WilsonDailyPrep - Online SAT Prep That's Personal

On days when I had a test in school my mother never let me skip early morning figure skating.  She said that it would “clear the cob webs” and make me more alert for the the test.  It turns out she may have been more right than even she knew.  Researchers at a Taiwan University found that mice who were pushed to run on a treadmill, verses calmly jogging on the wheel, performed better in an “avoidance task” that all the mice had taken previously and then again after their exercise.  The results showed that the mice who were pushed to do more strenuous exercise overall had better learning and memory skills.  My mom made me study thoroughly the night before a test and then get up early the next morning and go skate just hours before a school test.   Could it be that all that skating helped “jog” my memory of all those important facts I had memorized the night before?

If you apply this idea to how to improve your SAT score you will find that if you mix a rigorous workout with memorizing SAT vocab words your SAT score may very well go up.

Test days tend to come out of nowhere… all of the sudden the SAT is only a few weeks away.  Therefore, it is crucial to be engaging in deliberate practice.

Deliberate practice entails focus, application and analysis. Deliberate practice entails truly engaging and immersing yourself in study when test day is around the corner.  It is not enough to just be doing a test a week or going through the routine of answering the 6 questions online.  You need to deliberately evaluate your learning.   A baseball player trying to perfect his game might spend 2 hours in the batting cage perfecting his swing.   After every hit he evaluates his stance, his hand positions, his swing, etc. in order to master his technique.

At this point, studying for the SAT should utilize the same training.

Don’t just take a test!  Pinpoint your weaknesses.  If you are answering the majority of the dailyprep grammar questions wrong, you should go through the workbook or CollegeBoard book and do extra grammar sections!  Reread sections in your grammar book, English in English.  That is deliberate practice, and that is what ensures great SAT scores.

Understanding what you’re doing wrong allows you to fix the problem!

The Application of Deliberate Practice

The Psychology of Deliberate Practice

The SAT is a standardized college admissions exam composed of critical reading, math, and writing sections.  Each section is scored out of 800 points – correct answers earn one point each, unanswered questions do not affect the score, and incorrect answers result in a .25 point deduction.

Students should take several practice tests to determine the range at which they are scoring.  This is important so that students may determine an appropriate “guessing strategy.”  Because unanswered questions do not affect the score, sometimes it is beneficial to leave a question blank rather than answer it.

Students scoring below a 500 should NOT guess and should leave the questions that they are uncertain of blank.  Students scoring between 500 and 600 should leave only those questions for which they cannot eliminate ANY answer choices blank.  Students scoring above a 600 should not leave ANY questions blank.

The SAT is a standardized college admissions exam composed of critical reading, math, and writing sections.  Each section is scored out of 800 points – correct answers earn one point each, unanswered questions do not affect the score, and incorrect answers result in a .25 point deduction.

There is no universal “good” SAT score.  Students should aim to reach their personal best.  The national average (50th percentile) for SAT scores is approximately 1500.  Percentiles, rather than raw numbers, should be used to determine how “good” an SAT score is.  A score in the 85th percentile, for example, is much more competitive than a score in the 30th percentile.

In order to improve scores, students should practice regularly for the SAT so that they may familiarize themselves with the structure, content and patterns of the test.

Students should prepare for standardized tests as they do for any major performance.  A track meet?  You run a little bit every day.  A trumpet solo?  You practice for months!  This same approach should be applied to SAT/ACT test preparation: students should study and practice each and every day.

SAT:
SAT prep and practice is crucial to improving SAT scores.  The SAT is a time-intensive and patterned exam: familiarizing oneself with the structure, format and content can significantly improve performance.

The SAT is largely a reasoning exam.  Many students struggle with critical reasoning tasks simply because their minds are not programmed to think in a reasoning (as opposed to analytical) fashion.  This is NOT indicative of intelligence, potential or future performance.  However, as students need to “reprogram” their manner of thinking in order to succeed on the SAT, preparation is essential.

ACT:
The ACT is all about timing: each section is time-intensive and pacing will make or break an ACT score.  There are numerous options to prepare for the exam, including private tutoring, group courses, independent study or online prep programs.  Regardless of the preparation medium, students must be practicing regularly under timed testing conditions.

Don’t burn yourself out, though.  Completing full-length exams each weekend in one sitting is not necessary.  Rather, spend a few minutes each day: complete one reading passage, two science passages or ten math problems.  Complete each section or portion in the appropriate amount of time to ensure that an awareness of time and the pacing necessary are being internalized.

WilsonDailyPrep, an innovative and award-winning online test-prep program, provides the daily practice that ensures success and guarantees a 200-point (4 pt. ACT) increase after only three months.  SAT students are emailed six questions each weekday and receive immediate answer-analysis that highlights proven-effective strategies.  ACT students learn to “beat the clock” with the built-in time tracking system while becoming familiar with the structure and content of the test as well as key ACT strategies. All students are assigned a personal coach who ensures accountability and provides guidance so that students may reach their testing potential.

Visit www.wilsondailyprep.com for program details.

The SAT is administered at high schools nationwide on select dates (available at www.CollegeBoard.com).  The SAT involves 4.5 hours of actual testing time, but students should expect to remain at the testing site for 5 hours (because of breaks, administration and collection times.)

The entire test should be completed with a No. 2 pencil, including the 25-minute essay portion.  Students are not allowed anything at their desks except for the testing materials, pencils, erasers, a calculator, and water (allowed by some proctors).

The test is divided into 10 sections.  Each section is individually timed, and students are not permitted to return to sections once time has been called.  There are three critical reading, three math, and two multiple choice grammar sections, as well as an essay.  Additionally, students will receive one extra section (may be reading, math or grammar) that does not count in the scoring for the exam.  This section is termed the “experimental” and is used for research purposes by CollegeBoard.

For exam dates, proctoring and administration regulations and detailed testing information, visit www.CollegeBoard.com.

CollegeBoard offers a selection of SAT Subject Tests (SAT IIs) that test a student’s knowledge in a particular field.  For example, a strong science student may opt to take a Subject Test in biology, chemistry or physics.

All SAT Subject Tests are one-hour in length and composed of multiple-choice questions.  Students may register and sit for three SAT Subject Tests on a single test date.

Many colleges and universities DO NOT require SAT Subject Test Scores for college admission.  However, some schools or specialty programs (e.g. premedical) may require two or three.  Be sure to check the admission requirements of each school when deciding whether or not to take the Subject Tests.

Generally, it is recommended that students in AP or honors classes sit for the correlating SAT Subject Test.  AP U.S. History students should plan to take the U.S. History SAT Subject Test.  The content and questions of Subject Tests are slightly easier than AP level questions, so many students feel confident and prepared for the exam after an AP course.

Once again, not all colleges require SAT Subject Test scores.  Only students who are knowledgeable and have thoroughly studied the specific field should take the Subject Test in that field.  We do not recommend taking more Subject Tests than necessary.  Colleges look for top scores on select exams, not quantity.

A note – the Foreign Language SAT Subject Tests are intended for NATIVE speakers and are extremely difficult. Go to www.collegeboard.com for a complete list of available tests.

Completing an SAT practice test is a practical way of determining SAT-readiness.  It is also a good way to decide whether to focus on the SAT or the ACT (complete a practice test of each exam and compare starting scores.)

Each SAT includes three critical reading sections, three math sections, two multiple choice grammar sections and a 25-minute essay writing prompt. It is important that practice tests be completed under timed testing conditions to ensure the most accurate scores possible.

Online practice questions and a complete practice test are available through www.CollegeBoard.com.  Most high school guidance offices also have a full-length SAT practice test available for students.

In addition, CollegeBoard publishes The Official SAT Study Guide (a giant blue book) that includes ten ACTUAL practice tests.  Practicing from actual tests and real questions is the best way to prepare for any exam.

The ACT is all about timing: each section is time-intensive and pacing will make or break an ACT score.  There are numerous options to prepare for the exam, including private tutoring, group courses, independent study or online prep programs.  Regardless of the preparation medium, students must be practicing regularly under timed testing conditions.

Don’t burn yourself out, though.  Completing full-length exams each weekend in one sitting is not necessary.  Rather, spend a few minutes each day: complete one reading passage, two science passages or ten math problems.  Complete each section or portion in the appropriate amount of time to ensure that an awareness of time and the pacing necessary are being internalized.

WilsonDailyPrep offers an affordable and effective online program with a built-in time tracking system to help student “beat the clock” while familiarizing them with the structure and content of the test as well as key ACT strategies.  Visit www.wilsondailyprep.com for program details.

Completing an ACT practice test is a practical way of determining whether or not the ACT is an appropriate college admissions test to take.  It is also the best way to prepare for the ACT if this decision has already been made.

Each ACT includes a 45-minute English section, a 60-minute math section, a 35-minute reading section and a 35-minute science section.  Optional essay-writing prompts are also available with practice tests.  It is important that practice tests be completed under timed testing conditions to ensure the most accurate scores possible.

Online practice questions and a complete practice test are available through www.act.org.  Most high school guidance offices also have a full-length ACT practice test available for students.

In addition, ACT publishes The Real ACT (through Peterson’s) that includes three ACTUAL practice tests.  Practicing from actual tests and real questions is the best way to prepare for any exam.