by Mandee Heller Adler If you have a junior in high school, they should be well aware of the above date. It's the last SAT of this academic year- and you don't want to miss it! Although seniors can take the October test, results of this test must be sent directly to schools to meet early decision/ action deadlines. That's a lot of pressure, especially given the new "score choice" where you can choose which SAT scores to send. Did you know that the SAT has changed since you were in school? In 2005, the College Board, which owns the test, made it harder and longer. There are now 3 parts instead of two. The new section tests writing and the maximum score has changed from 1600 to 2400. ANALOGY:GONE Students will no longer have to suffer analogies but an essay segment was added. The math portion was changed to more closely parallel what's being currently taught in high schools. The best advice I can give your students is practice, practice, practice. The best strategies always involve test familiarity, tips on when to guess, and how to manage time. Like it or not, the SAT will most likely help to determine which colleges a student will be able to attend. Some people attempt to discount the test, as simply one of many factors, or believe that it is not very important. The reality is that unless you are a professional level athlete or a Native American math whiz with a Nobel prize, the SAT will likely play a major role in your college admissions. It makes sense to get the highest score possible. Some high schools provide SAT prep courses as part of their curricular offerings and a variety of community-based organizations have prep programs. Private tutors and private prep programs can teach your student strategies tailored towards their learning level and ability. Many study books can be found online and in the bookstore. On the web, study aides are available. For example, the College Board's website http://www.collegeboard.com/ offers practice questions for each section of the test. For your edification (a SAT word), the test is now as follows: Critical Reading Total 3 sections Content Reading comprehension: Questions based on Single paragraphs Longer passages Paired paragraphs Paired longer passages Sentence-level reading .Question types Multiple-choice with 5 answer choices Critical reading which includes single, paired, and longer paragraphs Sentence completions Writing Total 3 sections One 25-minute essay requiring you to present your viewpoint on a topic Two multiple-choice sections Question types Multiple-choice with 5 answer choices Identifying sentence errors Improving sentences Improving paragraphs Math Total 3 sections These will test Algebra I and II, geometry, data analysis, statistics and probability Question types Multiple-choice with 5 answer choices If you have any other college admissions questions for a college counselor, I’d be happy to answer them. Please write me here or at my personal email which can be found on my International College Counselors college counseling website.
Monday, May 4, 2009
JUNE 6 IS COMING AND COMING FAST!
Mandee Heller Adler, Founder and Principal of International College Counselors
www.internationalcollegecounselors.com
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