Last month, I discussed the importance of building good reading skills and habits. Another important way to “prepare early” for tests and improve general academic performance is to build vocabulary skills. A strong vocabulary is a huge help on virtually any standardized test. Some tests, including the ISEE and the GRE, directly test vocabulary knowledge.…
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On August 1, 2017, the first day registration opened for the Fall 2017 ISEE testing dates, a concerned mother got to her computer at 9:00 A.M., determined to reserve the ideal testing time and location for her son. She was shocked when she discovered several of her preferred dates were already full--other parents had gotten…
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As a test tutor, I sometimes encounter parents who want to start preparing their students early for tests like the ISEE and SAT. While students should learn some test-taking skills and strategies, my best advice to those who want to “prepare early” is to spend more time reading. Reading comprehension shows up on almost every…
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Yes, you should (probably) guess! Now that the New SAT, PSAT, and AP tests have abolished their guessing penalties, the short answer is “yes.” The long answer is still what it was before: it depends on the test. Very few tests today, however, penalize random guesses. A notable exception is the SSAT, a test required…
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After working through a grueling standardized admissions test, the moment of judgement arrives when you get your scores. If you got the score you were hoping for, congratulations! You can now focus your time and energy on the rest of the admissions process. If your score is much lower than you’d hoped, however, you have…
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