alt="exam, test prep, admissions tips">Private Tutors – Test Prep – Admissions Experts
Posted on July 22nd, 2010 by admin
Here’s our new tutoring and admissions expert, overview video. We hope our family, friends and fans enjoy!
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Here’s our new tutoring and admissions expert, overview video. We hope our family, friends and fans enjoy!
Top Test Prep’s summer SAT and ACT prep programs have started. If you’re preparing for the SAT or ACT this summer and need help, our test prep programs can help you improve your scores. Summer test prep doesn’t have to be difficult.
If you need help with the SAT and/or ACT exams, give us a call today at (800) 501-Prep or fill out our contact form.
This is the time to improve your test scores so that you can apply to the best colleges and universities.
Top Test Prep’s private tutoring and test prep programs continue to lead the field. Be part of the best program.
One of the most frequently asked questions at Top Test Prep is whether a student should take the SAT or ACT.
To answer this question, here are the differences between the SAT and ACT, and reasons why you should take one versus the other.
About the SAT:
The SAT is administered 7 times per year.
The SAT includes three critical reading sections, three math sections, three writing sections and one experimental section.
The SAT math section goes up to basic geometry and algebra II.
There is no science section on the SAT.
The SAT reading section includes sentence completions, short and long critical reading passages, and reading comprehension sections.
There is a penalty for wrong answers!
The highest combined score on the SAT is 2400, and the highest per section for the SAT is 800, including math, reading and writing.
Unless you’re enrolled in the SAT’s “Score Choice,” all of your scores will be reported to colleges.
About the ACT:
The ACT is administered 6 times per year.
The ACT includes four sections, including English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, and an optional writing test.
The ACT math goes no higher than trigonometry.
The ACT science section includes charts and experiments (theoretically, you don’t need a strong science core base before taking the test)
The ACT reading section includes four passages total.
The ACT English focuses on grammar and the ACT writing essay is similar to most standardized tests including the SAT’s essay prompt.
There is no penalty for wrong answers!
The highest combined score on the ACT is 36, and they’re averaged together for a composite score.
You can decide which schools receive your ACT scores.
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In general, we recommend taking the ACT exam over the SAT exam if your approach to problems is more straightforward. The ACT math and other sections are drier compared to the SAT, which requires a bit more reasoning and analysis. However, our SAT tutors know exactly how to give you in-depth strategies for the SAT test, as it does require more analytical thinking. Also, if you do better in school generally without having to work as hard, we always recommend taking the ACT.
We recommend taking the SAT versus the ACT exam if you have fewer issues with time management. The ACT exam requires more endurance, as students are required to do up to 60 questions in a short amount of time. Our ACT tutors can help you better understand the exam, and ways you can prepare.
If you’re unsure whether you should take either or both, you should take both tests. Your scores will likely be similar according to concordance table.
If you need help with SAT prep or ACT prep, give Top Test Prep a call at (800) 501-Prep and we’ll help you improve your scores.
Here’s Top Test Prep’s SAT Vocabulary, Word of the Day -
Facilitate – (verb) make easier;
Find out more about Top Test Prep’s SAT Tutoring or ACT Tutoring, by calling (800) 501-Prep.
Here’s Top Test Prep’s SAT Vocabulary, Word of the Day -
Effervescent – adj. marked by high spirits or excitement; bubbly and engaging
Find out more about Top Test Prep’s SAT Tutoring or ACT Tutoring, by calling (800) 501-Prep.
Here’s Top Test Prep’s SAT Vocabulary, Word of the Day -
Bellicose – adj. having or showing a ready disposition to fight
Find out more about Top Test Prep’s SAT Tutoring or ACT Tutoring, by calling (800) 501-Prep.
For those students taking the May 1st SAT exam, we want to give you some SAT tips to help you get ready. These SAT tips will hopefully reduce your test anxiety and improve your SAT scores.
First, remember that the SAT is a time intensive examination. You must manage your time wisely. If you get caught on one problem, which you can’t answer quickly, keep moving! For the SAT math section, know that the order of difficulty increases as you move through the math section. So try to get through the easier math problems first, and then keep plugging until you complete the section. For the SAT verbal (Reading and Writing), the order of difficulty does not increase as you move through the sections. Keep this in mind as you’re completing the sections.
Second, make sure to get tons of rest before test day. If you mess up your sleep pattern before the exam, you’re likely to come to the SAT test disheveled and unprepared.
Lastly, remember when you’re writing your SAT essay to be organized and write your argument with cogent examples that make sense. The more examples you use without quoting the actual SAT essay prompt, the better. To write an essay that goes from good to great, you need to have structure, and a great argument based on real-life examples.
If you need help with SAT prep or SAT private tutoring, give us a call at (800) 501-Prep, or fill out or quick contact form for more information on Top Test Prep’s SAT programs.
SAT Test Dates
January 23, 2010, SAT and Subject Tests
March 13, 2010, SAT only
May 1, 2010, SAT and Subject Tests
June 5, 2010, SAT and Subject Tests
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Top Test Prep provides SAT and SAT Prep courses and SAT private tutoring for students across the country, and helps get students into top colleges with their test prep and college admissions counseling.
Call Top Test Prep today at (800) 501-Prep.
As a leading test prep provider, Top Test Prep offers SAT prep and ACT prep courses for high schools. In addition, Top Test Prep has college readiness programs which allow schools to expand their current curricula and improve their students’ state testing standards.
Call us today at (800) 501-PREP or go to our contact page to request more information on our SAT, ACT courses or college readiness (ARRA) and “Race to the Top” programs.
Here’s specific information on these SAT, ACT courses and college readiness programs:
Top Test Prep is starting a new competition on our Facebook and Twitter Pages.
Here are the simple rules for the SAT Word competition:
(1) Become a fan of “Top Test Prep” on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter, twitter.com/toptestprep
(2) When you see a new SAT word posted on either, simply reply back or @toptestprep, with the best word definition.
The best definition, wins $10. It’s that easy. We’ll contact you asking for your email so that we can send you the money directly.
Good luck defining these words!
Best regards,
Ross Blankenship
President and Founder
Top Test Prep
There are several ways you can improve your SAT or ACT scores. At Top Test Prep, we have improved SAT and ACT scores by isolating the following common issues: timing and test anxiety. We’ve found ways to help you prepare for these exams and battle these major issues.
How to Improve your SAT or ACT scores:
(A) Timing: The biggest that most students have for either exams is timing. Learning how to pace yourself for these exams is crucial. One recommended strategy to use for the SAT and ACT exams is to take practice tests in real, timed conditions. Often times students take “practice” SAT/ACT exams in pieces instead of in their whole parts. First, always take the exams at the same time and day of the actual exam. If you’re taking these SAT/ACT exams on a Saturday at 10am, I would highly encourage you to do all of your practice exams during the same time period. In addition, if you’re having trouble keeping pace with the time allotted – usually 20 to 25 minutes for the SAT and 35 to 60 minute section on the ACT – try taking the exam under faster conditions. Both strategies will give you an advantage over other students.
(B) Exam Anxiety: Taking these exams could be the biggest day of your life. You are bound to be nervous and anxious to complete the exams so that you can move on to bigger and better things like college.
I would recommend you do the following before exam day to calm your test exam anxiety: (1) Don’t try to rush your studying to the last minute. Instead, complete your test prep studying a full day prior to exam day. This will give you some time to relax and not worry as much. (2) Don’t have too much caffeine before the exam. Drinking too much coffee might off-set your heart rate and could cause you unnecessary anxiety. (3) On test day, if you can get up early enough, go for a quick jog in the morning. A short 20 minute jog will get the blood flowing in your body and will allow oxygen to travel with it. Exercise can help you perform better on the exams, and will keep you happier.
Overall, if you can conquer both SAT/ACT exam timing issues and anxiety, you’re half way through the battle of improving your test scores. Our SAT tutors and SAT prep program can help you, as well as our ACT tutors and ACT prep programs.
Give us a call at (800) 501-PREP if you have more questions.
Best regards,
Ross Blankenship
Chairman, Top Test Prep
Education Expert
For the students out there taking SAT Exam, I would like to give a few key tips to prepare for this standardized test. As you probably know, the SAT exam is broken down into three parts: Writing, Math, and Reading.
In preparing for this exam, I’ll suggest one simple thing you can do for each section to get prepared. Though there are many strategies which we use at Top Test Prep to help students, these will give you some quick tips to share with your friends.
For the SAT Writing sections: Consider reading through the “sentence error” sections of the SAT writing and looking at the whole sentence instead of the sentence in parts. Instead of stopping each time you read an “incorrect” error in a passage, read the entire sentence first and then assess the answer choices for the right answer. Often times students taking the SAT exam fail to consider the sentence on the whole and instead fragment it into parts. Our natural speech pattern recognizes errors, assuming a basic understanding of the English language. If you do have a basic understanding on nouns, adjectives, possessives, conjunctions, articles, adverbs, etc, you will be able to read a sentence and hear it for its whole part – hopefully hearing what sounded best between the answer choices.
For the SAT Critical Reading sections: Consider looking for the author’s attitude and tone when analyzing and preparing to answer SAT critical reading questions. Once you have read a reading passage in the SAT, go back through the passage and circle words that suggest how the author feels about a certain thing or issue. Often times students read SAT critical reading sections and forget to look for the big picture. Remember: the SAT writers aren’t trying to test you on your ability to remember minute details, rather they want to make sure you can read a passage and understand the tone, rhetoric (argument), and outline of the main body.
For the SAT Math sections: If you only have a couple weeks left to prepare for the SAT, spend time on only two key main subjects within the SAT math section like solid Geometry or coordinate Geometry and any algebra that is required to answer these SAT math/geometry questions. Or if you have more time to prepare for the SAT, take the all-inclusive SAT math formula box, and try to develop your own questions that are applicable for the SAT math section. After all, they say the way you know a problem or issue best is if you can explain it to others. Try these questions which you have developed, on your friends and see if your answers and methodology make sense.
I hope these SAT preparation tips help you in preparing for the SAT Exam. At Top Test Prep, we pride ourselves in provides excellent SAT tutoring and test prep for students. Top Test Prep also has an excellent ACT prep program as well if you are taking the ACT exam.
My best wishes for you and get in touch if you need more help improving your test scores.
Ross Blankenship
Education Expert, and Chairman
Top Test Prep
(800) 501-PREP
Top Test Prep is proud to offer private tutoring in Washington DC, including tutoring for Georgetown, GWU, Catholic, Howard and American University students, as well as the broader Washington DC community.
Top Test Prep Location:
3615 Wisconsin Ave, NW
Washington DC 20016
(800) 501-Prep
As many of our readers know, we have been expanding rapidly. The parents and students with whom we work have been referring more tutoring and admissions consulting to Top Test Prep. It is a pleasure to continue working with students as they prepare for the PSAT, SAT, ACT, LSAT, GMAT, MCAT, GRE and many more!
Our private tutoring and test prep continues to be the best, as we only accept private tutors who are in the Top 1% for all exam. In addition, our private tutors are provided with highly customized exam materials and test prep schedules. If you need help preparing for your exams, give us a call today at (800) 501-Prep.
Best regards to you and happy holidays!
Ross Blankenship
Chairman and Education Expert
1. Spot errors by listening for them.
In the error identification section, your goal is to identify grammatical or structural errors in a given sentence. The upside: you don’t need to know how to correct these errors. All you’re required to do is recognize when an underlined portion is wrong, or when there are no errors. Pronounce the sentence in your head and listen for anything that sounds off. If it sounds off, it probably is.
2. Remember that this is a test of written English.
Though tip #1 generally holds true, there are things we can get away with in spoken English that are not appropriate for written English. Some questions will spell out a common mispronunciation Рsuch as “could of” in place of “could have” Рthat might sound right, but isn’t correct in writing.
3. Watch out for “I” versus “me.”
People often confuse the two, or assume that using “I” is always correct. Not so. Here’s a tip for figuring out which one to use: take out the other person or people, and see how you’d write the sentence if “you” were the only person. For example, if the sentence is : “My parents lent Sarah and I their station wagon,” take out “Sarah” and see how you’d rewrite the sentence if you were the only borrower of the station wagon. You will realize that “I” sounds wrong Рthat the correct phrasing should be “Sarah and me.”
4. Check for subject/verb agreement.
Ask yourself whether the subject is singular or plural, and whether the correlating verb is conjugated accordingly.
5. Check for verb tense agreement.
Ask yourself, “When did the event described take place?” in order to check that the verb is in the proper tense. If one event in the past happens before another event in the past, the earlier event will require a past participle such as “had talked” or “had eaten.”
6. Be able to recognize sentences that are too “wordy,” expressing an idea in too many words.
One example of wordiness on the SAT may be an adjective that is unnecessarily modified, such as “completely silent” or “very unique.” The words “completely” and “very” are not needed here: you are either silent or not silent; you are either unique or not unique.
7. Keep in mind that the essay portion of the SAT may be compared to your admissions essay.
Admissions officers may compare the two in order to verify that your style and writing level are similar for both essays. In some cases, a good SAT essay may give your application the edge you need to take you from borderline to admitted.
8. On the essay portion of the SAT, aim for clarity and good organization.
Apply all the rules for essay-writing you’ve learned in school. Organization and paragraph-parsing are key. It doesn’t matter what you know in a certain subject area; it matters how well you are able to express your opinion or to relate an experience relevant to the given prompt.
9. Proofread your SAT essay for grammatical errors.
Be as vigilant about checking your own writing for errors as you are on the error-ID portion of the exam. Small errors can add up, lowering your score.
10. Give your SAT essay a title.
It never hurts to title an essay. A title can intrigue your reader and summarize the main theme, giving your essay a feeling of completeness.
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Our SAT tutoring and SAT preparation can help you get into top colleges and improve your scores.
Top Test Prep can help you with your SAT writing. Give Top Test Prep a call at (800) 501-Prep.
Here are some last-minute SAT prep tips…
Whether you’re taking the SAT in December for the first time or the umpteenth, you still have about a month left to prepare. Here are some tips for getting the most out of these remaining few weeks.
1) Go over those vocab flash cards one last time. By now you’ll probably be familiar with them – so familiar, in fact, that it takes you far longer to say the definitions than to remember them. Still, it never hurts to review, review, review, and along the way, to remember all the synonyms surrounding a given word.
2) Go over the toughest practice problems, the ugly ones that really gave you trouble. Get a handle on them. Don’t just understand why you got each one wrong: understand the thought process required for solving it, and seek out other problems like it.
3) Get a good night’s sleep … for the two weeks leading up to the test. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation, even for a single night, can affect your performance on tests for over a week afterward, even if you got enough sleep during the nights in between.
4) On test day, wake up early enough to eat a healthy breakfast. Eat whatever works best for you: something filling and nutritious that sits well and will last you through the test. Eating a special meal can help set the day apart, putting you in the zone and revving you up for the day’s challenges.
5) It’s not too late for private SAT tutoring. You still have a whole month to sit down with an SAT tutor and address your weaknesses. An SAT tutor can help motivate you to study and provide you with tips and assignments that will build your mental endurance and efficiency. You can study alone, or you can study with the guidance of an SAT success story … your choice!
This article is on last minute SAT prep tips and was written by education expert, Ross Blankenship.
1) Use a dictionary.
No matter what you’re reading, take the time to look up words you don’t know. Not only will this improve your vocabulary (it’s the best way to do so), but it will improve your reading experience. You’ll understand the text better without relying purely on context (or skipping over the phrase with the unfamiliar word).
2) Use a thesaurus.
How many ways can you say ‚Äúaggressive‚Äù? ‚ÄúBelligerent,‚Äù ‚Äúpugnacious,‚Äù ‚Äúcombative,‚Äù ‚Äúbellicose‚Äù … you get the idea. Memorizing synonyms as a group will help you remember what each word means. For every standard vocabulary word, there are several synonyms that stand a chance of showing up on the test.
3) Read something challenging on a regular basis.
Consider getting a subscription to a respected magazine, something that will catch your interest and stimulate your vocabulary at the same time.
4) Buy SAT flash cards.
Standardized tests tend to recycle vocabulary. Having mastered 100 or more of the most common words on the exam will give you confidence when one or two of those words shows up on your test.
5) Complete practice exams under timed conditions.
Get accustomed to the amount of time you’ll have to complete the test. You’ll get faster, which will give you more time to focus on the tough questions. Study all the words you missed on the practice exams (see number four).
Find a private tutor to help you prepare! (But not too pugnacious.)
To improve your SAT Verbal score, contact Top Test Prep today at (800) 501-Prep or read about our SAT private tutoring.
Top Test Prep has PSAT, SAT, ACT, LSAT, GMAT, MCAT and GRE programs to help students improve their scores.
We have several private SAT prep and ACT tutors for schools like Walt Whitman, Wootton, Walter Johnson, Winston Churchill, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase, and many more in Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia.
call (800) 501-PREP to find out more information, or locally (301) 654-2141.
Top Test Prep’s private tutoring private tutoring includes (but is not limited to) Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, Boston, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, Los Angeles and Houston.
Here are the Top 10 test prep tips to improve your exam scores…
I’d like to share with our readers tips to use for test prep, whether you’re taking the SAT exam, ACT exam or other standardized tests like the LSAT, GMAT, GRE or MCAT. Preparing for exams can be tedious, but with the right plan you can succeed.
Ten Test Prep Tips to Help Improve Your Test Scores:
(1) Practice sections: Always take practice sections and exams under testing conditions. Testing conditions refers to taking an exam during the same time and general day you are scheduled for the actual exam (e.g. Saturdays at 9am)
(2) The back of the book: Do not simply look to the back of the book for answers. This causes you to rely on the book and others’ knowledge more than your own. Always try the problems first and then rely on the back of the book to check your answer.
(3) Manage your time wisely. One of the most important things to do before you begin studying for tests is to set out a proper study schedule. At a minimum, you should devote between 2 to 3 hours per day in preparing for exams. Make it your part-time job. Choose only one or two test prep books and go to work.
(4) Get help when necessary. In most cases, students only get once chance to take a major test like the PSAT, SAT, ACT or other grad level exams like the GRE and LSAT. So why not consider a private tutor? At the very least look into it. Beyond providing you direction, a private tutor may go a long way in helping you prepare for these exams. For example, Top Test Prep’s tutors all have scored in the top 1% percentile and are double-screened to ensure they are able to successfully tutor students.
(5) Speed exam taking: If the student has difficulties with time or time pressures, have the student take the sections under faster time settings. For example, have the student take what would normally be a 30 minute section, in 15 minutes instead. Like running with weights attached to your ankles, this will make the tests and each sections faster for the student.
(6) Math Problems: The method is more important than the result. If a student cannot explain how he or she got to the correct answer, they won’t be able to do it correctly on their own exam. Like any mathematical proof, you want to make sure you have every step down perfectly. Every studentmust be able to explain their methods.
(7) Verbal Problems: One method that has worked for Top Test Prep is to have every student read the verbal passages out loud before answering the questions. Most test prep companies recommend reading the questions first, and then skimming the content. During your tutoring sessions, we want the students to hear what the author is writing and then to explain the passage’s main point to the tutor. If a student can explain what an author intended to write, he or she will know the answers before they get to the questions. If a student can come up with his or her own title to the passage, they become more involved and will understand the questions better. Essentially, make the student the author of the passage.
(8) On test day: The Five P’s of Test Prep are simple: Proper preparation prevents poor performance. Make sure every student has everything they need on test day: All #2 pencils, calculators, and their admissions ticket. Being prepared will prevent nervousness and overall anxiety. Students are encouraged to have some caffeine, but not too much however much they are comfortable with drinking.
(9) Expect the Unexpected. When test day arrives, you must expect that you will see questions with which you are unfamiliar. In the event you don’t know the answer, make sure to eliminate as many problems that are not logical or those which have no basis for even being an answer choice. This takes practice. However, it’s important not to just guess if you have a chance of losing points.
(10) Don’t Panic. No matter what your score is, keep in mind that you can take an exam again. You can take most exams again without being penalized – several admissions offices will look to your highest score regardless of any previous exam results.
This article was written by Ross Blankenship, an education expert and Chairman of TopTestPrep.com, which provides private tutoring and admissions consulting to students around the world. Call (800) 501-PREP to get help with private tutoring and admissions consulting.
Top Test Prep has announced a FREE 1-hour SAT Prep review course, starting May 30, 2010.
The 60 minute review will include:
SAT Math Review
SAT Verbal
SAT Writing Practice
And instruction by the leader in test prep, Ross Blankenship.
Ross Blankenship is the founder and President of TopTestPrep.com
Who? Top Test Prep
What? SAT Prep and SAT Exam Review
Where? 1027 33rd St NW Suite 140 Washington DC 20007
When? Sunday, May 30 at 2:00pm.
Why? Because you deserve the best SAT prep.
Students and Parents are welcome!
1027 33rd St. NW
Washington DC 20007
Call to reserve your space: (800) 501-Prep
or email “[email protected]”
This SAT prep course is open to all students in the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia Regions.
You must RSVP for this event, space is limited.
Here’s how to prepare for the SAT and ACT exams as you’re going back to school during the fall…
As many students are heading back to school during August, we highly recommend signing up for your private tutoring and test prep now in time for the SAT Test on October 10, 2009, as well as the ACT exam on September 12, 2009 and October 24, 2009.
Our SAT private tutors will provide custom schedule, test prep materials, and private (one-on-one) tutoring for the upcoming SAT exam.
Our ACT private tutors are also ready to help you with custom materials and a game plan for the ACT Exam.
You can also call us directly at (800) 501-Prep to get more information on either the SAT or ACT private tutoring.
Part 2 of our series continues with answers about college admissions, private tutoring and test prep.
How can my kid get into an Ivy League School?
The formula for getting into the Ivy League is a mixture of exceptional high school grades, high test scores and a background that says you’re interesting and will contribute to that Ivy League School. Because so many college admissions decisions are subjective, meaning that the admissions offices wants some unique students and not just test scores, you have to make a college application theme that is different from the rest.
What happens if our college counselor is not very helpful?
At Top Test Prep, we see this situation all the time: a parent calls in needing help – a student has tried to get in touch with his college counselor for days at his or her private or public school – and still no answer or response. Their high school is either too big or too impersonal to give them the opportunity to have a college counselor review admissions applications, so they need Top Test Prep to help them with their college applications. We’ll be happy to help. Get in touch with us today (800) 501-PREP. Our admissions consulting is geared for each student and personalized to make sure you have all the information you need to get into top schools.
How many college admissions essays are required?
This all depends on the number of colleges you’re applying to, and whether you’re using the Common Application to apply to these schools. On average you’ll have to write around three to four admissions essays when you apply to any given college. The more the merrier, we think, so let us know if you need help with your college admissions essays, personal statements or resumes.
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