Selective Schools Require Or Recommend SAT Essay

Most students taking the first administration of the redesigned #SAT in March will end the test by writing an essay. The optional 50-minute assignment is a significant departure from the 25-minute SAT essay of the past decade. The new test requires students to read a high-quality argumentative text and then analyze how the author builds the argument to persuade an audience. 

The College Board admits that its essay section has not contributed to the overall predictive ability of the test in the past. As a result, it has made the new essay optional. Colleges will decide for themselves whether they will require it, recommend it, or neither.

So far, about 400 U.S. colleges have responded to a College Board survey on how they intend to use the revised SAT essay. While some schools believe the essay will be useful, many do not. Roughly 25 percent of respondents report that they intend to require or recommend the essay in their applications. The other 75 percent report they will neither require nor recommend the essay.

Many of the most selective schools in the country fall into the “require” or “recommend” category. (See the College Board list here.)

Will the essay be used in admissions decisions? This question, of course, is different from whether a college will require the essay. For now, most schools will probably adopt a wait-and-see approach over the next two to three years as they study its predictive ability.

Key Academics recommends that students cover their bases  and do the SAT essay. While it probably won’t initially carry much weight in most admissions decisions, opting into the essay is the safest choice based on current information. Students typically apply to five to 10 schools, and given the differing policies, odds are that at least a few of those schools will want the essay.

Key Academics stays on top of the latest news and trends in the changing testing landscape. To discuss testing options, please call 610-940-1600 or email ceo@keyacademics.com.

The singular 'they' has its day

http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/singular-they-has-its-day

2015 was a big year for the little pronoun they and its slide into use as a singular pronoun. 

First, in December, the Washington Post admitted the singular they into its style guide, saying it is fine for Post writers to use they as a singular pronoun for transgender people and to avoid awkward sentences. Then last week, hundreds of linguists at the American Dialect Society annual meeting voted for the singular they as the 2015 word of the year. 

Cutthroat Competition For Top Universities

     Competition for spots at top universities is much more anxiety-inducing than for previous generations. The reason can be summed up in one word: demographics. 
     In 1972, just 12% of those 25 and older had finished college. By 2014, that number had grown to 31%, and the size of the U.S. population had increased by 50%. The number of slots at prestigious colleges has not kept pace. What's more, the pool of high-achieving applicants continues to grow, fed partly by a rising number from overseas. As a result, some top colleges now reject 95% of applicants.
     Please contact Key Academics at 610-940-1625, or email info@keyacademics.com, for Philadelphia SAT tutoring, ACT tutoring, subject tutoring, application essay assistance, and more, at a reasonable cost. 

Tutoring Reinforces Classroom Education

Even the best schools and teachers can't provide individualized attention to all students. Learning styles also differ and may not be accommodated by teachers. 

In-home #tutoring provides time for one-to-one interaction that reinforces skills and allows for better comprehension of subjects. Our tutors review lessons taught in school, motivate students and assist with homework. Students can also pre-learn a concept. Learning a complex subject becomes easier when 
they walk into a classroom already aware of a topic, providing a competitive edge.

Our tutors know how to recognize a student's strengths and weaknesses and can provide materials that supplement the textbook. They offer detailed, constructive feedback, and also teach study skills such as scheduling, note taking, strategies for reading complex materials, and more. 

Key Academics was recently voted "Best of Montco Tutoring Service" in a poll of readers of several local newspapers. Our tutoring programs help students maximize academic performance in the classroom, and make learning interesting and fun.

For more information, please call 610-940-1625 or email info@keyacademics.com.

FAFSA Changes Submission Dates For 2017-18

In September, President Obama announced significant changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process that will impact millions of students. Starting next year, students will be able to do the following:

• Submit a #FAFSA Earlier:  Students will be able to file a 2017-18 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as Oct. 1 every year. (There is NO CHANGE to the 2016-17 schedule, when the FAFSA will become available Jan. 1 as in previous years.)

• Use Earlier Income Information: Beginning with the 2017-18 FAFSA, students will report income information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017-18 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2015 income information, rather than their 2016 income information. 

If you’d like more details about the upcoming changes, you may read the following informational pieces from the U.S. Department of Education and the White House:

FAFSA Changes fact sheet (for students)

White House fact sheet (for the general public)

Key Academics Referral Program

Anyone can earn a $50 Amazon gift card for each person they refer to Key Academics who becomes a college entrance exam client. Also, academic or study skills referrals earn $25 gift cards.

Step 1: Tell your family and friends about Key Academics. 

Step 2: Have them call 610-940-1625 and provide your name at initial inquiry.

Step 3: Receive a $50 or $25 Amazon gift card upon enrollment. There is no limit to how much you can earn!

'Should I take the new SAT, the old SAT, or the ACT?'

“Should I take the #SAT or the #ACT?”

That decision is becoming tougher than ever.

A new SAT debuts in March 2016, and it will look a lot different from the current version. A revamped PSAT debuted in September, and for students who liked that test it makes good sense to take the new SAT.

Many others don’t want to be the first to take the new test, though. So they are registering by Dec. 28 for the final sitting of the old test on Jan. 23.

The new SAT will stress questions and content designed, the College Board says, to reflect the work that students undertake in the best high school courses. The test draws heavily from the Common Core benchmarks adopted by many states.

Instead of three sections, there will be two: Math and Evidence Based Reading and Writing. The Math test emphasizes algebra, de-emphasizes geometry, and puts more questions in a real world context. The Reading and Writing test requires students to cite evidence for their answers. The essay will be more complex, and optional, although most colleges will expect applicants to write one.

Each section will be scored on a 200 to 800 scale for a total of 1600 points instead of 2400. There will no longer be a penalty for guessing, and the number of possible answers will decrease from five to four.

While the College Board has been making big changes to the SAT, the ACT implemented minor changes this fall, including new subscores and minor changes to the math section. The biggest change is to the essay prompt, which now asks students to evaluate multiple viewpoints on a complex issue and develop their own positions. 

The ACT is a stable, proven, straightforward test that is now accepted at every college and university. Since 2010, in fact, it has achieved a bigger market share than the SAT. All in all, there’s a lot to like about the ACT, and for many students it makes sense to consider an ACT-first mindset for now.

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.