10:13

How to Choose a College Once You’ve Been Accepted

College Decision

Though it probably feels like getting accepted into several colleges or universities of your choice would be a great problem to have in the spring of your senior year, it will end up being more of a curse than a blessing. Making the final decision about where to spend the next four years, which program best suites you and dealing with the financial aspect is nothing short of overwhelming, especially when they are several good choices. Remember, make a decision based on you and your needs rather than what your peers are doing or not doing. An undergraduate degree plays a major role in a person’s career.

Look at the material
When you visited college campuses on a college tour or trip, refer back to any handouts of brochures you were given. Jot down as many notes as possible to help make an informed decision. It will help to lay out any material you have to visually see what you like and dislike about each school. It’s nearly impossible to be objective without having all of the facts. Try to remember what you were thinking and feeling while you were standing on each campus or speaking with an admission’s officer. Decide which ones immediately stand out in your mind.

Do some additional research
While thinking about your final decision, write down any questions or concerns you may have. Feel free to surf the Internet to get answers or simply call the campus to ask away. An admission’s officer will have the answer to most concerns you will have. These people can help you to feel confident about your decision and ensure you choose the right school for next year.

Be practical
For many students, cost is an important factor in making your decision. If you are being offered a particularly generous financial aid package or scholarships from one of your top school — it may help to bump it ahead of the competition. Similarly, an acceptance from a good state school with a great deal for students in the state can be tough to pass up if cost is a big component of your choice. Also, you may want to consider other practical matters, like the location of the school and how far from home you would be while attending college.

Chat with your parents
By talking to someone you respect like a parent, sibling, professor or counselor, you will be able to bounce off ideas in regards to pros and cons. Getting advice from people who know you the best can help when trying to pick the “right choice” out of many options. Simply talking about it with others will help in the long run to be the perfect balance between objective and emotional. A guidance counselor may also be able to help you to narrow your options and a parent may have insights from going along on the process with you.

Once a college becomes your number one pick, tell your family and friends the good news and then immediately let the school know you’re accepting their invitation to be part of their college. The best part of all of this will be the ending to the college search process and knowing SAT prep is long behind you.

Posted by Author Name in News and Press/SAT News / No Comments.

02.12

9:35

10 Steps To Help You Pass the SATs

Sat Help Steps

If you are like many high school students, you will be looking to enter college to continue your education. You will have to choose which university would best suit your needs and you will have already started looking at how you will finance this next step in your life.

However, have you taken your SATs yet?

Many students will start in their junior year, preparing for that important test. They know that it is important to get a high grade. Some will study endlessly and some will suddenly cram only weeks ahead of the testing date. But what is the best way to study for this exam.

Slow and steady, gets the job done. Make sure you have planned for enough time to completely and thoroughly review and study for each and every section. Don’t try to take this exam unless you have given yourself at least several months.

Below are ways to help you learn to study, to get your mind ready for preparing for the SATs. Some will be so simple you will wonder why you didn’t think of it earlier.

Also, remember that you can use B Line Test Prep’s free online SAT tests, and sites to aid in your SAT preparation.

So, what are some of the ways you can start studying?

Sat Tips

Tip one: Dust off that old library card. You’ll need it when you start this first tip. Reading. Go on, read a novel, or two. It doesn’t matter what the novel is, whether it is some romance novel, or the latest sci-fi thriller. There will be many questions that will test if your reading and comprehending skills are sharp. The more you read, the more you will be training you mind so that when you begin the verbal test, you will not be left out in the cold.

Tip two: Its time to break down and bookmark an online dictionary. Many of them have a “word for the day.” You must have a firm grasp on words and their meaning.

Tip three: Go out and buy yourself a notebook. Now, write in it every single day for at least 15 to 30 minutes. It might seem silly or awkward but the time you spend honing your writing skills will pay off when you reach that section of the test.

Tip four: Don’t throw away your daily paper after you skim through the sports or entertainment section. Dig around, find that crossword puzzle and work it completely. There are also sites online where you can work a puzzle a day. This will help sharpen your skills, reading comprehension and deduction. As in writing in your journal, doing a crossword puzzle can be another tool to make sure you are ready to take the SAT.

Tip five: Admit it–you only skim through the paper for the headlines. Stop as of right this moment. Tell yourself that from this moment on, not a day will go by that you don’t read the newspaper. Take a story that interest you and give it a new title or go through and find a way to change a word or phrase. Do this every day. This is still training your mind to think quickly and cohesively.

Tip six: And here you thought that it would be boring to do anything to prepare yourself for the test. While you are making sure to read, write and do crossword puzzles, go on and try a hand at logic problems. Each logic puzzle has every bit of information you need to solve it correctly so take your time and pay attention to what is said.

Tip seven: Got a box or crayons? How about markers? If not, go out and get them and start drawing. You don’t have to be a good artist, but here’s why drawing is a good idea. Once you get to the math section, you will run across questions dealing with geometry. Sometimes a question will have a shape and other times it will not. With a couple of months, building your skills at drawing, you should be able to handle the geometry questions a lot easier.

Tip eight: Sign up for a SAT question a day. Try to work the problem out yourself. Do a quick search, using key phrases like, free SAT online, or SAT prep. Find one that you are comfortable with and sign up. The more you practice, the less likely the SAT will seem to be intimidating.

Tip nine: Make sure you can do fraction to decimal conversions. If you need someone to help, look for a tutor in your area. Don’t let this part of the test frighten you.

And finally, tip 10: in the words that are printed on that now famous book, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, in warm friendly letters, “don’t panic.” If you take your time, practice the steps above, you will find you will be much more comfortable in taking the SAT test for your next educational step.

Get to work now. Don’t hesitate or keep putting off studying. The more you procrastinate, the more likely you will not be ready for the test. But with time, with effort on your part, you should have no problem with the exam. You should pass it with little or no problem.

Posted by Author Name in News and Press/SAT News / No Comments.

01.12

8:00

The Effectiveness of the SAT in Predicting College Performance

Sat Prep Effectiveness

While SAT scores correlate very strongly to an individual’s performance in college and thereafter when they enter the workforce, they do not give the full picture. There is much more to success, both in college and in the wider world than the scores of one test. Various studies have shown that while some kids perform poorly in high school and still manage to pull out of their tailspin in college, this is not the case in the vast majority of scenarios. Factors that may make a student change course include taking SAT prep seriously and also finding subject majors in college that they enjoy.

Family Background, High School Grades and College Performance
Several studies have shown that students who come from homes with educated families tend to perform better on the SAT than students who come from less-educated, working class backgrounds. In families with a tradition of education, both high school performance and test scores tend to correlate with the student’s collegiate grades. This may be due to the possibility that parents who are themselves educated may be more inclined to participate in their child’s learning experience than parents who have had limited schooling. It may also be due to these students having access to educational resources that poorer students do not. This, of course, does not mean that the students from backgrounds without the tradition of education do not sometimes work hard and do well despite being their disadvantages. In fact, in some cases students who do poorly change course in college and wind up improving their grades. In other cases students take their SAT prep seriously and get a good score on the test even after having poor grades throughout high school. There are exceptions to the rule, but such stories, however, are not the norm.

Controversial Aspects of the Test
One accusation launched at the test’s makers has been that there is a bias inherent in the test. This bias is said to be against poorer people. Critics say that wealth is a factor in test performance as some students are able to pay thousands of dollars on coaching to pass the test whereas others are not. As a result of the criticism, College Board, the SAT’s administrators, have revamped it to include a writing section along with other changes. The idea is to reduce the advantage of coaching by making the test less easy to coach. The other changes include raising the point totals. Previously, students were able to score as many as 1,600 points, after the changes this rose to 2,400 points. The writing section has also made the test longer. The total time to take the test was raised to three hours and forty-five minutes, up from three hours. Still, critics say that the writing section is not enough as it is both overly simple and students may still be coached to pass it.

How Colleges View the New Writing Portion
Many colleges choose to ignore the writing section when assessing students for acceptance. The perception is that it does not do enough to reflect the writing skills of those taking the test. Some of the colleges who are skeptical of the writing section’s value, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgetown University, are quite well-known. The writing portion of the test consists of a set of multiple choice grammar questions and an essay. The essay portion requires students to read a quotation, and then write an essay to support their position with regard to the quotation. While some critics remain doubtful of the writing test’s efficacy in predicting which students will do well and which will not, some have responded positively to the changes made by College Board. The University of California is among those who have accepted the test after threatening to discontinue its use.

College Board’s Response to Criticism
College Board’s senior vice president, Lawrence Bunin has defended the writing section and the test as a whole, saying that the writing section has proven to be both “highly reliable” and “valid.”

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11.11

10:37

Knowing Which SAT Questions to Skip

Which SAT Questions to Skip

On the SAT, each question will fall into one of three categories: questions you can answer, questions you can’t answer, and questions you could probably answer if you had enough time. This last category is where the right strategy can really help you to improve your score.

When to Move On

For starters, you need to recognize when it’s time to move on to the next question. If you spend too long trying to solve any one problem, you run the risk of not even making it to other questions that you definitely could have answered correctly.

Additionally, if you spend too much time on a question that’s too hard, you waste time that you could have spent correctly figuring out a harder, but still solvable, question.

If, on first read, you can’t eliminate even one answer choice, skip the question entirely. Your time is better spent on questions where you are more familiar with the material.

If you can eliminate one or more answer choices quickly, but narrowing the choices down to just one correct answer is taking too much time, come back later. You should make your way once through the entire section and answer every item that you can solve with minimal effort first, then go back through a second time to tackle the more challenging items.

When to Guess

Understanding when it’s in your favor to guess on the SAT, versus when it will hurt you, comes down to mathematics. Remember, each question has five answer choices. An incorrect answer reduces your raw score by 0.25, while a correct answer is worth 1 point.

Let’s pretend for a moment that you don’t even look at any of the questions and just randomly select bubbles on your answer sheet. Odds are that you would be correct one-fifth of the time — but you would be wrong four-fifths of the time. For each 1 point you gained, you would lose 0.25 points, four times. 4 * 0.25 = 1, so this cancels out the 1 point you gained, leaving you with a net score of zero.

However, if you can eliminate just one answer choice, the odds are now in your favor to guess. Now, random guesses would give you a correct answer once every four times, and an incorrect answer three out of four times. 1 point – (3 * 0.25) = a net gain of 0.25 raw points.

The bottom line: if you can confidently eliminate just one answer, you should guess instead of leaving the answer blank.

Create a Code Language

So, you’ve made your way through the entire section once and answered all the questions you knew you could. You have seven minutes left, and it’s time to make your way back through the section a second time to take a stab at some of the questions you left for later. But…which questions were those, again?

Make the most of those precious last few minutes in each section by clearly marking each question in your test booklet, so you can see at a glance which questions — and which answer choices within that question — are still in need of your attention.

Circle questions to which you want to return. These items are the ones to which you want to draw the most attention, as you’ll need to be able to spot them quickly during the last few minutes of the section. When you go back through, you’ll have no trouble spotting the circled items. Don’t be afraid to make big, bold circles — remember, you want to catch your attention when you’re flipping back through the test booklet.

Draw a large question mark over questions that seem too hard. You don’t want to spend your valuable time on these items instead of easier ones, but there’s always the chance you’ll still have an extra couple of minutes at the end to give these a second look. Remember, if you can eliminate even one answer choice, you make it worth your while to take a stab and guess.

For answer choices, cross out choices that you are confident are wrong. This will save you from having to look again at choices that you’ve already ruled out.

Having trouble deciding between two answers? Lightly circle them to indicate they’re your preferred answers. When you come back, you’ll know immediately that you think you found (or narrowed down) the answer, but that you should still consider the other options.

Leave Yourself Hanging

When you realize you have to move on and leave a question unanswered, make it as easy as possible to pick back up where you left off if you have time at the end to return to it. While the next step in the equation may seem obvious to you in the moment, the memory won’t be as fresh by the time you make your way through the rest of the test.

Before starting the next question, jot down a quick phrase or note reminding yourself of what the next step should be. If it’s a math problem, write the next equation if you can–but don’t solve it.

Not sure what the next equation is? Erase the last answer that you did calculate, leaving the calculation itself. While moving back a step might seem strange at first, when you come back later, being able to jump right in will help jog your memory, and can shave precious seconds off the time it takes to finish.

Posted by Author Name in News and Press/SAT News / No Comments.

09.11

1:49

College Search Feature Allows Access to More Than 4,000 Colleges

When listing the best colleges to apply to, would the average high school student base their decision on academics and geography alone? Probably not.

It’s become common to travel to several different colleges around junior year of high school and even ask older brothers, sisters or friends for advice on where to apply. The reason isn’t because colleges don’t have Web sites with information, but rather; students want to know more than the basics like tuition cost and average size of classes that colleges and universities post on their Web sites.

B Line Test Prep, an eLearning company offering a free online SAT prep course, has teamed up with College Prowler to provide in-depth, unbiased, relevant information on any given college’s Greek life, nightlife, parking, athletics, campus housing, off campus housing and the top 10 ten best and worst qualities of the school—to name a few.

High school students, through B Line Test Prep, have full access to resources such as free SAT prep, articles with tips on high school and the college application process and now, with a click of a mouse, information about more than 4,000 colleges and universities.

For access to all the information you need for college, check out http://collegesearch.blinetestprep.com/

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08.11

8:00

Top 10 Ways Twilight Relates to the SAT

Presumably, it’s been a while since Edward Cullen took his SATs. But Bella and Jacob may still have them looming over their heads. If they do, hopefully they’ll use some of the lessons they’ve learned from their recent adventures to increase their scores. Stephanie Meyers’ Twilight characters learned everything they need to know to ace the test. Here is a guide to using the Twilight series for SAT prep.

#1 Know Your Weaknesses

Edward’s family can’t survive without blood. Rather than denying this, they choose to consume animal blood, preventing tragedy. Ignoring your own weakness will lead to disaster. Brush up on every section of the test, but put special emphasis on your worst subjects.

#2 Consult a Trusted Authority

When Bella is confused, she consults her father. Likewise, you should consult B Line Test Prep, which contains examples of real tests for practice. Bella didn’t blindly follow her father’s advice, however, and you shouldn’t, either, leading to tip number three.

#3 Take a Different Viewpoint

Bella hears rumors about the dangers the Cullens pose, but doesn’t make assumptions. She has a different viewpoint and Edward’s true nature becomes clear to her. Sign up for free SAT prep for a slightly different viewpoint that will help you prepare. Bella’s careful reading of Edward’s situation leads to tip number three.

#4 Carefully Read the Situation

Carefully read the test questions. Silly little errors in comprehension will trip you up and whittle away at your score.

#5 Make Careful Decisions

Jumping at the first choice presented would have derailed Bella’s relationship with Edward before it began, and guessing at wrong answers is actually worse for your SAT score than skipping the question altogether.

#6 Spot the Fakes

James was as charming as he was evil. Fortunately, Bella wasted no time on this particular fake, and weeding out the false answers is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve your test score.

#7 Know When You are in Over Your Head

It took Jacob’s pack and Edward’s family together to defeat Victoria. Sometimes a task is too much for you. Math questions get harder as the test goes on. Once the problems become too difficult, stop. Review the questions you answered so that you get full credit for the things you do know.

#8 Don’t Waste Time

Bella instinctively knows that although time is kind to Edward, for most beings it is short. She weighs her options carefully but doesn’t waste time. Don’t re-read directions or spend time obsessing over questions you just can’t answer. Don’t be late coming back from breaks.

#9 If You are Offered a Second Chance, Take It

Bella snatched her second chance when she prevented Edward’s suicide. If you can hit the books and be reasonably sure of a better score next time around, take it. Most schools will only look at your highest score.

#10 Relax

Even Bella and Edward are eventually left in peace by the Vulturi. Hopefully, they take this time to relax, and if you are wise, you will too. Study, get plenty of sleep, eat a good breakfast and relax.

Posted by Author Name in News and Press/SAT News / No Comments.

06.11

9:08

SAT Prep Courses Help Boost Test Scores

The college admissions process can be highly competitive and brutal. Every Spring, colleges across the country get a flood of applications for a few freshman class spots. Many well-deserving students get rejected and miss out on the chance to attend the school of their choice. When it comes to college admissions, give your high-schooler every advantage possible. Choosing the right SAT prep for your child is the first step in helping them get into the college of their choice.

Why does my child need SAT prep? You’re not the first parent to wonder this. Even if your student is a high-achiever, taking the SAT can be daunting if he/she is not prepared. SAT testing procedures have changed in recent years, casting off the paper and pencil test in favor of electronic testing methods. In addition, many students’ use of technology have given them a false sense of security about the testing process, and these topics are explored in SAT test prep.

In keeping with the trend of technology, online test prep is a viable resource to become well-versed in the subject materials and familiar with the testing process. Many students get tripped up when they are not aware of the testing instruction requirements, causing them to have scores below their actual capabilities. B Line’s SAT prep will consist of dry test runs and answer questions common to students taking the SAT test.

In addition, SAT prep will help students review any subjects that he/she may be struggling with. Your child will be able to review any confusing subjects with animated review sections and feedback after every question answered. They will also be given practice tests that allow them to focus on their weak subjects before test day. In addition, your child will not be forced to review topics that he has already mastered. With specialized SAT test prep instruction, your student will be able to focus solely on the topics that matter most.

Don’t leave your student’s SAT score and college admissions opportunities to chance.

Posted by Author Name in News and Press/SAT News / No Comments.

06.11

11:51

SAT Prep – Then and Now

As the next generation of this country’s youth stand poised, preparing to leap forward into adulthood and the world, they are leaping into a far different world than the one many of their parents braved. Communication happens in an instant, any place in the world is but a few mouse-clicks away, prices for even the most basic of needs are rising on a global scale, and the job market is more competitive and ruthless than it has ever been. Even with all these changes, there is still three little letters that can cause the most confident of students to worry: SAT.

With college admissions being as competitive as ever and the job market still suffering in many places, a college education is as important as ever. One of the most daunting hurdles between many students and their future college careers is the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT. One test and the number it provides is the difference, for many students, between acceptance and rejection when it comes to college applications.

Fortunately, in all the changes the digital age has brought into the world, there have been some major advances in SAT prep courses. SAT prep was once an expensive affair, requiring students to set aside time for extra classes and their parents to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on books and administration fees. Even with the books and fees, many times, prep courses overflow with students. Lost in the crowd, these students sometimes miss valuable personal attention that would make the difference between average scores and excellent scores.

Now, with the Internet, it is possible for a student to get a fully customized SAT prep course built to suit their needs. Students can take learn the information and take the practice tests on a timetable that suits their lifestyle. If there are any questions or trouble areas, it is as simple as reviewing the material and practicing until they know the content. With feedback and the ability to track their progress, confidence builds in a visible and meaningful way, allowing students to walk into their SAT with the knowledge that they can, and will, do well.

Best of all, this can now be obtained for free. With such an importance placed upon higher education in the workplace and global economy, there are very few things that a person can do at absolutely no cost to increase their chances of success. With no time obligations or upfront fees, what once was a service available to those who could afford it, is now easily accessible and ready to help anyone willing to take the time and take advantage of the offerings.

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06.11

8:05

How Much Time Should I Spend Studying For The SAT?

Taking the SAT is an important step when planning to attend college. Every student has a different learning style, so the time spent studying and preparing for the SAT varies greatly. It is recommended to take the PSAT first to measure the base score and then sign up for a free online SAT prep course to increase these results.

After analyzing the scores received for the PSAT, students are encouraged to take between six to twelve weeks to prepare for the final test, even if they were satisfied with their preliminary marks. It’s important to be have a strong understanding of the test layout as well as the types of questions that will be asked.

Scores can always be improved, so students are encouraged to take a few hours each week to study for the actual SAT in order to achieve higher results when it really counts. Resources like free SAT prep courses are available in order to receive practice questions and study suggestions for the test. Users of these tools can select questions from reading, mathematics and writing sections depending on areas they need the most improvement. With the lessons offered throughout these courses, students can learn at their own pace while getting useful feedback on subject areas where they need the most improvement. Also, practice tests can be taken several times and it is recommended to do so over the weekend, in order to get adjusted to waking up early in preparation of the real test. By studying with practice questions, students can gauge their improvement over the course of a few weeks.

SAT prep can make a difference when applying for scholarships and getting into first-choice colleges and universities. By enrolling in online SAT prep courses and utilizing the tools of free SAT prep, students can significantly improve their scores and by following these steps, they will learn study skills that prove useful in furthering their education.

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05.11

8:29

Learning versus Memorizing Vocabulary Words

Studies show that vocabulary is one of the best indicators of intelligence. Standardized tests like the SAT focus heavily on this in the reading comprehension and essay sections to demonstrate the ability to form abstract ideas and communicate them. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are more than one hundred thousand words in the English language. This is why it is important to start increasing your vocabulary early. But, picking up the dictionary and memorizing each word is not the best approach.

There is a huge difference between memorizing and learning. When memorizing, there is only a shallow glimpse into the full potential of the word. Maybe you know how to spell it and pronounce it. But, do you know the depths of its meaning? Not understanding the full meaning of a word can create a barrier when it comes creating sentences with the word or understanding abstract ideas when the word is used in reading material.

A great way to increase your vocabulary, especially if you are looking to enhance your scores on college entrance exams, is online SAT prep. Standardized test prep helps you learn rather than memorizing by introducing the word in the context that it is used. This is particularly true in the reading comprehension section of the exam. It also allows you to practice your knowledge of how a word should be used on the essay section. When taking a practice SAT exam, you will be exposed to dozens of unfamiliar words. The free SAT course goes at your pace so take your time in order to learn new vocabulary.

You can also take these new words, learn the context and try to use it when talking to your family and friends. This will create association with the word. Now you haven’t memorized a new vocabulary word, you’ve learned it.

You can use online SAT prep for vocabulary building exercises daily. Set a goal of learning one to two words per day. You will have a better understanding of the reading section on the test and be able to write stronger essays.

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Disclaimer: The SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board. Neither the College Board or the Graduate Admission Council is not affiliated and does not endorse this website. All marks are the property of their respective owners.

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