Book Review: The Perfect Score Project

Though I used to teach SAT prep for Kaplan, it was many, many moons ago. And of course, it was even longer ago that I actually TOOK the SAT. Have I ever told you that I took the test twice and got the same score both times? The second time, I went up in verbal and down in math! (This was back before the verbal was renamed Critical Reading.)   My memory is spotty but I am PRETTY SURE I did next to no test prep. I think I got some flash cards from someone I knew--maybe one of my sisters or a friend. The internet back then was not what it is now, so it is unlikely that I did any test prep on the College Board website. In any case, I went in there, took the test and passed muster. NYU took the best of my scores--the best math and the best verbal, and combined into one score. Thanks to Debbie's book, The Perfect Score Project: One Mother's Journey to Uncover the Secrets of the SAT I now know this is called superscoring.  Thanks to Debbie's book, I now know a lot of things that I didn't know before! The poor woman sat down for seven SAT exams, on a personal mission to help her son do his best on his own SAT exam. Actually, she had fun doing this so maybe I shouldn't feel so sorry for her! I actually kind of, sort of, wish I could take the SAT again, using the wisdom Debbie gleaned over the course of her project.
The book may be about the SAT but the story that unfolds is about one mother's struggle and triumph to hold her family together.  While stress is not an inherent part of SAT prep (at least, I don't think it is for everyone), in cases where there is a lot riding on SAT performance, relationships will be impacted.  Debbie was particularly obsessed with the test because she saw it as her son's best opportunity to pay for college. She felt sure that a high score would improve his chances of earning merit scholarships.  We, the reader, reap the benefits of her intensive experiment on locking down SAT success. Whether you are a tutor or a parent, this book is well worth reading--it is a font of information and knowledge that can be found across the internet and in every test prep center brought together into one humorous, uplifting volume.

Find Debbie at The Perfect Score Project. She is also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/debbiestier 


I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. This post contains affiliate links. 

The New SAT

The Internet is abuzz with news that The College Board is rolling out an update to the SAT,  after overhauling the exam in 2005 by adding two sections and increasing the end of the point scale to 2400. The new new version will launch in 2016.

Here's a look at what's changing this time:

• The print format remains but students in some locations will be able to take the exam on a computer. 
• The exam will consist of three parts: Evidence-based reading and writing, math and the essay. 
• 50 minutes will be added to the exam time, for the essay portion. 
• The exam will return to the 400-1600 point scale. 

Those are the overarching changes to the exam. For more specific changes, head over to the source: https://www.collegeboard.org/delivering-opportunity/sat/redesign

The SAT has always been a controversial entity, and a change of this magnitude only fans the flames. The College Board's rationale for redesigning the exam is to make it more democratic, and for the exam to more realistically reflect what American high school students are learning.  The exam will look more like the ACT which is a less popular exam but has been gaining ground on the SAT in the past few years. (I took both exams in high schools! The ACT was definitely easier than the SAT but it also had more familiar content than the SAT.) 

The College Board also hopes that the redesign will give a leg up to low-income students who do not have the advantage of taking expensive prep classes. The test fee will also be waived for students who qualify, and Khan Academy will provide free test prep.

Sounds pretty good, right? But I'm inclined to agree with Randolf Arguelles, who argues in the Wall Street Journal that democratizing the exam will make it less effective as an admissions tool. In the United States, despite the widespread adoption of the Common Core, there is no national curriculum, there is no standard of grading, there is no uniform measurement tool across states. The SAT allows universities to compare "apples to apples," as Arguelles says in his article.  

The chief complaint about the SAT has been that it doesn't measure real world knowledge but what is "real world knowledge"? The concept is subjective and a matter of opinion. I believe success in college is predicted by three things: a sophisticated vocabulary, reading comprehension and study skills. The SAT covers all three of these things, which are useful across all disciplines, no matter what major you declare. This is not elitist. What is elitist, however, are expensive test prep programs that shut out low-income students, which reflects the "real world," as well--access is equal to advantage. This is why test prep is already made available for free or at low cost in low-income areas. 

In New York City, free test prep is offered by APEX: http://www.apex-ny.org/education_programs.php

In Fairfield County, some school districts offer low-cost test prep. Stratford, for example, offers a course for $105: http://www.stratfordk12.org/Content/SAT_Prep_Courses.asp

As a tutor, I am committed to offering affordable test prep, and general academic tutoring, and will work with a family's budget! 

Here are two more stories on the new SAT, plus one just for laughs!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/education/major-changes-in-sat-announced-by-college-board.html

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/beautiful-minds/2014/03/12/what-the-new-sat-misses-big-time/

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2014/03/17/140317sh_shouts_frazier

Nancy Cavillones is a writing coach based in West Redding, Connecticut. She is available to coach students on application essays and AP English essays as well as general academic tutoring in ELA and Social Studies for grades 5-12. Coaching is available online and in person. Tutoring is only available in person. Contact her today for rates and availability. ctwritingtutor@gmail.com