Time Management and the ACT

College bound students are often looking for a competitive advantage because it's SO competitive at selective schools. Consequently, many students have started to turn to the ACT when their SAT scores fall short of their expectations. While parent and student gossip circles would have you believe the ACT is "easier" than the SAT, this notion is ridiculous for two reasons. One, if the ACT was easier than the SAT, colleges would no longer consider either the ACT or SAT for admission. Two, if students consistently did better on the ACT, the distribution curve would correct any potential discrepancy. It's that simple.

So, what is the biggest difference between the SAT and ACT? Time management. The ACT is a much faster test, especially the Science Reasoning section. Under-prepared students (or students with bad test taking habits) run out of time.

Best SAT Test Date

"My counselor told me to take the SAT in March of my Junior year." If I hear another counselor argue that the March SAT is the best test date for all students, I'll scream . Why March? After one semester of Pre-Calculus are you better prepared for questions about integers? Probably, the opposite. Is it better to start SAT prep during the winter holidays? Is it easier to manage 3 AP classes, high school soccer, and SAT prep in the months before the March test?

We encourage our students to begin prep in the Summer before 11th grade. Although practice test scores will largely dictate when a student is ready to take a live exam, we generally target the November or December SAT. This provides our students with three major advantages. One, our students experience less stress because the bulk of prep takes place during the Summer. This means a few less hours on the beach, of course. Two, high scoring students increase their chances of earning a National Merit Scholarship on the PSAT in October. Three, our students can focus on extracurriculars in the second part of 11th grade.

So, as you pick the right SAT test date, evaluate the months leading up to the test. Will you be playing a sport? Will you be in the school play? Is your family vacationing for 3 weeks? Only YOU can pick the best test date.

SAT Subject Tests--Watch Out!

January through June is our busiest season. Students are not only offered an SAT or ACT almost every month, but students are also flooded with AP tests, finals, and second semester rigor. It's during this time of year that we field many questions from parents of 10th and 11th graders about SAT Subject Tests. The question is usually some derivation of the following:

• My child is taking the AP test in World History, should s/he take the SAT Subject Test in June?

Yes, but with a caveat. A high grade in an AP class does not mean that a student will ace the Subject Test. Many students, in fact, are disappointed by how low they may score on a Subject Test. So, how can you prevent disappointment? Take a genuine College Board SAT Subject Test as a diagnostic.

If you're interested, purchase The Official Study Guide to all SAT Subject Tests from Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble, and take your test(s) of choice. Grade it and calculate your scaled score. Carefully interpret your scaled score since scaled scores are difficult to understand. For example, a student who scores a 670 on the SAT Math Reasoning Test, scores in the 90th percentile. Not bad. In contrast, a student who scores a 670 on the SAT Math Level 2 Subject Test, lands in the 57th percentile. Ouch.

What does this score mean? It means that if you're applying to the top 10 percent of colleges, landing just above the 50th percentile certainly will not strengthen your application. My advice: prepare for all SAT Subject Tests.

If you're interested in learning about our private coaching programs for SAT Subject Tests, visit http://www.hammertutoring.com/contactus/.

March SAT Scores at Hammer Tutoring

Congratulations from the Hammer Tutoring Team on some stellar SAT scores!

Here are the statistics for Hammer's March 2008 SAT students:

• Average Cumulative Point Gain: 178 points
• Average Reading Point Gain: 54 points
• Average Math Point Gain: 60 points
• Average Writing Point Gain: 64 points
• Average Cumulative Score: 1904
  

In order to increase an SAT score, students must prep smart. We've developed the most efficient and effective one-on-one training program for the SAT. If you're interested in learning more, visit our website: www.hammertutoring.com or call 858-793-7737.