Focus and Attention to Detail

Focus and attention to detail are important skills necessary to excel in the SAT and in life.   The SAT requires focus and attention to detail.  Many questions are missed because students misread or misinterpret the questions and come up with an answer based upon not what is on the paper but what they “think” is being asked.

In life focus and attention to detail are also important.  Would you want your pilot to stray 2% off course?  Or would you want your accounts payable department to add some extra zeros to a vendor and overpay them?  Or how would you like it if your administrative assistant booked your hotel and flight to San Antonio for an upcoming conference on March 21st but inverted the numbers and made the arrangements for March 12th?

Important SAT Test Dates for 2012

H.S. Juniors have 3 chances to sit for the SAT during the second semester:

March 10, 2012

May 5, 2012

June 2, 2012

Clearly the time to start planning is now!  It’s too late to register for the March 10th test.  So the practical choices now are either May or June. Most schools are off this week for the President’s mid-winter recess.  Use this time wisely to register, to buy some test prep materials and to research some test prep companies and/or private tutoring services.

Thoughts on the SAT Cheating Scandal

Don’t do it!  Don’t even think about it!  Don’t ruin your life before its starts.

Paying people for things you can do yourself is lazy, immoral and illegal.  If you start paying people to take an SAT in High School where will it end?  Will you start paying people to take your college and graduate school tests?  Will you pay people to write your papers and to “stand in” for you at final exams?

Then, later in adulthood will you pay people for “inside information” and trade on that information?  Will you start paying bribes to politicians for favorable deals and contracts?

If you start down this slippery slope two things will inevitably happen– the money will run out, leaving you with no skills or sense of self-worth; or you will wind up in jail with plenty of time to think about how your life went so terribly off course.

Timetable for High School Juniors

Mid October 2011 Take the PSAT

While awaiting the results in December take 10 minutes per day to attempt the Official SAT Question of the Day from www.collegeboard.com as well as learn a new word via the Word of the Day from www.dictionary.com

December 2011Obtain PSAT  Results and review your score report.  Determine which SAT or ACT test you will be taking.  Figure out what type of test prep is right for you.  Learn about all the options available including large classes, private tutoring or self-study.  January SAT Test takers should begin their test prep

January 2012 March test takers should begin their test prep as soon as the first week of the new year.  10-12 weeks of intense study before a test date is a good rule of thumb.

“When the Student Is Ready, The Teacher Will Appear”

The title of this post is from an ancient Buddhist proverb.  I thought about it today as I was helping a student prepare for next Saturday’s SAT exam at her local public library.  As she  focused on a 25 minute math section, my eyes glanced around the book stacks and I zeroed in on the test preparation books in the reference section. I was awestruck by the sheer volume of competent information available. It was then that I realized that all the SAT prep knowledge is readily available for students.  Across the room, another tutor was teaching a woman how to read.

Books, tutors, audio tape, videos, power point presentations, online courses, flash cards, smartphones,etc.  The technology is there. The material is there.  The flow of information is the constant. It’s the student that is the variable.  He or she must have the work ethic, the desire to improve, the energy to improve his or her lot in life, the motivation to succeed.  The student is the variable.  When the student opens his or her mind to learn, the teachers are already there.

ACT is this Saturday, SAT is 3 Weeks Away, PSAT is 5 weeks away.

High School Juniors and Seniors, it’s a new school year and a whole new Standardized Test schedule.  Its time to focus.  The summer is over and as sad as this news may make you feel, I guarantee you that you will feel a lot worse if you don’t start to refocus on killing these tests!

Just to motivate you I have found an interesting article called The Top 5 Reasons To Take The SAT Just click on the link and read it.

Preparing for this test is not a waste of time!  Diligent preparation will leave you with lifelong skills and habits.

Eliminate Before You Calculate!

In this fast paced, video game, text messaged world, the desire for instant
gratification has never been greater. I have witnessed many students fall into
this speed trap, especially when it comes to answering the Math SAT questions.
The need for speed often leads to misread questions, sloppy set ups and silly
mistakes.

Important Tip:

Before coming up with the answer, read the question as many times as necessary, until it is
fully understood. Next, eliminate the obvious incorrect answers. For example–if the
answer calls for a positive slope, eliminate the answers with negative slopes;
if the answer must be less than 90 degrees, get rid of all those answers greater
than 90 degrees. This method allows you to enjoy more accurate calculations
while avoiding the “sucker answers” which are designed to catch the careless
speed demons

The Voice and Tone of A Reading Passage

Voice and Tone are two similar but subtly different concepts in critical reading. Learning to “feel” the writer through his or her voice is an important SAT Critical Reading skill. Many times a student will answer questions about a passage incorrectly because he or she will incorporate his or her world view into the passage. Hint–Your opinion does not count! The questions will start off with language such as “According to the author……” Not “According to Jim Smith…..

Once again Grammar Girl has an excellent discussion of voice and tone, please read or listen to the audio version by clicking here.

Crunch Time H.S. Seniors!

Its two months and counting for the October SAT. For most H.S. seniors who are college bound, its time to start your SAT Test Prep.  Summer is a lazy time and its easy to let your mind turn to mush. Don’t let this happen to you!  Pick up a test prep book and start allocating some time to the exam. Before you realize it, school will start and you will be inundated with classes, college application essays and after school activities.

During the summer, there is no such pressure.  So start now! Get into the habit!  After a few weeks this new habit will be as common as brushing your teeth.