Never Fear: ACT and SAT Help!

Standardized testing. 

Those are THE two words faced by countless high school students every year. The SATs, in particular, constantly hover above juniors and seniors once the school year starts. College applications are important, and as competition amongst students increases, it is becoming increasingly difficult for students to gain acceptance into their top choices. While extracurricular activities and GPA are important factors in adding substance to your college application, SAT scores are also a very significant part of the mix. No high school student wakes up on a Saturday morning yearning to take a 6 hour exam, but for those applying for college, the test is basically inevitable. 

One may expect that students who are successful in high school math classes would also perform well on the math portion of the SAT. Surprisingly however, this isn’t always the case. Students who excel in high level math courses are often discouraged and frustrated when their SAT scores fail to align with their school performance. Why does this disparity occur so rampantly? The focus of math classes is largely centered on method based thinking and displaying the correct work that led to the solution. This logical way of thinking is great for grasping complex concepts, but it does not match up with the format of the SAT. The multiple choice questions of the SAT do not allow for partial credit; only the correct answer gives the student points. Furthermore, SAT math questions are based on the fundamentals of mathematics. Even students in AP or high level math classes begin to shy away from the basics as they advance in courses or turn to their calculator. It is important for all students to review basic concepts and practice them throughout their SAT prep. 

Here at the Center of Math, we have a fair amount of combined experience in standardized testing. With these tips, we hope to increase your chances of a success as much as possible! 

How to Ace Your Finals!

 Finals: Tips and Tricks for Success 

    Is your caffeine addiction reaching an all time high? Have you spent more time in the library than in your own bed? Are you regretting putting off that 15 page paper until the day before it's due? The end of the semester is approaching and the only obstacles between you and summer vacation are a Scantron and a Number 2 pencil.

That's right, it's time for finals!

     As you know, the Center of Math aims to make educational resources accessible for students. Aligning with that mission, we have compiled some helpful tips to assist you in surviving– and thriving – during finals week.

Plan Ahead

Color coding is your friend!

      This may seem obvious, but planning out your weeks as finals approach can really help you maximize your time! You can use the calendar on your phone or a hand planner to keep track of due dates, extra curricular activities, or ideal study times. Knowing when you have that student council meeting or volley ball practice can help you to account for all of the hours leading up to a big exam. Making and sticking to a study schedule will also help you stay on task and divide your time amongst all of your activities. 

Take a Study Break

     You may think your helping yourself by sitting in the library for 9 hours at a time. However, studies show that exercise or fresh air can help you stay motivated and even help retain information! Studies have shown that exercise has memory-boosting qualities, and it has also been proven that exercise releases endorphins that can lift your mood. Taking a 15 minute jog or even a short walk can put you in a better mindset when you come back to your books! Other activities besides exercise have been linked to stress release. It may seem childish, but coloring books and arts-and-crafts have stress reducing qualities. Companies even make adult coloring books with more intricate design patterns. Even college students can enjoy opening a fresh box of pointy crayons!

Know Your Study Habits

     By the time you get to college, you have taken numerous tests and attended classes for nearly 12 years. As finals approach, it's a great time to take inventory of your own personal skills and learning style.  There are four types of learners: visual, auditory, read/write, and kinesthetic. If you are a visual learner, the best way to study is to read your notes, make charts or diagrams, or draw concepts. What about an auditory learner? If you learn best by listening, it helps to speak information aloud or study with a friend. Those who retain information by reading/writing can make flashcards that serve both purposes! Kinesthetic learners master material by moving, so creating games and activities can lead you to success. 

     Being aware of your own learning style isn't the only way that understanding your academic personality can help you with finals. If you know that one class has been more difficult for you, then carve out more time to prepare for that exam. On the other hand, if you enjoy writing papers and they are easier for you, you can plan accordingly. Bottom line, knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help better prepare you for the tough week that lies ahead.

Which type of learner are you?

Stay Healthy

    We already mentioned the benefits of exercise, but other healthy lifestyle choices may have a surprising impact on your educational habits. Of course, this is easier said than done and colds tend to strike at the most inopportune time. There are a few things you can do to stay in tip-top working condition. While pulling all nighters may seem necessary, sleep is actually incredibly beneficial. Do your best to get 8 hours, which can help your immune system stay in check. Eating healthy foods can also work in your favor. Putting good food in your body can help to keep your brain running properly and you will probably even be able to feel a difference. Some students swear by immune system boosters like Emergen-C or Alka-Seltzer Plus. Your finals are definitely important, but taking care of yourself is equally as crucial. You may be surprised how closely the two are related!

Beware of the Internet

Beware! Don't let this happen to you!

     The Center of Math is heavily involved in the Internet, and some educational sites can be super helpful during finals.  For more information, check out our YouTube channel with tutorial videos about various math concepts. However, other websites (I'm looking at you, Facebook), can steal your time and distract you from your books. If you have a digital textbook, such as one from the Center, you can usually download the book to a PDF. You don't need the Internet to access it, which can help for convenience but also for procrastination. Social media sites have a way of letting you scroll and scroll until hours pass like minutes. If this sounds like you, finals week may be a good time to go on a social media cleanse and deactivate your account. You can also re-visit when you ace your exams! You may consider a Netflix episode a good study break, but beware as one can turn into 5 very easily. A walk or game of cards may be a better way to get your mind off Calculus 3 for a few minutes!

Click here to visit our test prep playlist!

Allow for Accidents

     It's 11:55 and you finish your paper due at midnight but uh-oh– printer is broken! It's happened to everyone, and unfortunately some teachers may not take this excuse. "Well you shouldn't have waited until that late", is a very common response to an exhausted student's plea. However, this teacher may have a point. You should always leave a buffer time for technology issues, writer's block, or other unexpected obstacles. If none of these occur, the extra 30 minutes allows you to take a deep breath every once in a while. However, if they do, then you are prepared and can still complete the assignment on time.

Take Advantage of Resources

     You may think you can tackle finals on your own, but often schools have resources in place that are there to make your life easier. If your professor has office hours, it's useful to show your face and discuss material. Even if you think you grasped all of the information, it can be useful to talk about the information aloud and many professors are happy to help! On top of office hours, many professors hold review sessions that recap the class and help prepare for the exam. This can add to your studying efforts because the information is consolidated and condensed. It also helps to have a scheduled review time, because that makes studying unavoidable. Some schools or majors offer free tutoring, and tutors have plenty of tips that can have helped them succeed in the same class. The bottom line is make sure you become aware of the resources available for you, and use them to benefit you come finals week!

The Center of Math Resources

If you're struggling to recount everything you learned in your math class this semester, the Center of Math may be able to help. Our study resources range from the videos previously mentioned, to digital study guides that correlate with our textbooks. The study guides are all less than $8! We also sell blueprints, which are a quick overview of the subject at hand. These sell for less than $3! Not only are our resources high-quality and incredibly helpful, but they are also affordable. Click on the links below to find out more information about our study resources. 

AP Calculus Study Guide

Differential Calculus Study Guide

Integral Calculus Study Guide

Differential Calculus Blueprint

Pre-Calculus Blueprint 

   















Now, get back to those books! Remember these tips and study smart, not just hard.

Good luck! 

The SAT Gets a Makeover

Stressed About Tests? The SAT is getting a makeover and we're here to help you put your best foot forward!

When college decision day rolls around, every high school senior hopes to see a “Congratulations!” envelope stuffed into their mailbox. However, as competition amongst students increases, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get accepted into your college of choice. While extracurricular activities and GPAs are important in adding substance to your college application, there is one factor that may just stand above the rest— the SAT. No high school student wakes up on a Saturday morning yearning to take a 6 hour exam, but it may expected that students who have success in high school math classes would have a similar fate on the math portion of the SAT. Surprisingly, this often isn’t the case. Students who excel in high level math courses are often discouraged and frustrated when their SAT scores fail to align with their school performance. Why does this disparity occur so rampantly? The focus of math classes is typically centered on methodical thinking and importance is placed on the correct steps rather than just the correct solution. This focus on rationale and problem solving is great for grasping complex concepts, but does not match up with the format of the SAT. The multiple choice questions of the SAT do not allow for partial credit, and only the correct answer gives the student points. In math classes, shortcuts are discouraged, but those same shortcuts can prove to be incredibly advantageous during the SAT. The new SAT attempts to help ease the frustration and dread that surrounds the test. The focus shifted to mirror the Common Core and material being covered in classes. A "real-world" f

Know Your Enemy: Understanding the new SAT

In order to combat the trend of more students choosing the ACT over the SAT, the College Board decided to give the SAT a makeover. It is important to understand the alterations made in order to best prepare to take the exam.

Google Images

Here are some prominent changes that will appear on the new SAT:

1. Eliminating the Guessing Penalty

Historically, the SAT subtracted points for guessing an incorrect answer. This led students to score higher if they left certain difficult questions blank. However, now that the guessing penalty is eliminated, students should make sure to fill in each question. Eliminate answers until you have narrowed down the options, then make your best guess!

2. Fewer Answer Choices

This change goes hand in hand with number 1. Rather than 5 answer choices, there will only be 4 possible options. This raises the percentage of guessing correctly from 20% to 25%. This will also save time, as test takers only have to read and debate 4 options rather than 5.

3. Change in Vocabulary Questions

That's right.. put your flashcards away! Rather than extra challenging and even obscure vocabulary words, the College Board is filling the language sections with words likely to be heard in college classrooms. Words like "empirical" or "synthesis" are more closely aligned with the new exam than old SAT words like "impecunious" or "legerdemain".

What about the Math section? 

The new SAT also made changes to the math concentrations on the exam. The new exam will focus on linear equations, complex equations/functions, and percentages/proportional reasoning. Like the vocabulary words, the math portion is more closely linked to math you will use in the 'real world'. There will still be both a calculator and non-calculator section, as well as a grid-in portion that accompanies the multiple choice questions. According to the College Board, the new exam is intended to "mirror the problem solving and modeling you'll do in college math and science courses, the jobs you hold, and your personal life".

Google Images

The new version of the exam will premier on March 5th. While some students welcome the changes, others are apprehensive because there is less practice material available for the new test. College Board also explains that the grading period will be longer than in previous times, due to the rollout of the new version. The old exam and new exam can not be super-scored together, so those students who don't perform as well as they hoped, may have to retake the new exam again. Our advice from the Center of Math is not to over-stress! Study as much as possible then relax, sharpen your #2 pencil and try your best!

Good Luck!

Sources:

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/inside-the-test/math
http://www.boston.com/news/education/2016/03/03/what-expect-from-the-new-sat/TV4MttWNBl6PPHKPHUPq6O/story.html?p1=feature_pri_hp

Throwback Fact: The SAT

This Saturday marks the first SAT exam of the year, so to celebrate, the Center of Math is going to talk about the history of the SAT for this week's Throwback Fact. Keep reading to learn more about the SAT!

Throwback Fact: The ACT

With the first ACT exam quickly approaching--this Saturday, in fact!--the Center of Math wanted to talk about the history of the ACT and how it has evolved over the years. Although the ACT has not been around as long as the SAT, it has become just as popular and is now accepted by all universities and colleges in the US.