ACT vs SAT Part 1

The SAT has been a standard in college admissions for many years, but recently, more and more students are choosing to take the ACT exam, and as a result, ACT Prep Tutoring has become increasingly competitive.

The predecessor to the ACT was created in 1959 by a University of Iowa Professor who was more interested in students' practical knowledge than in their cognitive reasoning.  Over the years the ACT test prep has become more and more popular first in the midwest and now nationwide.  Since 2007 the ACT has been accepted at all U.S. Colleges and Universities.

At Tried & True Tutoring students frequently ask us, "should I take both the ACT and SAT?" The simple answer is, "sure, it doesn't hurt to take both, but you don't have to take both."

We don't recommend preparing for both tests at the same time.  We like to keep ACT Prep Tutoring and SAT Prep Tutoring separate.  There are some significant differences between the two tests and preparing for them both at the same time can be counterproductive.

We recommend that students take a practice SAT and a practice ACT.  We will then score the two tests to determine which one is the best fit.

Many students prefer the ACT and choose to focus on ACT Prep Tutoring.  They like the ACT because its questions seem more straightforward.  Many students think the ACT is easier.  I can promise that it is not.  In fact, the ACT may be harder in many ways.  The SAT supposedly tests reasoning skills.  As a result of that, it is more susceptible to tricks.  ACT Prep Tutoring is different.  It focuses on a wide variety of knowledge based concepts.

I'll fill you in on some of the specifcs of ACT Prep Tutoring tomorrow...

For more information about our ACT Preparation program please visit http://triedandtruetutoring.com/inner.php?page=SAT-amp-ACT-Preparation-Overview. 

Three Secrets to the SAT Essay

At Tried & True Tutoring we work with hundreds of SAT students every year, and one of the things that most consistently confuses students is the essay.  The SAT essay was introduced in 2005, and, for the most part, it remains a mystery to most.  The SAT is a test based on standardization.  It is a test that is supposed to fairly assess the reasoning skills of high school students from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds all across the United States.  How then, can the SAT fairly assess and standardize an essay assignment?  The answer is surprising.

Because the SAT Essay must be standardized, the College Board (the Company that designs and administers the SAT) has had to come up with some "creative" grading practices.  The essay is scored by two graders.  Each of these graders awards the essay a score from 1 to 6 (1 being the lowest, 6 being the highest). These two scores are added together to create a total score between 2 and 12. Because these graders are required to grade hundreds of papers per day, they each have no more than two to three minutes to look at any one paper. This is a far cry from the way your Honors English teacher might go through a paper.  A grader will read your paper once, and, based on his or her initial reaction, will give it a score.

Graders are judged, by the College Board, on how consistent their scoring is with that of other graders. As a result, their goal is not to judge the true merit of the paper, but to determine what the paper looks like.  In other words, if you write a paper that looks like a 12, you will probably get a twelve.

Here are three things you should focus on when trying to make your paper look like a 12.

1. The Longer the Better

Papers that score 12 are almost always a full two pages long.  There is nothing that will make your paper look more like a 12 than using all of the space that the College Board gives you.  

I would love to say that articulately arguing and proving your point is the most important thing.  I would love to say that, but I can't.  It's just not true.

If you want to score a 12 use two full pages.  If you write two full pages of nonsense, you might not score a 12, but if you write one page of genius, you definitely won't score a 12.

2. Use the best examples you can come up with . . .EVEN IF THEY AREN'T REAL!

When you write your paper, you will most likely want to write a standard four or five paragraph essay. You will create a thesis (an opinion), and you will choose two or three examples to back up that thesis.

You want to pick examples that conclusively prove your thesis, and it doesn't matter if those examples are true!

The College Board wants to make sure that graders can quickly grade your paper, and this means that they don't have time to verify whether your examples are true or not.  In fact, the graders are instructed by the College Board not to grade based on the accuracy of your examples.  Because the SAT is standardized, the College Board must treat every student exactly the same.  This means that if it wanted to check an example one student used, it would have to check every example that every student uses.  This would be impossible.

So, pick examples that really back-up your thesis.  Don't worry about whether or not they are true.

3. Begin your essay with a direct response to the question.

Over the years, your English teachers have most likely taught you to begin your essays with "Interest Catching Devices," evocative questions, or meaningful quotes.  Don't bother on the SAT essay.  Answer the question asked directly in the first line.  

If the question asks, "Should men take more responsibility for their role in sexual harassment," answer, "Men should take more responsibility. . . ." or "No, men should not take more responsibility. . . ."

SAT Graders do not like essays that straddle the fence.  They like essays that present a clear opinion on the issue, so pick one side, and stick to it! 

By opening with a thesis (an opinion statement) you make it clear to the reader that you have formed a solid opinion.

While these techniques work wonders on the SAT, don't try them with your English teacher at school.  For more tips and tricks on the SAT, visit our site www.triedandtruetutoring.com, and stay tuned for more blogs and videos that will give you the inside track on SAT success!

How Teachers Can Integrate Technology Into Their Classrooms

The importance of technology is obvious to anyone living in this day and age - children, parents, and grandparents are even starting to use mobile technology such as mobile phones, tablets, and laptops as they become more familiar with it. Even if technology is foreign to an individual, the user-friendly software allows even the most novice user to experience the benefits of these devices. So why haven't teachers and schools incorporated technology in the classroom?

The answer is, they are trying, but it is a slow, arduous process. The educational system in America is so regulated, so antiquated, and so massive, that educational reform can take months, years, even decades. This is why Tried & True Tutoring exists - to privatize education so that we provide swift and effective reform. We do not have time to wait for the government to reform our educational system which has been stagnant for over 50 years - it is time that we as parents, guardians, and students take matters into our own hands to make sure we are educated for the jobs of today.

Employers are seeking out those who can do:

Web Design
Web Programming
Web Development
App Development
Graphic Design
SEO Marketers
Social Media Experts
Accountants / Book Keepers

Employers are seeking out those who can use the following softwares:

Quick Books
Microsoft Excel
Final Cut Pro
Power Point
Prezi
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Publisher
Dreamweaver
and more.

Now the question is: are ANY of these classes or programs taught in your public elementary schools? Middle schools? How about High Schools? The answer is d) none of the above.

Tried & True Tutoring is reforming education, focusing on skills that will prepare your student for the jobs of tomorrow. If your student is not getting what they need from school, failing school, falling behind, or just searching for an alternative, talk to a Tried & True Tutoring teacher today. We will develop a program and curriculum that is customized your student's needs. Visit www.triedandtruetutoring.com for more information.

Here's a Quick Way to Choose the Right Tutoring Company

With a growing need for privatized education in America, more and more tutoring companies are sprouting up all over the nation. As a parent, you want to make sure you will receive the equal or greater value to the money you are spending for private tutoring. So how do you choose?

There are a few factors you will want to consider before deciding to go with a tutoring company:

1. Who are their teachers? Where do they recruit their teachers from?
2. What type of training program do their tutors go through?
3. What type of curriculum do they provide? Who created the curriculum?
4. What type of assessments do they provide? Who created the assessments?
5. How many local tutors are available in case one gets sick or wants to stop working?
6. Are they accredited by the Better Business Bureau? How long have they been in business?
7. Are they available for customer service 24/7, or are they only open during after school hours?
8. Do they travel to your home, or do you have to take them to a location?
9. Does their website have all of their information?
10. Do they have references they can provide?

All of these questions should be answered before choosing a specific tutoring company to work with. With such unregulated education, it is very important that you do your due diligence to find out who specifically you are hiring to work with your children.

Remember, all tutoring is not created equal. Tried & True Tutoring continues to hire on the most prestigious tutors with extensive educational teaching experience, as well as a deep well of knowledge in the subject areas they are teaching from a solid educational background.

"In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children, like Georgia or Oklahoma, studies show students grow up more likely to do math at a grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, and form more stable families of their own. We know this works. So lets do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind, lets give our kids that chance." - Barack Obama, Feb 12th 2013, State of the Union Address.

As teachers, we understand the importance of a solid education form passionate, driven, and educated teachers. We look forward to helping your child get on track for a bright and successful future. Visit www.triedandtruetutoring.com for more information.

1-on-1 In-Home Private Tutoring - Better Than The Classroom

A quick synopsis of Marc Meinhardt - the writer of this article.

4.29 High School GPA
1470/1600 SAT (With No Test Prep)
UCLA Psychobiology Graduate (Pre-Med)
California Chemistry Teaching Credential (Post-Graduate Work Completed)
3 Years of Classroom Teaching Experience (Chemistry, Physics, Biology)
15 Years of Private Tutoring Experience (Elementary, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Single Variable and Multivariable Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Physics, SAT Preparation, ACT Preparation, LSAT Preparation, GRE Preparation, TOEFL Preparation, ISEE & SSAT Preparation, ASVAB Preparation, etc.)

If I had received consistent private, 1 on 1 in-home tutoring, there is no telling what an amazing success I would be today.

As a teacher, the downfalls of teaching 40 students at one time is blatantly obvious - you can lecture to the masses, but you can not provide 1 on 1 support to all of your students in the class every day. For all you math wizards out there, 50 minute classes, 40 students per class, = 1.25 minutes per student. However, you don't get 50 full minutes of instruction. How about roll call, handing in homework, paperwork shuffling, management issues, etc. You are lucky if you get 45 seconds of teaching per student.

So how do teachers work around this problem? Simple. They preach and lecture to the masses. The teacher's hope is that enough students understand the process of various problems, and that they are able to assist their fellow classmates. However, even the few students that "understand" the Chemistry or Physics content from class, most just understand the process rather than the concept. Not only that, they are not professional teachers and really have no experience or expertise in training and teaching others. This is a sad case of the blind leading the blind.

If a student has an expert tutor watching his every process and move when working on problems, there is so much help that can be bestowed upon the student. The one-on-one environment allows the teacher to correct and modify every single process the student makes. Not only can you affect his learning for the specific class, but our tutors, skilled and experienced tutors, are able to modify the student's way of thinking, way of organizing, and way of approaching problems which will yield benefits that will last for the rest of the student's academic career.

Having a private mentor with you all the time is not inexpensive. How could it be? Not only is it like a personal assistant, but it's an expert in a certain field. Although private tutoring can become costly, it is no where near the expenses of a private school, which offers something of much less value than private tutoring.

Not all private tutoring is created equal. Students teaching students is very common, however Tried & True Tutoring does not employ anyone who doesn't have a college degree, or working on a degree from a prestigious university. Tried and True Tutoring does not employ anyone without tutoring experience. Tried and True Tutoring does not employ unreliable, immature tutors. Tried and True Tutoring goes through a rigorous process to select only the cream of the crop; and even after that, we rigorously train each and every one of our tutors. I always tell my tutors, "If you can learn to teach like me, we will both be extremely successful".

To increase your student's confidence, skill level, organizational skills, grades, college acceptance letters, and anything else related to academic success, then go with a Tried and True tutor. Their skill and experience will be evident during the first session, as well as every subsequent session. Our tutors will take your academic skill and success to new heights. Listen, if you need basic homework help or a few last minute questions, then maybe you can can get the correct answers from an inexperienced tutor who knows the content, but if you are really trying to change your future, and bring your success to heights you've never thought possible - go with Tried and True Tutoring. Don't waste your money on a inexperienced tutor - invest in a professional tutor - invest in your future. Visit www.triedandtruetutoring.com for more information.

Happy Martin Luther King Day from Tried & True Tutoring

Tried & True Tutoring would like to say Happy Martin Luther King day to all our students, teachers, administration and staff.

MLK day is a day where we can all be thankful for the bravery and strength that Martin Luther King and others had to fight through the trials and tribulations of our history, so that we could live under the blanket of freedom and equality today. The hard work he put in every day allowed us to have the freedoms that we sometimes take for granted today.

Tried & True Tutoring continues to provide affordable, professional, 1-on-1 in-home private tutoring to all students who have a desire to achieve greatness. Let us help you get into your top college choice, by maximizing your score on your SAT or ACT. Or let us help you get into dental school, law school, or any graduate program through our DAT, LSAT, or GRE Preparation. Visit www.triedandtruetutoring.com for more information.

How to Succeed in 2013

"I'm just not good at math. I'm more of an English person."
"I'm just not good at English. I'm more of a math person".

This whole concept is a fallacy. You can be good at anything you want to be good at - whether you are naturally inclined to succeed in one subject over another does not affect your overall success in that course if you put in the necessary work.

It is true, some students will learn that 3 x 14 = 42 much more quickly than others - however, all students (unless those students have a specific processing disability) can become above average in all subjects, if they put their mind to it.

The truth is, most students never put in the adequate time and training to really succeed in their academics. At the first sign of struggle, the student will mentally check out of the classroom, and if they are not pushed to succeed by parents and teachers, many of them will fall by the wayside. Young students don't know the importance of education, unfortunately, so they do not put in the effort to become great at academia - many times, they do not put in the effort to become great at anything.

All of the greats in our society - sports icons, leaders of political parties, singers and musicians, great scientific minds - all have put in countless hours perfecting their craft. It is important that a student puts in the time in order to become truly successful.

Many times, student's do not know "where to start". They have the internal motivation to succeed, however, they are so far behind, that they do not know how to begin. This is common. Luckily, Tried & True Tutoring is here to help your student get caught up in any class they are struggling with. Not only do we help with specific classes, like Math, Reading, Writing, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, Calculus, Algebra 2, etc, but we can help the student through our remediation programs in order to get their skills up to grade level state standards. This ensures that they will be able to learn the new material the teacher is explaining, rather than sitting dumbfounded in class since they are so far behind.

Success and failure can both snowball very quickly. When you get "on a roll", you will be amazed at what you can achieve in a short period of time. However, if you begin to accept failure, you will be amazed and how quickly your life can unravel.

During 2013, make a promise to yourself to learn more and work harder. Do not do this for your parents, your friends, your loved ones, or your teachers - do it for you. A solid education will provide a foundation for you to do whatever you want to do with your life. You only have one life to live - and there are many paths in life that you can take - make sure that you can select from a variety of paths. America provides us the freedom to do anything we want within the confines of our laws - education will allow you to fully take advantage of your freedoms.

Happy New Year to all of our parents, teachers, students, administration, and staff. We look forward to a successful school year. The next SAT is January 26th, 2013, and the next ACT is February 9th, 2013. Get off to a good start and give us a call today. We'll get you set up with a customized curriculum at an affordable cost, so that you can maximize your potential this year. Visit www.triedandtruetutoring.com for more information.