No one likes having to take standardized tests. I get complaints from my students all the time that they are boring, they test concepts that students have not thought consciously about for years, and they are an added stressor during an already stressful time. The bigger test prep companies would have all high schoolers and parents believe that the SAT or ACT is the most important criterion when it comes to determining whether or not a student gets accepted into his/her favorite schools, and this propaganda has led to test prep becoming a multi-billion dollar industry, with countless companies and books promising to raise students' scores.
In truth, the SAT or the ACT is not the be-all-end-all when it comes to college admissions. Colleges care about getting to know their applicants on a much deeper level; they look for engaging essays, consistent histories of academic achievement, extracurriculars that set their students apart, and what their applicants will bring to the table. It drives me crazy to see parents and students fixate upon standardized test scores, and it drives me even crazier to see these companies take advantage of vulnerable families.
At the same time, standardized tests DO matter on some level. They help show colleges how a student performs against the national pool, and a poor score CAN negatively impact students who are "on the bubble" in the application pool. There has been a noted de-emphasis on standardized testing in the post-COVID era after most schools eliminated their testing requirements for 1-2 years. However, the tests are becoming requirements in the college admissions process again and should not be fully ignored. I approach standardized test prep with these factors in mind: my goal is to help my students get the best scores they can by being well prepared for the exam. They should go in knowing the format of the test they are taking, the ways that the test will try to trick them, means of allaying test anxiety, and most importantly, the material about which they are being tested. I have five years of dedicated experience teaching:
My test prep system is one that revolves around significant review of essential academic concepts, practice solving actual SAT/ACT-type problems, consistent vocabulary building, and methods for alleviating or reducing test-anxiety. All students within 2 sessions are given a full-length practice "pretest" to provide a baseline score, and we immediately start working on Greek and Latin roots and how to discern word meaning with their help. After 10 weeks of review and consistent homework practice, students are given another full-length test to see where they have progressed. I ask all of my SAT students, be it one-on-one or in-class tutoring, to pick up a copy of the College Board's Official SAT Study Guide (ISBN-10: 087447852) since it contains 10 real SATs, providing the best opportunities for practice. I ask all ACT students to pick up a copy of the Real ACT Prep Guide since it contains 5 real ACT administrations. At rates of $55-100 per 3 hour session, I provide 30 hours of high quality instruction for up to $20 less per hour than what the big companies charge, making test prep a real possibility for many. At a class size cap of 15, I ensure that all students receive individualized attention, and I pride myself on teaching my students strategies, concepts, and skills that will stay with them long after their tests are done. Unlike the big companies, I have a real, personal investment in seeing my students do well, and I am willing to put in the time and effort to make sure that as many as possible have that opportunity.
-Ashley Caval
In truth, the SAT or the ACT is not the be-all-end-all when it comes to college admissions. Colleges care about getting to know their applicants on a much deeper level; they look for engaging essays, consistent histories of academic achievement, extracurriculars that set their students apart, and what their applicants will bring to the table. It drives me crazy to see parents and students fixate upon standardized test scores, and it drives me even crazier to see these companies take advantage of vulnerable families.
At the same time, standardized tests DO matter on some level. They help show colleges how a student performs against the national pool, and a poor score CAN negatively impact students who are "on the bubble" in the application pool. There has been a noted de-emphasis on standardized testing in the post-COVID era after most schools eliminated their testing requirements for 1-2 years. However, the tests are becoming requirements in the college admissions process again and should not be fully ignored. I approach standardized test prep with these factors in mind: my goal is to help my students get the best scores they can by being well prepared for the exam. They should go in knowing the format of the test they are taking, the ways that the test will try to trick them, means of allaying test anxiety, and most importantly, the material about which they are being tested. I have five years of dedicated experience teaching:
- SAT I
- ACT
- SSAT
- MCAS
- GRE/MCAT
My test prep system is one that revolves around significant review of essential academic concepts, practice solving actual SAT/ACT-type problems, consistent vocabulary building, and methods for alleviating or reducing test-anxiety. All students within 2 sessions are given a full-length practice "pretest" to provide a baseline score, and we immediately start working on Greek and Latin roots and how to discern word meaning with their help. After 10 weeks of review and consistent homework practice, students are given another full-length test to see where they have progressed. I ask all of my SAT students, be it one-on-one or in-class tutoring, to pick up a copy of the College Board's Official SAT Study Guide (ISBN-10: 087447852) since it contains 10 real SATs, providing the best opportunities for practice. I ask all ACT students to pick up a copy of the Real ACT Prep Guide since it contains 5 real ACT administrations. At rates of $55-100 per 3 hour session, I provide 30 hours of high quality instruction for up to $20 less per hour than what the big companies charge, making test prep a real possibility for many. At a class size cap of 15, I ensure that all students receive individualized attention, and I pride myself on teaching my students strategies, concepts, and skills that will stay with them long after their tests are done. Unlike the big companies, I have a real, personal investment in seeing my students do well, and I am willing to put in the time and effort to make sure that as many as possible have that opportunity.
-Ashley Caval