College Counseling & SAT/ACT

Prep:  Exploring Synergies

Jay Rosner, The Princeton Review Foundation

Rachel Fried, Making Waves Traci Kirtley, College Possible

NPEA Conference, April 25, 2014 Copyright © 2014 Jay Rosner

Economic  (Educa,onal)  Inequality:    The  Majority  of  Public  School  Students  in  17  States  are  Low-­‐Income  (2011)  

Southern  Educa,on  Founda,on  Study,  2013  

Some SAT/ACT Questions to Start

�  From students: Which test should I take? When? How many times? Should I do anything to prepare?

�  From counselors: how do I best answer those questions? Should my school target one test? If so, which one?

�  For participants: Which is the prevalent test in your area? What are your initial questions?

Princeton Review Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

Advocacy: Test critic, ETS & Aff Act cases

Programs:

� High schools (KIPP, etc.) – work w/staff to change culture

� National & Regional Partnerships – Hispanic Scholarship Fund, UW Dallas, Cherokee Nation Foundation, etc.

�  ACT & SAT (LSAT, GRE, GMAT & MCAT)

Big Picture SAT/ACT Concepts

For students, pro-active (aggressive), prepared

�  SAT – guessing; ACT – speeded

For schools, energized environment

�  Stamina for 3 - 3.75, role modeling

�  Confidence, calm from preparation

Language is important for empowerment

�  Discomfort (not anxiety, fear), test skew

Reduce stereotype threat

�  High standards/ability, growth mindset

Alignment:    What  Should  a  “College  Prep”    High  School  Provide  for  Students?      

ExtraCur

SAT/ACT

GPA(academics)

ExtraCur

SAT/ACT

GPA(academics)

4-­‐Yr  Sel.  Col.  Admissions:  Applica,on  “Weights”  

Typical  “College  Prep”    High  School  Expenditures  

Average  SAT  (M  +  CR)  Scores  by  Family    Income  and  Race/Ethnicity  (2001  Data)  

Source:    2001  California  SAT  Report,  The  College  Board  

Number  of  SAT  Takers,  American  Indians  10,677  (‘97),  to  7,622  (‘01),  to  9244  (‘11)    

 Source:    College  Board  web  site  

0

200000

400000

600000

800000

2001 2011

Blacks Hispanics Am Ind Whites Asians

Number  of  ACT  Takers,  American  Indians:    10,830  (‘99),  11,386  (‘01),  to  14,970  (‘11)  

Source:    ACT  Web  Site  

How  Some  Students  See  the  SAT/ACT  

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What  Jay  Tells  Students:    What  Do  the  SAT/ACT  Measure?  

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For Students: Jay’s Opinion of What The SAT/ACT Measure

�  How intelligent you are? No.

�  How well you’ll do in college? No. (only helps somewhat in FY GPA)

�  How good you are on SAT/ACT? YES !

If you have a high test score, it means that you’re good at the test.

�  Can you improve your score? YES! Here’s what you need to do …

Presentation to Students: What is “Preparing Intensively?”

ACT/SAT Prep minimums (course or self-study):

�  1.5 - 2 hours per day, of high-quality practice …

building up to a few 3-3.75 hr/days in the week before the official test

�  5-6 days per week

�  5-6 weeks, right up to the official test

�  3-4 practice tests, spaced out properly.

Less risks a lower-than-your-best score. (SMUS)

What I say to HS students …

How  Many  Official  SATs  or  ACTs  Should    A  Student  Plan  To  Take?  

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How Many Times … ?

�  How many times should you plan to take the

official SAT or ACT?

Once. Prep well, and get it right the first time.

But, have a fallback date planned, only if needed,

and it’s better if you don’t use it.

�  Why not plan for 2, or 3, or more times?

Won’t the odds be better? Feeding the pig …

�  More is not always better in this domain.

More  is  not  always  beJer  …  

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Suggestions for Counselors

�  Pick the SAT or ACT, and a target test date

�  Do a practice test (for stamina)

�  Try to set up some test prep for the target test, get materials for other students

�  One suggested goal: minimize the test prep you do, maximize its effectiveness

�  Your ideas?