Do You Have to Take the SAT?

If you are seeking admission to your dream college, then the answer is a big YES!

The Scholastic Aptitude Test or the more popularly known as SAT test is one of the most renounced and popular exams taken up by high school students seeking a college education. It is a common assessment given by millions of students around the world who want to get accepted into colleges easily, without the hassle of separate optional tests and high school scores being taken into consideration.

Although the SAT is not the only way to get accepted into college. A lot of children do believe otherwise and an obvious question they ask is ‘Should I look for SAT tutoring near me?’

Directors of undergraduate admissions of various universities believe that the SAT test is not the only deciding factor when it comes to offering students admission. It serves as an observation towards the dedication and seriousness of a student with regard to their academic preparation, and makes it easier for them to select kids from an enormous pool of applicants from around the world.

Different universities have different priorities when it comes to offering admissions, for example Duke considers letters of recommendation from the school and extra-curricular activities as a priority. They seek students who are active socially and intellectually in the community. At Cal Tech the admissions panel gives importance to the realm of Math and Science activities outside the classroom. Similarly, other universities may hold other parameters as priorities while admitting students to their colleges.

These days educationists and counselors are starting to realize the amount of anxiety that standardized tests cause in high school kids. It’s not uncommon for students and parents alike to look for the right SAT practice test or SAT tutoring service or even SAT online courses. Hence many universities are open to other options for the admission process. Students also opt for the ACT test which is a bit different from the SAT test, although universities accept either test scores 90% of the time. The ACT test places more emphasis on math and science concepts as compared to the SAT which focuses on vocabulary instead. 

The score of all the sections of the ACT test are looked at cumulatively, compared to the SAT test which requires a certain score for each section separately. Hence if you are weak in one section, you have a chance to make up for it in another section given that it’s the ACT test. Also, the questions are way more straightforward on the ACT test as compared to the SAT test. Given the pros and cons of the SAT test and ACT test, students can decide which test they’ll be most comfortable with and which universities accept either of them. If students are hoping to get into the top and elite universities, the SAT test or ACT test is a major requirement to apply to such universities. This is because it serves as a benchmark in terms of your academics, combined with other extracurricular activities.

This gives us an idea that the SAT test is a doorway to receiving a college education, although it isn’t the only doorway. There are other factors which are as important which come into play. Various universities do accept the test-optional approach too combined with high school GPAs, such as Liberal Arts colleges and community colleges. There is a whole list of such colleges online, which can accordingly help you decide whether you want to take up the SAT test or not. Deciding whether to register for the SAT test or not is entirely a personal choice. There is no wrong or right answer when it comes to making this decision. But this choice should be made cautiously keeping in mind your future plans and interests. Students can always consider the help of educational counselors and online SAT tutoring to decide the best plan of action.

To help you decide better giving an idea of the SAT test process and all that’s required, an online SAT Prep course is also a great option. These courses can walk you through the portion and syllabus of the SAT subjects, help you evaluate your strength and weaknesses - all from the comfort of your own home. Parents and students can also try with a free trial lesson to get a gist of the online SAT prep help offered, along with other services such as free worksheets and counseling. It is best to decide which test to give or not at the earliest. Making life changing decisions at the last minute could prove to be harmful to a student’s career and future. So go ahead and start researching your favorite colleges and their requirements to get into your dream university!

How to Prepare for the SAT: 10- Step Guide

Now that students are moving into their senior year and aiming to get into their dream college, the research and college application processes are on. Apart from this, the most popular college entry-level assessment, the SAT test is a factor which cannot be missed out on. Most students wanting a college education have to face the daunting fact of giving the SAT test and securing a good score. The chances of getting accepted into a good university become bleak if the SAT test isn’t taken seriously. We all know that the SAT can test a child’s mental abilities in various ways, from quantitative aptitude to vocabulary and grammar. Hence it is always better to start your preparation a few months before hand. Here are a few steps which can be taken in order to kick start your SAT preparation and get through it with ease:-

Diagnose your strengths and weaknesses early on. Even if you don’t plan to start your SAT prep right away, there is no harm in solving a SAT practice test to identify your strengths and weaknesses. If you are a freshman or a sophomore, then the best options is to take up the PSAT test which will familiarize with the SAT format and also give you a detailed description of how you’ve performed in each section along with explanations. The PSAT is designed like the SAT test in order to make students comfortable early on. There are various SAT practice tests available online which can show you where you stand in terms of your preparation. This will give a good head start to your SAT prep which can and highlight the areas needing more of your attention.

Start reading. This is an important aspect when it comes to the SAT test. A major part of the SAT test are these five dense and long passages which need to be understood within an hour. So the mind has to be tuned to reading and breaking down such passages within a stipulated time. It is best to start reading up on articles in newspapers and magazines, which are related to world affairs and general knowledge. Usually, most high schools are inclined towards fictional reading to keep students interested for longer; but for your SAT prep, nonfiction reading will be most useful as four of the five passages given in the SAT will NOT be related to fiction in any way. “Never underestimate the power of reading, for it will never go waste in any lifetime.”

Concept Cramming. This is a common mistake made by students who are in a hurry to complete their SAT syllabus. Studying for 10 hours a day and cramming 20 concepts isn’t counted as is not a productive study session. Students can enroll for SAT online courses to allow a schedule of maximum of 2-3-hours of studying at a stretch. This allows students to fully understand and absorb a few concepts, which can be committed to memory and retained when needed in the future. It is also important to take short breaks amid your study sessions to assimilate all that information.

Increase your vocabulary. This is an important aspect not only to write an impressive SAT essay but also help in comprehending the reading passages. A vast vocabulary definitely shows quality on your SAT exam. Try to start reading non-fictional books and articles. In case you come across new words, make a note of their meanings in a way you would remember. Make the College Board’s suggested reading list of articles and books a part of your online SAT prep. This could serve you well while reading passages or writing essays for the SAT exam. This skill shall benefit you not only in the SAT exam, but in all your future endeavors.

The magic of mental math. Preparing for SAT math can be a daunting and time consuming experience with the innumerable practice sheets. Practicing mental math and getting used to perform simple calculations mentally can save up a lot of time on the day of the test. This is because one of the two SAT Math sections does not allow students to use a calculator, so deriving equations during the test is a waste of precious time. There are various shortcut methods and example problems available on an online SAT prep course, to help you speed up your mental math.

Familiarize yourself with the details. During your SAT preparation, it is always better to familiarize yourself with the structure of the SAT exam, and also the type of questions usually asked. This can save you valuable time on the test which would otherwise be wasted reading and understanding instructions. Make sure you keep a tab of the time limit given for each section, and accordingly practice to complete questions within that time frame. This can help you increase your speed and accuracy when you attempt the assessment. Learn how to balance precision with speed from an online SAT tutoring service.

Find an SAT Test prep partner.The journey of preparing for the SAT test can seem to be a tumultuous and confusing one. So it’s always better to team up with one of your friends or classmates when prepping for the SAT. Exchanging notes, study tips and strategies can make it an exciting experience, as well as more effective. This can also help you keep each other accountable during your preparation. Even having the support of your family and friends can help you to pull yourself together during those difficult time periods, and prepare consistently. Often the question posed is ‘Is there a good SAT tutoring near me?’ For these students, seeking help from one of the online SAT courses for a higher SAT score is good option.

Use the correct SAT prep materials. Due to the popularity of SAT test prep, various SAT tutoring services are available online. It is better to identify the best type of SAT prep course for you depending upon your abilities and requirements. There are a lot of SAT content out there but not all would be pertinent. Hence it is better to check out a particular SAT test prep course before committing to it. Etutorworld provides a free SAT trial lesson that can help you identify the best action plan for your SAT prep, before paying for any of the SAT services provided. Free worksheets, guidance and counseling are available on the online SAT prep course along with Customized tutoring sessions at affordable prices.

Keep practicing. Even though you are confident with a particular concept, never give up revising and practicing it to keep it fresh in your memory. Set aside time to take full-length mock tests and use a timer, to test your combined speed and accuracy. After each SAT practice test, check your answers and make a mental note of the mistakes made. This does sound like a tedious task, but it will definitely pay off as you approach the SAT test. Because as it’s rightly said “Practice makes perfect.”

Do not sweat studying on the eve of the SAT. This does sound weird and impossible to do, considering how high the stakes are. But it is a best to be relaxed and well rested before attending the SAT. Last minute studying and cramming remaining topics can lead to stress and lower your confidence. What’s better is to spend some time with family and friends, or engage yourself in a fun activity, to take your mind off the test and make you feel rejuvenated. Because you’re most likely already prepared for the SAT after months of hardwork, and a few hours of extra sleep would be more beneficial than harmful.

The Story behind the SAT

The SAT tests have been a major deciding factor when it comes to college admissions for high school students every year. It is also being realized that the SAT is an important parameter to determine students’ IQ and learning abilities to prepare them for college education. Children with a good SAT score usually perform well in college and beyond.

Considering the above, a student’s next question is ‘How do I identify the right SAT tutoring near me?’ The truth is that SAT tutoring can be a costly affair. Students and parents spend exorbitant amounts of money and time on classes and expensive SAT tutors for their definite success. But with the advent of online SAT tutoring services,  it has taken a load off from the shoulders of parents who can rely on such SAT online courses with a 30 day guaranteed refund just in case. To start with, a SAT practice test is used to diagnose a student’s SAT taking skills, based on which the  online SAT prep is individualized for the student.

 This concept of a generalized assessment and give all kids an equal opportunity to study further has been around for a while, since the 1920s. It all started with this guy named Carl Campbell Brigham, who was a Princeton University professor. He used to assist Army Mental Tests to recruit soldiers into jobs which tested a person’s innate mental capacity (IQ). The problem was that these ‘Army tests’ were extremely biased and slanted towards just a specific type of domain, with knowledge pertaining to brand names, cuts of beef and baseball trivia. This sparked the curiosity of Brigham to further investigate the use of such tests, and he decided to come up with the idea to make undergraduate testing mandatory for all types of people. Back then, college education was considered a privilege only for the wealthy and upper-class. Only 1 out of 25 high school students could receive a college education.

On the other hand, college presidents from 12 of the most elite universities (Cornell, Columbia, NYU and others) formed the College Entrance Examination Board (aka the College Board).They decided to develop a standardized admissions exam which was first held in 1901, known as the “College Boards”.  This test consisted of essay questions based on Latin, Greek and Physics and took 5 days to complete. Although a certain fee was to be paid for all those who wanted to take up the assessment.

The College Board noticed the way these Army Mental tests were conducted for a large number of soldiers, and decided to rethink their approach towards testing university applicants. That’s when Brigham’s idea was taken up by the College Board to make undergraduate testing mandatory, and assigned him to invent a universal entry exam. This gave birth to the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the SAT.

The first SAT test was taken up in 1926 as an experiment by only a few thousand high school students. Since most of the universities still stuck to their idea of having their own version of assessment tests for high school applicants, it made the SAT test redundant. Until 1942 during World War II, the war caused all pre-existing College Board admissions to be abolished, making the SAT test as the only option to fall back on for millions of applicants. By 1961, the SAT test was given by over 800,000 students each year.

The original SAT had 9 domains - 7 based on verbal skills and 2 based on math. Some of the domains entitled were – Number Series, Antonyms, Artificial Language, Logical Inference and Paragraph Reading. In the coming decades, these domains were eliminated and reinstated according to the changing educational system.

The SAT test was viewed by the College Board as a test of pure intelligence regardless of the quality of high school education received by the student. It opposed the idea of rote memorization and knowledge only possessed by the wealthy class. Unfortunately, some university boards which tried to deny admission to minorities believed that intelligence was only possessed by higher races. Based on this theory, they adopted the SAT tests as a part of their admission process. This perceived image of the SATs did cause a stir amongst people, forcing the College Board to change its content, administration and increase accessibility, making it even more popular amongst the middle-class and minorities in the coming years. Those were the times when an Online SAT prep Course was unimaginable!

The SAT test has always faced cultural criticism to this day, which the College Board has attempted to counter since its inception. Major revisions in the process of how the SAT test is conducted took place in 1994 and 2005, where reading passages were improved to resemble what is taught in high schools and colleges. Even the elimination of the Antonyms section was made along with availability of calculators for the first time, and the essay section was made optional. The SAT also faced competition from the ACT test for the first time in 1959, pressurizing the College Board to make the SAT test familiar to the rest of the world through international advertisements.

Thus, the invention of the SAT test did bring about a certain revolution in college admissions, giving kids from all sections of society an opportunity to pursue a college education leading to better lives. But there are still some factors which need to be considered in order to make the SAT a better experience for every applicant; and is constantly updated, in order to keep up with the changing education system and changing world with every generation.

Get Ahead to Stay Ahead in Geometry This Summer

As a parent, you worry about how you can do the best for your children to help them get into a good university. There’s one option that is growing in popularity - summer learning. Summer learning is about making the most of the 10-week long summer break which is fun but also results in the dreaded summer slide.

Online summer tutoring can be especially useful for high-level math subjects, such as algebra and geometry. Unfortunately, tutoring can be expensive and difficult to find the appropriate tutor in your local area. Online tutoring courses offer an alternative to in-person tutoring with the same benefits but with greater convenience. This summer, here is how you can use a geometry online summer course to help your kids get ahead at school and beyond.

Preview Courses

Tutoring does more than just build skills. Your child can take an online summer class on geometry to preview the class before taking it at school when the grades actually count. Many children find geometry difficult to comprehend, understand and solve. You can give your kid an advantage by learning underlying concepts of the geometry course. This can help your child perform better at school, on advanced placement tests, and standardized exams like the SAT, PSAT, SCAT and SSAT.

Prevent the Summer Slide

Children can lose anything from one to three months’ worth of school learning during the summer months, as when they do not get consistent learning opportunities. What is known as the summer slide especially occurs at higher grade levels and in math subjects. Geometry summer tutoring helps your kid prevent the slide by engaging with middle school and high school level math instructions and assignments. Learning and practicing math during summer helps ease the transition back into the new school year.

Identify Gaps in Learning

A summer tutorial session in geometry can help you identify and close gaps in your children’s learning. Math courses build on one another, and a gap in fundamental learning in one course can damage your child’s potential in a higher-level course. Use a summer tutoring service, such as eTutorWorld, that provides an assessment in key concepts to determine if your child is missing any fundamental information that could prevent her from succeeding in their courses.

Learn New Study Skills

Your child can benefit from learning study skills and strategies from an online summer tutoring course in geometry. Instead of only teaching your child about the subject, tutors also teach students how to tackle a geometry problem and improve question comprehension, note-taking strategies, participation in class, and problem solving. Your kids can even learn to effectively handle test anxiety, set goals for their academic progress, organize their materials, and setup an appropriate study environment. Online tutoring has the added benefit of teaching children technology associated with distance learning that can be useful in college.

A geometry online summer course can help your child advance in their studies for geometry and further academic pursuits. The convenience of studying online merged with the benefits of summer tutoring in geometry gives your children the momentum to perform their best at school and beyond.

A Summer Math Program Aims to Improve Odds of Success in Algebra

Success in math is often indicative of success in higher education, so it makes sense that so many students would seek out help with foundations courses like Algebra I and II. Now that school is out and students are transitioning into their much-needed vacations, many driven students are seeking out the help they require in order to improve their odds of success in the future. Doing so not only shows a great deal of drive, but it also proves the need for support in this vital area of education.

Summer Algebra 1 courses are growing in popularity not just among those students who struggled in the class during the school year, but also among those students who want to get ahead before the start of the new school year. In a dedicated, math-friendly environment students are given the chance to focus only on a single subject and are given all the tools they need to master the basic concepts of Algebra.

A solid Algebra 1 summer offering is a combination of tutoring, boot camp, and original instruction. Gifted math instructors can help students to shore up their previous math weaknesses, build upon their strengths, and get a grasp of new concepts during the summer when they don't have to worry quite as much about other subjects monopolizing their time. It's a great way to not only assess where a student currently stands with math but to help students to see their own potential.

An Algebra 1 summer course is an ideal way for students who are math-phobic to learn the tips and tricks they'll need to succeed not just in their introductory algebra courses, but even in advanced math courses that they will take in the future. A huge part of this type of programming is learning how to demystify math, breaking each lesson down into its component parts and helping students to develop more of a math-friendly mindset. With time and instruction, even those students who have the hardest time with math will find themselves feel much more confident.

Choosing a good math summer course is a great idea for any student who wants to improve their math skills and their overall confidence in school. Being able to master a concept like Algebra is a great way to prove to any student that they can do whatever they set their mind to, leading to success in multiple subjects. Whether you're looking at helping a student to get ahead in math or to help them feel more confident in subjects that are outside of their comfort zone, helping them to enroll in a good Algebra I summer class will help to improve their odds of success in Algebra and beyond.

This Summer Get Ready To Learn Algebra Fast

Why study algebra? This is one question that is often asked by most middle and high school students. It is discernible that when a student needs to learn a subject with poor understanding, it’ll lead to disinterest and frustration.

However, you can have a fun and productive summer for your child. Enroll her in an online summer school program in algebra with etutorworld, leaders in online tutoring. They offer personalized, interactive and effective online summer courses, where learning is made easy and exciting from the comfort, convenience and privacy of your home.  This is an ideal platform for your child to shed inhibitions towards learning, without feeling mindful of her peers. Strengthen and build your budding professional’s confidence and help her overcome the fear and confusion associated with math learning.

Give your child an advantage of forearming herself for an eventual satisfying, well paid work life. In the present day environment of the 21^st century, careers in modern technologies - mobile phones, internet, digital televisions, genetics and the likes require algebra.

Benefits of learning algebra

• Helps develop critical thinking skills
• Improves problem solving, making logical deductions

Opens up the gateway to other STEM subjects like – engineering, computer science, economics, food sciences, environmental sciences, medicine, pharmacy, psychology to name a few eTutorWorld offers the following online summer courses in math

• Pre-algebra
• Algebra 1
• Algebra 2
• Geometry

Pre-algebra Summer Course –

• Pre-algebra is a prerequisite for learning detailed and higher level concepts of algebra 1 and algebra 2 at high school and beyond.
• Students from grade 5 on wards usually start learning pre algebra.
• Pre-algebra curriculum includes the basics of arithmetic and geometry that are needed in our daily life.

\Our algebra tutors are experienced at handling young scholars of all academic abilities as may be needed at an individual level to help our students master the subject. They use the Learning by 

Design teaching methodology to ensure lifelong retention and total learning.

Algebra 1 Summer Course – helps solve problems in a flash providing a foundation for all future math courses. It’s a highly personalized course that allows you to interact to a live tutor, share documents and assignments and even use an interactive shared white board during the tutoring sessions. The teacher starts by diagnosing your abilities in algebra to get a better understanding of your strengths and concepts that need improvement.

Our online summer courses are supported with weekly reviews and summer school work sheets to help retain the collectively worked on concepts and measure the progress achieved.

Algebra 2 Summer Course – Helps bettering, therefore enhancing your algebraic skills further to provide and help gain an edge to excel at school, college and beyond.

Some examples of how we use algebra in our daily life

In cooking – helps with ratios in a recipe, also to alter the proportions when catering for a higher or lower no of people.

• Calculating expenses, interest rates when lending or borrowing money, managing funds
• Used in banking
• In sports -to aim for the goal and keep score
• Calculate distance, speed in the automobile industry
• Any form of science needs algebra as a fundamental
• Useful in construction
• Technology

The first tutoring lesson @ eTutorWorld for every student is FREE. Else you can start with a diagnostic test for any subject to assess your skills.

High School Geometry Tutor paves the way to Apply Concepts of Algebra to Geometry

Architectural marvels like the Note Dame cathedral, the Egyptian pyramids and all those beautiful palaces, bridges or churches are beyond art. They have been loved and appreciated over times immemorial and stand the test of time. They are perfect examples of amalgamation of algebra and geometry skills, as well as applying algebraic concepts to geometry. For most middle and high school students, architecture may be still a long way to go. However what they need to do now is learn the basics of algebra and geometry for which tutoring and personal attention provided by a Geometry Tutor or by Algebra Online Tutoring is next to essential.

Math is a combination of geometry, algebraic equations, calculus and many more topics that are taught independently. Gradually, a student progresses from one math level into the other, learning all the necessary concepts. It is important for students to be exact in each of these topics. This in turn requires the student to be resilient, patient and hard-working coupled with regular mentoring from an experienced and qualified tutor. Amongst these varied topics, let us have a look at the relevance of applying algebraic concepts to geometry:

Geometry deals with shapes and figures in two and three dimensions. Some of these are made of straight lines while others have curved lines. These concepts are best explained by a teacher at school or a personal Geometry Tutor, giving the students adequate input and practice on calculations pertaining to size, volume, surface areas and lengths. As the pupil progresses with Geometry, he needs to find values of variables from the given figures. This requires knowledge of algebra involving equations, constants, variables, functions and so on that needs a systematic and sequential approach. Algebra skills can be perfected only with constant and regular practice provided by Algebra Online Tutoring.

An experienced High School Geometry Tutor gradually helps a student build upon all her Math skills equally, making significant progress in every tutoring session.  Or else, a student left to study on her own may focus on one math concept while another concept is not well learned. For example, a student might love geometry, yet lack the skill in algebra to find the missing measurement of an angle in a triangle. By virtue of student’s interest or school curriculum many of these lacunae go unnoticed in school performance or are identified too late to be rectified at school.

Thankfully, the advent of technology and personalized online tutoring in English, Math and Science have helped students improve their knowledge and grades.To cover the gap between students’ skills in algebra and geometry and the application of one upon the other, eTutorWorld has well designed online summer courses to give a student the right learning environment and contact with Algebra tutors and Geometry Tutors.

Searching online for a ‘math tutor’ is generic and will display profiles of tutors teaching anything from a counting to differential calculus. However, looking for a service as specific as ‘Algebra Online Tutoring’ or even ‘High School Geometry Tutor’ will throw up the required results. Why not give it a try right away?