Elite Testing and Admissions

CONGRATULATIONS to the most recent SAT Academy class! You worked hard and earned every inch of your success! Great job guys!

FREE SAT/ACT Practice Exam this Sunday (Feb. 8) at 10am in the Bridgehampton School Music/Science building (small building located near parking lot). Limited space, RSVP required -- please let me know which exam you plan to take, SAT or ACT. See you there!

"Introduction to the SAT" class for Sophomores starts next week!

For the first time on the East End, we're offering an "Introduction to the SAT" course for current Sophomores (10th graders). The purpose of the class will be (a) to introduce students to the format and content of the exam so they can see that it's not such a monster and that good scores can come to those who put in the work, and (b) to identify any "soft spots" where a particular student might be rusty (or worse!) so that he or she can do a little catch-up before the serious prep begins.

We will meet for one hour every other week, for a total of 8 hours (thus spread over four months). I very much plan to keep the class meetings friendly and informal -- we will discuss different parts of the exam, I will do a little light teaching, and the students will have very small amounts of homework to complete over the two weeks between classes.

Please note, the goal of this Introduction class is not to prep the students for the actual SAT, but rather to demystify the exam and (hopefully!) encourage them to feel confident that they can improve their scores if they so choose!

Total fee for the course is $200. Please contact me if interested, many thanks!

FREE SAT/ACT Practice Exam this Sunday (Feb. 1) at 10am in the Bridgehampton School Music/Science building (small building located near parking lot). Limited space, RSVP required -- please let me know which exam you plan to take, SAT or ACT. See you there!

SAT/ACT DID YOU KNOW?

The biggest difference between the SAT and the ACT? Time!

The ACT is much more of a "speed" exam. Consider: On the SAT you must answer 170 multiple choice questions in 175 minutes. On the ACT, it's 215 questions in 140 minutes!

So . . . on the ACT, you have to answer a lot MORE questions in a lot LESS time!

Yes, there are many other differences between the two exams -- the SAT questions are often "trickier" whereas the ACT is more straightforward; the SAT tests vocab, while the ACT has (slightly) more advanced Math; the SAT requires the Essay, and the ACT has a "Science" section -- the list goes on. And yes, many of these differences account for why some students prefer one exam over the other . . .

But, at the end of the day, the biggest difference is TIME! On the SAT you must move quickly, but on the ACT, you have to fly. (Luckily there are proven techniques on how to cut down your ACT times -- it's a special exam with its own set of challenges.)

If you have any questions about SAT vs. ACT, or either exam in general, feel free to contact us anytime!

FREE SAT/ACT Practice Exam this Sunday (Jan. 18) at 11am in the Bridgehampton School Music/Science building (small building located near parking lot). Limited space, RSVP required -- please let me know which exam you plan to take, SAT or ACT. See you there!

SAT/ACT DID YOU KNOW?

Taking full-length practice exams is an excellent way to build stamina and to get to know the exam . . . but the most valuable benefit is identifying problem areas where you missed questions! In the test prep world, this is like digging up gold -- hidden little troubles or difficulties that are costing you points each test.

So, NEVER just take the practice exam, grade it and toss it away! ALWAYS take the time to go back through your misses, review what you did wrong and be sure you understand how to do it correctly next exam.

This is how you build up a big score -- step by step, reviewing your mistakes and making adjustments as you go!

FREE SAT Practice Exam this Sunday (Jan. 11) at 10am in the Bridgehampton School Music/Science building (small building located near parking lot). Limited space, RSVP required. Remember, practice makes perfect!

'SAT' DID YOU KNOW?

The number one factor in scoring big on your SAT Essay . . . word count! Yep, the longer your essay, the better your score! Dr. Les Perelman of M.I.T. performed a statistical analysis that proves the point. "I have never found a quantifiable predictor in 25 years of grading that was anywhere near as strong as this one," he said.

And so, as I tell all my kids, on the SAT Essay, fill up both those pages, every time! (And if your conclusion ends up running up the margin of the page, all the better!)

Only one spot left for the SAT Academy starting Wed Jan. 7! If you or anybody you know is interested, please let me know, thanks!

(The SAT Academy is a small group SAT prep course that meets after school 3 times per week for 8 weeks total. The course is designed for students who want elite scores on the SAT (700+ per section, top 95th percentile and above) -- the curriculum will cover every strategy and technique needed for a top score, and students will be expected to develop a mastery of all the material. Our current SAT Academy class average score increase is 283 points, and we had a perfect 800 score in Critical Reading last exam!)

Congratulations to Shanti Escalante who scored a perfect score 800 in Critical Reading on her December SAT! Great job Shanti!

Best wishes to her and the other Elite Testing and Admissions students as they prepare to go after more big scores on the January 24 SAT!

Next SAT Practice Exam is this SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, at 11:45am at Bridgehampton Library (downstairs program room). All students welcome, free admission, RSVP required (email [email protected]). Thanks!