For Our Clients
The 2011-2012 SAT Student Bulletin Answers
& Explanations and 2011-2012 SAT Program Presenters Update Guide are now available. Please contact us for how to
obtain your free copies of these publications.
The 2011-2012 ACT Student Bulletin Answers & Explanations is now available. Please contact
us for how to obtain your free copy of this publication.
The 2011 PSAT Student Bulletin Answers & Explanations and 2011-2012 PSAT Program Presenters Update
Gude will be available in early September, 2011. Please contact us for how to obtain your free copies of these publications.
For More Information about the SAT and PSAT, contact : www.Collegeboard.org
For More
Information about the ACT, contact: www.ACT.org
If
you cannot get the answers you need, please contact us at TestGuys@aol.com. We will be happy to help you.
For
Parents and Students
There are
many ways to prepare for the SAT, PSAT, or ACT available today. There are computer programs, Internet programs, self-help
books, and very expensive commerical courses. Let's talk some facts briefly here:
1. These tests are "pencil and paper" exams. Practicing on a computer, the Internet,
or on a cell phone (yes, there are such apps) would be as useful as your athletic teams doing the same for the games they
play. Think about this for a second. If your (for example) football team were not allowed to practce outside exactly
like the game is to be played, but were allowed to practice all the computer/Internet football available, what do you think
the outcome would be on a given Friday night? The only way to practice
for these exams is to do so under timed conditions with pencil, real tests, and a calculator. The only self-help books
of marginal use are "The Official SAT Study Guide" (about $22) and "The Real ACT" (about $30 because
they recently added a CD). Each of these books contain real "past" tests. The SAT book contains 10 real
past tests. The ACT contains 3 tests, but also includes the explanations to each question in their sample tests (this
is somewhat valuable but the explanations seem to be written for educators and not for students). All other self-help
books that promise to beat, crack, or ace the test should be avoided. Their practice tests are made-up in-house.
While their practice tests resemble the real tests, they are not the real thing. ALWAYS PRACTICE THE REAL THING!
2. Our almost 30 years in this business of
standardized testing has taught us one important thing about test preparation courses: The course does not have to cost a
lot to help a student do his/her best. In fact, the cost is not the most important thing about a prep course.
The most important thing is: How qualified is the course instructor(s) and what does the course cover? The most important
questions you should ask any company trying to get you to enroll in one of their courses are:
"What qualifies your instructor(s) to conduct this course?" Moonlighting teachers
or grad students given a two-week training course does not make them experts in these tests. "Who are
your instructors and how were they trained?"
"Will
you use REAL tests to practice in your course?" You have to practice the real thing under timed and controlled
conditions...pure and simple.
"How can you "guarantee"
a score increase?" "Will I (we) get my (our) money back if your guarantee is not achieved?" First
of all, it is bewildering to us how anyone can "guarantee" a score increase while not even knowing what the student
is capable of beforehand. And, there are no real "money back" guarantees. If one is given, count on
it being so qualified that the requirements are almost impossible to meet. Most commercial courses that offer "guarantees"
say that a student can take the course again if the "guarantee" is not met. We don't call this a "guaranteed
score increase." We call this "taking the course again." Few student do this, by the way.
If you have questions about prep courses, email or call us. We have
29+ years of experience in this business. Our expertise will help you make the best decision for you or your student.
