This session will explore how quantitative data such as test scores, admissions numbers, and other statistics can be used to tell a variety of stories in independent schools. We'll look at the topic through several lenses, including the college admissions process and institutional branding.
8 Things We Learned About the UCs
SAT Tip from The Onion:
Graduates of Top 50 Liberal Arts Schools More Likely to 'Thrive' Than Other Graduates, According to Gallup-Purdue Survey
The New ACT Essay - What You Need to Know
First, just breathe. The essay still won't count toward your composite score, so ultimately, the impact of the new ACT essay will be minimal.
The Facts:
- It's going to get harder. The silver lining is that the increased difficulty will significantly enhance the advantage conferred to students who prepare for the ACT essay.
- The format of the prompt is changing. Students will be given a complex topic and three perspectives on said topic. They will be asked to "evaluate and analyze" the three perspectives in 40 minutes (increased from 30 minutes on the old format).
- The scoring system is changing too. Students will now be given an essay score on a 36-point scale, similar to the scores they receive on the other four sections of the ACT (but once again, the essay score will not affect students' composite scores in any way).
- This change in no way affects our recommendation to always sign-up for the optional ACT essay.
- We have practice essay prompts, and our students will be ready for the new format on the September 12th, 2015 official ACT exam.
Why Did the SAT Change?
Recently, a head of school emailed asking for a concise answer as to why the College Board (makers of the SAT) decided to redesign the PSAT and SAT exams. Our response is reproduced below:
In short, the reason is market share.
While the ACT and College Board are technically nonprofits, they do combined business each year in the hundreds of millions. Sometimes their actions appear to be more like multi-national corporations than educationally-minded institutions.
Two trends have emerged over the last few years:
1) More students are taking the ACT: In 2012, more kids took the ACT than the SAT for the first time ever. The ACT hasn't looked back since, with more and more students shifting to the ACT every year.
2) State testing is being handed over to the ACT and College Board: This was where the College Board really got caught with their pants down. Before they knew it, the ACT had contracted 20 states to replace their state testing with versions of the ACT or PLAN (now called the ASPIRE). However, since the SAT redesigned its exam to align with nationwide common core curriculum it has secured several states of its own -- including a three-year, $14.3 million contract with the state of Illinois, a traditional ACT stronghold.
Conclusion: It appears that the College Board felt as though they didn't have a choice but to redesign their exam to try to reverse the aforementioned trends.
So what did they do?
They hired David Coleman from the ACT -- the guy who built the ACT's state-testing empire. He was also one of only five people on the standards writing team for both the Mathematical and English Language Arts portions of the Common Core. Coleman oversaw the redesign of the SAT to ensure it aligned with the Common Core standards. (What this means for students is that math will now be much more important on the SAT and more difficult.)
As a side note, we're recommending that the majority of class of 2017 students move forward with the ACT over the SAT. If you're interested in that topic, we have a blog post that explains our reasoning.
The Awareness Test
Where you focus your attention, determines you experience. When it comes to college admissions and standardized testing, make sure you focus on the right things —
1) Long term growth.
2) Reaching your goals for the future.
3) Finding a right-fit college, not just the highest ranked one you can get into.
At Test Prep Gurus we teach students how to raise their ACT and SAT scores so they can reach their goals for college and beyond.
It all starts with 3 steps:
Complete free mock ACT and SAT exams.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to review your exam results.
Create a 1-on-1 test prep plan to reach your goals for college and beyond.
SAT Printing Error Gives Students Extra Time
Thousands of students who took the SAT on Saturday are concerned about the validity of their test scores, thanks to a printing error that resulted in some students getting extra time on one section. For one section, students were told in their test booklets that they had 25 minutes to finish, when in fact, they should have only had 20 minutes. We will keep you posted on how the College Board responds to this error.
Washington Post Article on SAT Printing Error
Us News Article on SAT Printing Error
Update, 8 June 2016, 4:30pm:
From the College Board:
"After a comprehensive review and statistical analysis, the College Board and ETS have determined that the affected sections will not be scored and we will still be able to provide reliable scores for all students who took the SAT on June 6. We expect to deliver scores within the usual timeframe.
To accommodate the wide range of incidents that can impact a testing experience, the SAT is designed to collect enough information to provide valid and reliable scores even with an additional unscored section. From fire drills and power outages to mistiming and disruptive behavior, school-based test administrations can be fragile, so our assessments are not."
Growth Mindset: How to Encourage Students When Teaching Math
At Test Prep Gurus we teach students how to raise their ACT and SAT scores so they can reach their goals for college and beyond.
It all starts with 3 steps:
Complete free mock ACT and SAT exams.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to review your exam results.
Create a 1-on-1 test prep plan to reach your goals for college and beyond.
Snacks for the Day of a Standardized Exam
Class of 2019 Admissions Statistics: Regular vs Early Decision
Check out this table to compare the admit rates at various colleges for regular vs early admission. Harvard's acceptance rate jumps up from under 5% to 17% for applicants who apply early. Middlebury jumps up from 17% to 42%!
*Class of 2019 Admissions Statistics: Regular vs Early Decision
The Mock PSAT for Download
We have been receiving a lot of requests for the recently released "new PSAT" exam. Here it is, available for download:
Mock PSAT Exam
Mock PSAT Exam Answers
Best, Brightest — and Saddest?
Best, Brightest — and Saddest? http://nyti.ms/1ygcJTw
An outstanding article on the pressure put on students today in the college admissions process!
Nick Standlea to speak at National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Inland Empire High School Fair
NACAC Talk: "How the SAT and ACT are Used By College Admissions Officers"
Nick brings this subject to life with a series of interesting student stories, surprising insights, and a concise analysis of what the data is telling us about the college admissions process and the role of SAT & ACT scores. Plus insights into the common core and the new SAT!
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Ontario Convention Center
Exhibit Hall A
2000 East Convention Center Way
Ontario, CA 91764
Nick Standlea speaking at UC Berkeley
Test Prep Gurus in 90 Seconds
What is Positive Psychology?
"What is Positive Psychology?" was created by Nick Standlea and Test Prep Gurus. It was recently featured at the annual conference for the Western Association of Positive Psychology and has amassed more than 500,000 views.
At Test Prep Gurus we teach students how to raise their ACT and SAT scores so they can reach their goals for college and beyond.
It all starts with 3 steps:
Complete free mock ACT and SAT exams.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to review your exam results.
Create a 1-on-1 test prep plan to reach your goals for college and beyond.
Stanford researchers solve the mystery of the dancing droplets
Speaking Engagement at Western Association for College Admission Counseling Event at Scripps College
Thank you to everyone who attended our talk, "How to Use Test Prep for Good Instead of Evil" at the Western Association for College Admission Counseling event at Scripps College in Claremont. We had a great time!
Nick Standlea and Natalie Dymchenko at the Western Association for College Admission Counseling event at Scripps College
Webb leaps into the top 10 boarding schools in America for highest average SAT scores
Business Insider's recent article, "The 24 Smartest Boarding Schools in America" ranks The Webb Schools at #10, right along side the likes of Andover and Exeter. We are so proud to be part of the this huge achievement!
At Test Prep Gurus we teach students how to raise their ACT and SAT scores so they can reach their goals for college and beyond.
It all starts with 3 steps:
Complete free mock ACT and SAT exams.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to review your exam results.
Create a 1-on-1 test prep plan to reach your goals for college and beyond.
If you take the new SAT in March, you won't get your scores back until...the end of MAY?!
The College Board has confirmed that students who take the first new SAT in March 2016 will not receive their scores until AFTER the College Board has an opportunity to evaluate the scores from the May 2016 test date.
This is just one more reason that you will likely be better off taking the ACT if you're currently in the class of 2017. However, there are exceptions to this rule, which we will cover in a subsequent post...