Test Prep

[Unkotare]

It's that time of year when many students are taking or preparing for various standardized tests. Most of the AP students I have been working with this year have already taken their tests. A number of students are still preparing to take (or retake) the SAT or ACT (or GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc.). I read so many articles in educational journals about how "unfair" in one way or another standardized tests are, but when I see students actually working on their test prep, the truth of it is all too obvious. Students who have the time and opportunity to study, prep, and take practice test invariably do better in the end. The reasons why some students may or may not have the time and opportunity to do so is another (and very important) discussion.

 

[Floyd61]

Many "students" are too busy rioting and looting

 

[$ecular#eckler]

I did not study for the SAT, I passed, and I was accepted at the community college.

 

[Kilroy2]

Students who have the time and opportunity to study, prep, and take practice test invariably do better in the end.

You cannot argue that they will do better if they are prepared and even practice test will give them an advantage over the ones who do not. Unless you really have a high IQ and good at taking test then natural talent might get you a good enough score.

Having a mentor to encourage you is also a plus.

 

[rightwinger]

Having the money for a good prep test course makes a big difference.
Not necessarily making you smarter but making you faster and more efficient. You are also exposed to the types of questions and how they are worded and how to weed out multiple choice answers.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

It's that time of year when many students are taking or preparing for various standardized tests. Most of the AP students I have been working with this year have already taken their tests. A number of students are still preparing to take (or retake) the SAT or ACT (or GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc.). I read so many articles in educational journals about how "unfair" in one way or another standardized tests are, but when I see students actually working on their test prep, the truth of it is all too obvious. Students who have the time and opportunity to study, prep, and take practice test invariably do better in the end. The reasons why some students may or may not have the time and opportunity to do so is another (and very important) discussion.

These tests have been watered down over the years. A big part of these schools, especially community colleges, have to teach these kids remedial math, English and reading.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

The only degrees given today are Socialist Proletariat Behavior, Anti American Group Think, and Chinese Communist Thinking and Ideology. Can't get too far with that. But it was worth the 100k in debt you'll still be paying when you finally retire.

 

[ClaireH]

I have no doubt your assessement is correct.

The trouble with requiring standardized testing began when public schools began teaching "to the test" which began over 25 years or so now. Understandably, school administrators are huge supporters of obtaining high test scores to outperform other schools within that state in order to receive more funding. Each school's results are posted publically together, and it's a competitive market for schools to outperform the others. It was something that must have looked good on paper, but to apply it to the real-world has led to various long-term failures.

Since you've referenced AP students, I wanted to note that I'm referencing all college bound students who are required to take these tests who need high scores to get in to certain colleges. Luckily, colleges are aware of this long-time practice of "teaching to the test" and consider these scores less important compared to say..15 years ago.

Went I taught math a few years back, I had kids who could solve most any upper-level equation, but take away the calculator and they would struggle with multiplication. Many other similar factors occured due to being forced to test the test, practice taking the tests, and utilize so much classtime to ensure that the kids would achieve higher scores. It is a little hard to think this has been a good way to evaluate the effectiveness of learning, considering that the best teachers use classroom time with various strategies conducive to learning.

 

[JoeMoma]

The most important test prep is for the student learn the subject material of the classes he takes.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Standardized testing has been a colossal waste. Prepare the kids to be able, confident, cooperative adults where they live. Screw the meritocracy. Most of all, screw those still getting rich off of all that ridiculous testing.

 

[JoeMoma]

Standardized testing has been a colossal waste.

If one cannot score well on the SAT math test, he is probably biting off more than he can chew if intends to major in a field that requires a great deal of advanced math. There is value in the tests if used appropriately.

 

[bodecea]

It's that time of year when many students are taking or preparing for various standardized tests. Most of the AP students I have been working with this year have already taken their tests. A number of students are still preparing to take (or retake) the SAT or ACT (or GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc.). I read so many articles in educational journals about how "unfair" in one way or another standardized tests are, but when I see students actually working on their test prep, the truth of it is all too obvious. Students who have the time and opportunity to study, prep, and take practice test invariably do better in the end. The reasons why some students may or may not have the time and opportunity to do so is another (and very important) discussion.

They didn't really have those prep classes when I was in school....and they had us take the SAT at our un-air-conditioned school on a Saturday with the windows open (in the humid 90s) WHILE they were tarring the roof. Can you imagine parents putting up with that today?

 

[Grumblenuts]

Standardized testing has been a colossal waste.

If one cannot score well on the SAT math test, he is probably biting off more than he can chew if intends to major in a field that requires a great deal of advanced math. There is value in the tests if used appropriately.

And if one hasn't scored well on regular math tests already.. what was all that about?

 

[fncceo]

Testing is a tool of the white autocracy...

 

[JoeMoma]

Standardized testing has been a colossal waste.

If one cannot score well on the SAT math test, he is probably biting off more than he can chew if intends to major in a field that requires a great deal of advanced math. There is value in the tests if used appropriately.

And if one hasn't scored well on regular math tests already.. what was all that about?

Not all math tests are equal. Thus a standardized test sets a common baseline. An A on Mrs, Smith's test from the inner city might be like getting a C on Mrs. Crabtree's test in the outer city.

 

[Grumblenuts]

Standardized testing has been a colossal waste.

If one cannot score well on the SAT math test, he is probably biting off more than he can chew if intends to major in a field that requires a great deal of advanced math. There is value in the tests if used appropriately.

And if one hasn't scored well on regular math tests already.. what was all that about?

Not all math tests are equal. Thus a standardized test sets a common baseline. An A on Mrs, Smith's test from the inner city might be like getting a C on Mrs. Crabtree's test in the outer city.

Hey, you must be smahhht. What do you suppose all this meritocracy business is about anyway? MAGA?

 

[JoeB131]

It's that time of year when many students are taking or preparing for various standardized tests. Most of the AP students I have been working with this year have already taken their tests. A number of students are still preparing to take (or retake) the SAT or ACT (or GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc.). I read so many articles in educational journals about how "unfair" in one way or another standardized tests are, but when I see students actually working on their test prep, the truth of it is all too obvious. Students who have the time and opportunity to study, prep, and take practice test invariably do better in the end. The reasons why some students may or may not have the time and opportunity to do so is another (and very important) discussion.

Um.... yeah, the problem is, studying to the test has created generations of dummies... that's the problem.

 

[JoeB131]

Testing is a tool of the white autocracy...

No, it isn't. But it isn't teaching.

A kid who can tell you that the Declaration of independence was signed in 1776 but couldn't tell you WHY it was signed or what led up to that will pass the standardized test, but he still won't understand the subject matter.

 

[OldLady]

I didn't study/prep for my SAT's; as a matter of fact, I had a wicked tequila hangover. My essay wasn't up to snuff for me, but my scores were fine--actually my language scores were in the 99th percentile. And per usual, my math score was much lower.

A standardized test is supposed to be about what you actually know. Prepping and studying for one seems almost to be cheating. It's not as if kids these days haven't taken a shitload of these tests. They're already familiar with the format.

Our local state college doesn't even use them anymore for admissions, and a lot of colleges don't, they say.

When I got around to going to college, I was in school with the academic cream of the crop for SUNY --top 3% of their class, solid A students, and I gotta tell ya folks, they had to be babied and spoonfed and they couldn't write for shit, either.

Test scores and grades aren't everything.

 

[fncceo]

Testing is a tool of the white autocracy...

No, it isn't. But it isn't teaching.

A kid who can tell you that the Declaration of independence was signed in 1776 but couldn't tell you WHY it was signed or what led up to that will pass the standardized test, but he still won't understand the subject matter.

History isn't an included subject of the SAT.