Mr Test Prep

The ACT is a college entrance exam that can help demonstrate your college readiness when applying to schools. Most schools will accept either the ACT or SAT. So what does the ACT include and should you be afraid of it?

An Overview of the ACT

The ACT consists of four sections, Math, English, Writing and Science. It also has an optional essay component. Each section is timed. The English section consists of 75 questions with 45 minutes to answer them. The math section has 60 questions with 60 minutes allowed to complete them. The reading and science sections each allow 35 minutes to complete 40 questions. The essay portion gives 40 minutes to answer a single prompt. Each section, except the essay, is scored out of 36. The composite score is an average of the four sections. The essay is scored out of 12.

Speed and Knowledge

As you can see from the number of questions and the time allowed, the ACT is a rapid fire test. To complete each section you must answer quickly and confidently. Many students fear this element of the ACT. The ACT is also a curriculum based test and it is often assumed that you need to memorize more facts and formulas to perform well on this test than the SAT.

The truth is that both the SAT and ACT attempt to reflect the curriculum you have already learned in high school. If you have kept up with your course work, a little supplementary study should be all you need to excel on the ACT.

Nothing to Fear

You don’t need to be afraid of the ACT. The ACT may be the best test for you. The key is to take practice tests, be familiar with how the questions are stated and what types of problems are presented. The more confident you are with the exam, the better you will perform. Familiarize yourself with the differences between the ACT and SAT, take practice exams and then decide which test is best for you.

It can be easy to feel intimidated by an exam that can influence your future, but with preparation and confidence you don’t have to feel afraid. Don’t rule out the ACT as the best option for you just because it is unfamiliar.

More About Mr. Test Prep’s Los Altos ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Michael Romano has been helping students prep for the SAT for almost 20 years. He employs a hybrid approach that blends private SAT tutoring with group practice tests. This ideal mixture of focused instruction and real-world test-taking results is huge score increases for his students, and his Los Altos SAT Prep center functions as a calming environment in which students can learn the ins and outs of a stressful exam. For a candid description of his services, click here to browse Mr. Test Prep’s extensive collection of student and parent testimonials.

Do you have a college you have been dreaming about going to since you were 6 years old? Do you feel lost, with no idea where to start looking for colleges? Either way, it’s never to early to start searching for the perfect college. In fact, the earlier you begin, the more time you will have to look at schools and find the perfect match.

When and How to Start

As you begin your freshman year you can start to think about what interests you and what career opportunities you may want to pursue. An article from USNews suggests you should start your college search by learning to listen to yourself. Start to understand what your social needs are, your learning style and the types of educational settings where you feel most comfortable.

Talk Finances

While your financial situation may change over the course of high school, it is important to talk to your parents about your finances right away. Who is expected to pay for college? Do you have any money saved for college? What is the likelihood of receiving financial aid? Knowing your financial expectations and limitations may help you put parameters on your college search or inspire you to seek out particular scholarships.

Visit

After you have developed a list of potential colleges during your freshman and sophomore year, your junior year is the time to start visiting colleges. Going to a college can give you a much better feel for how you would fit in there. Don’t just take a tour, but arrange to talk with students, meet with professors or advisors in your area of interest. Looking at buildings will help, but try to get a feel for the academic and social environment as well.

Apply

By the fall of your senior year, you should have developed a short list of schools you would like to apply to. You can have a dream school, but make sure there is more than one school on your list.

The Best Choice for You

As you search for schools, keep in mind that everyone is different and there is no single school that will be a perfect fit for everyone, no matter how high they are listed in the rankings. Consider your personal learning and social style, the culture of the school, the availability of academic programs and support, location and cost. Make your decision based on your needs, not what your friends are doing or the most prestigious sounding institution. When you find the school that will allow you to thrive, you can achieve your academic dreams.

Santa Clara ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep gives his students the deep learning skills they need to perform well on a lifetime worth of tests. At his Santa Clara SAT Prep center, he helps his students overcome years worth of bad mental habits and poor confidence so they’re ready to take on the test and reach their maximum score potential. With a combination of one-on-one and group testing, Mr. Test Prep offers the best of both worlds: experience with the conditions of the test and focused, student-specific instruction.

No two students are the same. Every student has different skills and abilities, strengths and weaknesses. As a student prepares for the SAT, they will encounter different problems, have unique questions and develop individual study habits. The best way to help a student prepare for the SAT and hone their individuals skill is to have one on one interaction.

Different From The Classroom

Most mainstream test prep courses meet in large classrooms and offer lecture style tutoring. This may prevent a student from asking a question or getting help in a particular problem area. At Mr. Test Prep we meet with students individually during their session. This gives students a chance to ask questions that pertain to their particular test preparation. It also gives us a a chance to give important tips for helping with trouble subjects.

Learning Styles

One on one interactions allows us to customize the time to a student’s individual style of learning. Do they need to talk through a problem, see a picture or diagram or practice a concept on paper? One on one time can cater to a student’s learning style, whether it is auditory, visual or kinetic.

Building Confidence

Individual tutoring also allows time for much needed encouragement. Having time to give explicit examples of a student’s success is invaluable for boosting confidence. When a student believes they can excel on the SAT because they have concrete examples of doing well, they will perform better on the exam.

Relieving Stress

Stress and anxiety can also be addressed during individual tutoring. A student may feel more comfortable talking about stress and anxiety one on one than in a large group setting. A tutor can offer customized tips to help students overcome stress and test anxiety.

The Right Tools

Doing well on the SAT is not just about knowing information. It is about feeling confident, having a thorough understanding of the exam and having tools to prepare well. A large classroom setting may not be able to equip students with all the tools they need to excel on the SAT. One on one tutoring can offer the encouragement, individualized troubleshooting, study methods and anxiety relief that students need to do their best on the SAT.

More About Mr. Test Prep’s Menlo Park ACT SAT test prep tutoring Services

Since 1997, Mr. Test Prep has run the #1 Menlo Park SAT Prep program. By combining the benefits of private SAT instruction with the strengths of a group testing environment, Mr. Test Prep offers the best of both worlds: one-on-one attention, experienced academic counseling, group testing and a personal bond. By hosting this in a semi-group environment, Mr. Test Prep prepares his students for a real-world test experience. High school students who use his Menlo Park SAT Prep services will be equipped with the tools they need to succeed in the highly competitive world of standardized testing.

Essays are an essential part of your college application process. Many schools encourage or require an essay for admissions. Not only will knowing how to write a great essay help you get into college, but it will also help you perform well throughout college. Writing is an essential part of higher education and you will be expected to know how to do it well. Here are three things you should do to write a great essay.

Determining a good SAT score is more complicated than looking at percentiles or knowing the national average. A good SAT score is very personal and depends on what your individual goals are.

Overall Score

The new SAT is scored out of 1600 points. A score of 1000 is the national average. So, if you have scored above 1000 you are above average. However, just above average is probably not high enough to get you into your number one pick for college. The new SAT scores are also very nuanced, there is a score for reading and writing, one for math, and one for the optional essay. However, there are also cross-test scores for social studies/history and science questions that show up across the entire exam. These scores demonstrate how well you used skills in these disciplines to answer questions throughout the SAT. There are also sub-scores that indicate how well you performed in subcategories in the math and reading and writing sections.

Because your score is more complex than one number, you should expect that colleges will look at your entire set of scores. If you are interested in a particular program or discipline, a college may consider your scores in this area.

How To Determine Your Goal Score

The best way to determine your ideal score is to look at admissions statistics from the colleges that interest you. Many will look at any test score in conjunction with the rest of your application, including GPA, personal statement, references and extracurriculars, but you can develop an ideal test score by looking at averages. For example, Stanford informs (using old SAT scores) that 49% of their admitted class scored between 700 and 799 on the SAT math and reading sections and 55% scored above 700 on the SAT writing sections. This means that if your scores are above 700, you have a much better chance of admittance.

Score Converters

These statistics may be challenging to find for the new SAT because this is the first year it is being implemented. You can use score converters to roughly determine what the statistics translate to in terms of new SAT scores.

Why You Should Set a Goal Score

Develop your ideal score based on your academic aspirations. Setting a specific target will help you know how to prepare for the exam and determine whether or not you will need to retake it. Taking practice exams can help you decide how close you are to achieving your ideal score and where you need to invest more time studying.

Take the time to determine what a good score means to you and work towards that score. Your SAT score does not need to be perfect, but it should help you get into college. You don’t want your score to hinder your application.

Santa Clara ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep gives his students the deep learning skills they need to perform well on a lifetime worth of tests. At his Santa Clara SAT Prep center, he helps his students overcome years worth of bad mental habits and poor confidence so they’re ready to take on the test and reach their maximum score potential. With a combination of one-on-one tutoring and group testing, Mr. Test Prep offers the best of both worlds: experience with the conditions of the test and focused, student-specific instruction.

There is no pre-med major, so how do you determine the best schools to go to when you want to pursue a career in medicine? Here are a few schools to consider if you are thinking about a pre-med track.

Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins has an excellent medical school and a top teaching hospital. An undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins can offer chances to participate in research and get hands on experience volunteering in clinical settings; two criteria that are significant when applying to medical school.

Harvard

According to STEMJobs, Harvard offers support to pre-med students through organizations, counseling and job opportunities. An institution that can help you navigate a pre-med track and help you obtain the necessary experiences to achieve admittance into medical school is vital to your success as a pre-med student. As a result of their pre-med opportunities, Harvard boasts a high acceptance rate into medical school.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

According to College Magazine, 90 percent of UNC students who apply to medical school are accepted. This university offers significant support to pre-med students and even provides a 9-week summer program specifically for students who intend to apply to medical school.

Georgetown

Georgetown is one of several institutions that offers and Early Assurance Program. This means you can apply to that institution’s medical school before you take the MCAT. At Georgetown this application process is completed during your sophomore year. If you excel early on, you may secure a spot in med school without having to take the MCAT.

What to Look For

There are many other schools that offer excellent pre-med tracks. Ultimately, you want to look at schools that excel in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs. Whether or not you choose a STEM major, you will still need to take courses in these areas to meet medical school prerequisites and be prepared for the MCAT. Schools that offer special advising or formal organizations for pre-med students are also ideal. Look for institutions that provide experience in clinical settings and participation in research.

Getting into medical school is very challenging. You do not have to attend an especially prestigious school to get in, but you will need a school that offers support to students pursuing a pre-med track. Help, encouragement and hands-on opportunities will be essential to earning your place in medical school.

Sunnyvale ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep helps every type of student—yes, even the shy ones—maximize their score potential. A lot of shy kids find the scrutiny of full one-on-one tutoring to be too intense, but at my Sunnyvale SAT Prep center, I create a safe environment that is perfect for kids who find verbal participation to be stressful. By combining group testing, with targeted instruction, shy kids can get the help they need in a way that works for their personality. No more awkward silences. No more pushy tutors. Just lots of practice and the guidance of an experienced educator.

You have heard of the SAT and taking this exam will influence your future. It will loom somewhere in your thoughts throughout your high school career. You will devote hours to preparing this is exam. So what exactly is it?

College Board

The SAT is a test administered by the College Board. The College Board is a non-profit organization that develops the tests and administers it at high schools several times a year.

Testing Critical Thinking

The SAT is designed to measure your critical thinking skills, as well as the knowledge you have learned in high school. Reading comprehension skills are tested throughout the exam and are essential for performing well. Most universities require an SAT or ACT score for admissions. These standardized tests create a uniform criteria for comparing students. High schools can vary vastly, the SAT supplements GPA in demonstrating to universities that a student has the necessary skills to succeed in college.

Three Sections

The SAT consists of three sections, reading, writing and math. The reading section is made up of multiple choice questions that follow a passage. This section requires that you demonstrate command of evidence, understanding words in context, and analysis. The passages cover a wide range of topics including science, history and literature.

The writing section requires that you display a proper usage of English grammar, expression of ideas, analysis, understanding of words in context and a command of evidence. The essay portion of the exam is optional, but some institutions require it. You will have 50 minutes to complete an essay that analyzes a passage. You will not be required to formulate your own opinion or write about personal experience. You will be asked to discuss the argument the author is making and the methods they use to express their argument.

The math portion examines grasp of algebra, problem solving and data analysis, and advanced math concepts. The math portion is primarily multiple choice, but includes a few questions that require students to supply their own answer.

Timing

The entire test is 3 hours long and the optional essay is an additional 50 minutes. The reading portion is 65 minutes, the writing portion is 35 minutes and the math portion 80 minutes. The test proctor typically allows two breaks during the exam.

Scoring

The SAT is scored between 400-1600 and the essay is scored from 2 to 8. You have the option of sending your score directly to the institutions where you intend to apply.

Prepare in Advance

Ultimately, the SAT is designed to determine whether or not you have the critical thinking skills and base knowledge to be successful in college. Universities want to know your skill level and make an appropriate choice about admissions. Start preparing for the SAT long before you take it so that you will feel confident and perform well on the exam.

San Mateo ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep has been a part of the San Mateo SAT Prep community for nearly 20 years. His experience working with students—from math wizzes to numberphobes, from novelists-in-training to kids who hate to read—has shown him that improving test results first requires improving a student’s confidence. To directly address this important facet of SAT prep, his tutoring program exposes students to the conditions of the test, while training them in subject-specific skills and teaching them testing strategies that can make the test much easier.

Science and engineering are ever broadening career paths. New discoveries and technologies are consistently opening up new job opportunities. Some of the world’s most exciting organizations such as Google and Apple need employees that are skilled in science and engineering. If you are unsure about a future career and you enjoy math or science, you may want to look into a career in science or engineering.

Career Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and math) have “some of the best opportunities for job growth in the future.” In 2013 the average wage for STEM careers was nearly 2 times as much as the national average wage. According to the US Department of Commerce STEM careers are expected to grow 17% between 2008 and 2018, while Non-STEM jobs are only projected to grow 9.8%

Variety in Types of Jobs

You may think of STEM careers only as working in a laboratory, conducting research, or working behind a computer screen, but a background in science and engineering opens up a wide variety of jobs. Organizations also need managers, sales people, educators, journalists and more that have a strong knowledge of science and engineering. If you enjoy working with people, managing systems, teaching or sharing knowledge, you may want to look into careers that use your science knowledge, but also harness your passion for working with people.

Rewarding Career Path

Many students who study STEM fields in college receive excellent internships and are often recruited before graduation to ideal jobs. STEM careers offer professional development and opportunities for promotion. During a time when many jobs are becoming more difficult to find and don’t offer opportunities for professional growth, science and engineering careers continue to offer exciting possibilities. Discover how your passions could lead to a rewarding and secure career path.

More About Mr. Test Prep’s Los Gatos ACT SAT test prep tutoring Services

Michael Romano has been offering his Los Gatos SAT prep services for almost two decades. He’s seen thousands of kids and helped with just about every kind of standardized testing anxiety a student could have. This has taught him that increased scores come down to confidence. Yes, you have to understand the material, but confidence is—more often than not—the #1 cause of a student’s trouble with testing. Bearing that in mind, he has created an SAT tutoring program that builds confidence by desensitizing his students to the conditions of the test, while providing them with targeted instruction on both the academic content of the exam and the tips and tricks that make it so much easier.

Our last post discussed why you need to beat senioritis, but when you are afflicted with a tough case of senioritis, you may be wondering how you can beat it. These five tips can help you overcome senioritis and stay on track all the way through graduation.

1) Celebrate

You’ve worked hard to get where you are. Did you get accepted to college, earn a scholarship, go to a state tournament? There are a lot of big accomplishments that happen your senior year. Take time to celebrate your accomplishments and savor all of the hard work that you put in. When you quickly move on to the next task without enjoying what you have accomplished, it can be easy to loose your motivation.

2) Sleep

You may be exhausted from studying for exams or writing college essays, now is the time to catch up on sleep. Go to bed a few minutes earlier or find time to nap. You will find yourself feeling healthier, physically and mentally and ready to tackle the last few months of school.

3) Plan

Continue to keep track of your tests and project due dates. Know when you need to get to work and when you can let up a little and relax. Studying ahead of time can reduce your stress level and you won’t feel the need to give in to senioritis.

4) Balance

Balance studying with spending time with friends and family and participating in extracurriculars. The minute you let one take over, senioritis can set in. It is important to hang out with friends and still manage to maintain your GPA. This ability to balance your social life and your academic career will be beneficial in every stage of life. Let yourself enjoy the last bits of high school without letting up on your responsibilities.

5) Manage Your Stress

Senioritis is likely to kick in because you have been pushing yourself to the limit for so long. Feeling stressed for an extended period of time can take its toll. Instead of withdrawing from school, learn healthy ways to relieve your stress. Start exercising, eat healthier foods, talk with an adult you can trust and take breaks to relax. When you can manage your stress well, you won’t feel like you need to give up on school.

Everyone has moments of senioritis, you have worked hard and are entitled to them. However, don’t let senioritis take over. Find strategies to stay motivated so that you can finish high school strong.

Santa Clara ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep gives his students the deep learning skills they need to perform well on a lifetime worth of tests. At his Santa Clara SAT Prep center, he helps his students overcome years worth of bad mental habits and poor confidence so they’re ready to take on the test and reach their maximum score potential. With a combination of one-on-one and group testing, Mr. Test Prep offers the best of both worlds: experience with the conditions of the test and focused, student-specific instruction.

Senioritis is apathy that sets in towards the end of your senior year. After your college applications have been turned in, you may be tempted to give up on school work and other obligations. You’ve worked so hard for so long, its hard to continue caring through your last semester. While you can slow down a bit and relax, don’t let senioritis ruin your last months of school. Here’s why:

1) Scholarships

Money is a powerful motivator. Scholarships become available all of the time, you don’t want a slip in your GPA to make you ineligible because you avoided school work the last few months of high school. Depending on the details, scholarships you’ve already received can also be lost if you don’t maintain the required GPA. The National Association of College Admissions Counseling cites examples of students who lost their merit scholarship because their class ranking fell during the last semester of school. It might be hard to imagine how college debt will impact your life in the future, but any assistance you can get is worth putting forth the effort.

2) Transition

The information you will be learning the last semester of you senior year will be helpful as you move on to college coursework. Make the transition to college easier by continuing to engage in learning and invest in your coursework.

3) Regret

You don’t want to look back on your last year of high school and regret how you spent your time. Don’t forget to spend time with friends and don’t quit the things you really enjoy. The last few months of high school can be the most fun and valuable for personal development.

4) Networks

If you are still exploring possible careers, this is the perfect time to find out more about your interests. Now that your exams are done and your applications are in, you have more time to talk with professionals, volunteer at an interesting organization, or arrange for job shadowing. Not only will you learn more about your interests, but you will develop contacts and create networks that could be beneficial to your future career.

Visualize the Future

It can be challenging to look past your current exhaustion or lack of motivation to see how the decisions you make now will impact your future. However, making wise decisions now, will set you up for a much easier time in college.

Cupertino ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Students generally dread test prep classes. They’re boring, difficult and pointless, or so most kids think. But they’re also necessary… Recognizing this, Mr. Test Prep has created a new approach to SAT/ACT tutoring that gets the job done without all the pain and frustration of traditional programs. Rather than depleting the finite well of motivation your student will need to get you through senior year, come to Mr. Test Prep for the most painless—dare I say fun?—SAT Prep in the Cupertino area. Specializing in the psychology of test taking, as well as the academic practices required to succeed, the lessons learned at our Cupertino SAT Prep center will empower your student both on Test Day and in their future academic endeavors.