Talk Yourself Through Tough Tasks
Yes, you can talk your way into mastering skills and knowledge! A word of advice from Mike Bergin
BY MIKE BERGIN / JULY 28, 2017
As I get older, I find the temptation to talk to myself growing stronger every day. Am I just desperate for intelligent conversation? More likely, experience is revealing to me what many researchers have started to recognize: talking to yourself can be very helpful.
What’s so special about sharing aloud the incessant internal dialogue that runs through most minds? External self-talk works precisely because the practice moves the chatter from inside our heads to outside of them, providing a crucial sense of perspective. Plus, effective self-talk has purpose, either motivational or instructional. Carrying on a conversation of one about your favorite sports team isn’t helping anyone!
The very idea of talking to yourself aloud may sound too silly to take seriously, but external self-talk has been linked to all kinds of desirable outcomes, from deeper learning of unfamiliar material to better passing and shooting on the basketball court. If you’re willing to give self-talk a shot, make the most of your efforts with a few powerful guidelines:
1. There is no “I” in self-talk
Apparently, talking to yourself is more effective when you pretend that someone else is doing the talking. A team of researchers found that using non-first-person pronouns and one’s own name–as opposed to first-person pronouns–during introspection enhances self-distancing, which leads to better outcomes.
TAKEAWAY: Talk to yourself in the second- or third-person.
2. Instructional, not motivational
Self-talk should always be positive and supportive. But mere motivational speech impacts physical performance more than mental mastery. According to the New York Times, “talking to yourself out loud in an instructional way can speed up cognitive abilities in relation to problem-solving and task performance.”
TAKEAWAY: Instructional self-direction helps with tasks involving focus, strategy and technique.
3. If you can’t teach someone else, teach yourself
Teaching material to others has proven time and again to be a highly effective route to knowledge retention. But what if you can’t find a study group? Talk it out anyway: research suggests that people who verbally explain ideas to themselves learn almost three times more than those who stay mum.
TAKEAWAY: When studying solo, learn lots by acting as both teacher and student
Obviously, coaching yourself out loud through a challenging math problem on test day can become the surest route to being unceremoniously ejected from the test center. But any task that requires learning and study–from schoolwork to test prep–can benefit from a willingness to verbally talk yourself through the toughest parts to ensure they don’t stay tough. If you’re embarrassed, feel free to stay quiet about your methods!
Source:
chariotlearning.com/talk-yourself-through-tough-tasks/?mc_cid=c1ce7db1b5&mc_eid=a1c5070fd4
Yes, you can talk your way into mastering skills and knowledge! A word of advice from Mike Bergin
BY MIKE BERGIN / JULY 28, 2017
As I get older, I find the temptation to talk to myself growing stronger every day. Am I just desperate for intelligent conversation? More likely, experience is revealing to me what many researchers have started to recognize: talking to yourself can be very helpful.
What’s so special about sharing aloud the incessant internal dialogue that runs through most minds? External self-talk works precisely because the practice moves the chatter from inside our heads to outside of them, providing a crucial sense of perspective. Plus, effective self-talk has purpose, either motivational or instructional. Carrying on a conversation of one about your favorite sports team isn’t helping anyone!
The very idea of talking to yourself aloud may sound too silly to take seriously, but external self-talk has been linked to all kinds of desirable outcomes, from deeper learning of unfamiliar material to better passing and shooting on the basketball court. If you’re willing to give self-talk a shot, make the most of your efforts with a few powerful guidelines:
1. There is no “I” in self-talk
Apparently, talking to yourself is more effective when you pretend that someone else is doing the talking. A team of researchers found that using non-first-person pronouns and one’s own name–as opposed to first-person pronouns–during introspection enhances self-distancing, which leads to better outcomes.
TAKEAWAY: Talk to yourself in the second- or third-person.
2. Instructional, not motivational
Self-talk should always be positive and supportive. But mere motivational speech impacts physical performance more than mental mastery. According to the New York Times, “talking to yourself out loud in an instructional way can speed up cognitive abilities in relation to problem-solving and task performance.”
TAKEAWAY: Instructional self-direction helps with tasks involving focus, strategy and technique.
3. If you can’t teach someone else, teach yourself
Teaching material to others has proven time and again to be a highly effective route to knowledge retention. But what if you can’t find a study group? Talk it out anyway: research suggests that people who verbally explain ideas to themselves learn almost three times more than those who stay mum.
TAKEAWAY: When studying solo, learn lots by acting as both teacher and student
Obviously, coaching yourself out loud through a challenging math problem on test day can become the surest route to being unceremoniously ejected from the test center. But any task that requires learning and study–from schoolwork to test prep–can benefit from a willingness to verbally talk yourself through the toughest parts to ensure they don’t stay tough. If you’re embarrassed, feel free to stay quiet about your methods!
Source:
chariotlearning.com/talk-yourself-through-tough-tasks/?mc_cid=c1ce7db1b5&mc_eid=a1c5070fd4
Does a Comma Matter?
By Norbert Weinberg,
One of the nuisances you have to deal with on the two college entrance exams, the SAT and the ACT, is that pesky comma.
You might wonder why acceptance to the college of your choice could depend on something smaller than a millimeter. However, a misplaced comma not only can create a “comma splice” or a ‘dangling participial “. It can also cost in the multi-millions.
Here is a legal case in point:
“A Maine court ruling in a case about overtime pay and dairy delivery didn’t come down to trucks, milk, or money. Instead, it hinged on one missing comma.
Delivery drivers for local milk and cream company Oakhurst Dairy have been tussling with their employers over whether they qualify for overtime. On March 13, a US court of appeals determined that certain clauses of Maine’s overtime laws are grammatically ambiguous. Because of that lack of clarity, the five drivers won their appeal and were found eligible for overtime. The case now can be heard in a lower court.
The profoundly nerdy ruling is also a win for anyone who dogmatically defends the serial comma.”
(https://qz.com/932004/the-oxford-comma-a-maine-court-settled-the-grammar-debate-over-serial-commas-with-a-ruling-on-overtime-pay-for-dairy-truck-drivers)
That comma cost an estimated $10,000,000!
Now, to be perfectly clear, the rule on commas is split. Thus, the AP Stylebook, which guides most press, states:
“ When the last item in a series is connected by a coordinating conjunction (e.g., and, or, but, nor, for, yet, so), do not use a comma before the conjunction. Example: I enjoy golf, football and boxing.
(http://www.grammaruntied.com/blog/?p=1196)
That is what I was taught in high school.
However, and a big “however”, the SAT and ACT people have decided to follow the Oxford University Press style guide, as did the court, which ruled that it was necessary to avoid confusion.
What confusion?
“In an impressively geeky retort, the drivers responded that all the other exempted activities were listed as gerunds, words ending with “-ing”: Canning, processing, preserving, freezing, drying, marketing, storing, packing. The word “distribution,” they argued, was therefore not intended to be one of the items in the list.”( ibid.)
This is another trouble spot that appears on both the ACT and SAT exams, parallelism. In a series, nouns follow nouns, verbs follow verbs, gerunds follow gerunds, and so forth.
Yes, precision in language counts heavily, both in the court of law and on your exams!
If you have any doubts, see the popular parable below, about the value of seemingly insignificant things:
For Want of a Nail
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
####
Faster Math for the SAT & ACT
BY MIKE BERGIN / MAY 25, 2017 / PUBLISHED IN TEST PREP
Math on exams like the SAT and ACT has always been tough and seems to be getting tougher. Every year, we’re seeing more advanced concepts from Algebra 2, trigonometry, and statistics added to the tests with very little of the core arithmetic, algebra, and geometry being removed. Plus, both tests continue to emphasize math conceptual understanding and problem solving. What is a college-bound high schooler to do?
Obviously, careful attention during math class over the extent of a student’s academic career will build the foundation for strong test scores. Furthermore, exceptional test preparation will close faulty gaps in knowledge and understanding. But test takers looking for every advantage on test day need to embrace any strategy that can help manufacture points under pressure. We don’t just want accuracy… we want speed. How can you save precious seconds on every question to ensure a decent shot at every point on the math section of the SAT or ACT?
Master Mental Math
Today’s sophisticated calculators can do so much, assuming you know how to use one. But they can’t tell you how to answer a question. Plus they don’t always work and you can’t always use them when you need them, such as on the ACT Science and SAT Math-No Calculator sections. Whether you have access to your calculator or not, you’ll work much faster if you can do some reckoning in your head. You don’t need to be able to multiply six digit numbers on the fly, but you’ll be much better off knowing the following:
Of all the concepts tested on the math sections of these exams, few carry as much enduring real-world value as percents. If you’ve yet to be convinced of this fact, trust us: you’ll be calculating percents at work, while shopping, and any time you have to leave a tip. So learn how to calculate quick percents by moving the decimal one place to the left to get 10%, then multiplying as needed for higher percentages. This should be quick and easy work.
Learn Shortcuts
The way you learned to answer problems in math class doesn’t always lead to the fastest or most certain points on the SAT or ACT. Many standardized test math problems are designed to permit multiple solution methods. Master the magical arts of picking numbers to make abstract problems concrete or working backwards from the answer choices. Neither strategy make sense every time, but in those instances where they do apply, they’ll carry you to the answer quickly, easily, and accurately. What more can you ask for?
Cultivate Answer Awareness
The quickest points come when you avoid calculation entirely. Sometimes, a problem will tell you enough about what kind of answer you’re looking for without having to do any work. Estimate and eliminate answer choices judiciously. Once you eliminate three (SAT) or four (ACT) wrong answers, you’re stuck with the right one!
BY MIKE BERGIN / MAY 25, 2017 / PUBLISHED IN TEST PREP
Math on exams like the SAT and ACT has always been tough and seems to be getting tougher. Every year, we’re seeing more advanced concepts from Algebra 2, trigonometry, and statistics added to the tests with very little of the core arithmetic, algebra, and geometry being removed. Plus, both tests continue to emphasize math conceptual understanding and problem solving. What is a college-bound high schooler to do?
Obviously, careful attention during math class over the extent of a student’s academic career will build the foundation for strong test scores. Furthermore, exceptional test preparation will close faulty gaps in knowledge and understanding. But test takers looking for every advantage on test day need to embrace any strategy that can help manufacture points under pressure. We don’t just want accuracy… we want speed. How can you save precious seconds on every question to ensure a decent shot at every point on the math section of the SAT or ACT?
Master Mental Math
Today’s sophisticated calculators can do so much, assuming you know how to use one. But they can’t tell you how to answer a question. Plus they don’t always work and you can’t always use them when you need them, such as on the ACT Science and SAT Math-No Calculator sections. Whether you have access to your calculator or not, you’ll work much faster if you can do some reckoning in your head. You don’t need to be able to multiply six digit numbers on the fly, but you’ll be much better off knowing the following:
- Multiplication tables from 2-12
- Fraction to decimal conversions
- Perfect squares from 2-13
- Divisibility shortcuts
Of all the concepts tested on the math sections of these exams, few carry as much enduring real-world value as percents. If you’ve yet to be convinced of this fact, trust us: you’ll be calculating percents at work, while shopping, and any time you have to leave a tip. So learn how to calculate quick percents by moving the decimal one place to the left to get 10%, then multiplying as needed for higher percentages. This should be quick and easy work.
Learn Shortcuts
The way you learned to answer problems in math class doesn’t always lead to the fastest or most certain points on the SAT or ACT. Many standardized test math problems are designed to permit multiple solution methods. Master the magical arts of picking numbers to make abstract problems concrete or working backwards from the answer choices. Neither strategy make sense every time, but in those instances where they do apply, they’ll carry you to the answer quickly, easily, and accurately. What more can you ask for?
Cultivate Answer Awareness
The quickest points come when you avoid calculation entirely. Sometimes, a problem will tell you enough about what kind of answer you’re looking for without having to do any work. Estimate and eliminate answer choices judiciously. Once you eliminate three (SAT) or four (ACT) wrong answers, you’re stuck with the right one!
The Case for the August SAT
BY MIKE BERGIN / JUNE 23, 2017 / PUBLISHED IN TEST PREPThe traditional academic year spanning from around Labor Day to well past Memorial Day feels like a marathon designed to test the endurance and focus of any participant (students and teachers alike!) Today’s high schoolers juggle so many academic, extracurricular, volunteer, family, social, and even work commitments that every hour in a week becomes scheduled far in advance. Adding insult to injury, college bound teens have to carve out time during the school year to take–and hopefully also prep–for SAT and/or ACT exams that are only administered from September through June.
At least, that is, until now.
The College Board may not elicit much praise from the teens who feel compelled to take the organization’s array of standardized tests, but who could complain about a new August administration of the SAT and SAT Subject Tests? I consider an August SAT the best news–and best option–we’ve received in a long time, well worth sacrificing the largely-ignored January SAT for. In fact, most rising juniors and seniors should strongly consider sitting for the August SAT for two compelling reasons:
1. You can test before school starts, or at least really starts.
2. You can prep before school starts.
While schools in the warmer regions of the United States convene in August, most others open around the beginning of September. How exciting is the prospect of getting a big test out of the way before classes even start? If you aren’t sure, the answer is very exciting.
Even better, though, is the option to connect summer prep to a summer test. The months of July and August have always been among the best times for test prep, with the one downside that the first SAT of the academic year didn’t arrive until October. Now students can prepare and practice right up to the exam without the distraction of school. Fall athletes may struggle to focus, but everyone else can enjoy a clear path to test readiness.
A secondary benefit of the August test date accrues to those who don’t discover until midsummer that their target colleges require SAT Subject Tests. These special exams are best taken in May or June, but August may be the next best option to test before you completely forget what you learned the previous school year.
The case for the August SAT becomes even more persuasive when you consider that both juniors and seniors have reason to set for this test. That suggests that the inaugural August administration will be extremely popular, which might lead to trouble considering how few high schools may be serving as test centers. In the Rochester area, only a handful of schools are hosting.
Any high school student entering junior or senior year who has at least some time to study this summer should strongly consider prepping, registering (ASAP), and sitting for the August SAT. Play your cards right and you could be done with this big test before your first little quiz of the new school year!
BY MIKE BERGIN / JUNE 23, 2017 / PUBLISHED IN TEST PREPThe traditional academic year spanning from around Labor Day to well past Memorial Day feels like a marathon designed to test the endurance and focus of any participant (students and teachers alike!) Today’s high schoolers juggle so many academic, extracurricular, volunteer, family, social, and even work commitments that every hour in a week becomes scheduled far in advance. Adding insult to injury, college bound teens have to carve out time during the school year to take–and hopefully also prep–for SAT and/or ACT exams that are only administered from September through June.
At least, that is, until now.
The College Board may not elicit much praise from the teens who feel compelled to take the organization’s array of standardized tests, but who could complain about a new August administration of the SAT and SAT Subject Tests? I consider an August SAT the best news–and best option–we’ve received in a long time, well worth sacrificing the largely-ignored January SAT for. In fact, most rising juniors and seniors should strongly consider sitting for the August SAT for two compelling reasons:
1. You can test before school starts, or at least really starts.
2. You can prep before school starts.
While schools in the warmer regions of the United States convene in August, most others open around the beginning of September. How exciting is the prospect of getting a big test out of the way before classes even start? If you aren’t sure, the answer is very exciting.
Even better, though, is the option to connect summer prep to a summer test. The months of July and August have always been among the best times for test prep, with the one downside that the first SAT of the academic year didn’t arrive until October. Now students can prepare and practice right up to the exam without the distraction of school. Fall athletes may struggle to focus, but everyone else can enjoy a clear path to test readiness.
A secondary benefit of the August test date accrues to those who don’t discover until midsummer that their target colleges require SAT Subject Tests. These special exams are best taken in May or June, but August may be the next best option to test before you completely forget what you learned the previous school year.
The case for the August SAT becomes even more persuasive when you consider that both juniors and seniors have reason to set for this test. That suggests that the inaugural August administration will be extremely popular, which might lead to trouble considering how few high schools may be serving as test centers. In the Rochester area, only a handful of schools are hosting.
Any high school student entering junior or senior year who has at least some time to study this summer should strongly consider prepping, registering (ASAP), and sitting for the August SAT. Play your cards right and you could be done with this big test before your first little quiz of the new school year!
Does English Count? Can English Count to 10?
By Norbert Weinberg
A few days ago, my eyes fell on the lead news column, a piece about a terrible attack in Paris, in the New York Times; that is one of this country’s most prestigious and professional newspapers, whose famous motto is “ All the News That’s Fit to Print”.
Here, in a paper of record, is a phrase that would fail both the English and Writing sections of the SAT and ACT exams. The writing sections of both tests look for clear and concise wording; the job of the headline writer is to be concise to the extreme, but it often comes at the cost of “Clarity”.
We have an example of tautology, of “ a needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word” ( Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
Terror, in that same dictionary, is defined as “ a state of intense fear”.
To state that “ Terror is Feared” is to belabor the obvious.
Presumably, the headline writer, who is trained in the The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage, knows this well, and intended, instead, to say, “ Terror is Presumed”. The writer probably was constrained by the fact that he or she needed to use a certain number of characters at a certain font size and for a certain number of lines.
This is the least of the worst. Newspaper headlines often say the ‘darndest’ things:
“ Mexico governor says Chihuahua too weak to fight cartels.” ( Small breed dogs should be a good match for El Chapo,”Shorty”.)
“ Brain is more active than thought.” (Thought is done by something else, perhaps the kidneys.)
“PharmaNet breach compromises personal information of 7,500 B.C. residents, says province”. ( Proof that stone age people used on-line ccounts.)
“ Pets are a child’s best friend, not their siblings.” ( I always thought my dog was my sibling!)
(An online search yeilds numerous examples. These headline fails are courtesy of http://badheadlines.tumblr.com . Comments are the author’s)
Don’t trip over double entendre, malapropism, pleonasm and similar linguistic stumbling blocks on these exams!
Here is the link to my essay published on the blog site of Chariot Learning TM
chariotlearning.com/does-grammar-count-can-english-count-to-10/
By Norbert Weinberg
A few days ago, my eyes fell on the lead news column, a piece about a terrible attack in Paris, in the New York Times; that is one of this country’s most prestigious and professional newspapers, whose famous motto is “ All the News That’s Fit to Print”.
Here, in a paper of record, is a phrase that would fail both the English and Writing sections of the SAT and ACT exams. The writing sections of both tests look for clear and concise wording; the job of the headline writer is to be concise to the extreme, but it often comes at the cost of “Clarity”.
We have an example of tautology, of “ a needless repetition of an idea, statement, or word” ( Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
Terror, in that same dictionary, is defined as “ a state of intense fear”.
To state that “ Terror is Feared” is to belabor the obvious.
Presumably, the headline writer, who is trained in the The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage, knows this well, and intended, instead, to say, “ Terror is Presumed”. The writer probably was constrained by the fact that he or she needed to use a certain number of characters at a certain font size and for a certain number of lines.
This is the least of the worst. Newspaper headlines often say the ‘darndest’ things:
“ Mexico governor says Chihuahua too weak to fight cartels.” ( Small breed dogs should be a good match for El Chapo,”Shorty”.)
“ Brain is more active than thought.” (Thought is done by something else, perhaps the kidneys.)
“PharmaNet breach compromises personal information of 7,500 B.C. residents, says province”. ( Proof that stone age people used on-line ccounts.)
“ Pets are a child’s best friend, not their siblings.” ( I always thought my dog was my sibling!)
(An online search yeilds numerous examples. These headline fails are courtesy of http://badheadlines.tumblr.com . Comments are the author’s)
Don’t trip over double entendre, malapropism, pleonasm and similar linguistic stumbling blocks on these exams!
Here is the link to my essay published on the blog site of Chariot Learning TM
chariotlearning.com/does-grammar-count-can-english-count-to-10/
It's May already? Think about June
The Case for the June SAT & ACT
BY MIKE BERGIN / MAY 01, 2017 / PUBLISHED IN TEST PREP
Of all the test administrations of the year, the ones in June present the most problems. Many high schools have already flipped the CLOSED sign while others are facing finals and other culminating tests. Even worse, students have to contend with a host of other distractions:
Yet, a case for the June SAT & ACT can and should be made. Three different groups of students benefit from blocking out the first two weekends of the month for testing:
1. Juniors who have already prepped but haven’t earned the scores they want
Look at test preparation as you would any practice for a sport or a skill. There is a seasonal aspect to testing, in the sense that you begin practicing at a certain date to be ready for the big day of the official exam. Athletes may work on conditioning and club sports all year long, but the season is sacrosanct. Teens who prepared for exams in April or May have already laid the foundations for success, even if their most recent scores fell short. Keeping that momentum going into June requires less effort than restarting almost from scratch in mid-summer.
2. Juniors who haven’t prepped yet but still can
Very few people find high stakes testing relaxing. On the contrary, with so much riding on test scores, many teens succumb to varying levels of test anxiety. Test day stress creates pressure that can impair performance, so one of the keys to better test scores is reducing anxiety. Testing in junior year minimizes stress because students know they’ll have opportunities to improve scores later if they don’t reach their goals. But the first round of senior year tests are usually the last ones acceptable for early action/early decision applications. The October and November exams tend to the last ones usable for general admission to competitive schools. All this explains why teens are likely to be more relaxed at a test in June than in October. Take advantage of the lower stress of the spring dates.
3. Sophomores in advanced classes expecting a very busy junior year
Most 10th graders aren’t thinking about the SAT or ACT, nor should they. Better to finish sophomore year strong, maybe with a couple of SAT Subject Tests. But some students are on a fast track with an eye towards a junior year packed with AP and other advanced classes along with a full slate of extracurricular activities. Honors students who have already completed Algebra 2/Trigonometry might consider preparing for and taking June tests.
If you don’t feel mentally exhausted at the end of an academic year, you probably didn’t work as hard as you should have. Nonetheless, one last push to earn your best test scores in June can lead to a much easier and more enjoyable summer!
The Case for the June SAT & ACT
BY MIKE BERGIN / MAY 01, 2017 / PUBLISHED IN TEST PREP
Of all the test administrations of the year, the ones in June present the most problems. Many high schools have already flipped the CLOSED sign while others are facing finals and other culminating tests. Even worse, students have to contend with a host of other distractions:
- Playoffs and championships for spring sports
- Prom
- Exhaustion
- That summer feeling wafting through the classroom windows…
Yet, a case for the June SAT & ACT can and should be made. Three different groups of students benefit from blocking out the first two weekends of the month for testing:
1. Juniors who have already prepped but haven’t earned the scores they want
Look at test preparation as you would any practice for a sport or a skill. There is a seasonal aspect to testing, in the sense that you begin practicing at a certain date to be ready for the big day of the official exam. Athletes may work on conditioning and club sports all year long, but the season is sacrosanct. Teens who prepared for exams in April or May have already laid the foundations for success, even if their most recent scores fell short. Keeping that momentum going into June requires less effort than restarting almost from scratch in mid-summer.
2. Juniors who haven’t prepped yet but still can
Very few people find high stakes testing relaxing. On the contrary, with so much riding on test scores, many teens succumb to varying levels of test anxiety. Test day stress creates pressure that can impair performance, so one of the keys to better test scores is reducing anxiety. Testing in junior year minimizes stress because students know they’ll have opportunities to improve scores later if they don’t reach their goals. But the first round of senior year tests are usually the last ones acceptable for early action/early decision applications. The October and November exams tend to the last ones usable for general admission to competitive schools. All this explains why teens are likely to be more relaxed at a test in June than in October. Take advantage of the lower stress of the spring dates.
3. Sophomores in advanced classes expecting a very busy junior year
Most 10th graders aren’t thinking about the SAT or ACT, nor should they. Better to finish sophomore year strong, maybe with a couple of SAT Subject Tests. But some students are on a fast track with an eye towards a junior year packed with AP and other advanced classes along with a full slate of extracurricular activities. Honors students who have already completed Algebra 2/Trigonometry might consider preparing for and taking June tests.
If you don’t feel mentally exhausted at the end of an academic year, you probably didn’t work as hard as you should have. Nonetheless, one last push to earn your best test scores in June can lead to a much easier and more enjoyable summer!
Should I Study for the ACT and SAT at the Same Time?
Our one on one and our group programs cover material for both tests. My colleague, Mike Bergin , explains:
The challenges the SAT and ACT pose come at us all at once. Sure, each exam is administered often throughout the academic year, but, basically, when you have room in your schedule for one, you’ll probably want to take both for more than simply logistical reasons.
Some sources suggest studying for these exams sequentially, which strikes me as a terrible waste of time because of the tremendous overlap between the two. Our approach has always been to prepare students for both tests at once, with exceptions, of course. This process not only saves time but also helps determine more quickly whether students have advantages on one of the two tests worth focusing on. But while we are able to explain the basis of our philosophy to the families we work with, students and parents outside our orbit keep hearing the same misconceptions. So, in an effort to correct the record when someone on Quora asked, “Should I study for the ACT and SAT at the same time?“, I answered as follows:
Absolutely. The two tests have never been as similar as they are right now. In fact, if you compare the English section of the ACT to the Writing and Language section of the SAT side-by-side, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same grammar and writing rules.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same math concepts and problem solving skills.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same passage-based reading skills, mostly through non-fiction passages.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same ability to manage time, anxiety, and energy over an extended, high-stakes exam.
Of course the two have specific differences, which you can and should focus on through high-quality practice testing and targeted review. But whether you think so or not, prepping for one can’t help but prepare you to a certain extent for the other.chariotlearning.com/should-i-study-for-the-act-and-sat-at-the-same-timeSave
Our one on one and our group programs cover material for both tests. My colleague, Mike Bergin , explains:
The challenges the SAT and ACT pose come at us all at once. Sure, each exam is administered often throughout the academic year, but, basically, when you have room in your schedule for one, you’ll probably want to take both for more than simply logistical reasons.
Some sources suggest studying for these exams sequentially, which strikes me as a terrible waste of time because of the tremendous overlap between the two. Our approach has always been to prepare students for both tests at once, with exceptions, of course. This process not only saves time but also helps determine more quickly whether students have advantages on one of the two tests worth focusing on. But while we are able to explain the basis of our philosophy to the families we work with, students and parents outside our orbit keep hearing the same misconceptions. So, in an effort to correct the record when someone on Quora asked, “Should I study for the ACT and SAT at the same time?“, I answered as follows:
Absolutely. The two tests have never been as similar as they are right now. In fact, if you compare the English section of the ACT to the Writing and Language section of the SAT side-by-side, you’ll be hard-pressed to tell the difference between the two.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same grammar and writing rules.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same math concepts and problem solving skills.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same passage-based reading skills, mostly through non-fiction passages.
The SAT and ACT test substantially the same ability to manage time, anxiety, and energy over an extended, high-stakes exam.
Of course the two have specific differences, which you can and should focus on through high-quality practice testing and targeted review. But whether you think so or not, prepping for one can’t help but prepare you to a certain extent for the other.chariotlearning.com/should-i-study-for-the-act-and-sat-at-the-same-timeSave
Need Some Good Motivationals?
With winter on the wane, most students still have plenty of time before the big tests at the end of the academic year. But success later depends on what you do right now! If you need motivation to get moving towards your goals in a big way, here are some of our favorite recent inspirational tips from TestBeast… ( by Mike Bergin)
http://chariotlearning.com/miracles-dont-happen-sweat-happens/
With winter on the wane, most students still have plenty of time before the big tests at the end of the academic year. But success later depends on what you do right now! If you need motivation to get moving towards your goals in a big way, here are some of our favorite recent inspirational tips from TestBeast… ( by Mike Bergin)
http://chariotlearning.com/miracles-dont-happen-sweat-happens/
LA MARATHON IS COMING UP NEXT MONTH-WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM IT?
I want to share this very useful guideline for getting into college posted by Casey Crowley, Director of College counselling for Beverly HIlls High School:
collegecounselorrowley.com/2017/02/13/applying-to-college-is-a-marathon/
I want to share this very useful guideline for getting into college posted by Casey Crowley, Director of College counselling for Beverly HIlls High School:
collegecounselorrowley.com/2017/02/13/applying-to-college-is-a-marathon/
Are All Practice Tests Equal?
Curious why we insist on only actual tests released by the College Boards and ACT?
BY MIKE BERGIN Over a very long career in test prep, I’ve organized a LOT of practice tests in different formats at different locations. Even today, I often proctor practice tests personally just about every week. Why am I so committed to making high quality practice SATs and ACTs available for everyone in my community? Because high quality practice tests make all the difference in the world in unlocking our best scores.
So what does “high quality” mean when looking at practice tests anyway?
TESTS
The first aspect to consider when evaluating the quality of a practice test is the test itself. Are you taking an official exam released by the test maker? If not, the quality of this practice test is suspect. Kaplan and The Princeton Review, both of whom offer free practice tests in many markets, pour considerable resources into making their own tests. However, no matter how closely someone might try to model official test material, nobody can match the meticulously standardized real thing. Even worse are these new hybrid instruments that purport to diagnose whether a student is better suited to the SAT or ACT; the only truly accurate way to assess that would be to take high quality practice tests in both.
TAKEAWAY: Look for real practice material. Tests released by the test makers are the gold standard. When taking practice SATs and ACTs on your own, you should take tests from The Official SAT Study Guiden and The Real ACT Prep Guide respectively.
http://chariotlearning.com/are-all-practice-tests-equal
Curious why we insist on only actual tests released by the College Boards and ACT?
BY MIKE BERGIN Over a very long career in test prep, I’ve organized a LOT of practice tests in different formats at different locations. Even today, I often proctor practice tests personally just about every week. Why am I so committed to making high quality practice SATs and ACTs available for everyone in my community? Because high quality practice tests make all the difference in the world in unlocking our best scores.
So what does “high quality” mean when looking at practice tests anyway?
TESTS
The first aspect to consider when evaluating the quality of a practice test is the test itself. Are you taking an official exam released by the test maker? If not, the quality of this practice test is suspect. Kaplan and The Princeton Review, both of whom offer free practice tests in many markets, pour considerable resources into making their own tests. However, no matter how closely someone might try to model official test material, nobody can match the meticulously standardized real thing. Even worse are these new hybrid instruments that purport to diagnose whether a student is better suited to the SAT or ACT; the only truly accurate way to assess that would be to take high quality practice tests in both.
TAKEAWAY: Look for real practice material. Tests released by the test makers are the gold standard. When taking practice SATs and ACTs on your own, you should take tests from The Official SAT Study Guiden and The Real ACT Prep Guide respectively.
http://chariotlearning.com/are-all-practice-tests-equal
Why Practice Tests Matter So Much
BY MIKE BERGIN / NOVEMBER 04, 2016
Have you ever met someone who planned to take her road test without first logging as much time as possible behind the wheel? Do you know any athletes that expect to play if they miss practice? How about actors who perform without ever rehearsing?
Of course not! Athletes and artists alike agree that practice makes perfect. So does your Driver’s Ed teacher
So why would anyone want to sit for the SAT, ACT, or any other high stakes exam without as much high-quality practice time as possible? Standardized exams, by their very nature, test the same material in the same predictable ways over and over again. The more tests you see, the more prepared you’ll be for the one that counts.
Why do perfect practice tests matter so much? Consider some of the challenging aspects of taking standardized tests that are improved through practice:
CONTENT
When most teens think (or worry) about the SAT and ACT, they tend to focus on the content of the tests: math formulas, grammar rules, and vocabulary words. What surprises most first timers is how disconnected these tests are from 11th and 12th grade course material. You definitely can and should learn the content of a test in advance, but you won’t truly recognize gaps in your knowledge base until you actually take a test.
QUESTION TYPES
First time test takers may fret about content, but experienced testers are much more focused on the diabolical ways in which that content is tested. The SAT & ACT earn their reputations as tricky and trappy by subjecting students to an onslaught of opportunities, both blatant and subtle, to get questions wrong. The only path to overcoming the cunning snares set by the test makers is practice and review, to make sure that you only ever fall for a trick once!
TIMING
Most standardized exams, especially the SAT and ACT, offer too little time to answer too many questions. Students taking these tests for the first time can expect to struggle with pacing, either moving so quickly that they don’t give questions enough attention or, more likely, missing a number of questions at the end of the section. But with practice, you learn through experience how to best allocate your precious time. Even better, if you’ve been taught effective strategies for different question types, practice internalizes those techniques, accelerating your overall performance.
DIFFICULTY
If you’ve ever taken a test (and if you haven’t, why start now?) you know that some questions are harder than others. Difficulty, of course, is relative, but any standardized exam worth its salt calculates and quantifies difficulty with meticulous attention. Most of us, to our detriment, don’t know difficulty patterns of questions going into a test for the first time. However, just as cross country runners learn the hills and flats of each course by running them over and over, you can learn the rhythms of easy, medium, and hard questions on each section of any test. More important, by knowing difficulty distribution, you can feast on the points that are easiest for you to earn.
ENERGY
Did you know that a trained marathoner can run over 26 miles in less time than you’ll need to take a standard-length SAT or ACT? A racer can run and win the Indy 500 before an extended-time test ends. Imagine how drained you’ll feel after one of these epic exams? Unfortunately, questions at the end of a test count just as much as the ones in the beginning, so savvy test takers learn to manage their energy to stay fresh when everyone else is wilting. High-stakes testing is an endurance sport, so develop your endurance through practice.
ANXIETY
Do you suffer from test anxiety? If so, you know you’re not alone. But most test anxiety manifests in response to lack of knowledge about what’s on a test combined with lack of confidence in how you’ll do. The simple prescription for improving both issues is practice. Taking a great simulated practice test is just like rehearsing a big speech or running through your killer guitar solo one more time before the audience arrives: practice soothes your nerves so you can achieve peak performance.
BY MIKE BERGIN / NOVEMBER 04, 2016
Have you ever met someone who planned to take her road test without first logging as much time as possible behind the wheel? Do you know any athletes that expect to play if they miss practice? How about actors who perform without ever rehearsing?
Of course not! Athletes and artists alike agree that practice makes perfect. So does your Driver’s Ed teacher
So why would anyone want to sit for the SAT, ACT, or any other high stakes exam without as much high-quality practice time as possible? Standardized exams, by their very nature, test the same material in the same predictable ways over and over again. The more tests you see, the more prepared you’ll be for the one that counts.
Why do perfect practice tests matter so much? Consider some of the challenging aspects of taking standardized tests that are improved through practice:
CONTENT
When most teens think (or worry) about the SAT and ACT, they tend to focus on the content of the tests: math formulas, grammar rules, and vocabulary words. What surprises most first timers is how disconnected these tests are from 11th and 12th grade course material. You definitely can and should learn the content of a test in advance, but you won’t truly recognize gaps in your knowledge base until you actually take a test.
QUESTION TYPES
First time test takers may fret about content, but experienced testers are much more focused on the diabolical ways in which that content is tested. The SAT & ACT earn their reputations as tricky and trappy by subjecting students to an onslaught of opportunities, both blatant and subtle, to get questions wrong. The only path to overcoming the cunning snares set by the test makers is practice and review, to make sure that you only ever fall for a trick once!
TIMING
Most standardized exams, especially the SAT and ACT, offer too little time to answer too many questions. Students taking these tests for the first time can expect to struggle with pacing, either moving so quickly that they don’t give questions enough attention or, more likely, missing a number of questions at the end of the section. But with practice, you learn through experience how to best allocate your precious time. Even better, if you’ve been taught effective strategies for different question types, practice internalizes those techniques, accelerating your overall performance.
DIFFICULTY
If you’ve ever taken a test (and if you haven’t, why start now?) you know that some questions are harder than others. Difficulty, of course, is relative, but any standardized exam worth its salt calculates and quantifies difficulty with meticulous attention. Most of us, to our detriment, don’t know difficulty patterns of questions going into a test for the first time. However, just as cross country runners learn the hills and flats of each course by running them over and over, you can learn the rhythms of easy, medium, and hard questions on each section of any test. More important, by knowing difficulty distribution, you can feast on the points that are easiest for you to earn.
ENERGY
Did you know that a trained marathoner can run over 26 miles in less time than you’ll need to take a standard-length SAT or ACT? A racer can run and win the Indy 500 before an extended-time test ends. Imagine how drained you’ll feel after one of these epic exams? Unfortunately, questions at the end of a test count just as much as the ones in the beginning, so savvy test takers learn to manage their energy to stay fresh when everyone else is wilting. High-stakes testing is an endurance sport, so develop your endurance through practice.
ANXIETY
Do you suffer from test anxiety? If so, you know you’re not alone. But most test anxiety manifests in response to lack of knowledge about what’s on a test combined with lack of confidence in how you’ll do. The simple prescription for improving both issues is practice. Taking a great simulated practice test is just like rehearsing a big speech or running through your killer guitar solo one more time before the audience arrives: practice soothes your nerves so you can achieve peak performance.
Remember, Test Taking is a Strategic Game
Do the SAT and ACT exams test you on knowledge about language arts, reading and math? Clearly, you need to know essential skills in these areas.
But- these exams also challenge your test-taking skills, your ability to think strategically when approaching any question.
MULTIPLE CHOICE TIPS FOR EVERYONE
chariotlearning.com/multiple-choice-tips-for-everyone/
Do the SAT and ACT exams test you on knowledge about language arts, reading and math? Clearly, you need to know essential skills in these areas.
But- these exams also challenge your test-taking skills, your ability to think strategically when approaching any question.
MULTIPLE CHOICE TIPS FOR EVERYONE
chariotlearning.com/multiple-choice-tips-for-everyone/
You gotta go for the gold! Motivations from the Olympians
Olympic Athletes Know Test Prep
BY MIKE BERGIN / THURSDAY, 11 AUGUST 2016 / PUBLISHED IN PSYCHOLOGYIf you ever doubt the burning will to exceed all limits inherent in all of us, just wait until the next Olympics rolls around. No spectacle captures the world’s imagination on such a grand scale. But we’re not tuning in to catch up on air rifle or luge or any of the other hundreds of sometimes obscure events (race walking… really?) we somehow ignore every other week of the year. No, we thrill to the competition, the effort, and the unquenchable commitment to win.
Everyone on the path to their best test scores can learn what being the best really requires from those who have paid the costs and reaped the rewards–including Gold Medals and enshrinement on boxes of Wheaties–of enduring excellence…
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”
— Jesse Owens, four-time Olympic gold medalist
“I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and you put the work and time into it. I think your mind really controls everything.”
— Michael Phelps, most decorated Olympian of all time
“Practice creates confidence. Confidence empowers you.”
— Simone Biles, Olympic gold medalist
“If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.”
— Mark Spitz, Jesse Owens, nine-time Olympic gold medalist
“I’ve worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down.”
— Mia Hamm, two-time Olympic gold medalist
“I didn’t set out to beat the world; I just set out to do my absolute best.”
— Al Oerter, Olympic gold medalist
Olympic Athletes Know Test Prep
BY MIKE BERGIN / THURSDAY, 11 AUGUST 2016 / PUBLISHED IN PSYCHOLOGYIf you ever doubt the burning will to exceed all limits inherent in all of us, just wait until the next Olympics rolls around. No spectacle captures the world’s imagination on such a grand scale. But we’re not tuning in to catch up on air rifle or luge or any of the other hundreds of sometimes obscure events (race walking… really?) we somehow ignore every other week of the year. No, we thrill to the competition, the effort, and the unquenchable commitment to win.
Everyone on the path to their best test scores can learn what being the best really requires from those who have paid the costs and reaped the rewards–including Gold Medals and enshrinement on boxes of Wheaties–of enduring excellence…
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”
— Jesse Owens, four-time Olympic gold medalist
“I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and you put the work and time into it. I think your mind really controls everything.”
— Michael Phelps, most decorated Olympian of all time
“Practice creates confidence. Confidence empowers you.”
— Simone Biles, Olympic gold medalist
“If you fail to prepare, you’re prepared to fail.”
— Mark Spitz, Jesse Owens, nine-time Olympic gold medalist
“I’ve worked too hard and too long to let anything stand in the way of my goals. I will not let my teammates down and I will not let myself down.”
— Mia Hamm, two-time Olympic gold medalist
“I didn’t set out to beat the world; I just set out to do my absolute best.”
— Al Oerter, Olympic gold medalist
How the ACT results can show if you are ready for college
MIKE BERGIN / FRIDAY, 03 JUNE 2016
Has college admissions testing ever been this competitive? I’m not speaking from the test taker’s perspective, though today’s teens seem to fighting harder than ever for seats at name-brand colleges. But the test makers are under massive pressure from each other, traditional testing opponents, and even upstarts trying to break into the lucrative admissions exam market. Economists assure us that competition benefits consumers by driving performance and innovation. One way ACT, Inc. seeks to maintain the top position in the admissions test arms race is by delivering more value in the basic ACT score report.
Here is the full article:
chariotlearning.com/act-readiness-range
/4/16 The ACT is a Reading Test
Just when you think you have the SAT and ACT figured out, the testmakers can still surprise you. Our two estimable college entrance exams have never seemed more alike, and yet certain dramatic differences between the two have emerged. In the past, students who identified as avid readers tended to prefer the SAT, where Sentence Completions rewarded the prodigious vocabularies that result from growing up with your nose in a book. But the SAT has abandoned explicit vocabulary questions and the pendulum has now swung the other way: students who are stronger in reading and writing than in math will flock to the ACT in droves. This makes sense, because the ACT has always been a reading test. For the rest, follow the link:
http://chariotlearning.com/the-act-is-a-reading-test/
Just when you think you have the SAT and ACT figured out, the testmakers can still surprise you. Our two estimable college entrance exams have never seemed more alike, and yet certain dramatic differences between the two have emerged. In the past, students who identified as avid readers tended to prefer the SAT, where Sentence Completions rewarded the prodigious vocabularies that result from growing up with your nose in a book. But the SAT has abandoned explicit vocabulary questions and the pendulum has now swung the other way: students who are stronger in reading and writing than in math will flock to the ACT in droves. This makes sense, because the ACT has always been a reading test. For the rest, follow the link:
http://chariotlearning.com/the-act-is-a-reading-test/
