Relationship of the PSAT and National Merit Scholarship Explained. In mid-October, high school sophomores and juniors across the country will sit down to take the preliminary SAT (PSAT), a test that assesses students’ math, reading, and grammar capabilities. The PSAT offers students a preview of the SAT’s format and content and serves as a low-stakes… Read more »
Get back in the swing of things with these time management tips! A new school year is around the corner, and we hope that this one will allow for kids in classrooms and on sports fields rather than in pajamas and on Zoom! As regular school days and extracurricular activities pick up again this year,… Read more »
SSAT and ISEE vocabulary study plan tips If your child is preparing to take the SSAT or the ISEE this fall, chances are they will need to expand their vocabulary in order to do well on the verbal sections of the tests. The SSAT and the ISEE both test vocabulary words out of context,… Read more »
Schools could require the SSAT or ISEE, once again! We can help! Last year, due to COVID-19 school closures, many independent schools in the Washington, DC area either opted to administer their own “in house” virtual admissions exams or to go test optional or test blind rather than to require the SSAT or ISEE. While… Read more »
AP exams will cover the full AP curriculum Plan on taking the full-length regularly formatted Advanced Placement (AP) tests this May. Although COVID-19 has continued to disrupt the 2020-2021 school year for most students, the College Board has announced that its 2021 AP exams will be in the same format as usual and will cover… Read more »
College Board Places Greater Emphasis on Advanced Placement Tests On January 19, the College Board – maker of the SAT, Advanced Placement (AP) Tests and SAT Subject Tests – announced that effective immediately, it will no longer offer SAT Subject Tests in the United States and that it will discontinue the SAT Essay after the… Read more »
In response to the many questions we’ve received about science tutoring at the college level, Marks Education is pleased to announce that we have a stable of excellent science tutors who can help students at both the college and high school levels. We recently added Farah Khan to our team. Farah majored in psychology at… Read more »
What are the HSPT and the SSAT? Are they Different? Many students applying to independent high schools are required to take standardized tests as part of the admissions process. In the Washington, DC area, the majority of Catholic high schools require the High School Preparation Test (HSPT) while many secular schools require the SSAT or… Read more »
Applying to an Independent School in Fall 2020? COVID -19 has ushered in many changes this year to testing requirements for admissions to independent high schools in the Washington, DC area. Many schools have opted to go “test optional,” meaning that students may choose to submit standardized test scores but are not required to do… Read more »
As we gear up for the fall, it’s becoming clear that school might not look the same as usual. Tasked with balancing the safety of their students with the imperatives of providing an excellent education, many school districts are implementing full online school for the fall or a hybrid solution that blends online learning with… Read more »
Looking to improve your critical reading and writing skills? As students move through middle and high school, they are asked to navigate a diverse and challenging range of texts. Continued academic success increasingly depends on the ability to read, comprehend, and write about a broad array of material. However, with the pressure of regular academic… Read more »
We are here for you during these trying times. The coronavirus has brought us into uncharted territory in many respects. Parents and students understandably have questions about missed school, cancelled standardized tests and the college application process generally. The most important thing to keep in mind from a college admissions perspective is that admissions readers… Read more »
College Board and the ACT announce more changes! Both the College Board and the ACT announced further changes to future administrations of their tests this week. The College Board announced that it is cancelling the June 6 sitting of the SAT and SAT Subject tests but will offer tests in August, September, October, November… Read more »
Tips to help you prepare for the 2020 AP exams. This week, the College Board provided further guidance on this year’s AP tests including dates and question types. As we continue to support our students adjust to the changing testing landscape, Marks Education tutors brainstormed tips for this year’s unusual exams. 1. Get the right… Read more »
UPDATE :The College Board has announced in a tweet that the 2020 AP exams will all be open book/open note and will test more thematic understandings In response to the school closures resulting from the coronavirus outbreak, the College Board has announced significant changes to AP exams this May. This year the traditional in-school tests will… Read more »
University of California will keep the SAT and ACT It looks like the University of California will keep the SAT and ACT for now. A task force studying the use of standardized tests for admission to the University of California has concluded that it “does not recommend that UC make standardized tests optional for applicants… Read more »
What do Your PSAT Scores Mean? This week, most high school sophomores and juniors will receive their PSAT results. For many juniors, receiving their PSAT scores marks the beginning of a concerted push to get ready for the SAT or ACT. Other juniors may have already begun the test preparation process. For sophomores, PSAT scores… Read more »
Answer explanation videos are an excellent resource for students! Marks Education is happy to announce a new feature on our website that provides even greater benefits to students using our materials. We now have video answer explanations (311 so far!) for many math questions in our Comprehensive Guides to the SAT and ACT. Got… Read more »
You’ve never seen the ACT like this! Yesterday, the ACT announced three major changes to the administration and reporting of the test starting in September 2020. First, students will have the option of online testing in addition to paper testing. Second, the ACT board will offer superscore reporting to colleges. Finally, and perhaps most… Read more »
In our second part, Sarah Newport talks about her favorite meditation app, Calm. The benefits of meditation can’t be overstated. Studies show that regular meditation practice reduces stress, anxiety and other mental health issues such as phobias, depression and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. It promotes positive thinking, increases attention span and focus, reduces memory loss, fights… Read more »
An Overview of the HSPT As your child begins the high school admissions process, one of the tests he or she may need to take is the HSPT. The HSPT is administered to current 8th and 9th graders applying to independent high schools. In the DC area, many Catholic high schools require the HSPT as… Read more »
SSAT vs ISEE: This is one of the first decisions you have to make if your child has decided to apply for an independent school. Most independent schools will accept either admissions test (although you should always confirm this with the school). So what are some factors to consider as you decide which test is best… Read more »
SAT/ACT Don’t Rule out the Essay, Yet! Are you wondering whether you really need to take the ACT or SAT essay? Must you add that burden to the over 3-plus-hour exam you are already taking (over five hours if you have extended time)? How many schools actually require the essay, anyway? You may have heard… Read more »
Test Prep Tutoring Summer Tips! What comes to mind when you think of summer? I’m thinking about lazing around the pool or spending time with family at the beach. Before we dig our feet in the sand, let’s make sure our kids are ready for those standardized tests. If your child is taking the SSAT,… Read more »
September has arrived and with it the opportunity for a fresh beginning with a new academic year. To help students make good use of the precious time they have, we would like to share some time management techniques our students have used to great effect. Creating a Planner Students sometimes balk at investing time in… Read more »
Which test is better for you, the ACT or SAT? Don’t go on a hunch! Use scores to help you find the test that will give you an advantage. Below are the steps we recommend and a scoring table to help you compare scores on the new SAT to those on the ACT and even the… Read more »
Are you concerned about the score you received for your ACT Writing section from September or October 2015? Did it differ substantially from your composite score? You are not alone. Over the past few months, test preparation and college counseling listservs have lit up with concern about the new ACT writing section and discrepancies in scores. Here’s… Read more »
Why It Changed and How You Should Prepare “Radically revisionist” “A positive step” towards “independent thinking, cooperative inquiry, evidence, and open discussion.” “A distorted and incomplete understanding of our American story.” “Designed to teach students to think like historians….” It’s hard to imagine that an Advanced Placement test could inspire such passion and discord, but… Read more »
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