To think differently about the SAT...

Here is my letter published by the New York Times in response to E.D. Hirsch's How To Stop the Drop in Verbal Scores
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/opinion/how-to-stop-the-drop-in-verbal-scores.html

To the Editor:

Early childhood education can certainly be improved, but there are additional measures that will increase verbal scores on the SAT:

¶Subscribe to and complete daily the free SAT Question of the Day.

¶Take the 10 timed exams in The College Board’s Official SAT Study Guide.

Even adults should consider studying for and taking the SAT as a cognitive challenge. When I studied to retake the SAT in 2009, 29 years after I first took it, I filled in gaps in my education.

My verbal score increased over 200 points from high school — partly from living a few more decades but mostly from cracking the books. Jack LaLanne got us to exercise our bodies; now it is time to exercise our minds.

ROBIN SCHWARTZ
Bronx, Sept. 20, 2011

The writer is a math educator and author of the Build Math Confidence newsletter.

New York Times Letter to the Editor re:Improving SAT Scores

Published on 9/26/11 in print and online
To the Editor:

Early childhood education can certainly be improved, but there are additional measures that will increase verbal scores on the SAT:

¶Subscribe to and complete daily the free SAT Question of the Day.

¶Take the 10 timed exams in The College Board’s Official SAT Study Guide.

Even adults should consider studying for and taking the SAT as a cognitive challenge. When I studied to retake the SAT in 2009, 29 years after I first took it, I filled in gaps in my education.

My verbal score increased over 200 points from high school — partly from living a few more decades but mostly from cracking the books. Jack LaLanne got us to exercise our bodies; now it is time to exercise our minds.

ROBIN SCHWARTZ
Bronx, Sept. 20, 2011

The writer is a math educator and author of the Build Math Confidence newsletter.

SAT II Scores

An 800 is only 88th percentile for Level 2 as so many students who take it are very good Math students and are planning on pre-engineering, pre-med, etc types of majors.
780 is 98th percentile.

TEST DATE	TEST	SCORE
06/2011	SAT Subject Test
	Mathematics Level 1	780
	Mathematics Level 2	800

Check back on June 28 for your full score report, with detailed analysis! If you took the SAT Reasoning Test you'll also be able to view a copy of the actual essay you wrote.

What is the right order for high school Math classes? Washington Post

This is a response to Valerie Strauss' blog:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/math/high-school-math-whats-the-rig.html

Thanks for this article on order of Math courses. I am not sure what order they should be in -- it may depend on how the topics are divided up. A2 is usually more rigorous than the others but it can depend on the school/class/state.


It would benefit students to learn and know the Math on the ACT/SAT/GED/ACCUPLACER (placement tests used by colleges). Many students have not seen the topics enough times, or have had the topics slivered (and are unused to multiple topics on the same exam), or have not developed the speed that will help them problem solve 20 questions in 25 minutes.

While the Common Core are under development, we already have these standards at the high school and college level.

Studying multiple choice items can improve metacognition due to compare/contrast and by studying "good wrong answers" (for example, exponent rules questions always have "good wrong answers"!!).

Students, teachers and parents can use the free SAT Question of the Day (and other free or reasonably priced resources) to better scores and knowledge and skills!
http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-question-of-the-day

Perhaps, we can bring academic and cognitive abilities up to the level of respect that athletics commands.

Robin Schwartz
Author, Build Math Confidence e-newsletter
http://www.mathconfidence.com/

Posted by: mathconfidence
January 14, 2011 12:37 PM

Viewing the SAT as a Challenge and National Indicator

Viewing the SAT as a Challenge and National Indicator
in response to Washington Post article Your SAT Score Has Little to Do


As a Math peak performance coach, I have found that studying for the SAT can be challenging and entertaining while promoting brain fitness at any age. Although I graduated from college in 19XX, I took the SAT in 2009 to gain perspective, to have fun, and to boost mental fitness. I learned much reading and grammar while studying last summer.

Some fields of study use the SAT as a measure of being able to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. Engineering schools want high Math scores (to follow along with profs who write a dozen equations on the board); likewise, journalism schools want high verbal scores.

The SAT is important because there is no national standard of high school curriculum or a national exit exam. While the Core Standards have been in the works, the existing standard could be the SAT (or ACT or GED) as a unifier for a reasonable body of knowledge. http://www.corestandards.org/.

The GED is a formidable exam -- only 60% of high school graduates could pass the GED http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/etp/score.htm

If people could view the SAT like a marathon, it would give mental fitness a boost!! Test taking/studying just makes you smart just like working out makes you physically fit.

Try the free SAT Question of the Day!!
http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-question-of-the-day

Robin Schwartz
Author, Build Math Confidence e-newsletter
http://www.mathconfidence.com/

The SAT vs the Marathon

When I took the SAT in October 2009, the students thought I was the proctor!  It was helpful to relive the test-taking experience plus I learned a lot of grammar.  A marathon is an interesting comparison as preparation for an athletic event is very similar to an academic event. 
There is a peak performance aspect -- the preparation is the key -- actual timed practice as well as self-care (sleep, food, etc) help with mental and physical  performance.  At the end of the day regardless of the results, the payoff is in the energy and effort expended.

I was inspired by a 2009 Wall Street Journal article written by a reporter whose teenage son dared her to take the SATs What I Learned from the SATs.

SAT                      vs.                           Marathon

4.5 hours                                              Variable

Indoors                                                 Outdoors

Teens                                                    Various age levels

Increase cognitive abilities                      Improve physical fitness

SAT Skills Insight Pinpoints Strategies

http://www.collegeboard.com/testing/sat/skillsmap/select-interval-mathematics.html

This link connects to SAT Skills Insight that helps students find and developstrategies based on their current score.

SAT Scores

Math up 40 points since 19XX.
Verbal average up 250 points.
Overall, Critical Reading bested Math by 30 points and Math bested Writing by 60 points.

Math 750 (97th percentile)
Critical Reading 780 (99th percentile)
Writing 690 (95th percentile)

Before the test, when I walked into the room,a teen asked "Are you the proctor?". My response "No...I'm on the other side!". The test is long...the snacks and breaks really helped. Did not get a Math section until the 5th section! The essay will be up on line on 11/3 -- mine included "Little House on the Prairie", M*A*S*H, World War II and The Pink Panther II to answer if humor helps people through rough times.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/scores/understanding/percentiles.html

Now, when is the SAT II given? The ACT?

The SAT Essay

Two more days until the SAT. The Little House on the Prairie books will hopefully help as the Ingalls family endures many hardships that will answer prompts such as:

You have twenty-five minutes to write an essay on the topic assigned below.

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.
Many persons believe that to move up the ladder of success and achievement, they must forget the past, repress it, and relinquish it. But others have just the opposite view. They see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and present.
—Adapted from Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, I've Known Rivers: Lives of Loss and Liberation

Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

SAT Tips from the College Board

SAT Tips from the College Board


Below are some tips that will help you do your best on test day.
Before Test Day
Get organized:
Make sure you have two No. 2 pencils and a soft eraser. Pens and mechanical pencils are not allowed.
Have your SAT Admission Ticket and acceptable photo ID ready.
Check your calculator and put fresh batteries in it.
Bring a watch to time yourself. Use a watch that has no audible alarm—separate timers are not allowed.
Prepare snacks to take. A healthy snack will help keep you alert during the test.
Prepare yourself like an athlete:
Get plenty of sleep the night before the test. Your brain will work better if you are rested.
Eat a good breakfast that morning.
On Test Day
Leave your cell phone at home. If your phone rings during testing, it could cost you your scores!
We strongly advise you not to bring a cell phone or any other prohibited electronic device to the test center. If your electronic device makes any noise, or you are seen using it at any time—including breaks—you may be dismissed immediately, your scores may be canceled, and the device may be confiscated.
This policy applies to any prohibited digital and/or electronic device such as a BlackBerry®, pager, iPod®, MP3 player, camera or other photographic equipment, or separate timers of any kind.
Check to see if your test center is open.
Tune in to your local media, like you do for school closing announcements.
Check online for a list of test center closings.
Leave early. Get to the test center no later than 7:45 a.m., unless otherwise noted on your Admission Ticket.
Go to the center listed on your Admission Ticket.
Even if it's not your first choice, you are only guaranteed admission to the test center on your Admission Ticket.
You will be charged an extra fee if you go to a different test center, and a seat may not be available for you.
Arrange your ride home ahead of time. Your testing may end a little before or after the times listed below. If you are testing with extended time, ask the supervisor for approximate finish times.
For the SAT, plan on being picked up at approximately 12:45 p.m.
For SAT Subject Tests™, plan on being picked up at the following approximate times:- 9:45 a.m. for one test- 11:15 a.m. for two tests- 12:30 p.m. for three tests
Taking the Test
Make sure you use a No. 2 pencil. Follow the instructions on your answer sheet when filling it out.
Keep focused:
Use breaks to eat or drink any snacks you have brought with you.
Pace yourself. Each question counts the same. Don't spend too much time on any one question.

SAT as a Predictor

While success can be based on many factors, some fields of study use the SAT as a measure of 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Engineering schools want high Math scores (to follow along with profs who write a dozen equations on the board); likewise, journalism schools want high verbal scores.
Because grades are subjective, the SAT is a broader indicator. Due to the absence of a national curriculum, we can think of the SAT as a unifier for a reasonable body of knowledge for high schoolers.
As a Math peak performance coach, I have found that studying for the SAT can be challenging and entertaining while promoting brain fitness at any age. Although I graduated from college in 19XX, this October 10th I will take the SAT to gain perspective, to have fun, and to boost mental fitness.

Click here for the SAT Question of the Day http://apps.collegeboard.com/qotd/question.do

Click here for related blogging on the SATs
http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/search/label/SAT

Taking the SAT 10/10/09...long time since 19XX

Sue Shellenbarger's article was inspirational -- only 8 more weeks until the SAT.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124337711110856009.html#articleTabs=comments#comment199886

http://digg.com/educational/WSJ_com_High_School_Senior_I_Took_the_SAT_Again_After_41

http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/2009/05/would-you-ever-retake-sat.html

The New SAT Book from the College Board

The new SAT book will be out on July 21st with 3 recently administered tests ;)

It also includes a chapter on the PSAT.

National Standard? How's the SAT or ACT?

The Obama administration plans to spend $350 million on national standards -- perhaps Mr. Duncan and his team will consider the SAT and/or ACT which provide an acceptable and common body of knowledge for the college admissions process and is the closest to a national exit exit exam. http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/search/label/curriculum

In NYC, the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) is a similar indicator for early eighth graders. While some may not prefer standardized exams, test prep can be a tool for teaching and learning especially if old or sample exams are available. Many common Math mistakes and misconceptions can be diagnosed through the use of multiple choice with “good wrong answers” -- this seems to make a stronger impact than just teaching them the right way to do it!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/14/AR2009061402660_Comments.html

Would You Ever Retake the SAT?

WSJ.com: I Took the SAT Again After 41 Years: Inspirational? Fun? Zany? Brainy? Would you ever retake the SAT?

http://digg.com/d1sGRZ

Many congrats to Sue Shellenbarger! The headline on WSJ’s home page says “the terrifying experience of retaking the SAT after 40 years.” Education needs better PR!
As Robin the Math Lady, I teach Algebra and Geometry for the SAT but really focus on the psychology of studying and learning Math. Many people have Math and test anxiety hence the name of my web site -- Math Confidence.

By viewing test prep as an opportunity for learning, people can improve their brain fitness (just like going to the gym increases physical fitness). Congrats to Sue for taking on this challenge! You have inspired me to seriously consider registering for the October SAT ;)

SAT Score Cut-Offs: SAT as an Indicator, National Curriculum?

In response to: Colleges Acknowledge SAT and ACT Score Cut-Offs in Admission

It is important to note that some fields of study use the SAT as a measure of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’. Engineering schools want high Math scores (to follow along with profs who write a dozen equations on the board); likewise, journalism schools want high verbal scores.
Because grades are subjective, the SAT is a broader indicator. Due to the absence of a national curriculum, we can think of the SAT as a unifier for a reasonable body of knowledge for high schoolers.
Studying for the SAT (or any test) can promote brain fitness at any age
http://mathconfidence.blogspot.com/2009/03/sat-as-predictor-indicator-brain.html

It's the New Algebra II/Trig Regents!! (for 2010)

Click on the title and then scroll down for the Power Point on latest info on the Alg II/ Trig Regents coming soon to a school near you!
First adminstration of this Regents will be June 2010.
Good news -- it appears to match the SAT content more closely than the Math B material.

'Formal' Brain Fitness and/or Math

These links connect to brain fitness.
So do Algebra, SAT Prep and Decimals ;)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alvaro-fernandez/top-11-books-for-brain-he_b_157062.html

http://www.brainrules.net/the-rules
http://www.lumosity.com/info/company/about

SAT as a Predictor? Indicator? Brain Fitness?

In this article, the author (age >40) elaborates on her recent SAT and points out that the scores are just one part of the admissions process. However, it is important to note that some fields of study use the SAT as a measure of 'keeping up with the Joneses'. Engineering schools want high Math scores (to follow along with profs who write a dozen equations on the board); likewise, journalism schools want high verbal scores.

Because grades are subjective, the SAT is a broader indicator. Due to the absence of a national curriculum, we can think of the SAT as a unifier for a reasonable body of knowledge for high schoolers.

Studying for the SAT (or any test) can promote brain fitness at any age ;)

The SAT Question of the Day…price: free!!

The SAT Q of the D is short , sweet and wallet-friendly as well as fun for brain fitness at any age (I have learned a LOT of grammar!!). Sadly, only 1 out of every 3 is Math (the other 2 out of every 3 is Verbal…sigh).
You get immediate feedback upon clicking your answer along with a pie chart showing how respondents have scored and the question's difficulty level.

A workout at the gym increases physical fitness...
The SAT Q of the D improves mental fitness.