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The SAT Test Explained

Fast Track Coach — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:20:02 +0000

If you are not familiar with college admissions and testing, then you may want to do a little research before you graduate from high school and plan to go to college. The SAT test was originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and was used as an IQ test of sorts. There is a new SAT test, called the SAT Reasoning Test and it is used to gain admissions to many colleges. However, the College Board says that SAT no longer stands for anything, in order to avoid using acronyms.

This standardized test is usually taken by high school students who will be applying to colleges and universities, however the test is open to anyone over the age of 12 with the only other requirement of paying a fee, but even that may be waived in some circumstances. It would be advantageous for you to take part in a SAT preparation class or at the very least you should try to get in a SAT practice test or two. This is very helpful in making you more relaxed and confident when you arrive at your SAT test center on your SAT test date.

There are pros and cons with taking the test multiple times. Some colleges will average your highest score on each individual section allowing you the chance to have a higher total. However, the College Board will send all of your scores for the SAT test to the college. In general, it is believed that you should not take the test anymore than three times, and you should strive to improve your score on each successive test.

If you are wondering what makes the SAT so important or why it matters at all, then there is not one really absolute reason, rather a few reasons, such as the fact that the SATs tests are required by many universities to be considered for admission. Although not every college requires it, most of the “well known” colleges and the “public” (state) colleges do. There are some cases where a student may take both the ACT and SAT test or even the ACT in place of the SAT.

Other than being required for admission to universities in the United States, many scholarships require a minimum SAT test score and many universities, especially state universities will offer academic scholarships for students with a certain GPA and minimum SAT score. The SAT test is a great way to set yourself apart from the college admissions crowd. Having a high SAT score will allow you to separate from the thousands of other people applying to college.

By Education Editor

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The Importance Of SAT Test Scores

Fast Track Coach — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:10:05 +0000

You have probably heard it before, but it bears repeating; it is never too early to start studying for your college admissions. They do require some standardized testing and you should begin studying for that as soon as possible. Things such as your SAT test scores play a big part in whether or not you will even be considered for admission, so preparing for that test is an absolute must. There are many different classes and guides to help get you started and you can always speak to a counselor at school to help guide you in the right direction.

It is a good idea to set up an account on Collegeboard.com, as there is a great deal of information on their site. They have a list of upcoming SAT test dates and once you have completed the SAT you can check out your SAT test score on line as well. They provide a date that your scores will be available, for example if you take the SAT on May 3, 2008 your online web scores will be available on May 22, 2008 and paper scores will be mailed out on June 2, 2008. They also have helpful tips for taking the SAT and all kinds of relevant information.

You are already a little nervous about your SATs results and the fact that it can take so long to come in the mail, just makes it that much more difficult. Now you can view your SAT test scores on line and they offer additional information as well. It has a more detailed account of each section including how many were correct, how many were incorrect and how many you skipped. You will still get your results in the mail, but this information is available on line much sooner than the paper results.

When you register for the SAT, you choose which colleges you want your SAT test score to be sent to and they will be mailed approximately five weeks after the test. If you decide you want to send your scores to other colleges and scholarship programs, then this can be done for an additional fee. Keep in mind that all of your SATs results will be sent, not just your latest or highest score.

If for some reason you need to cancel your test and scores while you are at the SAT test center, then you need to get a request to cancel form from the test supervisor and fill it out completely before leaving. If you have already taken the test but need to cancel your SAT test scores, then you must notify them in writing within 2 days of taking the test. Keep in mind that if you do cancel them they cannot be reinstated, nor can they be reported to any colleges.

By Education Editor

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SAT Test Prep - Helpful Tips

Fast Track Coach — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 02:00:02 +0000

If you are a junior in high school and have taken the SAT before, then you may want to consider taking it again. Many school counselors say that sometimes a student is not aware of the fact that the SAT can be taken over and over. They do advise students to take them again and to be sure to do some SAT test prep work in order to raise their score. If you need help studying, then there are many different study aides available to you. If you prefer, you can find a location near you and enroll in an SAT preparation course. There are also several companies that offer online test prep that may be more convenient or useful for you.

A student may not want to hear that preparation for these types of standardized admission tests should begin long before they even knew about the SATs tests. Since these tests measure skills learned and developed over a long time period of time, both before and during high school, they will be testing over all of that material. So, yes of course, any practice SAT test or work prior to the exam will be very helpful as well.

Ok, you may not want to hear this but the best way to prepare for SATS tests is to take challenging courses in high school, the most advanced you can handle, as well as a few really solid academic courses. Of course you can also do some college test prep, but subjects such as Geometry and Algebra will give you a definite advantage on the math portion of the SATs. Any SAT test prep is going to be advantageous to you before you take the SAT entrance exam, so you will want to participate in any SAT preparation courses or classes that you can. Nothing beats taking challenging courses before you ever take the exam.

One part of a SAT that you may not be completely familiar with is the SAT Subjects Tests (originally called SAT II: Subject Tests). They have also been called part of the new SAT test. These tests are designed to measure your knowledge and skills in particular subject areas, as well as your ability to apply that knowledge. Students normally take the Subject Test to demonstrate to colleges their mastery of specific subjects, such as English, Math, Science, etc. Studying for this is an unusual form of SAT practice test as they are independent of any particular textbook or instruction. The content of this test evolves to reflect current trends in high school curriculum, but basically they change very little from year to year.

Finding what works best for you and your personal study habits is the first step to setting up your SAT test prep plan. Once you have set your course, be sure to keep it in mind at all times and do everything you can to make sure you reach that goal.

By Education Editor

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SAT Preparation - An Overview

Fast Track Coach — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 01:50:12 +0000

For most students, their cumulative years of high school result in being accepted and enrolled in a college of their choice. The SAT test is a way for you to show colleges that you are serious about continuing your education. That is why it is important to go through SAT preparation and take the practice test as much as possible. This preparation will also help you gain insights into your strengths and weaknesses, and improving where necessary.

The SAT test measures critical thinking skills and the ability to analyze and solve problems. Taking an SAT practice course or test is a great way to prepare for taking the SAT. Keep in mind that the sat test dates are given seven times a year, so be sure you have enough time to prepare before taking the actual SATs tests.

Do you find it difficult to manage your time between classes, homework and finding time to study? You are not alone; many students tend to wait too long, hoping their schedule will slow down a little. Of course, that does not happen and you may find yourself trying to find any time for SAT preparation, yet before you know it, the SAT test date is right around the corner and you are thinking about the all-nighters that you are going to have to endure.

Some experts suggest setting goals, and figure out the amount of time you think you will need for SAT test preparation. If you are using a book or study guide, then figure the total number of pages you need to get through. Then consider how many days you have until the SAT test date and once you have figured that out try setting smaller daily goals to accomplish, making it easier to reach your end goal. Be sure that the amount of time you are considering is something you can realistically commit to in order to be consistent.

It can be stressful trying to find the time to study and worrying about your SAT test score. The best way to handle your SAT preparation is to approach it with confidence and be consistent in your studies. This is essential in achieving the best SATS results that actually reflect your abilities.

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MCAT Test Prep And Medical College Admissions

Fast Track Coach — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:50:03 +0000

Just in case you are not familiar with the acronym, MCAT is the Medical College Admission Test required by all medical schools. Most people agree that in order to pass this test, it is helpful to do a fair amount of MCAT prep. One source that is valuable is the MCAT test prep as the evaluation of grades alone is not helpful in selecting students. The MCAT is designed to help the admissions committee determine who is best suited for medical school. The American Association of Medical Colleges administers the test once in April and once in August. An entire day is normally required at the testing center and is an average of 9.5 hours.

There are many different courses that are available to help you study for everything from the ACT and SAT test to the PSAT. And of course, MCAT prep is considered a vital part of being able to do well on the actual test. If you are not able to find one near you and you are unable to drive a long distance, then consider enrolling in some type of online test prep where you are also able to proceed at your own pace.

To give you some idea how the test works, there are 77 questions in Biological Sciences including Biology and Organic Chemistry, 77 questions on Physical Sciences including Physics and Inorganic Chemistry. Both of those sections are 100 minutes each. MCAT test prep is very useful for those categories as well as the 65 questions on Verbal Reasoning for 85 minutes. You will be required to write two essays, allowing 60 minutes on each.

As previously indicated, medical schools take several factors into account when considering your application, such as your transcripts, letters of recommendation and of course your MCAT score. Many schools prefer this exam, as it not only gives them an objective measure of your aptitude for a career in medicine, but it also provides insight into your critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities. And, just like every other exam of its type, MCAT prep is normally the key to success.

There are different forms of study aids and preparations available to you for virtually every college test prep you can imagine. There are some that are mostly known for help, such as the SAT test preparation, test prep books and even PSAT preparation. However, much of this will also provide help and guidance with the MCAT test prep and are well worth checking out. You may also want to check out the Princeton MCAT Review and the Kaplan MCAT Review as they have quite a bit of information available.

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About The SATs

Fast Track Coach — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:40:02 +0000

Most colleges have basic requirements for admission and one of these is a standardized test, whose mere name tends to make high school students shudder. This test would be the SATs. When colleges are reviewing applications, they are looking for a minimum SAT test score even before considering the rest of the application.

The SAT consists of three sections: math, critical reading and writing. Scores on each section range from 200 to 800, with scores always being a multiple of 10. For example, 580 or 720, but never something like 645 or 643. The scores for each of the sections are added together for the composite score, with a 2400 being a perfect SAT test score. There is also one more section that does not count toward your score. This extra section is used by College Board administrators as possible test questions for future SATs tests. During the test, students have no idea which section will count or will not count towards their score, so that they will treat all sections as equally important.

Some people are under the mistaken impression that the SAT questions cover certain subjects that you learned in high school. When in reality, the SATs are used to evaluate your overall education and understanding, showing what type of progress has been made during school. In March of 2005, the SATs tests added essay writing and knowledge of Algebra II.

Perhaps one of the most common questions is “How long do I need to prepare?” There is no “set in stone” answer. It is recommended that you take a practice SAT test first to get some idea of your ability. They are great for finding any weak areas as well. Most of this depends on you, so if your vocabulary and test taking skills are strong, then you may only need about 2 months for your SAT test preparation. However, if your vocabulary is weak and you tend to freeze during tests, then you should plan for a minimum of 3 to 4 months and may want to consider taking a SAT preparation course.

You may have known some kids who didn’t do very well in high school, yet somehow managed to get a really impressive SAT test score. And there are likely others that did do well in school, but when it came to SATs results, those same kids bombed the test completely. This is because taking the SATs is nothing like taking tests in school. There are some obvious reasons why tests at school rarely lasted more than an hour, whereas you have to remain focused for over three hours for SATs tests. On most school tests, the teachers give more weight to the difficult questions, but all SAT questions are worth the same amount of points. Many times a teacher will give partial credit for partial answers but again, the SAT only has one right answer for each question and no partial credit.

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About College Admissions

Fast Track Coach — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:30:04 +0000

Feeling a little anxious about getting into college? Don’t worry, you are not alone in the sentiment. Most students are very apprehensive about things like their SATS results, feeling that it is the major factor in how a college bases their admission decision. And, while this is true, college admissions look at many factors before making a decision and about 35 to 50% of that decision is influenced by your high school records. They look to see if you improved academically during high school or if you let your grades slide a little during your senior year. And yes, they do look at the courses you took, whether or not they were challenging to you and how well you handled them.

They also claim that about 25 to 40% of their admissions decision is based on test scores. Both the ACT and SAT test are used to evaluate applicants, showing them how well you would handle problem solving, reading and other basic skills. This is one reason why SAT test preparation is vital if you want to do well and improve your SAT test score.

If you have been active in community services or activities, then be sure to include that information when applying. Approximately 5 to 20% of a college’s decision may be based on your activities and accomplishments while in high school, believing that if you were a leader in high school, then you are likely to continue to be so in college. College admissions may also look at essays and recommendations to learn things that SATS tests are not able to tell them. They want to know what is important to you and discover your greatest strengths and weaknesses.

Taking SAT preparation classes and a few practice SATs tests improves your chance of getting a higher grade and that along with taking AP (advanced placement) courses shows the college admissions what you are capable of and that you are serious about furthering your education. This is essential if you already have a particular school in mind, as the grades and whole high school time period are under scrutiny.

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What Being A Professional Life Coach Means

Fast Track Coach — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:20:13 +0000

What is a professional life coach and what does one do? No doubt you’ve seen people and companies offer services as a personal life coach or a professional life coach and you wonder if it’s something you should look into. It’s possible that hiring a life coach would be a wonderful asset because they truly can help a person succeed in life. But in order to understand if you’re at a point in your life to fully appreciate a professional life coach, you should make sure you understand what they do. It can be a bit confusing because life coaching sounds very much like a lot of other services that are offered these days.

The thing to remember about a professional life coach is that they are not psychologists. They don’t have to have psychology degrees, although some of them do. As such, a professional life coach isn’t there to help you diagnose possible mental disorders or to help you figure out what mental triggers motivate your current actions. Instead, a professional life coach helps you discover how to move from where you are in life to where you’d like to be. So it’s an altogether different experience, but can be wonderfully helpful when you don’t care about how you got where you are, you just want to get out.

That’s really all there is to it. A professional life coach can be a wonderful help, but it may be that what you need is therapy. You’ll have to decide for yourself if that’s the case. Just remember that you should choose based on what benefits you, not what you think is the “right thing” to do. Choosing something based on what seems like the right thing to do could rob you of the benefits of either choice.

Published by M. B. Aria

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What Being A Certified Life Coach Means

Fast Track Coach — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:10:11 +0000

It is possible that, while searching for a personal life coach, you came across an advertisement or two with someone claiming to be a “certified life coach”. Many who claim to be a certified life coach end up charging more money than non-certified life coaches. With that in mind, is it worth paying the extra money to hire a certified life coach? In many ways it is, although it might not come up in your situation. Before understanding if it’s worth it or not, you must understand what a life coach certificate means.

It is possible, though not advisable, to start up a professional life coach business without being a certified life coach. All it really takes is getting people to hire you as a life coach, either via the internet or from seeing an advertisement in the newspaper. Once you do that, you are a professional life coach. However, a certified life coach has special training. It takes a lot of work to know what to say in different situations and to know how to help a person get past things in their lives that are holding them back. A life coach institute will offer training that can help a person be prepared for any number of experiences that someone who simply “proclaimed” themselves a life coach simply doesn’t have. With that said, you can see that it would be a good idea to make sure that you hire a certified life coach rather than a non-certified life coach.

In the end, the difference between a certified life coach and a non-certified life coach is a matter of training and experience. If you’re looking for a personal life coach, it pays to hire a certified one, even if a certified life coach costs more than a non-certified one. It can be the difference between glorious success and not quite making it over that hill. And since what you want is success, the choice should be clear. Why would you hire anything other than a certified life coach?

Published by M. B. Aria

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The Role Of A Personal Life Coach

Fast Track Coach — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:00:03 +0000

These days, having a personal life coach is all the rage. People will talk about how their spiritual life coach or their online life coach has helped them achieve the things they’ve always wanted to do in life that they never thought they could do. But is a personal life coach the right thing for everyone? Could hiring one help you achieve the success you want? Well, it’s possible, but you should understand what kind of service you’re purchasing before you spend your money.

A personal life coach isn’t a cure all to your problems. A coach is able to help you see where you are in life and will help you to find to discover where you want to go in the future. Many life coach techniques are used for the simple purpose of getting a person to be honest about their current situation in life and understand what kind of work is necessary to move ahead. A personal life coach doesn’t simply wave a magic wand and make everything better. You must work with your life coach to make sure you’re both getting what you need.

So now that you know what a personal life coach does, how do you know if it’s worth it to hire one? You should take a good hard look at your life and see if you have some life issue holding you back. If so, and if you’re ready to work on it in order to better yourself, hiring a personal life coach may be a wonderful idea. If you’re comfortable in your life, and not really ready to face uncomfortable issues that could be keeping you back, then perhaps hiring a personal life coach isn’t for you. It could even be possible that a life coach manages to help you get to the point where you accept that you need work. In such a case, the life coach ends up being very helpful!

Published by M. B. Aria

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