TEST PREPARATION (SAT/ACT/SAT ii):
SAT
ACT
SAT ii
Timing
The SAT is offered 7 times a year in October, November, December, January, March, May and June
All students will take the PSAT in October of their junior year (although some students will also take it in their Sophomore year). This test is a purely for practice and colleges will never see the results. Students who score exceptionally well on the exam their junior year will qualify for the National Merit Scholarship.
PSAT results are released in December of the junior year and are a great diagnostic of a student’s strengths and weaknesses. Most students will take their first SAT in March of their junior year and then will take it a second time in either May or June of that year. If they must take it a third time, they should aim to take in either October or November of their senior year.
Starting in 2009, the SAT will offer score choice, so students can take the SAT as many times as they want and then can select which scores they want to submit. Starting this year students definitely want to take the SAT in March.
Format and Scoring
The SAT is a 3 hour and 45-minute exam that is divided into three sections: Reading, Math, and Writing. Each section is worth 800 points for a maximum score of 2400.
There are three reading sections on the test (2 25-minute sections and 1 20-minute section). Each section has two types of questions: Sentence Completions and Critical Reading, both short and long passages. This section tests reading comprehension and vocabulary.
There are also three math sections on the test (2 25-minute sections and 1 20-minute section). The math sections test a student’s knowledge of Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Advanced Topics.
The Writing component is comprised of 2 multiple choice sections and 1 25-minute essay. The multiple choice sections (1 25-minute and 1 10-minute) test a student’s knowledge of grammar, and the essay is scored by two people for a maximum combined score of 12, which is then factored into the overall writing score.
Raw scores for each section are computed by awarding 1 point for every correct answer and deducting ¼ of a point for every wrong answer. Raw scores are then translated into overall scores. As a result of this “negative marking,” students should not randomly guess on the SAT.
Timing
The ACT is offered 6 times a year in September, October, December, February (only in some locations), April, and June.
The ACT is becoming more popular among students because it is more of a knowledge-based test than the SAT and students begin taking it as early as the fall of their junior year.
Students can take the ACT as many times as they want because the ACT offers score choice so students can select what scores they want to report.
Format and Scoring
The ACT is divided into four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science (plus an optional essay). Each section is scored out of a maximum of 36 points and then the composite score is computed by averaging the scores of the four subsections.
The English section is comprised of 75 multiple choice questions in 45 minutes that test grammar and rhetoric.
The Math component consists of 60 multiple choice questions in 60 minutes that test Arithmetic, Algebra, Geormetry, Trigonometry, and Pre-calculs.
The Reading section is comprised of 4 passages with a total of 40 questions in 35 minutes that test reading comprehension.
The Science section does not require any past knowledge of science, but instead tests students on interpretation of scientific data that is presented in tables, charts, and graphs. The section consists of 40 questions in 35 minutes.
The Essay lasts 30 minutes and is scored out of a maximum of 12 points.
Students are not penalized for wrong questions, so they should not leave any questions blank on the ACT.
Our Program
All students will begin by taking a diagnostic test and reviewing it (or a student’s PSAT) with an instructor. The instructor will then recommend a customized program for the student.
Most students start by taking a course, which is divided into 4 classroom sessions and 4 one-on-one sections.
Students will learn all the techniques and test-taking strategies in the classroom sessions and will then review their diagnostic tests (which are all real exams administered by a proctor).
Some students opt to supplement the course with additional private tutoring sessions, while others only partake in private tutoring.
Timing
SAT II exams are required by some schools in addition to either the SAT or the ACT.
Most students opt to take these in either May (especially if a student is taking an AP in the subject) or June of their junior years; however, some students will take them in the fall of their senior year.
If a student is advanced in a certain subject area, he or she may opt to take the exam in their sophomore year (i.e. World Hisory, Math Level 1).
Format
Each test is scored out of a maximum of 800 and last 1 hour. Students can take up to 3 exams in one test date.
Exams are given in the following subjects:
Literature
World History
U.S. History
Math Level 1 & 2
Biology E/M
Chemistry
Physics
Spanish
French
Italian
Latin
German
Chinese
Hebrew
Japanese
Korean
Our Program
Students will begin by taking a diagnostic test in each subject and will then review this diagnostic test with an instructor, who will recommend a customized program for the student.
Most students will start preparing for the SAT II exams in March of their junior years.
