SAT & Standardized Exam Prep
Redesigned SAT
Several years ago, The College Board decided that it was time to shake up its standardized testing paradigm. Over several years, The College Board used a variety of academic and commercial test-taking research and debuted new tests based on their findings in Spring 2016. Although the test share many attributes with the old SAT, there are big changes as well. Luckily, T&B teachers have kept pace with the changes and are ready to help your student prepare.
Important changes include the introduction of graphs and charts to the reading section, a different scoring system, calculator-free sections and more word-problems in in mathematics, and a very different approach to vocabulary. For students taking the new SAT, questions of guessing strategy, understanding contextual vocabulary, reading technique, and solution shortcuts will be essential in achieving the best possible results. T&B teachers are ready to answer all of these questions and more.
SAT / PSAT
The traditional SAT is based on the four core skills of reading comprehension, vocabulary, mathematics, and grammar. At the same time, the test’s format requires test-taking ability and an understanding of how to make the most of the time provided to take the test. This means that students who want to do their best need more than just practice. They also need knowledge from expert and experienced sources on how and what to study in preparation for their upcoming tests.
T&B offers SAT master classes taught by Master Teachers. We aim for a 1600 regardless of the student’s original score because we expect the best from our students and we know that we can offer them the requisite tools to reach his/her potential. Not every student will score a 1600 every time, but scoring 1500+ at T&B for our regular students is considered normal and expected.
Our teachers are not hired right out of college with only a few months of training. Our Master Teachers have years of experience and eat, breathe, and sleep the SAT. Each Master Teacher has taken the real exam with his or her students an average of 30+ times and has achieved a perfect score nearly every time. We take pride in being the very best at what we do. We have the best materials, the best teachers, and most importantly, the best results.
The PSAT/NMSQT helps educators at every level promote college readiness. It is a standardized test cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Students who meet published program entry and participation requirements enter NMSC competitions by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) at the specified time in their high school program, typically during their junior years. Each year's PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test entry into the coming year's competition. For example, the 2020 PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for entry to the competition for scholarships to be awarded in 2022.
Registration for the test is by high school rather than individual student. Interested students should see their counselor at the beginning of the school year to make arrangements to take the PSAT/NMSQT at the school in October/November.
All 11th-grade students can qualify for scholarships and recognition, but younger students benefit from early feedback on their skills. Over 3.6 million students take the PSAT nationwide, and while the PSAT is not an official score for college applications, its material is extremely similar to that on the SAT and provides an excellent indicator for SAT performance.
AP Exams
Although Advance Placement (AP) exams are not explicitly intended as admissions tests and they are often very different from SAT Subject Tests, they are a very important part of the college admissions and graduation process. Originally designed to mimic the course load and level of complexity of university courses, AP exams are subject tests based on the intensive AP course curriculum. Taking AP courses is important in the admissions process in two main ways. First, a transcript with an AP-heavy course load demonstrates a student’s willingness to challenge him or herself. Secondly, although colleges typically do not use weighted GPA’s in comparing applicants directly, a student who performs well in AP courses will attain a higher class rank than a student who performs well in non-AP courses.
Another advantage of the AP exams is that students can receive college credit for high AP scores at some universities, speeding up their process of graduation or allowing them to take more aggressive courses of study. However, top-tier schools are increasingly refusing to accept AP credit, so students who intend to apply to such schools should not take AP courses with the expectation of receiving credit. The most effective way to make use of AP courses is to combine AP preparation with an SAT Subject Test that covers similar information, thereby making the most of the rigorous coursework.
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For more details, visit https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap/ap-and-your-future
High School Entrance Exams
SSAT / SHSAT ISEE / HSPT / COOP
Although Advance Placement (AP) exams are not explicitly intended as admissions tests and they are often very different from SAT Subject Tests, they are a very important part of the college admissions and graduation process. Originally designed to mimic the course load and level of complexity of university courses, AP exams are subject tests based on the intensive AP course curriculum. Taking AP courses is important in the admissions process in two main ways. First, a transcript with an AP-heavy course load demonstrates a student’s willingness to challenge him or herself. Secondly, although colleges typically do not use weighted GPA’s in comparing applicants directly, a student who performs well in AP courses will attain a higher class rank than a student who performs well in non-AP courses.
Another advantage of the AP exams is that students can receive college credit for high AP scores at some universities, speeding up their process of graduation or allowing them to take more aggressive courses of study. However, top-tier schools are increasingly refusing to accept AP credit, so students who intend to apply to such schools should not take AP courses with the expectation of receiving credit. The most effective way to make use of AP courses is to combine AP preparation with an SAT Subject Test that covers similar information, thereby making the most of the rigorous coursework.
For more details, visit https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap/ap-and-your-future
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