problem may get you to solve for "x" but the question is "What is 2x?" Use a pencil to circle the question so you know what is being asked. 
• Annotate and jot down the information you have: Notes are extremely helpful in word problems. Jotting down notes helps sift through the context to determine what information you need to find out versus what information you have. Create a table for what you know and figure out what you need to find out. 
• Draw pictures for logic problems and geometry: When in doubt, draw it out. The simple act of getting pencil to paper will help you organize your thoughts and allow you to get to the solution faster. 
• Make quick calculations: Your test booklet should end up looking like a messy conglomeration of notes and calculations. Use the space provided to make and track your steps. Perhaps most importantly, be sure to check your work when you are ready to finalize an answer.  

In all, the pencil is an obvious tool that every student has. Use it the right way and it can be one tool to help you score points.

For more Math Toolbox tools, follow this blog or contact CROSSWALK today.