“The SAT is Changing! Oh no!”  That will likely be the response from those who read the headlines, but not last weeks New York Times article. Here’s a quick breakdown of the changes being made to the SAT.

First things first though: The new SAT will NOT debut until SPRING 2016. So, for now the SAT will remain largely the same. 


Why the changes? Les Perelman, a former director of writing at M.I.T, explains that in the current SAT, details matter, but factual accuracy does not. “You can tell them the War of 1812 began in 1945,” he said. On the current SAT, if students writing their essays sprinkle in little-used but fancy words like “plethora” or “myriad” and use two or three preselected quotes from prominent figures like Franklin Delano Roosevelt, regardless of whether they’re relevant to the question asked, they can achieve a high score. This seems a flawed measure of student aptitude to say the least. 

And that is one of the reasons the test needs to change. Again, though, for now the test will not be changing. So vocabulary still matters and for the next couple of years at least, students should keep practicing those flash cards!

What will the new test look like?

Format: The new SAT will be a three-hour exam scored on the old 1,600 point system (800 for math, 800 for reading, with an optional essay scored separately). Supposedly, by 2016, there will be a computerized version of the SAT, and students may someday search the text and highlight the lines on the screen.

Reading and Writing: Evidence-based reading and writing will replace the current sections. It will use as its source materials pieces of writing, from science articles to historical documents to literature excerpts, which research suggests are important for educated Americans to know and understand deeply. Every SAT will contain a passage from either a founding document (The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers) or from a text like Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

David Coleman, the fairly new head of the College Board (which administers the SAT), is big into evidence based reading and arguments supported with contextually relevant facts. The changes will, in his view, promote the idea that students must read a wide variety of texts throughout their high-school years, instead of encouraging students to memorize flashcards. 

Vocabulary: Vocab will include language more commonly used in classrooms as opposed to obscure words memorized for the sole purpose of the test. This seems like a great, and much needed change, emphasizing context over memorization. Evidence-based reading and writing versus a broad personal essay seems to more aptly test how well a student can actually process new information rather than focusing on rote memorization.

Math: The changes to the math section seem even more radical. Coleman’s view (based on empirical evidence, of course) is that American schools typically teach a broad range of math but they do not teach much depth. Research shows that depth outweighs breadth, so the new SAT will test deeper understanding of just three fundamental math concepts: linear equations; complex equations or functions; and ratios, percentages and proportional reasoning, and calculators will be permitted on only part of the math section.
The studies he’s basing both his conclusions and the test’s changes off of do suggest that such a change would be good for American students. However, he’s not changing what the students will be learning throughout the year in school, he’s just changing what the SAT will test. This could open a potentially large disparity between what high school students know and what appears on the test. Lucy Calkins, the founding director of the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College, put it well, “The issue is: Are we in a place to let Dave Coleman control the entire K-to-12 curriculum?” 

Our Opinion: We think the changes to the reading and writing portion are relevant and beneficial. The changes to the math portion make us a bit nervous without similar changes in K-12 curriculum. However, Coleman is trying to partner up with the folks at Khan academy to make the SAT content more transparent and less murky. If this is accomplished before the 2016 changes, students will have ample time to adjust and prepare for whatever gap may exist between current high school curriculums and the future SAT.

Big changes are afoot at the College Board and for the SAT test, but not until 2016. In the meantime, students and SAT tutors should hold off on panic or changing their study plans until the changes are implemented. 

Many parents and students call and ask, "Do schools prefer the SAT? Isn't the ACT just for math and science people? Which test is easier? What's the difference?" Throughout the nineties, choosing whether to take the SAT or the ACT was a simple task. Generally, if you lived in the Midwest, the Rockies, or the South, you took the ACT, and if you lived near either coast, you took the SAT, but it's no longer quite that simple. 

Today, all four year colleges accept either the ACT or the SAT, with no preference for one over the other, and some students submit scores from both. The ACT has grown in popularity, and now roughly the same percentage of students take the ACT as the SAT. What test should you prep for?  What’s the difference? 

Here’s a quick breakdown:

Length
ACT: 215 questions divided into 4 sections (English, Math, Reading, Science); 205 minutes long including optional 30 minute writing section 

SAT: 170 questions divided into 10 sections (3 Critical Reading, 3 Math, 3 Writing, 1 experimental section not counted into the score); 225 minutes long.

SAT is longer, so fidgety students may prefer the ACT, but the ACT requires students to move very quickly through the test, so slower readers may prefer the SAT. 

Types of Questions
ACT: More straightforward questions based on content knowledge (in grammar, usage & math); difficulty level of questions is random
SAT: Trickier, more logic-based questions; questions get more difficult as you move through each section (with the exception of chronological reading passages)

If you are a very bright underachiever, the SAT may be a better test for you as it focuses less on content knowledge and more on aptitude and reasoning. If you study hard well in advance to earn high marks, the ACT may be a better fit as much of it is based on content knowledge that can be memorized. 

Points Off
ACT: No penalty for incorrect answers.
SAT: ¼ point off for incorrect answers. No points off for blank answers.

Science
ACT: Includes a science reasoning section mostly based on ability to interpret data.
SAT: Does not include a science section.

Keep in mind that usually only one question in the ACT science section is based on previous knowledge in science. It's mostly interpreting data,so students who score well in reading comprehension often also earn high marks in ACT science. 

Math
ACT: Math through trigonometry with no formulas provided (a bit tougher).
SAT: Math through Algebra II with formulas provided.

Writing
ACT: Optional (30 minutes) and not factored into the score, although most schools prefer to see it. It’s usually a high interest persuasive essay question.
SAT: Required (25 minutes at the beginning of the test), and usually asks for examples from literature and history.

English
ACT: Tests more usage, grammar and rhetorical skills, and questions are more intuitive (which sentence sounds right?).
SAT: Requires an excellent knowledge of vocabulary and word roots.

Scoring
ACT: 36 possible points
SAT: 2400 possible points (200-800 points per section)

Experts recommend taking a full length practice test of each exam to see which feels better. If you think you’ll do better on one, and it feels better for you, go with that test. 

Both the ACT and the SAT allow score choice, meaning you choose which scores to send to schools, and students are allowed to take both tests; however, most find it much less stressful to focus on preparing for one. 

Studies show a strong correlation between formal one-on-one test prep with a tutor and increased scores, so make time for study and test prep prior to the test as often possible! Daily practice, the number of full-length practice tests taken prior to the test, and working with an expert to refine practice and work through problems all significantly impact student test scores.

Great scores aren't all that matter in terms of getting into your dream school, but they can make a huge difference in at least making the first cut, so pick a test, make a study schedule, and study hard! 

As the school year winds down, many students are looking forward to taking a break from the books with the onset of warm weather. While all kids deserve a break from sitting in school all day, research shows that the average student falls significantly behind over the summer.



According to summerlearning.org, most kids lose about 2.6 months of math skills over the summer and lower income students lose more than 2 months of reading. Parents dread the idea of having their students start the next school year feeling behind and less confident because they’ve slipped behind in math and reading.

What can parents do to prevent summer learning loss while allowing students to have a fun, active summer? Here are a few quick tips to help keep skills sharp and minds inspired over the summer. 

1. Read, read, read! Encourage kids to grab a book and read outside, read on the beach, read before bed, and read with others. Post a chart listing every book kids finish reading over the summer, and encourage the whole family to participate and share with weekly book talks. Barnes and Noble is giving away a free book for every eight read, so get reading!

2. Set aside 10-20 minutes a day for a math refresher. Great web resources such as mathletics.com and IXL math provide great web resources for K-12 students to refresh at home. On a road trip or flight, portable video games such as Personal Trainer for Nintendo DS in addition to a ton of learning apps for smartphones and tablets are fun ways K-12 students to practice math skills at their level while on the road.

3. Incorporate learning into daily activities—let kids learn about money by giving them a small allowance or letting them budget a given amount for shopping. Cook with kids to teach fractions and reinforce following directions with recipes. Let kids help build things or design & make clothes to learn about measurement and geometry.

4. Make writing fun by using summer as an opportunity for kids to get creative with writing. Hone in on kids’ interests and channel them into writing. From writing a play, to creating a blog, to writing formal letters to favorite authors or athletes, to writing and submitting a poem or short story to an online magazine, to having a pen pal, or writing a comment to a newspaper, summer writing empowers kids and helps them develop a love for the written word without the restrictions of the classroom.

5. Hiring a summer reading, writing, or math enrichment tutor for younger students, or a test-prep tutor for older students helps ensure time is made for summer learning, and provides an outside mentor to work with students.

6. Test prep (ISEE, SSAT, PSAT, SAT & ACT) is especially effective over the summer as it both reinforces academic skills, and allows kids to prepare without the added stress of school and homework. Summer is also a great time for kids to take a homeschool course to lighten their academic load during the year. Check out our summer programs for great deals!

Keeping kids up to speed over the summer takes just a few hours a week, and can be fun and engaging. Studies repeatedly show huge academic losses in the summer months, and these losses can be easily prevented with a simple course of action. Learning shouldn’t stop just because school does, and summertime allows kids to explore their own intellectual curiosity.  

With AP Exams fast approaching for Los Angeles students, it's important to amp up prep in the month before the test. Earning a 5 on an AP exam not only makes students stand out on college applications, it can also save time and money for college students, as most colleges and universities accept AP courses for college credit. 

Passing AP Exams can save thousands of dollars when transferred to college credit. They allow students to fill requirements and take courses that work toward their majors once in college, and they show colleges that students are ambitious and persistent when it comes to studying. Earning a five helps top universities know that students can excel with a rigorous curriculum.  

Here are five tips for students preparing to take the AP Exams in May: 

1. Ask your teacher for help! If you don't have a great teacher, don't panic, there's a ton you can do on your own and with a tutor, but if you do, use the resources provided by your school. Do NOT miss class in the month leading up to the exam. 

2. Get at least one prep book, and take practice tests at the same time your test is scheduled. Make sure to time yourself, make copies of the bubble sheets and emulate testing conditions as much as possible. Ditch your cell phone and any distractions while taking the test so you can have as close to an authentic experience as possible. The more tests you can take, the better, but we recommend a minimum of three, staggered across the 8 weeks leading up to the exam.  

3. Modify your study plan based on your practice test results. Retake sections where you missed problems until you have them down. 

4. Make flash cards and review them in the car or during any down time you have.  Keep flash cards with important facts and formulas handy to review throughout the day. 

5. Form a study group to meet once a week and quiz each other, and work one-on-one with an AP test prep tutor for two-hour sessions to go over tough concepts, and to hold you accountable for study between sessions. Study daily, and schedule a long study session over the weekends. Make a calendar with a study schedule. If you don't pencil in time, generally, it won't happen. 

Passing an AP exam can also qualify you for scholarships, making study time worth all the more. If you have a part-time job, it can be worth it to take time off, as your studying will pay off ten fold if you pass! Don't get us wrong, AP exams are no joke, and even if you don't pass, colleges acknowledge the immense effort AP courses take. 

That said, it's better to take fewer AP exams and earn a 4 or 5 on the exams than to stack up on APs and not pass. Our Los Angeles tutors are AP experts, and can help you take your AP exam prep to the next level.