Recently I received an inquiry about test preparation from a parent who said her daughter (not a student of mine) had scored a 32 composite the previous fall on the ACT. She was frustrated because the science sub score was only a 29, yet she had been scoring as high as a 36 in practice. Part of her problem on the real test was timing.
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Now that it’s prime time to start studying for the SAT and ACT, we’ve had a lot of students ask us which test they should take.
Nowadays, most colleges accept the SAT and ACT and weigh scores from both tests equally, so that’s no longer a reason to take one test over the other.
The College Board recently redesigned the SAT and it is now quite similar to the ACT. Both tests now have optional essays and no guessing penalty. The SAT also no longer has a “random vocabulary” section, which used to be a deal breaker for a lot of our students. Instead, the SAT has a vocabulary in-context section. The SAT also has less geometry than the ACT. We’ve covered the all differences in a handy graphic below. (more…)
Join Dr. Sybil Gohari, founder of Admissions Company, for a virtual Fireside Chat on College Admissions on Wednesday, December 2nd, 2020 at 7 pm. This event is sponsored by Kate Dalby, owner of Inspiring Test Preparation. Contact Dr. Gohari directly to sign up at info@admissions.company. Seating is limited.
Dr. Gohari brings over a decade of experience as an educator and entrepreneur; she spends her time at the intersection of academia and technology. She has taught at the University of Maryland, College Park; American University; George Washington University; and Georgetown University.
She founded Admissions Company to harness the proprietary method rooted in data and analytics, to not only help students significantly increase their chances of gaining admission to competitive schools but to determine the optimal schools for their individual needs and interests. Admissions Company complements its use of big data with a deep reservoir of expertise to guide students from an early point in the admissions process.
Dr. Gohari graduated from the American University Magna Cum Laude, with a degree in Art History, where she was also a division I lacrosse player. She went on to earn her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park.
“May you live in interesting times”: a blessing to some and a curse to others. But there is no doubt, we are living in interesting times. We are fortunate to live in a country with so many opportunities for people who take the initiative to prosper. And while our country is reeling under the challenges of Covid-19, quarantine, protests, riots, and economic turmoil, some in our own community have the following response to these challenges.
Fairfax County Public Schools superintendent, Scott Brabrand, with the goal of increasing enrollment of underrepresented minorities at the elite Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology (TJ), proposes that admissions become a merit lottery. A merit lottery would eliminate the three-hour long TJ admissions test, teacher recommendations, the $100 application fee, and would use a minimum student GPA of 3.5 as the sole measure of merit. The lottery would allot seats by region and necessarily admit more students from areas of the county that have not be represented at TJ historically. Some groups are delighted by this proposed change; others are outraged. This proposal is likely to pass if for no other reason than it gets the county off the hook for testing 3000+ students during a pandemic. It’s a great time for another experiment in education.
There will be a town hall regarding the proposed admissions policy changes on Wednesday, September 23, beginning at 7 p.m. Families and community members can watch online, submit comments and questions or call into the town hall live at 1-800-231-6359
Additional details about the plan are available here.
Here are some links to other news stories and opinion pieces.
AP News: PTA clashes…
Washingtonian: Thomas Jefferson High School Could Switch to a “Merit Lottery”…
WTOP: [TJ] student speaks out against…
fcps.edu: Superintendent Presents Recommendations…
Advocacy Group in Favor of Lottery
Advocacy Group Opposed to Lottery
Top grades are vital, and a GPA lower than 3.0/4 will disqualify an applicant. Most of the students who gain acceptance have completed geometry by the end of 8th grade, and students only taking algebra 1 in 8th grade are at a distinct disadvantage.
The math required for the test is basic math, algebra, and geometry. In the past, we have used old SAT tests from 30 years ago augmented with select problems to mimic the Quant Q. In order to adapt to the changes, we will increase the number of permutation and combination problems in response to students’ observations about the math last fall. Past materials from ACT Reading and Science for college admissions have served us well and were easier to locate than the ACT Aspire.
Assuming you make the first cut, you will need to get two teachers to write recommendations. It is important to remember that a teacher can only write about what he/she has first hand knowledge of. Your English teacher cannot mention that you won the math counts competition (unless she is the math counts coach). On the other hand, if he/she counseled you on the written aspect of a science fair project, that would be first hand knowledge. Don’t wait until the last minute to develop a relationship with your teacher. Be respectful and considerate in your interactions with all your teachers and ask thoughtful questions when appropriate. Remember to listen with courtesy when your classmates speak. Make sure to volunteer to help as needed and show you are the sort of student who is mature enough to handle the demands of TJ. Finally, make sure the teachers who write your recommendations have a successful track record.
Writing well is important, but the topic of your essay is crucial – you need something to write about. TJ has two ways to see your commitment to STEM: teacher recommendations and your SIS. To provide proper preparation for the SIS, start get involved with STEM now. If your family can afford it, go to STEM summer camps. Even without summer camp, you can still develop your STEM interests by working on projects on your own via the internet. Your local library also affords opportunities to pursue STEM interests. If you can’t get to the library on your own, get a friend or family member to take you once a week so you can check out books on a variety of interests. That sort of dedication to learning can translate to a compelling SIS prompt response. In addition, make sure to capitalize on your personal interests; a strong essay from a passionate author will regularly trump “preferred” essay topics.
What about the math prompt on the SIS? The last three years have seen the addition of a complex math problem on the SIS. Inspiring Test Preparation’s Youtube channel has explanations to two of the problems and a third is on the “drawing board”. Check out the videos there and then seek out other videos online for similar challenging problems.
Take our free at home math test for an first look at how well you do compared to the competition.
Sign up for a free 25-minute consultation to see what you need to do to get ready.
Come to our math drills on Tuesdays starting in February 2019.
Enroll in our geometry review/preview class the summer of 2019 — date to be announced.
Get essay writing instruction with Dr. Weinstein.
Enroll in one of our fall comprehensive TJ preparation courses.
Take our one-day SIS workshop in January.
Take our 3-hour diagnostic quant q, science, and reading test. Call Kate at 703-203-5796 to schedule. $100 fee.