Long Island Test Prep With Gregg

The SAT is offering a summer test for the first time since the 70s! I've always thought it was dumb that there were no SAT options over the summer when students have way less commitments. I'm glad that the College Board finally wised up. This year, you can sign up for an August 26th test. Register here!

​Of course, not to be outdone, the ACT will be offering a summer test as well, but not until 2018. Get it together, ACT!

Okay, so with all of this talk about the New SAT, a question that isn't very often asked is this: why is there a new SAT? 

The answer is simple: money. SAT was recently overtaken by the ACT, which secured many statewide contracts to be THE TEST administered in high schools, whether students were planning to go to college or not. This monopoly made the SAT increasingly marginalized -- and less profitable. So these radical changes aren't about better predicting how students will do in college. They are about convincing lawmakers that the SAT is still relevant so that they can get those sweet, sweet state contracts. 

The resulting test is a sort of muddle between being an ACT clone and a someone's weirdo version of what you need to do in college.

There's a math section where you can't use a calculator. You know, because the use of electronics is becoming LESS prevalent in college, right? There's a grammar section in which one has to correct underlined portions of whole passages. I like this section. I liked it even more the first time I saw it...in the ACT. 

There is an essay where one has to evaluate the way a DIFFERENT essay was structured. I guess that's kind of cool. Did I ever do that in college? No. But don't worry, the SAT isn't convinced it's valuable either -- they made it optional. Where did they get the idea of an optional essay? Oh right, the ACT.

My point is this: The New SAT wasn't made to make any more sense than the previous SAT. It was made to make money. Don't feel bad it if you struggle with this test or even the ACT. They are not a reflection of your intelligence or self-worth. I'll help you beat these tests the best that I can because I really, truly think they are unfair. 

Summer time is the absolute BEST time to study for the SAT and ACT. You have no other school work obligations and can be completely prepared for the tests in the fall. A lot of students turn their brains off for the summer, but if you're serious about getting a great score, there is no better time to prepare than the summer. So start studying today!

What do they mean?! What do they want?! Do I even know myself any more?!

Because of Hurricane Sandy, colleges are extending their early admission deadlines!

So that's kind of good.

http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/31/colleges-extend-early-admission-deadlines/

Even if you used to host Love Connection, you need to learn your grammar or you will be publicly humiliated by me on Twitter.

@chuckwoolery: Obama got 3 minutes more talk time then Romney, And still did a better job.

@foattitude: @chuckwoolery wrong "then" and you also are grammatically saying Obama did a better job. #debate #grammarconnection

@chuckwoolery: Romney got 3 less minutes and had to debate Candy Crowley, he still out performed both of them.

@foattitude: @chuckwoolery good job accepting my grammar correction. #grammarconnection #debate

@chuckwoolery: @foattitude never claim to be right all the time, just the leading expert on my own opinion.

Not the leading expert on fourth grade grammar, though!

A very disturbing trend. 
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/10/education/seeking-academic-edge-teenagers-abuse-stimulants.html?_r=2&hp