Hammer's Blog

SAT Follows the ACT in Score Reporting

I knew that it was only a matter of time until College Board changed its policy on score reporting to allow students to hide SAT scores. CB has long been criticized for its score reporting policies--and many educators have argued that ACT's reporting policy is superior. In an earlier Blog post, I argued otherwise. But we all knew it was just a matter of time.

Is this new policy good for students? The answer is Yes and No.

Yes, because it has the potential to reduce stress associated with the SAT. Students can take the SAT as many times as they want without the added stress of knowing that every score will show up on their official report. I'm all for students experiencing lower levels of stress.

Unfortunately, I think the negatives of CB's new policy will far outweigh the possible reduction in stress. First, this policy gives yet another advantage to students who can afford to take the test 4, 5, and maybe even 6 times. We already have a major problem with the correlation between socioeconomic status and SAT scores. I hope this policy change doesn't escalate the standardized testing dilemma. Second, I could see this policy change encouraging students to take the test without proper training because they can always take in again. This would just lead to more wasted time--and more parents arguing that their child takes too many tests.

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Labels: SAT

May 2008 SAT Scores at Hammer Tutoring

Congratulations from the Hammer Tutoring Team on some stellar SAT scores in May 2008! This was the most students we've ever prepared for ONE test--and you all DROPPED THE HAMMER.

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

Average Cumulative Point Gain: 232 points
Average Reading Point Gain: 78 points
Average Math Point Gain: 70 points
Average Writing Point Gain: 84 points
Average Cumulative Score: 1931

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.

Labels: SAT, SAT results

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.

Labels: ACT, SAT, SATstudy skills

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.

Labels: SAT, SATstudy skills

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/.

Labels: SAT, SAT Subject Tests

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.

Labels: SAT, SAT results

ACT vs SAT Score Reporting

Which company has a better score reporting system, ACT or College Board?

The ACT allows you to submit test results from one-sitting to a college or a university. Consequently, a college would have no idea if you took the test 7 times.
College Board, in contrast, sends a score report with all of your test scores--including your SAT Subject Tests scores. Consequently, if you took the SAT 7 times, your obsession with taking the SAT would be available to the school.

If you speak to friends, parents, and college counselors, chances are they'll condemn College Board for its collective reporting score reporting. For many high-achieving students, however, I prefer College Board's reporting system.

Let's look at the following example. A student of Hammer Tutoring, Joe, is a high scorer. He scored a 200 on the PSAT in 11th grade, and targets an overall SAT score of 2200. After taking 5 official practice tests, Joe realizes that his reading score fluctuates. On his 4th practice test, Joe scores a 780. On his 5th practice test, he scores a 740. Similarly, on his 3rd practice test, he earns a 720 in math. On his 4th practice test, he scores a 670. Many high scorers--students who score above 700--will find that scores can easily fluctuate by 30 or 40 points. At highly selective schools, 30 to 40 points across 3 sections (reading, math, and writing), could result in 90 to 120 SAT points. That's huge!

Our All Star student, Joe, takes the SAT in November of his Junior year. He scores the following: Reading 660, Math 760, Writing 710. Joe is happy with his Math score, but is convinced that he could score higher in Reading. Joe focuses on the reading over the next 8 weeks in preparation for the January SAT. On the January SAT, Joe scores the following: Reading 740, Math 710, Writing 710. Joe's Super Score, which is his best combined score, is 2210. If he could only use one test, as is the case with the ACT, his highest score would have been 2160. While it is only a difference of 50 points, this could be the difference maker at a school that admits less than 15 percent of its applicants.

I realize that not all schools Super Score the SAT; however, many do. For those students aiming for the most selective institutions, College Board's reporting system could offer a slight advantage. What do you think?

Labels: SAT

January 2008 SAT Scores at Hammer Tutoring

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

Here are the statistics for Hammer's January SAT students:

Average Cumulative Point Gain: 240 points
Average Reading Point Gain: 80 points
Average Math Point Gain: 85 points
Average Writing Point Gain: 75 points
Average Cumulative Score: 1980
Average Prep Hours: 30