"The questions that are on the S.A.T. are not the same as the questions they ask in High School. We'll show you how to decipher these questions."
I listened to the SAT. tutors lecture on how best to take the college entrance exam and how they can help. A book costs, $20-$50, online classes $200, group tutoring $1000, or private tutoring $2000-$2500. And the tutors suggest taking the $50 test twice. Ouch, that's a lot, but is it worth it, if she has a chance at a scholarship that is ten times more.
My daughter took a sample test of the S.A.T. and A.C.T. recently. She did excellent on the ACT and average on the SAT. My daughter is well read (including the classics) and is in line to get an advanced honors diploma in her award winning High School, so I thought the SAT should not be a problem. I have no doubt that she will succeed in college. She is smarter than I was at her age and I managed to complete college. So why such a low SAT score?
"Hey did you hear the NPR story about the S.A.T.s?" my friend said, "They said that the higher the income the higher your S.A.T. score. They're saying that it's not a good indicator of whether you can succeed in college and more kids are taking the A.C.T.s. You should check it out."
After reading:
Did your child take the SAT or the ACT? What do you think.
I listened to the SAT. tutors lecture on how best to take the college entrance exam and how they can help. A book costs, $20-$50, online classes $200, group tutoring $1000, or private tutoring $2000-$2500. And the tutors suggest taking the $50 test twice. Ouch, that's a lot, but is it worth it, if she has a chance at a scholarship that is ten times more.
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| Notice the $130 calculator used to take the test - just sayin' |
"Hey did you hear the NPR story about the S.A.T.s?" my friend said, "They said that the higher the income the higher your S.A.T. score. They're saying that it's not a good indicator of whether you can succeed in college and more kids are taking the A.C.T.s. You should check it out."
After reading:
"Look, the strongest correlation between SAT scores and virtually anything is family income: The higher your family income, the higher your scores. It's one of the major reasons so many campuses are populated by upper-income kids and not the needy kids who need the opportunity," Schaeffer says.
I don't think I can compete with the cost of tutoring for the SAT. and yet my daughter has the ability and talent to go to college. I asked the recruiters at a recent college fair, if she could get a scholarship with the ACT. They said yes. That nailed it for me. Why build on something that is weak but rather build on a strong foundation of a test.Did your child take the SAT or the ACT? What do you think.
I don't have children, but I remember taking both, and I did better on the ACT than on the SAT. I still managed to get accepted and even graduate from college. It's interesting to learn that higher income = higher scores. I didn't like the test then and I don't like them now. I wish the powers that be could find a different way to test students prior to college.
ReplyDeleteI think the ACT is the alternative and it's gaining in popularity compared to when I was in High School where we scratched our heads and said what is act?
DeleteI don't have any children, but I remember taking the SAT test. I did decent enough to get into 4 out of the 5 schools I applied for.
ReplyDeleteDid you get a tutor?
DeleteI don't have children and I took the SAT. I remember struggling and doing okay. When I graduated from college I took the GRE, paid for a pricy prep class, and did extremely well. Not sure how the two tests correlate with one another, but the class taught me a ton of tricks that had nothing to do with intelligence that made the test much easier for me. I also learned for me that my score reflected how often I practiced, getting better at the tricks. Had I known all of this for the SAT I'm sure I would have scored better.
ReplyDeleteI have children, but luckily have a way to go before I have to worry about these! I remember taking both tests when I was in high school.
ReplyDeleteWe have none of these in the Netherlands. Most colleges take anybody who wants to join. Only for the kind of education where they don't want to many of the people being unemployed, there's a limited number of places available. Like doctors (what's the word, private practitioner?) or vets. Only then they will have a look at your results in highschool, but there are still no seperate tests. And the results in highschool only increase your chances of success in the draw (yes, it's a draw, seriously).
ReplyDeleteI don't have children and to go on to further education (at the time in England) you had to reach a certain grade in your school exams in the relevant subjects if you wanted to carry on with schooling rather than leave at 16 to get a job. In my experience exam qualifications are only important once you've left school and actually got a job if they they pertain to your employment. I don't think they necessarily show a particular intelligence, other than you are capable of memorizing enough facts to get you through the exam in many cases. I don't know the difference between SAT and ACTs but it sounds as if your daughter will be absolutely fine with what you are doing now. Stick with the ACT, sounds like it's going to work out fine. Don't know if that helps or not!
ReplyDeleteWe don't have that in Canada - which I'm happy for you - you get into university on your own overall academic history - not one test result.
ReplyDelete