#standardized test prep

✧・゜: scholarship hunting & senior year prep: :・゜✧:・゜✧

hey lovely! ✨

thank you so much for your ask! i remember that pre-senior summer anxiety so well, that weird mix of excitement and complete terror about the future. first of all, take a deep breath. you're already ahead of the game by thinking about this now instead of scrambling in october (like i did, classic me behavior).

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ scholarship hunting secrets ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

let's talk about finding free money first, because who doesn't love that?

𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘭: the absolute best scholarships are often the small local ones! check with your:

community foundation

parents' employers

local businesses

religious organizations (if applicable)

civic groups (rotary, kiwanis, elks lodge) these typically have way fewer applicants than national scholarships!

𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦: make a master document with:

your activities/leadership positions

community service hours (with specific impact numbers!)

awards/honors

special circumstances or hardships

career goals having this ready makes applications so much faster!

𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘱 𝘢 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮: create a spreadsheet tracking:

scholarship name

amount

deadline

requirements

status (applied/pending/rejected/awarded)

essay prompts (many can be recycled with tweaks!)

𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘴:

fastweb.com

scholarships.com

goingmerry.com (my personal fave, it aggregates and lets you apply to multiple at once)

your school counselor's list (they often know about local ones not listed online)

𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴: there are scholarships for duck tape prom dresses, being left-handed, having the last name zolp… seriously. the more specific and unusual, the less competition!

𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘴: those USD 250-500 scholarships add up and often have way fewer applicants.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ grade rescue mission ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

about those grades... i've been there too! here's what helped me:

𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸: before senior year starts, email them asking if there are:

summer assignments you can get ahead on

extra credit opportunities

specific areas to focus on for improvement teachers love proactive students and are more likely to help you!

𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺: many schools offer summer courses to replace bad grades. check if yours does!

𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴: if you know what you're taking, watch youtube videos on the subjects now. even 15 minutes a day gives you a huge advantage.

𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮: senior year is chaotic with applications, so create a sustainable study routine now before the chaos hits. i have soo many posts about studying + routines for studying.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ senior year prep checklist ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵:

2-3 reach schools

3-4 match schools

2 safety schools research their specific requirements now so nothing surprises you!

𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘴:

register for fall sat/act dates now (they fill up fast!)

use free resources like khan academy for test prep

consider whether test-optional schools might be a good fit

𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺:

approach teachers before senior year starts

provide them with a "brag sheet" of your accomplishments

give at least 3-4 weeks notice (minimum!)

𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨:

the common app essay prompts are already available

jot down meaningful experiences/challenges/growth moments

draft a skeleton outline before school starts

𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵:

focus on depth over breadth

highlight leadership and impact

consider what story your activities tell about you

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ hidden senior year wisdom ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴:

complete the fafsa as early as possible (opens october 1st)

use the net price calculator on college websites

consider applying to schools known for generous aid

look into tuition exchange programs if your parents work at a university

𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮:

identify an adult who can proofread applications

find a senior-year accountability buddy

join application-focused discord servers or groups

schedule regular check-ins with your counselor

𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯:

senior year can be overwhelming

create a simple routine that helps you decompress

schedule application-free weekends

remember that your worth isn't tied to acceptance letters

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ my personal tips ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

keep a "wins" journal where you document every tiny achievement or proud moment, perfect for scholarship essays and fighting imposter syndrome

create email templates for reaching out to schools, teachers, and scholarship committees

set calendar alerts for deadlines 1 week and 3 days before they're due

find your application soundtrack (mine was taylor swift's folklore, don't judge me)

reward yourself after completing applications (i used face masks and boba tea as motivation)

remember that this is just one chapter in your story. i know it feels like everything depends on this year, but i promise you'll find your path even if it looks different than you expected.

sending you all the good vibes for senior year! you've got this!

xoxo, mindy 🤍

p.s. if you have specific questions about certain scholarships or schools, feel free to send another ask! i love helping with this stuff.

In the classic movie Bull Durham, Kevin Costner walks along dark street at night and stops underneath a streetlight.  A gift wrap tube is sticking out of the nearby garbage can.  Costner picks up the tube and practices his swing while finding his reflection in a window.  This scene brilliantly captures what every master-of-their-craft knows – the skills for success must be practiced regularly and remain on the proverbial front burner, at all times.

  At ETP, our online test prep programs have been tested  in local classrooms over the past four years.  We’ve authored test prep courses that run after school, during summer session, and for some classrooms, on a daily basis.  The classes that practice daily simply practice one question, each morning.  We were delighted and surprised when we began to observe that students who practiced just one question each day had the most significant increase in their scores, seemingly out performing those students who crammed their practice after school or on weekends.  This lead us to create a daily video lesson for our Expert Level SSAT and ISEE prep students.  These videos offer just one lesson, per morning, and model the exact thinking and strategies we teach in order to most effectively approach test questions.  They’re designed to reinforce our online course by keeping each student’s newly acquired skills on the front burner.  Please visit our YouTube channel to see a sample lesson.

  “If I miss one day’s practice, I notice it. If I miss two days’ practice, the critics notice it. If I miss three days’ practice, the public notices it.” This famous quote, attributed to Franz Liszt, is popular with anyone who practices, from pianists to ballet dancers, baseball players to test takers.  By keeping your test skills on the front burner, you’ll be poised to score your best on test day.

“My child is a great student.  He works hard and earns excellent grades.  He just doesn’t test well.”

  How many of us have made that same observation about our own child?  As teachers and test-prep tutors, this phenomenon of good students struggling at test time seems to be more the norm than the exception.   What is it about standardized tests that stump so many good students?  In short, testing well is It’s not as simple as knowing what you learned in class.  Want to see for yourself?

  The test makers publish preparatory manuals for students so that they can get a sense of what types of questions will be asked, and how they will be presented.  For the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE), we refer to the manual published by ERB, “What to Expect on the ISEE.”  And for the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), we refer to the “Official Guide.”  Without exception, the teachers we work with are absolutely astonished by the questions.  Not only do they look different from the way most questions are asked in class, but many of the questions are ambiguous and otherwise confusing.  Want a humbling experience?  Open ERB’s “What to Expect on the Independent School Entrance Exam, Lower Level.”  If you weren’t a believer in formal test prep before that, I’m going to bet you’ll become one.

While most of us are just beginning our summer vacation, independent school parents are thinking about getting their child ready for the independent school entrance exams ISEE and SSAT.

  In our experience as independent school educators, we’ve come up with a test preparation plan that will work, without piling on unnecessary homework, wasting valuable time, or increasing stress.

  Step #1 – Talk to your child’s teacher, and look to your school’s administration for guidance. There are two key reasons why this is important:  First, teachers can tell you if your child shows proficiency in academic subjects, or if there are areas that need some review and reinforcement. This way, rather than allowing a test prep tutor to pile on unnecessary practice, you can focus your tutoring on the specific skills and subjects identified by the school. Second, schools usually have the best information on tutors and test prep programs that are effective. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of opportunists posing as educators and profiting off of nervous parents who aren’t sure of how to best help their child prepare. This is why we have been enlisted by a visionary, local independent school to offer standardized test prep in house, so that their parents need not look outside of school for help. And the results are striking. Those students who follow their school’s advice score significantly higher than those who seek additional tutoring outside of school. There is no question here. Parents who listen to the experts in their schools help their children to succeed.

  Step #2 – Evaluate the possibilities and commit to ONE. One of the most common mistakes parents make is operating under the assumption that more prep is better. This is usually counterproductive. When a student prepares with more than one program, strategies can become confused. We have observed students just shutting down at test time as the stress of juggling multiple strategies builds up. To prevent overload, choose the test prep program that looks like the best fit, and stick to it. How do you find the best fit? This is where Step #1 comes into play. For example, if your child shows proficiency in math and literacy, then choose a program that emphasizes test taking strategies, rather than content review.

  Step #3 – Make sure that there is daily practice. Standardized tests look very different from most classwork. In fact, they speak a language all their own. Our best results have been with students who practice for short periods every morning. Rather than cramming for a test over the course of a few weeks, these students are immersed in testing language, daily, over the course of several months. There is nothing wrong with longer practice times sometimes, but the most important thing is to get in the habit of absorbing test strategies a little every day. This is, from our experience, the best way to learn the language of tests, and get kids familiar with the kinds of problems they’ll see on the test.

Get familiar with your test.

Learning how to take any standardized test will help prepare you for others. But each test has its own personality, and the best thing you can do for yourself is understand the quirks of the one you’ll take. If you want to race in the Baja 1000, knowing how to race the Indy 500 will be good practice, but nothing will prepare you like practicing on the track you want to know like the back of your hand.

Practice Greek and Latin roots.

There is no way to be sure which vocab words you’ll see. But arming yourself with the ability to decode tough words by knowing where they came from can be worth several points all by itself.

Don’t Practice Reading. Practice Taking Reading Tests

Reading Tests Are Not the Same as Reading. You don’t have time to sip a cup of tea and enjoy the lovely wordplay the brilliant author is setting before you. Your job is to quickly pick out main topics, and find answers quickly. Reading tests don’t tell you much about how well you read. They tell you how well you can take a reading test.

Don’t Practice Math. Practice Taking Math Tests

If you try to do a math section on a test the same way you do your homework, you’ll take much longer to solve problems, and probably make far more goofs. Even on simple problems. Math test practice is much more about getting in the habit of figuring out the best way to pick out the best answer choice quickly, and safely.

Practice, practice, practice.

You can read all the books you want to on playing piano or baseball, but nothing will get you familiar with a test like getting in there and doing it over and over. The best musicians, dancers, and athletes will tell you that they are at their best when they have to think the least about what they’re doing. That comes through practice. Practice standardized reading tests, and your brain won’t freak out when it doesn’t understand every unnecessary detail. Practice standardized math tests and you’ll naturally fall in to quicker, surer ways of solving problems than sticking with the habits of problem solving the way you normally do your classwork, or homework. Studies show that overpracticing will prepare you for maximum understanding of your task with minimum anxiety. Even if you’re busy, 5, 10, or 20 minutes a day is much better than nothing.

If you’ve ever studied linguistics you’re likely aware of a theory that says human brains have a mechanism for picking up language.  It’s called a “language acquisition device.” The idea is that the brain is naturally geared to acquire a language without a lot of formal instruction. By simply by being exposed to a language, the brain will do most of the work on its own.

This is why a child who hears the word car for the first time will instinctively say “cars” if he or she has been exposed to the rules of English for plurals. Maybe it also explains why you’ll hear people refer to freshmans in college.

But the point is that, with enough exposure, brains get fluent in a language. Some of my students from foreign countries have said that they picked up English by watching TV. They were speaking English long before they’d had any formal instruction.

The other side of that coin is that a lack of exposure to the language means a lack of acquisition. If any of us moved to France and stayed inside our hotel rooms watching English language television, our brains wouldn’t have a chance to acquire French. But if we got involved in listening to the language, reading and speaking it, our brains would begin to solve the language puzzle on their own. Immerse yourself in the language completely, and your brain will get fluent even more quickly.

Test taking is a lot like this. It’s as if each test were speaking its own language, and exposing a brain to this language starts the brain working on getting us fluent. And like the language acquisition theory, it’s not so much a matter of grinding drills. It’s more a matter of exposing the brain to the puzzles, then letting it do its thing.

A little exposure to a new language allows us to find a restaurant, or ask where the nearest bathroom can be found. It’s better than nothing. But lots of exposure gives a brain a good chance to become fluent in testspeak.

We not only watched this happen with our students, but it happened to us. Simply working with test questions daily was enough to let our brains learn how to work things out. Without our even knowing it, our brains were solving puzzles, and rearranging neurological synapses. When we looked at the test again, we were surprised by how familiar it seemed, and how much easier it got. Almost passively, our brains were acquiring test language.  This process is at the heart of how we approach test prep with our students.  We see it as the most effective way to prepare for the ISEE and all standardized tests.

Each test has its own language. Of course, learning the basics of taking a standardized test will help you in other tests. For example, learning how to take the ISEE will help you learn how to take the SAT, or the ACT, or any of the Catholic high school exams. We know because it helped us. We now take tests very differently than before we started tutoring this stuff. Still, to get familiar with a certain test, you want to practice on material as close to that kind of test as you can get.

  You might think of it as an accent. If you’ve learned English fluently in the US or England, you’ll do pretty well getting through Australia. But you still might be surprised to find that you have no idea what a chuck a wobbly, an op shop, or a chinwag is. If someone refers to a ripper beauty, can you even tell if you should take it as a good thing or bad?   Once we had figured out how to take the SAT, it was much easier to learn how to attack any other standardized test. In fact, if we had to take any other test blind now, our scores would be far better than if we had never studied all of this. But we would still want to have look at practice that is as close to the real test as possible. It’s a way of mastering that specific accent, and it makes a big difference in scores.