Learn more about Advantage Testing, our unique educational resources, and the public service initiatives of the Advantage Testing Foundation.
UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS AND STANDARDIZED TESTING
Arun Alagappan President,Advantage Testing and The Advantage Testing Foundation
www.advantagetesting.com
Testing and University Admissions Policies
The SAT or the ACT?
OVERVIEW
SAT Subject Tests
How to Prepare
TESTING AND UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS POLICIES
Uneven grading systems
WHY USE STANDARDIZED TESTS?
Grade inflation
Diamonds in the rough
• “One hundred years’ evidence suggests that testing increases achievement.”
• “Testing with feedback produces the strongest positive effect on achievement.”
WHAT MATTERS TO UNIVERSITIES?
Academics
Secondary School
Standardized test scores
WHAT MATTERS TO UNIVERSITIES?
GPA
SAT or ACT
Class rank
SAT Subject Tests
Rigor of curriculum
Extracurricular activities Special talent/ability
WHAT MATTERS TO UNIVERSITIES?
Athletics
Social service
Professional experience
Personal statement School recommendation Teacher recommendations
WHAT MATTERS TO UNIVERSITIES?
Personal interview
• Character/personal qualities • Leadership • Ethics • Sensitivity • Diversity • Ethnic • Socioeconomic • Geographic • Other • Alumni relation/legacy • Level of applicant interest
WHAT MATTERS TO UNIVERSITIES?
Ø Early Decision (commitment) Ø Early Action (no commitment) Ø Single-Choice Early Action (no commitment)
ADMISSIONS NOTIFICATIONS POLICIES
SAT OR ACT?
SAT
ACT
SAT VS . ACT
Required sections
Reading Writing and Language Math–No Calculator Math–Calculator
Reading English Math Science
Length
3 hours + 50-minute optional essay
2 hours and 55 minutes + 40-minute optional essay
Answer choices
4; some grid-in Math
4; 5 in Math
Scoring
400–1600 composite, two scores combined
1–36 composite, average of each section
ACT SCIENCE TEST
• 40 questions on 6 passages • 35 minutes • Tests interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and problem-solving • Some scientific knowledge required
GROWING POPULARITY OF ACT
• Fewer distractors • Curricular relevance • Less vocabulary • Easier reading • Introduced score choice
• College preparedness • Greater rigor • Recover market share
CHANGES TO THE SAT
ACT Composite SAT Composite Percentile 34 1520–1550 99 28 1310–1340 88 22 1100–1140 58 15 810–840 10
ACT/SAT CONCORDANCE TABLES
• Score choice • Single-sitting highest scores • Superscore • Full disclosure • Cancellation • Special requirements
REPORTING SCORES: WHAT TO KNOW
SAT SUBJECT TESTS
Science: Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics
Standard: French, German, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Spanish With listening: French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean
Languages
SUBJECTS TESTED
History: US,World
Literature
Math: Level 1, Level 2
Math 1
Math 2
Number of questions
50
50
Calculator
Permitted
Permitted (and more frequently needed)
Topics
Math concepts similar to SAT
More complex math
3 years of secondary-level math: 2 algebra, 1 geometry
Recommended curricular background
4 years of secondary-level math: trigonometry or pre-calculus
Curve
Difficult
Generous
WHICH SUBJECT TEST IN MATH?
UNDERSTANDING CURVES
• Key data points • Raw score (varies per test) • Number of questions • answered correctly • answered incorrectly • Scaled score (200–800) • Percentile (0–99)
Math 1
Math 2
Scaled score
800
800
Raw score
49–50
44–50
Percentile
99 th
81 st
MATH SUBJECT TEST CURVES
UNDERSTANDING CURVES
DIFFICULT CURVES
GENEROUS CURVES
• Math Level 1 • Spanish • Biology • Chemistry
• World History • U.S. History • Math Level 2
• Physics • French • Latin
• German • Japanese • Korean
DATES OFFERED
• See charts • Note restrictions
HOW TO PREPARE
QUALITIES IN EXCELLENT TUTORS
• Motivators • Well-evaluated • Energetic • Approachable • Top performers • Dedicated instructors
WORKING WITH EXCELLENT TUTORS
• Effectiveness of 1-on-1 • Rigorous standards • Sensitivity to individual needs
• Nowhere to hide • Learning to learn • Distance learning
STUDY INDEPENDENTLY
PRACTICE. PRACTICE. PRACTICE.
CAN STANDARDIZED TESTS DELIVER GREATER OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS?
THE ADVANTAGE TESTING FOUNDATION
TRIALS TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT INITIATIVE FOR ADMISSION TO LEADING LAW SCHOOLS
WHO ARE TRIALS SCHOLARS?
• 20 students selected from more than 2,000 applicants • Selected on basis of academic achievement, community
service, and history of overcoming adversity
LAW SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
• Multiple admissions to all top-10 law schools • 80% of Trials graduates in law school attend a top-10 school
HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
Since 2009, 39 Trials scholars have been admitted to Harvard Law School
• Trials alumni include: • Multiple Fulbright Scholars
• Two Marshall Scholars • Three Rhodes Finalists • A Rhodes Scholar
TRIALS HONORS
MP4G ADVANTAGE TESTING FOUNDATION’S MATH PRIZE FOR GIRLS
AT FOUNDATION’ S MATH PRIZE FOR GIRLS
• Largest math prize for girls in the world • More than 1,400 unique contestants • In 2016, 85 volunteers helped run the event
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
• Susan Hockfield, then President of MIT • MacArthur Genius AwardWinners Dina Katabi, Esther Duflo and StephenWolfram • Yale Professor Priya Natarajan • MIT Professors Shafi Goldwasser and Nancy Hopkins • Princeton Professor Corina Tarnita
BOARD OF ADVISORS INCLUDES
• Michael Sipser, Dean of the School of Science at MIT • Maria Klawe, President of Harvey Mudd College & former Dean of the School of Engineering at Princeton • Leading mathematicians on the faculties of Berkeley, Stanford, and Harvard including Iona Dumitriu, Gigliola Staffilani, and Melanie MatchettWood
LEDA LEADERSHIP ENTERPRISE FOR A DIVERSE AMERICA
• 82% of most recent cohort are first-generation college students • Median household income is $28,402
LEDA
COLLEGE ADMI SS IONS
• Of the 100 students in LEDA’s Cohort 10: • 99 admitted to AT LEAST one “Most Competitive” School (Barron’s) • 49 admitted to Harvard,Yale, Princeton, or Stanford
THANK YOU
www.advantagetesting.com
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