The SAT/ACT: Helping, Not Hindering, URM Students

Jay Rosner, The Princeton Review FoundationRachel Fried, Making WavesWACAC Conference, June 10, 2014

Copyright © 2014 Jay Rosner

How Many Official SATs or ACTs Should A Student Plan To Take?

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How Many Times … ?

How many times should you plan to take the

official SAT or ACT?

Once. Prep well, and get it right the first time.

But, have a fallback date planned, only if

needed, and it’s better if you don’t use it.

Why not plan for 2, or 3, or more times?

Won’t the odds be better? Feeding the pig …

More is not always better in this domain.

More is not always better …

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Some Questions to Start

From students: Which test should I take? When? How many times? Should I do anything to prepare?

From counselors: how do I best answer those questions? Should my school target one test? If so, which one? Anything different for URMs?

For participants: Which is the prevalent test in your area? What are your initial questions? How has suggesting going to college changed?

Princeton Review Foundation,a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit

Advocacy: Test critic, ETS & AA litigation

Programs:

High schools (KIPP, etc.) – work w/staff to change culture

National & Regional Partnerships – Hispanic Scholarship Fund, HBCUs, Cherokee Nation Foundation, etc.

ACT & SAT (LSAT, GRE, GMAT & MCAT)

Some SAT/ACT Prep Models

School provides SAT/ACT prep instructionInternal, external, combination, independent

schools w/fee course incl. scholarship studentsThird party provides prep outside of school

Local nonprofit, national nonprofitSchool provides online prep resource

Lots of online providersKhan Academy! (Note: an online college

counseling program akin to Eliza)Students left on their own

Books/online in the library

Big Picture SAT/ACT Concepts

For students, pro-active (aggressive), prepared

SAT – guessing “penalty”; ACT – speeded

For schools, energized environment

Stamina for 3 - 3.75, role modeling

Confidence, calm from preparation

Language is important

Discomfort (not anxiety, fear, stress?), test skew

Reduce stereotype threat

High standards/ability, growth mindset

Average SAT (M + CR) Scores by Family Income and Race/Ethnicity (2001 Data)

Source: 2001 California SAT Report, The College Board

Number of SAT Takers Source: College Board web site

Number of ACT TakersSource: ACT Web Site

How Some Students See the SAT/ACT

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What Jay Tells Students: What Do the SAT/ACT

Measure?

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For Students: Jay’s Opinion ofWhat The SAT/ACT Measure

How intelligent you are? No.

How well you’ll do in college? No. (only helps somewhat in FY

GPA)How good you are on SAT/ACT?

YES !If you have a high test score, it means that

you’re good at the test. Can you improve your score?

YES! Here’s what you need to do …

Presentation to Students:What is “Preparing Intensively?”

ACT/SAT Prep minimums (course or self-study):1.5 - 2 hours per day, of high-quality practice …

building up to a few 3-3.75 hr/days in the week before the official test

5-6 days per week for 5-6 weeks, right up to the official test3-4 practice tests, spaced out properly.

Less risks a lower-than-your-best score. SMUS tale.

What I say to HS students …

Importance of Different SAT/ACT Prep Factors

Changing the school’s culture (or creating the culture) for SAT/ACT energy:

Students’ math & reading skills - 9th and 10th grade

An SAT/ACT prep course

Faculty support for students facing the SAT/ACT

Individual faculty support for students

Students’ ideas for test prep (asking for diag.)