SAT Exam Prep Tricks & Treats - A Halloween Story for you Scaredy Cats

'Twas the day of Halloween, and all of the students were in class showing off their costumes, anxiously waiting for the bell to ring and school to begin. 

Jenny, a little blonde-haired girl with blue eyes, was dressed as Cindarella, in a beautiful blue gown and blue head band. Greg, a little brown-haired boy with green eyes, was dressed as a vampire, with long fangs and blood coming out of his mouth. The bell rings, a eerie ring on Halloween, "BOOOO, BOOOOO, BOOOO" and all of the children laugh.

"Where is the SAT Exam Prep teacher?" Jenny inquires.

"If she doesn't show up for 10 minutes, we are allowed to leave" Greg replies. "Those are the rules".

After 5 minutes pass, the students are out of the chairs, getting wild, throwing candy, and playing with their costumes, when suddenly, the SAT Exam Prep Witch comes flying through the door.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" cackles the witch. "Hello all my little ones. Please, have a seat, pull out your vocabulary lists from yesterday, and let's review for the SAT exam."

"Is that you, Mrs. Firestone?" Jenny asks. 

"Well of course it's me, princess. Fangtastic. Let's get started. Take a look at this sentence, and tell me which of the 17 grammar errors is occurring".

The students look at the sentence written on the board in her red marker. "Ghouls just want to has fun".

Greg raises his hand, "Subject-Verb agreement!" 

"Goooooood, Greg. Here is some candy". Mrs. Firestone tosses Greg some candy corn.

 "How about this one? I not only summoned a ghost, but I banished it" says Mrs. Firestone. "Who sees the error?"

Jenny raises her wand, "An idiomatic error!"

"Wow Jenny, it looks like you ready to do very well on this SAT exam" says Mrs. Firestone as she giggles maniacally.

Jenny looks at Greg and spells out "C-R-E-E-P-Y" on her paper. They both laugh. 

"Ok my little children, time for a coffin break....I mean coffee." 

While Mrs. Firestone is in the other room, all of the lights go out. All of the children stay silent. The front door to the room creeks open slowly, and the "ghost of guessing" rushes into the room.

It's the ghost of guessing! A ghost which forces students to guess on problems when they haven't eliminated at least two answers giving them a statistical disadvantage to guess on the problem!

"NOOOOOOOOO" screams Greg who wants a perfect score.

"Please don't make us guess" screams Jenny, afraid she will lose her college scholarship by scoring less.

"HELP!" scream the college-bound children.

Mrs. Firestone rushes out of the back room, sees the ghost, and starts conjuring a spell to banish it. She says:

Before the SAT, You're Sure to Have a Fright,

But These Cool Ghouls go to School so they aren't Fools on this night

But We don't Guess on the problems that we don't really know,

Just as sure as a Jack-O-Lantern tonight will Glow.

So go away, only friendly ghosts are allowed here,

And Poof ghost, be gone, so all the children can cheer.

The ghost looks at Mrs. Firestone quizzically and says, "Is that all you've got? You think a little poem and SAT tricks are going to defeat me?"

The ghost slowly approaches Mrs. Firestone, and with all of the SAT exam prep training Jenny received, she is thinking on her feet. She grabs he 982 page SAT manual, pulls it way back over her head, and SWINGS it right into the ghost's head, but it all goes in one ear and out the other.

"Haha" laughs the ghost. "You think a one-size-fits-all-ghost-slaying approach is going to defeat me?"

Greg grabs Tried & True Tutoring's customized SAT manual, based on the initial assessment of the ghost, swings it at the ghost, and boom he goes down! A custom program for this specific ghost of guessing. That's the power of customization.

All of the children cheer for Greg and cheer:

YAY Greg, way to think on your feet! 

The SAT exam prep has prepared you to critically think. 

Now let's go ace the SAT Exam with the help of Tried & True Tutoring, 

and tonight we'll celebrate and and gather our treats.

Happy Halloween and good luck on the Oct 26th ACT and November 2nd SAT!

5 Key Differences Between SAT Exam Prep and ACT Test Prep

There are many differences between the SAT exam and ACT test, and today we are going to explore those differences and highlight the similarities. We are also going to decide which test is "better" to take. 

So what's the Difference Between the SAT Exam and the ACT Test?

SAT Exam Prep Book

The SAT Exam Prep Breakdown: The SAT is composed of 3 Sections - Math, Writing, and Critical Reading. The Math section covers content learned in school up until Algebra 2. The writing section is composed of Grammar questions (70% of writing score) and an Essay (30% of writing score). The Critical Reading section is composed of vocabulary questions, short-passage, and long-passage questions.

The SAT penalizes students for marking an incorrect answer. You get 1 point for a correct answer, and -1/4 of a point for an incorrect answer.

The SAT is organized in such a fashion that problems are positioned throughout sections in order of increasing difficulty. This means, you should not "guess" on the questions at the end of sections, as students are notoriously bad at guessing correctly on these questions.

ACT Exam Prep Book

The ACT Exam Prep Breakdown: The ACT is composed of 5 sections: English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. The Writing section of the ACT is optional. Some colleges require students to take the Writing Section, some colleges recommend students take it, and some colleges do not look at it at all. Find out what the schools your son or daughter are interested in require before you sign up.

The ACT questions are normally more straight forward than SAT questions, but the timing on the ACT is tougher than that on the SAT.

The ACT does not penalize a student for marking an incorrect answer. This means, if you don't know the answer, it is still best to guess. 

The section on the ACT that does not appear in any fashion on the SAT is the Science section. This section does not cover scientific knowledge (i.e, what is the role if the mitochondrion in an animal cell), but rather, a student's ability to make inferences given a data set either in chart, graph, or other form. 

Should I Take the SAT Exam or ACT Test?

There is no clear-cut answer here. It depends on what school you want to attend (some prefer SAT, some ACT, some want both). It also depends on your initial SAT or ACT Diagnostic exam results. Go take the free ACT or SAT assessment at Tried & True Tutoring, and we will go from there!

How to Take a Free SAT & ACT Diagnostic:

SAT Customized Curriculum Based on SAT Diagnostic

Take a Free SAT Exam Diagnostic or ACT Test Diagnostic, and Receive a Full Score Report by Credentialed Teachers for Free. You can do that at Tried & True Tutoring by simply registering your e-mail address! Just go to www.triedandtruetutoring.com, scroll over the "Students Tab" and click on "FREE SAT" or "FREE ACT", and fill in your e-mail address and create your password!

I took the ACT and SAT Diagnostic Exams, now what?

You will receive a full, detailed score report and customized analysis from a credentialed teacher in your e-mail. Now you want to compare your ACT to SAT scores. There is an easy way to convert SAT to ACT Scores:

Calculate Your SAT and ACT Conversion:

Look at your Base SAT and ACT Score. If you have your ACT score (out of 36 with a national average of 20), MULTIPLY it by 66.6666667. This is your SAT equivalent. If you have your SAT Score (out of 2400 with a national average of 1500), DIVIDE it by 66.6666667. This is your ACT equivalent. Compare, and see if you are much better on one exam over the other.

What if I already took the SAT or ACT Exam? Do I have to take another Diagnostic?

It depends on how recently you took the exam, but credentialed SAT and ACT experts at Tried & True Tutoring can look at your exam scores, and write you a full, detailed analysis from the score report you provide to us. Just give us a call, and find out what free services we can provide for you!

How Do I Prep for the SAT Exam and the ACT Test?

After taking the initial diagnostic exam, you will want to develop a game plan or curriculum so you can study the specific areas that will increase your score the most. The SAT Exam Prep books are very large and daunting, so it is important to identify what your weaknesses are, so you do not waste time studying what you already know.

Tried & True Tutoring's credentialed teachers can develop a curriculum for you, if you sign up for one of their SAT or ACT Prep programs. 

Feel free to e-mail info@triedandtruetutoring.com or call (747) 444-9907 with any academic related questions, or SAT Exam Prep or ACT Test Prep questions.

The Taming of the Algebra Tutor - Summer Ends, School Begins

Well, September is around the corner and Labor Day is here. Summer is winding down, although the recent temperature spikes in LA would not indicate anything of that sort. Children go back to school, as we see parents scrambling to find an Algebra Tutor at an affordable rate, blowing up Tried & True Tutoring's phone line like we're giving away free tickets to watch Channing Tatum dance shirtless on stage at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. All you moms out there, settle down, we just provide tutoring. It is tutoring from a credentialed, expert, and trained tutor so your excitement is understandable, since your child will learn and outperform their classmates and be on their way to a better and brighter future. I get the excitement, but please everyone just calm down, take a number, and we will be right with you.

Preparing for Labor Day Weekend

Oh, you were just planning on relaxing this weekend and hanging out with friends? I'm sorry, I didn't realize we would celebrate our union workers dedication to creating those unions just by relaxing. That's what they would have wanted? I was a teacher and if there is one thing I know about union workers is that they love to party. Don't believe me? Check this out.

Is that Principal Anderson surrounded by drinks and balloons while Mr. Jones the science teacher does his best Walter White impersonation? I don't know, but one thing is for certain - these union workers love to party. So you better BBQ as much food as humanly possible, literally be immersed in water at all times, and celebrate for these guys.

Back to School

Ok, now it's all business. School is starting, and parents are rushing to phones, schools, and newspapers to find an expert private algebra tutor, chemistry tutor, SAT tutor, or whatever else they want to have their child succeed in. You would think, how come they can't use the same tutor from last year? Or why are people always looking for a new Algebra tutor? I'll tell you why. Tutors are unreliable, young, and unprofessional, for the most part. Luckily, at Tried & True Tutoring our tutors are treated fairly, extensively trained, and given enough hours so that they can continue tutoring for the long term. Our clients are not scrambling for an expert Algebra tutor, because we have them covered. It is a great feeling knowing how many students we are able to help, as our professional, reliable, and trained tutors are available throughout the country.

And a Big Thanks...

Thanks to all of our tutors, schools, students, parents, marketers, writers, developers, accountants, lawyers, and everyone else that contributes to make Tried & True Tutoring the best place to work. We will continue to provide you professional, expert tutoring at an affordable price. We do what we can.

This is Why Teachers Quit

Having great teachers in the classroom, or in the home for 1-on-1 in-home private tutoring is of the utmost importance for education, and some of the teacher statistics shown in this infographic contribute to the reasons why we don't retain good teachers for long enough in the classroom.

There are many obvious reasons teachers quit the profession quickly: low pay, strict content standards (what you're allowed to teach), and high stress. However, there are ways for school administrators, or owners of tutoring companies, to increase the retention rate of good teachers.

Why is it so important to keep good teachers teaching? One simple fact. The more better, qualified teachers you have working, the less bad, under-qualified, rookie teachers you have to hire.

How to Hire & Retain Good Teachers

I own a company called Tried & True Tutoring (if you didn't already know), and I have many strategies to retain our good teachers.

1. Constant support and collaboration - tutors don't want to feel like they are "on an island" when working with the student. They want support from parents and administrators. As an administrator, it is your responsibility to create a collaborative environment where administrators (educational professionals), teachers (implement educational tools) and parents (personal interest in student's success), and student all work together toward a common goal. The team environment will make sure that everyone is accountable for their actions, and everyone knows what their specific job is. When you know your specific responsibility, you can do it better. The problem is, we rely to heavily on teachers, and we do not provide them enough support.

Don't leave your teachers "on an island", because just like a cornerback in football covering Randy Moss in his prime, he will get burned, injured, and be out of the business in 3 years.

2. Only hire the best of the best. Thoroughly vet, test, and rigorously interview each qualified applicant. There are many people applying for teaching positions - 95% of them are underqualified. Develop programs that test content mastery for the teacher, and also rigorously test their teaching style. If you are bored during the "mock teaching", or you do not understand the concepts, neither will your students.

3. Rigorous Training & Professional Development - As an administrator, you are very confident that you can teach any student, any subject, any time. I know with my professional experience and expertise, teaching japanese to a monkey on a bus in Africa is really no problem. I may not be able to teach the chimp to be fluent, but I will get him to maximize his understanding of the content based on his cognitive levels. We need to have the same confidence in our teachers that we have in ourselves. The only way to have the confidence in our teachers, is to know that we have professionally vetted them, and then trained them to a level where they are indeed a PROFESSIONAL.

A professional doesn't quit a job after 3 years. Amateurs do that. If we spent more time training our teachers in the public education system, we would have much greater retention of great teachers, and much better results from our students.

Take a page from Tried & True Tutoring's training program and know why we retain tutors and students for longer than any competitor. I know this has now come off as "preachy", but I believe it stems from frustration when I hear administrators saying "what can we do to make our education better". There are an infinite amount of changes that need to be made according to modern technology, but I will save that for a different article.

The most important thing is hire good teachers - and the only way to do that is to know who you are hiring inside and out, and then train them to be a true, bonafide professional. No amateurs wanted when it comes to the education of our children.

NBA Finals vs High School Finals - Similarities and Differences in Preparation

LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Manu Ginobili are all NBA champions. These same 6 professional athletes are going to be competing for a championship in the NBA finals in 2013. Dwayne Wade spoke a great quote at his press conference after a game 7 victory over the Indiana Pacers which resonated with me: "We have champions in our locker room. You know you don't become a champion by luck."

You don't become a champion by luck. It's so true on many levels, in any field. You can not reach the top of your field, or become a champion, by pure luck. It takes hard work, dedication, and determination. Dwayne is playing through injury, night after night. Ray Allen takes 1000 extra jump shots every practice, for the past 15 years. Tim Duncan has been perfecting his craft for 17 seasons and has won 4 NBA titles. All of these players have one thing in common beyond natural talent: hard work, love for the game, and dedication to greatness.

Our students need to approach their finals like it were the NBA finals. Now, the difference between school finals, and NBA finals, is that everyone makes it to the school finals. Maybe if it were more of a competition, students would try harder to make it there, but regardless, all students must take their finals.

In order to succeed on a final exam, it is just like succeeding in the NBA finals - it takes hard work and dedication. Instead of 1000 repetitive jump shots like Ray Allen, do 100 chemistry problems of varied problem types. Instead of playing through injury - study through sickness, friend and family obligations, and other distractions. Do you think Ray Allen loves to take 1000 jump shots after each practice? He will be the first to say that no, he does it because he has love for the game. Students need to practice their chemistry, algebra, and calculus problems not because they love homework, but they love themselves, and they want to become the best they can be. Do you think Dwayne Wade wants to play through his nagging knee, painful injury night-after-night? He does it for the love of the game. 

Stay focused. Work hard. If our students understood that studying for finals is just like competing for an NBA championship, maybe they would try harder, take it more seriously, and have more long term success.

If you need help preparing for your finals like a champion, please visit us at www.triedandtruetutoring.com

Summer Camp or SAT Exam Prep

If you have a high school student, you know that college admissions are becoming ever more competitive.  Colleges look at a number of factors when considering students, but high school grades and SAT or ACT score remain the most important of those factors.  

Quality SAT Exam Prep and ACT Prep Tutoring require students' time and energy, but so often students are prepping when they should be focusing that time and energy on their high school classes.  As important as SAT and ACT scores are for college admissions, high school grades are still more important.  This is why more and more parents and students are opting for SAT Exam Prep and ACT Prep Tutoring over the summer.

Our students typically spend 15 to 30 hours meeting one-on-one with a tutor, 20 to 40 hours doing homework focused on specific SAT and ACT problem types, and 9 to 18 hours taking complete SAT or ACT practice tests.  This means that the typical student will spend 40 to 90 hours on SAT Exam Prep or ACT Prep Tutoring.  This doesn't include the time spent when they actually take the test, and most students take SATs and ACTs 2 to 3 times. 

Juniors and Seniors in high school already have a lot on their plates.  Adding in these SAT Exam Prep hours and ACT Prep Tutoring hours can be overwhelming, and in my 10-plus years of preparing students for the SAT and ACT, I have seen some students crack.  This is why I always push students to prep over the summer.

Of course, no one wants to give up their summer.  Summer is a time for fun, but, when managed wisely, students can prep for the ACT or SAT at a comfortable pace, leaving plenty of time for fun. Starting early is the key.

Students should expect to spend about 3-months on SAT Exam Prep or ACT Prep Tutoring.  Students usually meet with a tutor once a week.  Each meeting last one-and-a-half hours.  After each meeting students can expect about 2-hours worth of homework.  After every three meetings, students take a complete practice test.  Most weeks students will spend fewer than 4-hours preparing for the SAT or ACT.

The first SAT is usually given the first week of October.  The first ACT is usually given the first week of September.  If students get started in July, they should be able to meet weekly with a tutor, and still enjoy much of their summer vacation.

SAT Exam Prep is not exactly summer camp.  There are no pools, no trips to the beach, and no arts and crafts.  But, SAT Exam Prep during the summer might make your student's school year a lot easier.

Visit us a www.triedandtruetutoring.com for info about our SAT Exam Prep and ACT Prep Tutoring packages.

Mothers, Teachers, or Private Tutoring Services, this Mother's Day thank the person with the biggest impact on your education

Mother's Day is just around the corner and that means that finals are soon approaching.  We will spend one day showing our mothers our appreciation by buying them flowers, taking them out to restaurants, and sending them cards.  Then they will spend weeks pushing their kids through finals, finding private tutoring services, and making sure that those final projects get in on time, only to then have to come up with a plan for the summer.

This got me thinking about just how important mothers are when it comes to education.  School teachers and private tutoring services instructors are all important to students' education, but mothers give us role models that teach us how to learn.  In a 2010 article from England's "The Telegraph," the connection between mothers and success in school was made.  


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/8012011/Mothers-are-strongest-role-models-for-childrens-education-report-claims.html


In that article Prof. Ian Walker says, "It seems the mother-daughter relationship is now the transmission mechanism for social mobility. It used to be said that the father was the breadwinner and that would dictate household education decisions. If the father was richer you could afford to stay on at school rather than go out to earn a living. That is clearly no longer the case."

Walker's study found that the longer mothers stayed in school, the longer their sons and daughters would stay in school.  Mothers with graduate degrees would most likely have children who would go on to earn graduate degrees.  Interestingly, the educational level of fathers did not seem to have nearly as much of an impact.

This Mother's Day you can thank your mother for one more thing, education.  Mothers, you can be proud.  What better gift can you give your children than education.

The team here at Tried & True Tutoring wants to thank all the mothers out there who inspire their children to seek education.  Happy Mother's Day!