When we hear the term “test prep,” we often imagine students studying beefy textbooks or signing up for an SAT class that typically lasts two months.
Tag: tutoring
Why 4 Months of Tutoring for the SAT/ACT?
Conventional wisdom says that students should take the SAT/ACT exams sometime during their junior year of high school. Parents typically pick a testing date based on this advice and then race to enroll their student in a prep class, or private tutoring sessions, four to six weeks before the test date.
But it’s not the best strategy.
Who Should Take (and prep for) SAT Subject Tests?
We all recognize the critical role that strong SAT scores play in college admissions. But what about the SAT Subject Tests?
I’ve Seen My Student’s PSAT Scores. Now what?
What is the best SAT prep plan for my student?
It’s a question that parents of high school juniors (and, in some cases, parents of sophomores) should be asking right now. The answer to the question, like the SAT itself, isn’t straight forward, and, in my opinion, depends entirely on the abilities, educational background, and goals of each student.
Raven’s John Urschel and Mathnasium of Roland Park Offer a High School Scholarship
If you have a passion for math and excel in an after school activity, Mathnasium of Roland Park and John Urschel of the Ravens are calling. They have teamed up to offer two, six month scholarships to area high school students to study math. The scholarships will be awarded on one male and one female student who love math and have a passion for athletics, music, art, technology, or community service.
Applications will be accepted until December 1, so don’t waste any time getting your application submitted. John Urschel will personally select each winner and call them with the good news. Each winner will also have at least one session with John Urschel. For more information, contact Jim Trexler at Mathnasium of Roland Park, 443-863-0531, [email protected] Click here to download the application.
College Rankings and College Admissions: Coming Out on Top
It’s that time of the year again when US News and World Report releases its annual rankings for national colleges and universities. The 2015 rankings, released yesterday, illustrate the usual shuffle among the Ivy League and Ivy League-ish institutions at the top: Princeton, Harvard, and Yale remained on top; MIT edged ahead of Duke while Columbia, Stanford, and University of Chicago now are tied at 4th place. Essentially, nothing has changed, and in this article I will use the current metrics of college rankings to investigate why this is so and how it impacts college admissions.
Undergraduate Academic Reputation
A whopping 22.5 percent of the rankings are based on the subjective opinions of both high school counselors and administrators at peer institutions. The weight of this metric largely reflects the enormous marketing budgets colleges now need to stay competitive in the rankings. According to a 2011 Noel-Levitz poll, private universities spent a median of $2,185 marketing dollars per new student. This expense is an indicator that top colleges don’t just have to be good; they have to make sure everyone knows it. This is easier for Ivy League schools who have garnered impervious auras that remain intact no matter the cheating scandals or grade inflation that may occur there; whereas “ranking climbers” like Washington University in St. Louis have used exorbitant fundraising campaigns in years past to attain similar stature.
Sports Star? Art Star? Math Stars Shine at Mathnasium
Parents are willing to do just about anything to help their children succeed. Whether it’s athletics, art, or music, we spend thousands of dollars every year helping our kids become the star quarterback, the lead in the play, or the featured soloist in the concert.
But what about math?
Just like organizations that serve to enhance a child’s sports skills, artistic ability or musical talent, Mathnasium attracts gifted STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) students and helps them master math. All of the instructors at Mathnasium are highly competent up to or beyond calculus.
“We have the brain power to help any student looking to take their math competency to the next level,” says Jim Trexler, Center Director of Mathnasium of Roland Park. “About 30 percent of our kids are working beyond their grade level, we expect that trend to continue.”
Be Smart About Homeschooling-Investigate The Mathnasium Method
The number of children getting their education in a homeschooled setting is increasing and will continue to do so. Most parents providing homeschooling can sufficiently provide a sound, base level math education using their homeschooling tools and connections. “However, it is not uncommon for the parent to “hit a wall” when their child begins to enter the world of algebra”, says Jim Trexler, Mathnasium of Roland Park, Center Director. At this point, the parent begins exploring options with fellow homeschooling parents. Those options range from teaming with other parents, on-line tools, individual tutors, and supplemental learning companies like Mathnasium.
Amazing Math Help for Kids from Mathnasium Roland Park
Sometimes, the only thing worse than a kid struggling with math is a parent struggling to help their struggling kid. For both the student feeling hopeless and like they “just don’t get it” and the parent at a loss for ways to help their child make sense of baffling equations, math can trigger a lot more emotions than you would think for a subject that’s mostly made up of numbers and symbols. But for more than 35 years now, Mathnasium has been helping students not only to understand math, but to understand it in a holistic, enjoyable way—a way that makes sense to them. The result is that Mathnasium students don’t just pass math, they appreciate and enjoy it. A subject that began as a source of frustration and self-doubt becomes a source of self-confidence and passion. If it sounds far-fetched, consider this: what began as one man’s unique method of teaching kids math has now expanded to reach children all over the globe at over 500 learning centers. Mathnasium centers are on almost every continent, spreading a love of math like wildfire. And as of June 1st, you can get your child in on the action at Mathnasium Roland Park.
Is the Ivy League Out of Reach for Most Baltimore Students?
Last year, Baltimore Fishbowl writer Rachel Monroe reported on the parental angst incited by the low acceptance rates of Baltimore students at elite colleges. Since then, not much has changed: acceptance rates remain relatively low at area high schools while New England’s best prep schools still send students by the dozens to top colleges. Why is this so? Myths abound claiming either children of billionaires or impoverished students who have overcome impossible circumstances have the advantage, but, in truth, these applicants remain the exception.
Well, what’s the difference? Do the most competitive colleges have a prejudice against Baltimore? Not at all. The difference lies in a simple reality: Baltimore is situated in one of the most competitive geographic regions in the nation. Colleges first evaluate applicants on a regional basis, and the vast majority of admissions offices group Baltimore with the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Savvy D.C. parents—like those in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston—understand the level of competition and realize that, in college admissions, doing well at a good school is only half the battle. That’s why those aforementioned markets are saturated with excellent SAT tutors, subject tutors, and private admissions consultants.
In this respect, Baltimore lags behind. Indeed, many Baltimore parents might balk at the rates that the best SAT tutors and private college counselors charge in hyper-competitive markets. But in New York, $150 an hour for a private SAT tutor is considered on the low end. Similarly, private counselors offer packages that range from $4,000 to $15,000. That might sound pricey, too, but these counselors get results. The best test prep consultants help students achieve an average 300-350 point increase on the SAT, which can make a significant difference in an applicant’s chances for admission.
