Digital SAT Tutoring Myths and Facts

The SAT will be making the most significant change in its history when it switches from a linear, paper-based test to an adaptive, computer-based test in March of 2024 for students in the United States.  Given this overhaul, many tutors and test prep companies may not present the reality of what high quality Digital SAT and Digital PSAT test preparation should entail.  Let’s break down the three biggest Digital SAT Myths and set the facts straight. 

Myth #1:  You can use the same materials to prepare for the Digital SAT as you did for the paper SAT. 

Fact:  The Digital SAT has many never-before-seen SAT question types that require a complete overhaul to current test prep. 

The Digital SAT has many new types of questions:

  • Rhetorical Synthesis writing questions that ask you to integrate information to accomplish a task
  • Targeted Quantitative and Textual Evidence questions that ask you to determine what would support or undermine an argument
  • Poetry, Humanities, and Drama Analytical Reading questions
  • Mathematics questions that allow the use of a built-in Desmos Calculator
  • Individual Digital SAT reading/writing questions accompanied by short texts of no more than 150 words (instead of the current multi-question passages of up to 750 words)

Given all these changes, using the same old books and materials as used with the current SAT will not work.  To make the changes even more significant, a major source of material for many test prep providers will no longer be available.  The Question-and-Answer Service currently allows students who take the SAT in March, May, or October to pay for access to their test booklets and answers.  Many test prep providers make copies of these booklets and use them as the material for their students.  The College Board is putting an end to this practice by no longer having the Question-and-Answer service.  Periodically, new practice tests will be made available online, but there will be far less material available directly from the test makers. Given this lack of material, many test prep providers may suggest that the paper-based Question and Answer services will work to prepare students for the Digital SAT.  While there are some overlaps in the math and grammar content of the old SAT and the Digital SAT, it would be a disservice to students to not have a new body of material ready to go for the redesigned test. 

Myth #2:  The same strategies and methods that worked on the paper SAT will work on the Digital SAT. 

Fact:  The adaptive nature and new interface of the Digital SAT demand major changes to testing strategies and instructional methods. 

The Digital SAT will have a section-adaptive format in which the second module of the Reading/Writing and the second module of the Math will be easier or more difficult depending on the student’s performance on the earlier module of each type.  This means that each question will have more of an impact on the score and that students may feel more stressed when they try to predict whether they are taking the easier or more difficult module.  Digital SAT tutors should be able to help students develop a personalized plan to manage their pacing and test anxiety given these new parameters.

The Digital SAT has an extremely useful Desmos calculator embedded into its interface, enabling students to use new approaches to attack inequalities, systems of equations, parabola problems, and absolute value questions.  A high-quality Digital SAT tutor can show students how to fully take advantage of this new calculator tool, along with other embedded tools like the annotation feature, answer-eliminator, and countdown timer. 

Currently, the strategies for the paper-based SAT reading passages are geared towards helping students focus for longer periods of time to absorb the general meaning of a 750-word text.  Also, students on the paper-based SAT can skip around on questions when they don’t fully understand the meaning of the text, trying more specific and easier questions before attempting broader and more difficult questions on a given passage.  With the Digital SAT reading questions, students will need to think deeply about shorter selections of text and thoroughly consider argumentative evidence on several questions.  There will also be a much greater emphasis on vocabulary knowledge with words-in-context questions, so students should be sure to bolster their knowledge of complex words.  Tutors must update their instruction to reflect the new reading comprehension strategies needed to succeed on the Digital SAT. 

Myth #3:  Everyone should just take the ACT since it is familiar. 

Fact:  Tutors should recommend the Digital SAT or the ACT based on what is best for the student, not for the tutor. 

The ACT has remained in roughly its current form for many years, and there is a wealth of preparation books and released tests available for students and tutors to use.  Since the Digital SAT represents a true revolution in test prep, the business models of many tutors may be at risk—they will no longer have the Question-and-Answer services available from College Board to create their curriculum.  Thus, many tutors may recommend that students steer clear of the Digital SAT.  While the ACT may be better for some students and the Digital SAT better for others, be wary of those who may recommend the ACT simply because it has been around for longer.  Many students will like the new format of the Digital SAT and should not be dissuaded from trying it simply because a switch to this test would be inconvenient for the tutor. 

If you need help preparing for the Digital SAT, we at BWS Education are ready to go with updated methods and materials to help you do your very best. We had the first publication about the Digital SAT to market in August of 2022, a comprehensive Digital PSAT book released in May of 2023, and an upcoming Digital SAT book coming out in August of 2023. All these books have questions and strategies fully aligned with the very latest information from College Board.  We have also compiled a wealth of free Digital SAT Resources for anyone to use.  When you prep with BWS, you will work with tutors who are at the very cutting edge of the transformation of the SAT.  We look forward to working with you. 

Distance Learning and Homeschooling Tips

By Michal Strawn

As many students and parents contemplate another semester at home, the question has arisen in most houses as to how to ensure that students have their best optimal outcome despite the big changes that have occurred. I myself was fully homeschooled for eight years and so have a good idea of what some of the difficulties may be when students are expected to learn at home, and I’ve been teaching students online for a few years now, so I understand some of the stresses that teachers face as well. As a student or a parent, here are some ideas for making the most of the online classroom.

Note: most of these tips are best for middle and high school students

  1. Find the right space in your home

By now we’ve all read about a half dozen articles about tele-commuting. The first piece of advice most of them give is for the person working from home to find a space in the home that is just for work. The adult tele-commuter wants a space away from the rest of life where they can mentally be at the office. The same is true for students. I can’t tell you how many students I have who log in from their bedroom floor, or their kitchen counter. They try to learn with their pets crawling on them and their siblings and parents yelling in the background. For success they need a space in the home where when they sit down their mind clicks into school mode. This shouldn’t be a place that is completely private: students often need other people around to keep them on task. It shouldn’t be too comfortable (the couch) or too public (the kitchen counter). Students should look for a semi-private corner or nook where they can have a table or desk with a school-type chair, the possibility of a parent wandering by on a regular basis to check in, a good internet connection, and minimal outside distractions. With multiple siblings logging in, many families have done things like turning each corner of a dining room or rec room into a student space. Look for creative solutions to get each student their own school-only desk space.

2. Find the Right Equipment

Students need to ask their teachers what they will need. A computer and internet are crucial, but expensive. If students have a hard time finding those things, inquire at the school about support. Can you check out a chrome book for the semester? Are there companies offering deals on home Wi-Fi? After these crucial pieces fall into place, I would say the next most important thing is comfortable headphones, especially if the student will be expected to log into live classes on a regular basis (double especially if there are multiple students in the home that will be doing this). Students need to be able to focus on what their teachers are saying. This is very difficult if there is a lot else going on around like siblings trying to learn, mom and dad trying to work, and everyone just trying to live. Good noise cancelling headphones help students get in the school zone and deliver their lessons with high quality audio.

Other pieces of equipment that might be very helpful include a printer/scanner (so students can rest their eyes by doing thing on paper instead of a screen), a webcam to allow them to chat face-to-face with instructors (trust me, teaching is so much easier when you can see your students), and an extension cord so they aren’t tied to outlets when charging.

3. Set time limits

In school almost every activity has a time limit. Classes end, students have to pack up and move on. Having a set amount of time for things forces students to stay focused and gives them a more structured feeling. If they don’t finish the work in their assigned class time, they should make themselves do it for homework when everything else is done. It sounds strange, but it can really help students stay motivated and not end up working all day and getting nothing done.

4. Have a schedule!

Ok, this one should have been number one or two, but it’s been said so often that I feel like it’s obvious by now and it just piggybacks on setting time limits. People who are working or learning from home need to set a schedule and stick to it. Many teachers are not teaching live this fall. That means students don’t have any structure to their days at all! Make. A. Schedule. Set a wake-up time, a math time, a biology time, a lunch time and so on. Structure breeds success. Without structure, students will spend all day doing what could be done in a few hours.

5. Breaks

Speaking of lunch time, students should make sure their schedule includes the breaks that they’re used to. They can and should give themselves a five minute “passing period” every hour and at least half an hour for lunch. During these times they need to get up and actually do something. They shouldn’t spend the five minutes scrolling through Instagram while sitting at the school desk- the school desk is only for school. Instead, they should get up, stretch, grab some water, run out to the mailbox, and use the bathroom. In short–move!

6. Communicate!

Since students are at home and not seeing their teachers every day, the teachers won’t know as quickly if something is wrong. They won’t necessarily notice that the student is quieter than normal, or working slower than they normally would, or missing questions. Students need to be their own advocates this year; don’t wait for teachers to ask–tell! Students should get comfortable reaching out to teachers at least once each week to check in, ask questions, and make sure they aren’t missing anything.

Hopefully these tips will make distance learning a bit more manageable. If we can ever help, just let us know!

-Michal

Six Things To Do During the Coronavirus Shutdown

Students across the country are out of school for the next few weeks–the shutdown could last all the way until the summer.  While many students may be tempted to increase their video gaming and snapchatting, this downtime presents a golden opportunity to make independent progress on long-term academic and extracurricular goals.   Here are six ways to make that happen:

1.  Prepare for the modified AP Exams.  The College Board will offer at-home AP tests that are 45 minutes long and consist of only free response questions.  You will be able to take the tests in a way convenient for you: on a phone, tablet, computer, or even by hand.  Colleges will accept the results from the exam just as they have in years past.  Get ready for the AP exams by doing self-study and practicing for free response questions.  The College Board will provide updates here:  https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates .

2.  Build your online portfolio.  You can submit additional materials with your college application to showcase your unique talents.  Among the types of materials you can submit: recordings of music, videos of debate and theatrical performances, short stories you have written, art pieces, and samples of films you have made.  Take advantage of this down time to work on independent projects that you have not had time to focus on with the hustle and bustle of high school.

3.  Get ready for the June SAT and June ACT.   There is a national SAT test date on June 6th and a national ACT test date on June 13th.  There will be additional test dates throughout the summer and fall.  This is an excellent time to do test preparation work like practice tests, content review, and online tutoring.

4.  Earn college credit through independent study and examination.  Is there a college course you have always wanted to take, but have never had the time?  Humanities, world history, religion, astronomy, or statistics?  You can study independently and earn college credit on websites like https://study.com/  .

5.  Read some good books!  Students often complain that they never have time to read for fun; now you have plenty of time to work through that reading list.  Online books are freely available on library websites like https://www.columbuslibrary.org/ .  If you are wondering what types of books might be helpful to read in order to improve your reading comprehension for standardized tests, here is suggested list:

https://bwseducationconsulting.com/docs/ACT_SAT_Recommended_Reading_List.pdf .

6.  Get started on your college application essays.  Over 900 colleges accept the Common Application, and they have already announced what the common application essay prompts will be:  https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts .  The fall of the senior year is extremely busy with college applications, school, and extracurriculars.  If you can get a head start on your college essays now, that will take a major task off of your plate.

We at BWS stand at the ready to help you with your independent work.  We have tutors available to meet you online to help with the SAT and ACT, college essay preparation, and AP exam review.  Please register to work with us at:

https://bwseducationconsulting.mypaysimple.com/s/bws-education-consulting-tutoring-registration .