The Right Mindset for Tests
To maximize learning, experts are encouraging teachers and students to shift from a fixed mindset, based on a student’s innate talents and strengths, to a growth mindset, focused on strategies to make new brain connections through input from others and learning from mistakes. Carolyn Woo of Purdue University suggests that “IQ and college entrance tests lean toward a fixed mindset, as they employ a snapshot in time as indicators of future potential”. It does not follow, however, that a student’s score must merely be a summary of his fixed assets, therefore unchangeable. Effort is a key to change, but the tests are designed to deny admission to better scores through mere practice. Let’s consider how Carol Dweck’s elements of a growth mindset will unlock better scores. In her book Mindset: the New Psychology of Success, Dweck asserts that seeking help from others, trying new strategies, and capitalizing on setbacks foster…
Looking for a Good Test Strategy? Think Sports!
How many high school juniors are athletes? Many are, and why shouldn’t they be? Athletics is a fun and social way to stay in shape and let off steam after school. For all the junior scholar-athletes out there, let me draw some analogies from the world of sports to describe the ideal SAT and ACT prep program. NEW TO THE SPORT Doing nothing at all to prepare for the tests is like trying to play a sport before you even know the rules. You arrive out of shape and unable to show off your skills. Students who walk in cold either assume they can’t study for a standardized test (wrong) or are unmotivated to make test prep a priority. Hang on… there’s a much better way! TUTORING AND CLASSES You’ve joined the team! All the instruction, coaching, and playing facilities are available to you. You have a great opportunity to sharpen…
Taking the SAT and ACT Around the World
Of the roughly two million high school students who take the SAT annually, roughly 100,000 reside outside of the United States. In fact, both the SAT and ACT are offered in over 120 countries around the world. An international student who seeks admission to a US college must take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) as well as the SAT or ACT. So who is coming to the US to study, and why? According to Inkstone, a clearinghouse for Chinese data and trends, only 2% of the ten million Chinese students sitting for the GAOKAO (the grueling 2-day entrance exam, the sole determinant of college admission) will score high enough to gain admission into one of the top Chinese universities. Other Asian countries, most notably Japan and Korea, have similarly strenuous entrance exams. Students who have the means but not the test scores may opt for an…
Don’t Passively Wait for Answers… PREDICT
A good working mastery of math and English content is critical for success on the SAT & ACT. The reading sections of these tests has always been more about strategy. The right approach to reading will boost a student’s confidence and lead to better results. I recently had a phone conversation with my daughter, a senior at a Hudson Valley college. She told me she was taking a course from a history professor who was giving “tricky” multiple choice tests. I gave her one piece of advice: “Formulate your answer independently, before looking at the answer choices.” Following this strategy, my daughter improved her performance in the class (and this momma was happy for a chance to help her grown-up daughter!) When students take the few seconds to answer a test question in their own words, they need not labor over the various answer choices. A student’s formulated answer will…
What about High School Burnout?
High school students are busier than ever these days, and downtime is infrequent. Test prep tutors often struggle to fit tutoring in around a student’s packed activity schedule. The time pressure of a tight schedule can be productive; students learn to juggle calendars and deadlines, and let’s admit that a bit of a kick in the butt can motivate anyone to action. But when does it all get to be too much? Then, according to blogger Kieran Tie, burnout occurs: “Burnout is a cunning thief. It feeds on your passion, your energy, and your enthusiasm, taking these positive qualities and turning them into exhaustion, frustration, and self-doubt. It’s way more than just having a bad day, or being tired and worn out.” Tie identifies the factors which can lead to burnout in the workplace. But we can readily agree that these factors, including lack of control over our environment, unfair…