2015 And 2016 SAT Test Dates

If you're looking for the SAT test dates after June 6, 2015, you won't find them on the College Board website. In fact, you won't find them on the web, period. But now you can find out the dates, thanks to Key Academics. And how did we find this valuable information, you may ask? Truth be told, simply by calling the College Board and speaking with a helpful representative, who explained that the dates have just been released and are unofficial but generally very reliable at this point. 

So without further ado, here are the SAT Test Dates: Oct. 3, 2015; Nov. 7, 2015; Dec. 5, 2015; Jan. 23, 2016: March 5, 2016 (no Subject tests); May 7, 2016; and June 4, 2016. The new SAT debuts with the March 5, 2016 test. 

Schools can administer the PSAT on Oct. 14 or Oct. 17. 

Here, as well, are the upcoming ACT test dates: June 13, 2015; Sept. 12, 2015; Oct. 24, 2015; Dec. 12, 2015; Feb. 6, 2016; April 9, 2016; and June 11, 2016.

New SAT A Topic Of Concern To Parents And Students

The new SAT will soon be a big concern for parents and students. They will need to decide whether to stay with a radically revised version of the popular test or join the growing numbers switching to the more straightforward and known quantity of the ACT. 

The SAT is set to undergo a significant revision in March 2016, as is the PSAT in the fall of 2015, with changes to scoring, format and questions. 

There are always problems with new test roll-outs, so Key Academics is advising an ACT-first mindset for the class of 2017, the first to potentially take the new SAT. The ACT is a relatively stable test with minor changes planned for fall 2015 to the essay and math sections. All in all, there’s a lot to like about the ACT, especially for rising juniors.

The SAT changes every 10 years or so. In 1995 it was re-centered so 500 could continue to approximate the mean score. In 2005, the test was changed to Critical Reading, Math and Writing, for 2400 points, while eliminating analogies and quantitative analysis. 

The updated SAT reflects an emphasis on problem-solving instead of rote memorization, as well as a closer alignment to the type of material and instruction seen in the highest level high school courses. The test will return to a 400 to 1600 scale, there will be no penalty for wrong answers, and the expanded essay will be optional.

​The new SAT will also include:

• Reading and Writing tests that require students to cite evidence for their answers;
• A Math test that emphasizes algebra, de-emphasizes geometry and puts more questions in a real-world context; and 
• Questions and content that better reflect the work that students undertake in the best high school courses.

Market share is a huge driver of the latest SAT change. In 2010, 1.57 million students took the ACT and 1.5 million the SAT. And the ACT now has assessment contracts in 17 states versus three for the SAT.

Students taking the ACT in September 2015 will also see changes. They’ll need to prepare for a more complex essay and some alterations in the Reading and Mathematics tests. They will receive new scores for English language arts and the combined fields of science and mathematics.

For assistance in selecting which test will maximize results, as well as information regarding comprehensive tutoring programs that teach test-taking strategies and content, please contact Key Academics at 610-940-1625 or visit www.keyacademics.com.

Whitemarsh Parks & Recreation Offers SAT And ACT Summer Programs

For rising juniors looking to take a fall college entrance exam, and rising seniors preparing to take one again, summer is the perfect time to prepare for the SAT or ACT. Of help to these students will be an eight-session summer course from the Whitemarsh Township Parks and Recreation Department and Key Academics.

 

The tutoring will take place at the Parks and Recreation building at Miles Park in Lafayette Hill, with SAT lessons from June 23 to Aug. 11, on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., and ACT lessons on Thursdays from June 25 to Aug. 13 at the same time.

“Enrollment is limited to 10 students for each course to maximize the benefit of small classes,” said Key Academics President Bill Silverman. “Each course will include 16 hours of in-class instruction, a 400-page workbook, and a practice test. For students who are unsure as to which test to take, Key Academics will provide optional diagnostic tests upon registration.”

The cost is $479 for Whitemarsh residents and $499 for non-residents. To register, please call Whitemarsh Parks and Recreation at (610) 828-7276 or visit whitemarshparks.org. Key Academics provides in-home tutoring for students at all grade levels throughout the Delaware Valley and can be contacted at (610) 940-1625, or by visiting www.keyacademics.com. 

Headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, Key Academics provides in-home academic and college entrance examination tutoring in Montgomery, Bucks, Delaware, Chester and Philadelphia Counties.

Practice Questions For New SAT

To help students prepare for the redesigned PSAT/NMSQT (first offered in October 2015) and the redesigned SAT (spring 2016), the College Board has released a significant number of test questions.

See Sample Questions 

Students and teachers can get detailed information about the format and features of the redesigned exams’ Reading Tests, Writing and Language Tests, Math Tests, and the SAT Essay on these pages:

• Reading Test
• Writing and Language Test
• Math Test
• The SAT Essay

The College Board encourages both students and educators to learn more about the redesigned SAT by looking through the sample questions.

Apply Now For Summer Pre-College Programs

By Dr. Aviva Hershfeld Legatt

Owner and College and Career Consultant

VivED Consulting

Do you have a freshman, sophomore or junior at home? As former Director of the Leadership in the Business World pre-college program at The Wharton School, I can tell you that participating in a pre-college program not only contributes to a student's growth and development, but also to his/her future college applications. While there is not a one-to-one link between participating in a summer program on a college campus and university admission, there are many benefits for students who participate in one of these programs. 

Besides the friendships made, the paramount outcome of a summer pre-college program experience is that students receive insight about their academic/career interests and college choices. In the many admissions applications I have read, and in my current college counseling practice, it is clear that many students have very little idea about why they want to study their intended major or go into a particular career field. (Hint: Reasons of "prestige" and "excellence" are insufficient). Pre-college programs provide opportunity for students to recognize and articulate compelling personalized (and informed) reasons about why a major (and/or school) is a good fit.

 

If your student is interested in attending a pre-college program this summer, make sure he or she applies ASAP: Most pre-college programs have rolling admissions, filling seats on a first-come, first-served basis.

Need ideas for pre-college programs that would be a good fit for your student? Contact Dr. Aviva Hirschfeld Legatt at aviva@vivedconsulting.com.

Debunking Myths About Financial Aid

Every year, thousands of students and families let misconceptions about financial aid stop them from applying for -- and receiving -- the aid they deserve. Let's let the folks at collegedata.com set the record straight.

Myth #1: There isn't enough aid for everyone, and certainly not for my family.

Fact: The amount of aid for college students increases almost every year. According to the College Board: More than $185 billion in financial aid was distributed to undergraduates during the 2012-2013 academic year in the form of aid from all sources, including grants, work-study, loans, and tax credits and deductions. Between the academic years 2007-2008 and 2012-2013, grant aid for full-time undergraduates increased an average of 6.8 percent each year.

If you need financial help, get in line. You have only yourself to blame if you don't. Visit collegedata.com for lots more mythbusting information.

SAT Essay: How To Score High

The essay represents about 25% to 30% of the SAT Writing score. The other 70% to 75% is based on your performance on the multiple- choice grammar questions.

The prompts of the SAT allow for a great deal of leeway in your choice of examples. You can practice by reviewing a range of people and topics from literature and history before the test.

Most important, though, is the quality of your writing and your ability to support your thesis. This can also include an example taken from personal experience. Just be sure to make it specific.

When you sit down for the test and get your prompt, take a few minutes to outline your answer. While it is often true that the top scoring essays are the longest ones, it is not true that you can simply improve your essay by writing more or writing faster.

It’s not easy to write a complete SAT essay in 25 minutes, but you can do it. And, with practice, you will. The key is being prepared.