Educational Test Prep

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS TAKING THE ISEE 

  Educators are fully aware that many very capable students struggle taking standardized tests because they have learning or physical challenges. This is why accommodations are offered to students who “are unable to take the ISEE under standard conditions” These challenges must be documented and upon approval, a student may be eligible to receive accommodations such as extended time when taking the test (50%) and/or taking the test on a computer rather than with paper and pencil.

  Here is what a parent must do:

  Submit an accommodations request for your student on the ISEE website www.erblearn.org.  You will automatically receive an ISEE Accommodations Form via the email you have provided on your parent account.

  Submit the completed, signed and dated Current School Statement section of the form.

  Submit the required supporting documentation (i.e. a complete psycho-educational evaluation dated within the last 3 years, an IEP from the current calendar year, a School Accommodation Plan from the current calendar year OR a current physician’s letter).

  Do not register for a test date before receiving approval which can take up to three weeks.

  After approval, be sure  to register for a test site and date that offers the accommodations that were approved since ISEE does not guarantee an available test site or location that offer these accommodations.

  If the approved accommodations are not offered at any available test site locations, you will need to make arrangements at one of the ISEE test site schools to which your student is applying.

  It is noteworthy that the approval will stay with your student for 15 months should your student want to register to take another test and that any accommodations that your student receives are not identified on the score report.

  Information comes directly from the ISEE website www.erblearn.org. 

          LEARN ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHEN TAKING THE SSAT

  The Enrollment Management Association, the organization that offers the SSAT, is “committed to ensuring that students with disabilities receive all necessary and reasonable testing accommodations when taking the SSAT.”

  If you believe your student may be eligible to receive testing accommodations, it is important that you submit your application in a timely way. It can take up to 2 weeks to process your request and you must receive approval before registering for an SSAT with testing accommodations. It’s important to note that test sites that offer accommodations may fill up before the registration deadline.

  Per the website, www.Enrollment.org (under Resources, “About the SSAT”), once students are approved for accommodations, there is no requirement to submit another request for the remainder of testing season. In addition, schools are not notified if a student takes the SSAT with accommodations.

  Standardized tests can be challenging under the best of circumstances. If your student has learning or physical differences that can be mitigated by receiving testing accommodations, I recommend you pursue what is being offered by The Enrollment Management Association when signing up for the SSAT. They are designed to provide equitable and fair access to the test.

While traveling  in Connecticut, I had the good fortune of staying in a hotel in Hartford where the  University of Connecticut (UConn) hockey team was also staying. These young men were getting ready to play Tulsa – a very important game for the UConn team.  You may be wondering why this has anything to do with athletic scholarships which enable students to afford to attend their dream school to…

While traveling  in Connecticut, I had the good fortune of staying in a hotel in Hartford where the  University of Connecticut (UConn) hockey team was also staying. These young men were getting ready to play Tulsa – a very important game for the UConn team.  You may be wondering why this has anything to do with athletic scholarships which enable students to afford to attend their dream school to play sports.  The reason is simple.  Watching these college students, who were clearly a “team,” made me know how valuable it is to be able to play sports in college if that is what you love to do. These young men were respectful, serious (and excited) about the task at hand and enjoying their camaraderie. So, what if you want to attend a Division I or Division II school as a student athlete and can’t afford it?

Here are some things you can do.

Know the NCAA requirements that must be fulfilled in high school and do what you need to do beginning in 9th grade.

Find a coach who will be your advocate and give you tips on how to be noticed by scouts from various schools.

If possible, have someone videotape your games so you can compile highlights of your performance.

Work as hard as you can to make your GPA as high as possible.

Prepare for the ACT or the SAT to increase your scores.

When I was in Hartford, Connecticut, one of the members of the UConn coaching staff gave me some insight into how scholarships are determined at his school. He explained that each varsity sport at the University of Connecticut (a Division I school) has a slightly different situation. The football team, for example, is limited by NCAA rules on the number of full scholarships they can offer. The hockey team, however, has more flexibility. They can offer a number of full and partial scholarships. He has players who were admitted with a high GPA and/or SAT/ACT scores so the university offered those players merit scholarships. The coaches then made recommendations that the difference be covered with an athletic scholarship. Those players, because they were admitted with solid, if not impressive, test scores and GPA were able to have their entire tuition paid by the school. A few players also qualified for and received financial aid, which could be added to the equation. Nevertheless, the student athlete did not pay anything beyond personal expenses – 100% was taken care of and he or she could be a college athlete.

When you’re deciding on a college, it’s a good idea to start researching them early in the game. We’ve seen many of our students change their minds late in the process, after they’ve gotten to know a little more about the schools they’re looking at, or have narrowed down the subjects that are of most interest to them.

  You can think of this as a Venn diagram, built around these three topics:

  1. Location – Are you happy being around home and would like to be nearby for visits and good dinners? Or are you ready to get out into the world and start your adventure?

  2. Specific program quality – Different schools have different reputations for different programs. You might be dying to be the next great journalist. And you might really want to go to the world’s most prestigious school. But what if the world’s most prestigious school doesn’t have a journalism major? Which is more important to you?

  3. Cost – Lot’s of students are going into major debt just from the costs of college. Consider whether you are willing to be making payments for several years after college is through. Don’t forget that there is financial aid out there for people who are willing to put in the work to apply.

  To get started, have at least one school on your list that is really reaching for the stars. If there is even the slightest possible chance to make your dream school work for you, then the last thing you want to do is remove it from consideration too soon.

  On the other end of the spectrum, start looking at the schools that you can get into pretty easily. If, in the end, you have to resort to one of these fallback schools, find out early which ones you would most want to be part of.

  Then find your in-between schools. These would be the ones that wouldn’t be your idea of college nirvana, but that you like well, are reasonably affordable, and that you have a good shot at.

  Now, the schools that are good for you in all three categories go into the center of you Venn diagram. Those are the ones that you must apply to. Next would be the ones that are a match for at least two of the categories, which you should apply to in case you don’t get into your dream school. And finally, only apply to the schools that fit one category if you really need a fallback, and can be pretty sure that you’ll get in if all else fails.

  And remember, the school that is your dream now might not turn out to be the best for you. We’ve had no shortage of students who thought the world was ending when they didn’t get their ideal school, but then came home four years later saying that they wound up in exactly the right place, and that things could not have worked out better for them.

Is it necessary for juniors to take the PSAT?

  Well no, not necessary. But it’s a good idea for several reasons.

  First, colleges are willing to look at PSAT scores and give them weight when they’re beginning to sort out admissions. So not only is it worth taking the PSAT for this reason, it’s actually worth preparing for it. The PSAT is essentially an abbreviated version of the SAT, which means that anyone who takes the time to learn how to take the PSAT will have a head start on learning the SAT when it’s time to get ready for that.

  And that brings us to the second point. Since the PSAT is just a dry run, it doesn’t really matter how a student scores. It’s basically a risk-free way to find out what the real test looks like.

  Which is hugely important.

  Anyone who thinks that standardized tests are a simple measure of how much a student knows from high school classes is in for a big surprise. These tests speak a language of their own, and the ones who have taken the time to learn that language are at an advantage. They will not only move more quickly through the test, but they will fall into fewer traps.

  And even students who plan on taking the ACT, the PSAT is still useful. Standardized tests share a lot of similarities. So, while prepping for the SAT isn’t perfect training for the ACT, it’s still a major help.

  And there is also the possibility that a student will be able to use the PSAT to get an idea of which test he or she wants to take. Anyone who feels very comfortable with the PSAT is probably a good candidate for the SAT.

  On the other hand, every student should have a look at both tests. There are significant differences between the two, and picking the right test can mean a significant difference in scores.

September is when families are embarking upon the admissions process for the following school year.  This is a time to gather information about the schools to which you’re applying and plan for their specific requirements for admission.  One of the most important pieces of advices that we give parents is to make sure you are not holding up the admissions process.  Staying on top of your…

September is when families are embarking upon the admissions process for the following school year.  This is a time to gather information about the schools to which you’re applying and plan for their specific requirements for admission.  One of the most important pieces of advices that we give parents is to make sure you are not holding up the admissions process.  Staying on top of your admissions to do list with enable you to complete the process successfully and with minimal stress.

We’d like to help you by providing this handy checklist for the month of September.

  YOUR SEPTEMBER TO DO LIST:

Do your research.  Peruse schools online, and check with them to see if they’re participating in a local school fair where you can gather material and impressions from several schools at once.

Request admissions and financial aid material.

Note important event dates, deadlines for applications, transcripts, and financial aid.

Register for any standardized tests required for admission.

If testing is required, review the test website to learn about procedures and test dates; consider purchasing a test-preparation online course.

Call schools to schedule individual tours, interviews, and class visits.

The admissions process can seem overwhelming, but by keeping a calendar and breaking up the process into smaller chunks, such as a month-by-month to do list, you’ll be poised for a smooth and successful admissions season.    We’ll be discussing next month’s to dos in the coming days.

When you think about getting ready for your test, think of it like learning an instrument, learning how to cook a new dish, or learning your lines in a play.  Or you can think of it like a marathon. Runners who start well before the date of a marathon don’t start by running 26 miles. They run easily, and for short distances, only increasing intensity as their legs get into shape.

  The sooner you get familiar with your test, the less you’ll have to stress and cram as the deadline gets closer.

  In fact, if you aren’t back in school yet, and you haven’t already started getting to know your test, this is a great time to start. This is the time you can focus on what the test looks like without having to worry about the workload from school. Most standardized tests won’t test you on any topic that you don’t already know about. But the first time most people see their test, it’s usually a big surprise.

  And you want to get the surprises out of the way now, and not while the clock is running on the real thing.

  You’ll probably find out that you don’t want to attack the test the same way you attack your homework or classwork. You’ll pick up more points if you know how to take a test.

  Start your test practice early, and you can practice lightly, and begin getting used to the test in small doses. At first, spend anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour a day. And if you start early enough, a few missed practices won’t hurt your progress. Start by getting familiar with the material the test covers, and finding the best way to deal with the unusual ways in which the questions are asked.

  The earlier you start, the earlier your test tactics will become second nature. When that happens, you waste a lot less time in confusion, and use a lot more time picking up points quickly.

Summer is a perfect time for college-bound juniors to begin crafting their personal statements. A personal statement is required by many colleges, and is arguably the most important component of the application. Each school has a unique personal statement requirement, so it’s paramount you follow the directions perfectly. For example, if you do not adhere to the prescribed word limit, this would…

Summer is a perfect time for college-bound juniors to begin crafting their personal statements. A personal statement is required by many colleges, and is arguably the most important component of the application. Each school has a unique personal statement requirement, so it’s paramount you follow the directions perfectly. For example, if you do not adhere to the prescribed word limit, this would reflect poorly on your ability to follow directions in school, thus damaging your chance of acceptance.

We suggest following their instructions carefully and focusing on these two tips:

Be yourself

  This cannot be overemphasized as schools are looking for authenticity. This is your opportunity to tell about your passions and interests while setting yourself apart from other applicants. If you pretend to be someone you’re not, it usually comes through in your writing. Be honest. Explain why they should accept you and what you’ll contribute to the school.

  Show continuity

  Admissions offices are looking closely at continuity between your personal statement and the profile you’ve been creating (intentionally or not) since the 9th grade. Your profile is the big picture of who you are, and the classes you take, the clubs to which you belong, the activities that interest you, define it. If your personal statement reveals a passion for the sciences, then your profile should show that you enrolled in science classes when you could and participated in science-oriented extracurricular activities. A lack of continuity is a red flag for admissions officers, so keep this concept of continuity in mind.

    Lastly, remember that everyone loves a good story.  Weaving a story into your statement is sure to get the attention of your reader – and that’s what you want.

Last week we began talking about the benefits of starting the college application process during the summer of junior year. In looking at the process in terms of separate chunks, our focus today is the essay.  So how should you get started on your essay?  Read the prompts on the Common Applicationwebpage and start picking out the ones you like best.  If you have an inkling that you might apply to…

Last week we began talking about the benefits of starting the college application process during the summer of junior year. In looking at the process in terms of separate chunks, our focus today is the essay.  So how should you get started on your essay?  Read the prompts on the Common Application webpage and start picking out the ones you like best.  If you have an inkling that you might apply to some schools that do not use the Common Application, then check their admissions literature to read those prompts too.  Pick out the writing topic or topics that will give you your best essay, and follow these steps:

  Select a Topic – Remember, that while you are writing on a selected topic, the real topic of the essay is you. Colleges want to learn about you, so select a topic that feels meaningful and can best reveal your true interests and values. The topic need not be a grand idea. Some of the best essays are about seemingly trivial concepts that are handled uniquely and interestingly by the author. For example, rather than picking a topic pertaining to a large idea, i.e. making the world a better place. Wouldn’t it be interesting to write about something that motivates or inspires you each day? Or how about writing on a subject that you think about most of the time? These types of topics will be easier for you to write about and probably lend themselves to a more interesting and authentic essay.

  Brainstorm – Brainstorming is a great way to generate ideas. All you need is a paper and pencil, or a computer. Take two minutes and jot down everything that comes to mind when you ask yourself questions such as

  I’m really good at…

I’m obsessed with…

I used to think…

  Additionally, make lists of issues that are important to you and experiences that influenced you and made you the person you are.

  Develop your Topic – With all of this information, you’ll start to see themes emerging. Choose those themes that are relevant to your topic and start drafting stories. Each of us has learned to write in different ways, and so there is no right or wrong approach. The bottom line is that colleges want to learn about you, so write from the heart. Craft these stories in a way that connects them to the topic you’ve chosen, but also reveals who you are. Let your personality shine.

  Drafts – This is what you’ll be working on throughout the summer. During the drafting process (and you should work through many drafts – at least 7 or 8), you’re wanting to focus on organization, mechanics and grammar, and polishing the verbiage so that it reveals your authentic self. By the end of summer, your essay should be vivid and meaningful. Ask someone you trust, who has a good grasp of grammar and spelling, to read your essay and give you feedback. Continue to edit your essay with the goal of having a finished version by the time you start school in the fall.

  Writing your essay over the summer leaves plenty of time to do a good job while avoiding the stress of feeling rushed. In fact, putting the essay away for a week or two between drafts can be extremely helpful. When you pick it up again, you’ll see it with fresh eyes.

Summer is the best time for high school juniors to begin the college application process.  So what should you focus on this summer?  Over the next several weeks, we will be discussing how students can begin crafting their best application.

There are two key components to creating your best application – starting early (remember, summertime is best) and breaking down the application process into…

Summer is the best time for high school juniors to begin the college application process.  So what should you focus on this summer?  Over the next several weeks, we will be discussing how students can begin crafting their best application.

There are two key components to creating your best application – starting early (remember, summertime is best) and breaking down the application process into smaller chunks (we’ll walk you through that part).   These two strategies will help make the process low stress and big success.

The first chunk of the application process that you can start getting ready for right away is the essay.  The Common Application has released all of the essay prompts for the 2017 – 2018 application.  The best essays colleges will see this year usually got that way because the writer got an early start.  As Hemingway said, “The only kind of writing is rewriting.” And you’ll want as much time to rewrite as you can get.

But don’t fear the essay– you don’t need to write like Hemingway.  Colleges aren’t looking for award winning prose. They just want to see if you can write in a coherent and organized fashion, without spelling or grammatical errors, and in a way that shows that you’re ready for college.  And, just as important, the essay should let them see who you are.  Admissions officers are trying to get a sense of your interests, values, and passions.  They want to hear your unique voice and your authentic self.  That’s why it’s vital that a student’s essay comes from his or her own pen – not a tutor’s or college counselor’s.

In the end, your college essay will require some hard work.  You may have to go through 10 drafts before it’s where you want it to be.  That’s why beginning early is the key to success on the essay.  We recommend you begin loosely drafting your essay during the summer of junior year and revisit it regularly. Every time you reread it, you’ll see places that you can improve, or would just like to change. Then, you can have a final draft ready to go before you begin your senior year of high school, and never have to worry about it.

So how should you get started?  Read the prompts on the Common Application webpage and start picking out the ones you like best.  If you have an inkling that you might apply to some schools that do not use the Common Application, then check their admissions literature to read those prompts too.  Pick out the writing topic or topics that will give you your best essay, and start the brainstorming.   For step-by-step help in beginning your draft, look for next week’s post.[/fusion_text]

When I played the saxophone, I had fun. But I didn’t love it so much that I wanted to practice 8 hours a day. And I was OK with that. I liked goofing around and being able to play what I wanted to. But no one was offering me a spot in their band, and for good reason.

  Well the good news with the ISEE or SSAT is that you can practice in just about that way. Of course, the top .01 percent of scores will come from the people who are natural freak test takers, and the ones who practice for hours every day. But you don’t need to worry that much. If you put in an hour on days that you have nothing else to do, a half hour on days when you don’t have a fearsome amount of homework, and ten or twenty minutes on days you’re busy, you’ll make a big difference in your score. And on the really busy days, if you start practice a good long time before the test, it doesn’t hurt a thing to skip days here and there.

If you happen to be enjoying practicing your test taking skills for a couple of hours every single day, that’s great. But if you’re like 99% of us, you’d rather not stress about it. Stress can be a score killer.

  So just make sure that you start early – we like to start about a year before. Think of it this way: If you had to make 1,000 macramé pot holders, you’d probably rather start a year in advance and work calmly every day to knock off a few, right? It’s not only less stressful than trying to do the whole job in two weeks, but the quality of the product is probably going to be a lot better for not rushing. And you’ll probably learn how to macramé better too. Minds take time to get really good at things. Mozart was a child prodigy, but he wasn’t making anyone forget Liberace after two weeks at the keyboard. Diego Maradona was a darn good footballer, but nobody had any idea how good he would be in his first two weeks.

Working a little at a time over a year will not only help you understand how to deal with the test tricks, but it will tell you what you need to focus on. If you’ve forgotten what you learned about means and medians, you’d like to find that out months before the test. If you find out that you’re the type of reader who likes to read a little of the passage at a time and answer a few questions, rather than the kind who likes to read the whole thing, then tackle all of the questions, you’d better know that long, long before the test day so that you can practice your way.

  And the really great thing about all of this is that practicing for the test won’t just make you better at the test. It’ll make you better at school. Sharpening your mind up on test questions improves your vocabulary, and makes you think differently about your reading. It helps bring back to the front of your mind all of those funny math principles that you haven’t seen in a year or two, and were just about to forget.

  And if you do start well in advance, and test practice really bothers you, just do 10 to 20 minutes a day. It really will help out, and it’s short enough that it won’t make you stress out.

As admission to college is becoming increasingly competitive, colleges and universities are looking well beyond transcripts and test scores.  In fact, many schools are utilizing software that analyzes their applicants’ demonstrated interest.

  So what is demonstrated interest?  It is simply evidence that a prospective students is truly interested in a school.  When interest is demonstrated, it…

As admission to college is becoming increasingly competitive, colleges and universities are looking well beyond transcripts and test scores.  In fact, many schools are utilizing software that analyzes their applicants’ demonstrated interest.

  So what is demonstrated interest?  It is simply evidence that a prospective student is truly interested in a school.  When interest is demonstrated, it shows a candidate who will embrace the school’s philosophy and programs.  These are the students admissions officers believe will thrive once they attend. Today, demonstrated interest is becoming a significant piece of the admissions puzzle along with a student’s academic records and essay or personal statement.

  There are many ways to demonstrate interest and schools are able to track all of these things.  College applicants should demonstrate interest at every school on his or her list.  Begin by getting to know about the schools by visiting their websites.  It is important to be knowledgeable about a school when you communicate with anyone from the school, especially admissions officers.  After you learn about the school, you can begin to demonstrate your interest.

How can you demonstrate interest?

  Here is what you should do:

  Visit school websites to determine what is important to the schools so you can write about why you want to attend in a supplemental essay

Email the Admissions Office introducing yourself and explaining your interest

Meet with a college rep, if possible

Respond to emails or recruitment materials sent by colleges and universities

Request information about opportunities to visit the campus or have an interview

Arrange a Skype interview or meeting with someone in the Admissions Office if an in-person interview is not possible

Submit your application before the deadline – the earlier the better

Demonstrate interest using social media

Write thank-you notes to the people with whom you have been in contact

Applicants to college should use the above checklist to show that they are serious about attending the schools to which they apply.