#admisisons

One of the great myths out there is that students who know the material taught in class will be prepared for standardized tests. But  the reality is that except for a few naturally great test takers, knowing only the academic material is going in half-prepared.

  One concept we try to instill in our students is that if they try to take a test the same way they do their classwork, they’ll lose a ton of points. You have to take a test like it’s a test.

  Here’s an example that explains why.  On one of these tests, a science question asked which subatomic particle was responsible for the character of the atom. The proton seemed to be the obvious answer. If you change the number of protons in an atom, you have an entirely new substance. One proton in your atom, and you have the unstable, explosive hydrogen that blew up the Hindenburg. Add one more proton and you have the helium, the stable, nearly impossible to explode gas that’s in your kids’ balloons.

  What the test makers meant by character was how atoms interact with each other, and the particle responsible for these interactions is the electron. Why would anyone be expected to be able to read the minds of the test makers?

  Other tricky questions that the test makers love to test are “puzzle-solving skills.”  This would be fine if they were assigned as homework, and a student had time alone at a desk to work it out. But on most of these tests, you have less than a minute to solve puzzles that are like nothing you’ve probably ever seen before.

  Here’s a paraphrased version of a question that’s in an actual test manual:

  Students A and B start running at the same time and place. Student A’s speed is twice as fast as student B’s speed (B). After 15 minutes, student A is 1,980 feet ahead of student B. Which equation, when solved for B, would give student B’s speed, in feet per minute?

  (A)  60B = 15(30B)

(B)  60B – 15  = 30 B

(C)  60B – 1,980 = 15(30B)

(D) 15(B + 3B)  = 1,980

(E)  60B – 1980 = 30B

  This would be trouble for most adults if they were given less than a minute to work it out. So what must this look like to a 5th or 6th grader – that’s the grade level this question is aimed at – who is sweating out a test that will have a big impact on the future?

  Test taking is a skill, and it should be taught in schools, but it rarely is. Kids who had been taught how to deal with a question like this will be less stressed, and much more likely to pick up the point.

    There is still a school of thought in some schools that test prep is useless, or even unethical. Part of the reason for this is that the test prep industry, like most businesses, can’t always be counted upon to do the right thing.

  But there is also the thought that learning how to take a test is somehow cheating.

  It isn’t. The tests themselves are not always fair, and our kids are going in to face them without being properly prepared.

    It probably should be that test prep was useless. A test should probably reflect the mastery of the material that a kid has been taught. But that isn’t the world our kids are facing.

  Parents must know this. If you need proof, try taking the test your kid will be required to take. It’s eye opening.

The SSAT and ISEE test dates are here! In preparing for your exam, there is nothing better than continued, ongoing practice to make testing language second nature. But if you’re gearing up to test in the coming days and haven’t had a chance to formally prepare, there are three pointers that by keeping them in mind can take your test score from good, to great.

Forget about impressing anyone.  Good students often care deeply about trying their best in the classroom, and impressing their teachers. As a result, students develop habits that work well in class, but can be big trouble on test day. For example, consider this sample question found in ERB’s “What to Expect on the ISEE.”  Jack and Michael ride their bikes down a straight path, starting at the same place and time. Jack rides at a speed that is 3 times as fast as Michael’s speed (M). After 30 minutes, they are 1,000 feet apart. Which equation, when solved for M, would give Mike’s speed in feet per minute?  I’ll spare you the answer choices and make the observation that, while this question is geared toward 5th and 6th grade students, it can be a bit intimidating. I’m a college educated adult, and this question makes me nervous! If this question were presented in class, most students would work this through, even if it took more time than they’d like. But when taking the test, this habit needs to go! One has an average of about 60 seconds per question in this section, so time is limited. There is no teacher to impress here, so if a problem is starting to look like it’s going to take too much time, give yourself permission to take your best guess and move on to easier points. In the time is takes to do a hard problem, you might be able to pick up points on two or three easy ones.

If you must guess, eliminate bad answers first.  Each question has four or five possible answer choices, depending on the test. If the correct answer is not clear and you must guess, always look to eliminate as many bad answer choices as possible. Doing so will help clarify good answers, and significantly improve your odds of guessing correctly.

Keep it in perspective.  Yes, your test score will be used in the independent school admission process. The good news is that it is just one minor component of a much larger picture that schools will consider. If you’re one of the multitudes of students who doesn’t test well, then take comfort in the fact that test scores have never been shown to predict anything of value. They are not connected with academic success nor do they correlate with one’s passion, happiness and fulfillment later in life. Keeping the test in perspective will serve to minimize anxiety, and perhaps, ironically, improve your performance on test day.

How important are test scores for the international applicant?

The answer is that they are very important indeed. In this time when there are far more applicants than there are available spaces, independent/private middle schools and high schools need a way to determine which students they think will be successful. Students who perform well on the SSAT (Secondary School Admissions Test) or the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) have a clear advantage over those students who do not perform as well. This is even more important for international students who have fewer choices in the U.S. and for whom school records may not be easily accessible.

Admissions officers need a quantifiable way to make admissions decisions. My experience as a school administrator for over 35 years is that high test scores are viewed by most schools as an indicator that a student will be successful. Good standardized tests scores will likely move an applicant student to a place where he or she will be considered seriously for admissions – it provides a clear advantage.

What should parents of international students do to prepare their child to be a successful test-taker?

Provide an opportunity for your child to practice taking the test often.

If your child is going to take the Upper Level exam, begin test preparation at least one year prior to the exam. For example, if your student is going to take the Upper Level exam (entering high school) a year from now, then enroll your student in a Middle Level test prep course now. A few months prior to taking the Upper Level exam, enroll in the Upper Level test prep course.

Explain to your student that standardized tests have their own “language” – a way of asking questions that might be different from the way they are asked in the classroom. A good test prep course and practice will make this clear.

Make sure your child understands the test-taking strategies that will help him or her answer questions in a timely way.

Educational Test Prep (ETP) offers an online course that accomplishes all that has been listed above and is especially beneficial to international students because the course is easy to access and can be taken anywhere in the world at any time. ETP’s courses not only provide an opportunity for students to practice, but also to learn the strategies that he or she can use when taking the SSAT or the ISEE. This is how parents can help their child become a good test-taker and provide the best opportunity for admission to a good independent/private school in the United States.

Most students eagerly anticipate the beginning of the school year- meeting new teachers, enjoying  new coursework,  making new friends and reconnecting with old ones – the end of August and the beginning of September are certainly exciting times for school-age children.

  For parents of students who will be changing schools for the following year, it is also a time to begin the admissions process. This time is usually not met with eager anticipation.  In fact, for these parents, the beginning of the school year is often filled with anxiety.

So how can parents make this a positive experience?  I believe finding a balance that allows the child to enjoy all that school has to offer while preparing him and her for the rigors of the application process is key. Here are suggestions that will allow you to find that healthy balance:

  1)  Empower your child by including him/her when choosing the schools to which you will be applying.  Look at websites of various schools together to see what the schools have to offer and then have a conversation about what interests your child.

  2)  Explain the admissions process to your child so you can to demystify it. Tell him/her that there will be an application to complete and there will be questions for both parents and students. There will be an interview with school personnel and many opportunities to visit the schools.

  3) Tell your child that he/she will be taking a standardized test and that you will make sure he/she is prepared. It is important that this test prep does not interfere with the child’s school work, activities of interest and relaxation time; this is of paramount importance and helps to create that healthy balance. The ETP online test prep is the perfect choice since the course can be accessed any time online and does not interfere with everything else a child should be doing – working, playing, exercising and relaxing.

  4) Explain to your child that this process will be fun and an opportunity to find a school that is a perfect fit for him or her. Be optimistic about the outcome without being unrealistic. If you apply to schools that offer what you and your child want, then wherever your child goes to school, whether it was initially your first choice or not, will likely be the best choice in the end.