Method Test Prep Educational Series Tools to Succeed

Method Test Prep Educational Series: Tools to Succeed on the SAT and ACT

Methods for a high standardized test score: SAT Math Index ACT Math Index Updated Grammar Packet Hard Math Packet for Accelerated Students

Adapting to Changes on the SAT Superscoring!!! Score Choice

The Need for More Understanding and Specificity The SAT only breaks Math questions into 4 categories: 1) Numbers and Operations, 2) Algebra and Functions, 3) Geometry and Measurement, and 4) Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability The ACT only breaks Math questions into 3 categories: 1) Pre-Algebra/Elem. Algebra, 2) Algebra/Coordinate Geometry, and 3) Plane Geometry/Trig. Because these categories are so general, they do not allow students to evaluate and improve strengths and weaknesses based on this criteria. ? versus

Answer to Ambiguity Our online program divides SAT and ACT math questions into 30 different categories to target and assess specific skills We created Math indexes that further evaluate a student’s strengths and weaknesses

The SAT Math Index Method Test Prep breaks down the Math questions into 45 categories and 22 sub-categories to target strengths and weaknesses with laser precision We know every type of question that can be asked on the test, and we love showing students how they can prepare with purpose and direction

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ACT Math Index Similarly, the ACT Math Index divides ACT math questions into 50 categories.

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Hard Math Packet We encourage “overachievers” This packet will challenge even the most diligent students and will help them exponentially increase their SAT math abilities and exposure to the most difficult questions Questions range in difficulty from what 99% of students to 99. 9% of students miss

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Updated Grammar Packet We expanded our grammar packet to include 5 new categories: independent clauses, active/passive voice, who/which, and dangling modifiers My favorite category involves “dangling modifiers, ” which are tested at least once on every single SAT More practice problems were also added to existing categories to further enhance this resource Modifier

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Adapting our approach to standardized test preparation In 2006, the SAT added the Writing Section to the SAT In 2011, the SAT instituted a lesser known change: “score-choice, ” which allows us more versatility in our approach to the SAT Do I want to send my SAT score? When in doubt, ask your brilliant guidance counselor

Superscoring the SAT The vast majority of colleges and universities “superscore” the SAT http: //professionals. collegeboard. com/profdownload/sat-score -use-practices-list. pdf For this reason alone, retesting is extremely important Particularly because each score is actually a range, re-testing is even more important

An explanation of a Score’s Range SAT Section: Score: Critical Reading: 610 - 640 - 670 Math: 560 - 590 - 620 Writing: 630 - 660 - 690 Composite: 1800 - 1890 - 1980 • The middle number is the actual score that a student was given, but the College Board also lists a range of 60 points surrounding each score. • College Board predicts that in re-testing, students will score within this range, which could technically cause their score to increase or decrease by 90 points.

An SAT Score is a Range SAT Section Score: Critical Reading: 590 Critical Reading: 530 Critical Reading: 560 Math: 570 Math: 600 Math: 560 Writing: 550 Writing: 560 Writing: 580 Composite: 1710 Composite: 1690 Composite: 1700 Even if this student’s composite score had actually gone down, their “superscore” still would have increased by 60 points, giving them a superscore of 1770! With quality preparation, not only will a student’s overall SAT score increase, but their “superscore” will increase even more dramatically.

Score Range with Superscoring and SAT Prep SAT Section Score: Critical Reading: 530 Critical Reading: 550 Critical Reading: 590 Math: 660 Math: 620 Writing: 580 Writing: 600 Writing: 630 Composite: 1700 Composite: 1810 Composite: 1840 With preparation, we see that this student’s composite score increased 140 points, but, even more dramatically, his superscore increased to an 1880 – a 180 point increase! And, with score-choice, this student would not even need to submit his first test date, and he could even take the test a fourth time to see if any of his sections scores increases, thereby further increasing his superscore.

Superscoring the ACT Unfortunately, far fewer colleges superscore the ACT Here is a link to current colleges that do superscore the ACT: http: //www. collegeadmissionspartn ers. com/college-testing/collegessuperscore-act/ Because there are four sections to this test and a student will likely go up or down slightly in each section every time they take the test, superscoring can help significantly

The Take-away? Because each SAT score is a range and because most colleges superscore, all students should take the SAT more than once And, to maximize the amount that students increase their scores, they should prepare as much as possible so that they know what will be on the test and how to do each type of problem The tools that we discussed today will further help students to maximize their SAT and ACT scores.

Thanks for joining us! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions now or at a later time: David Blobaum Director of Business Development dblobaum@methodtestprep. com