ACT Prep #2: Best Websites and Books

One of the big questions with ACT Prep is:  Which book?  Which method?  This questions comes because there are literally hundreds of books and hundreds of websites all promising to help you increase your score.  It's so overwhelming!  Where do you start?  When do you start?  Hopefully this post helps you make sense of the jungle of ACT Prep.

First Topic:  Books

If you are going to take the ACT, then you should practice with REAL ACT TESTS.  None of the big test prep companies you hear about (Princeton Review, Kaplan's, CliffNotes) are authorized to actually use or re-publish ACT Tests, which means that their questions and tests are close, but not really.  It gives a false sense of security to the student that uses them--and then on test day--Wham!  They suddenly score a 20 instead of the 25 they were planning on.  Instead of getting a test prep book with test questions that are kind of similar to the real thing, just get the real thing.  You need to buy the actual ACT Prep book, published by the ACT company.

This is the real deal:  The Official ACT Prep Guide.  Always note that it is the OFFICIAL book, because a lot of companies print "ACT" really big, so it tricks students and parents all the time.  And once a student invests $30.00 in a book, they're hard pressed to give it up...even if it's not going to improve their score much.  The Official ACT Prep Guide says "official"...and it's red.  It's been red for years--it's red again this year.  It's a simple way to tell it apart from the official SAT Prep Book, which is blue.  Red = ACT Book.  Blue = SAT Book.   (Future post about the differences between the ACT & SAT).

That is by and far the best overall book you can get.  There are specific sections that go through the Reading, English, Math, and Science Comprehension Topics.  And then there are usually 4 full-length practice tests included.  As I wrote in this earlier post about ACT Prep, there is no substitution for building up mental stamina by actually taking REAL TESTS.  If you sit down and practice taking several real tests (complete with timer, bubble sheet, isolated area from distraction), you'll have a good handle on what your actual performance will be.  This is why buying a book with real tests is so crucial.

The full-length tests should be taken at the beginning of your ACT Test Prep, at the middle, and again at the end.  This way you can make study plans based on which sections need the most help.  There are four sections:  Science Reasoning, English, Reading, and Math.  Each person has different strengths and weaknesses, and should spend varying amounts on the different sections according to their specific scores.  The new Official ACT Prep book actually organizes it in this way, which is very helpful to most students.  Sidenote:  If you are very organized and self-motivated to follow a similar plan without the book organizing it for you, you could buy the 2015 Real ACT Prep Book (Last year, they used the word "Real" instead of "Official), and save some money.

Make a schedule that helps you focus on ONE section of the test for at least 2 weeks (minimum of four 1-hour sessions/week).  This isn't just a suggestion--this is the minimum of what you should do.  That's 8 hours of studying one topic, spread over two weeks, and it is that sort of studying that allows you to understand and remember the rules, the wording of the problems, the types of questions that are asked, and how to actually respond to the questions.  This is deep studying rather than surface studying, and it makes all the difference in helping to raise your score.  Deep studying (focusing on one area long enough to go deep into the material) is very different than how most students naturally study.  Most students will skim through the book, spend 15 minutes reading about English, 5 minutes wondering how they can shorten the time needed to study, followed by 15 minutes scanning the Science Reasoning Section, and a final 5 minutes looking at the clock, with a promise to come back tomorrow and do better.  You're smiling because you've done this.

Instead of studying with this halfway effort, take time to make a plan.  Take a real practice test, then mark out a plan based on the order of sections you will cover.  Get out the calendar, schedule in study sessions, and stick to it.  Be prepared that everyday you sit down, you will actually go deep into the rules, the material, and even the way the questions are worded so that you are familiar with the structure.  If you are putting in consistent effort, you'll make progress.

I recommend supplementing the individual sections of the ACT book with reading about from the Prep Scholar Website.  They have a program that you pay for--but they also have loads of free posts about how questions are posed, rules that come up time and again, and similar helps for the test.  You don't have to pay a dime to read through their posts--you just have to be committed to actually reading and understanding the material.  Some posts are longer than others, but the point is to apply the principles they introduce, not race through the articles.  The students who have been committed to actually reading and applying these posts have seen huge increases in their scores.

I also recommend using the Prep Scholar Website because the book can be rather dry and is written like a textbook, which can add to the monotony of studying for a standardized test.  The Prep Scholar posts are written by individuals about isolated topics of test prep, and are easier to understand and digest.  If you notice that you're plowing through the ACT prep book and it feels like one math section of the book and losing interest fast--switch over to the Prep Schol

Here are the links that will help you find the greatest amount of helpful information on their website.

Prep Scholar: ACT Strategies

Prep Scholar: ACT English

Prep Scholar: ACT Reading

Prep Scholar: ACT Math

Prep Scholar: ACT Science

You can also sign up to receive email updates from this website, which I would recommend.

One note:  The Prep Scholar Blog is a part of the Prep Scholar company, which sells individual test prep as well.  I am not affiliated in any way with any company about ACT Prep, including Prep Scholar.  I'm pretty sure that Prep Scholar doesn't even know I exist.  I was not paid by anyone to write this post, or any other post on this blog. I just think that this is the best way to prepare students for the ACT without an exorbitant cost, as all the blog posts are free and full of valuable information you would get from an individual tutor.  Using both the ACT Prep book and the Prep Scholar Blog is a great combination of real practice questions with specific tips for studying, understanding formulas and rules, and discerning the pattern of the test.  So, buy the book, mark the calendar, click on the Prep Scholar links, and get started.  Good luck!

Choosing a College

One of the main headaches of this summer has been finding a violin teacher for my 6-year old daughter.  To be sure, there are plenty of violin teachers in our area; the problem has been finding the RIGHT FIT.  I shouldn't be surprised by this, because she started one year ago, and we had the same struggles then.  We finally found the right teacher, but sadly, she moved away last month.  I'm back at the beginning, relearning the same lessons about choosing a teacher.  And I'd like to point out that there are a lot of similarities between finding the right teacher to choosing a college that fits YOU!  

I should preface this comparison by pointing out something critical:  we are looking for a Suzuki-method teacher.  I like this method for the violin, and agree with the approach to early focus on form and tone, individual attention, and helping a student learn technique in the context of learning songs.  If you don't agree with the Suzuki method--that's fine.  In fact, it's critical to recognize that everyone will look for and value different things!  That's the point of this comparison (stick with me...)

We started our journey to find a teacher by two ways:  1)  looking on the Suzuki Web, and 2) asking around.  I got a few names from the Suzuki website, started to contact them, and began making appointments to observe a lesson and/or set up a trial lesson.  When I asked around, I heard various names with varying degrees of admiration for the said person and their teaching style.  I heard about one teacher in particular that seemed to glitter with accolades and praise.  People talked about what an amazing performer she was, the great path her own career was on, and how encouraging she was with teenage violinists.  When I called her and asked if she taught using the Suzuki method, she answered yes.  It seemed like a great fit, right?  

We began taking lessons from her...not individual lessons but group lessons, which was a switch from our previous experience.  Instead of the Suzuki method, she taught the traditional method, which stresses note-reading from Day One.  Even though my daughter has taken for a year, she was in a class with 4 other girls that had never played the violin before.  It wasn't actually the experience we had been looking for.  I was unhappy for a lot of reasons, but most importantly because it didn't fit our expectations that our daughter be taught in the Suzuki method, that she would have individual lessons, and that it would be reasonably affordable.

For another parent, perhaps group lessons are highly encouraging.  For another parent, perhaps the price wasn't too expensive.  For another parent, perhaps reading music early trumped the other skills of form and tone.  One isn't right and one isn't wrong:  they simply are different bests.  And this is where it is similar to choosing a college.  I would say that 99% of colleges and universities are bests in different ways.  It all depends on what you are looking for.    

I usually tell my students this:  There is a reason why you've loved being at DaVinci.  It's small.  The teachers want to help you.  They listen to you, help you, and work with you.  You are part of this cool family-type-school that actually looks at each student as an individual.  There are pros and cons of every environment:  a small school may not have all the big programs of a big school, but they focus on the individual.  You've probably stayed at DaVinci because you value that individual attention...and it trumps the funny quirks that you do have in a small charter school.  Try to find a college or university with a similar atmosphere and vibe of appreciating the educational growth of one person, not turning out the masses.  (For anyone reading this that attends a different school--you can ask the same questions.  What do I really need in a school to be successful?  What methods of teaching do I agree with / respond to?  What environments help me to thrive?  Do I enjoy a small environment--or do I feel stifled by it?  Am I overwhelmed by a big university--or do I rise to the challenge?)  Asking and answering honest questions about your own learning style and personality will help you to choose the right college for you.

A few more tips to choosing YOUR Best College:    

Lesson #1:  How Teachers Teach

Be specific about how a college approaches teaching.  Do they push the professors to research and publish--or do they encourage them to teach?  Some universities put so much emphasis on publishing, that the actual work of teaching goes mainly to Grad Students or Teacher's Assistants.  You are essentially paying for the "name" of the college and the professor, but you aren't actually getting to take a class from the famous professor that drew you to the college.  Be aware of who will teach you--because this is essentially the bread and butter of your college experience.  Some colleges value teaching; some do not.  Look for colleges and programs that value and support the actual art of teaching.

Lesson #2:  Outside the Class

Do professors actually have time to talk to you for...5 minutes?  Because when it comes down to it, THIS is what will help you in college.  Not their list of credentials.  Not the books they've published.  It is the fact that a professor will take time to look at your papers, give you feedback, help you find internships, figure out what you are actually interested in.  Also, it isn't just the professors that make or break a college experience.  Is there a network of other professionals to help you?  Will the lady in financial aid actually answer your question, or are you simply told "Go look at the website."  Is there a Counselor that helps with setting up Summer Internships, or are you encouraged to simply, "Be aggressive--you'll find something."  If professors and librarians and secretaries are willing to talk to you, pay attention.  You need multiple people to help you through college, and you should know what level of responsiveness you will get around campus.  

Lesson #3:  The REAL Campus
When this teacher said to me, "Yes, I teach suzuki", I took it for face value.  I've since learned that there is teaching using the Suzuki books--and teaching using the Suzuki method.  I should have said, "I'd like to come and have a trial lesson."  In like manner, there is nothing like actually going and SEEING it.  Go to a college.  Sit in a classroom.  Tour the actual department.  Talk to professors.  Make sure that all the nice and glittery stuff they say on their website actually happens in the Biology classroom or the Music Program.  Make sure it is a match for what you expect in a college education.  Sure, college tours do take time, but it's time well invested to make sure that you are in the right place for at least four years of your life (see my previous post on how to make the most of the college visit).

Lesson #4:  The Cost

Just because one university charges more--doesn't mean that the quality goes up.  The spectrum of college tuition ranges from $2,500 / year (community colleges), to $60,000 / year (private colleges and universities).  Be wary of being pulled into the belief that because something costs more--that it is worth more.  Sometimes a higher price translates to a better experience...sometimes it doesn't.  Be sure that you don't pay top-dollar for a sub-par experience.  You should ask  honest questions:  "Will my classes at this college by vastly different because I am paying more?"  Ask these to the professors, the students already on campus--and most important to yourself.

Lesson #5:  "The Best" vs. "Your Best"
There is no "best teacher" or "best method" or "best school".  Even though other parents told me that this specific violin teacher was "the best", and that I'd be crazy to have my daughter take violin lessons from anyone else, I disagree.  I want my daughter to learn with the Suzuki method, and this teacher that was supposedly "the best" simply doesn't teach with this method.  In a similar way, just because your best friend or cousin or older brother thinks that one college is "the best", every student should choose for themselves.  This takes a good dose of self-awareness, as well as the ability to say, "I recognize this decision may seem 'less than' the other option.  I think it is 'my best option' because of..."


I hope that anyone who reads this takes a little more time to choose a college--and to choose well.  My mistake only cost $80 and one month's time...and it was still a difficult pill to swallow difficult to feel like we had wasted time.  Prepare now so that you don't waste any money or time pursuing someone else's college dreams....even if it is highly recommended by your best friend, neighbor, or older brother.  Be willing to find your best.  

(If you want to read more about choosing a college, read Where You Go  and Where You Go, Part 2)

ACT Prep Post #1: mental stamina

I had 10 different appointments yesterday with students heading into their junior and senior years, and 9 out of 10 needed help preparing for the ACT.  The exception to this statistic is the student who followed all the previous advice I'd given verbally.  For the other 9 students that I spoke to, and the hundreds more that I have yet to meet this summer, this post will cover the first reason why they need to start studying now.  As in today.  Not when they finally get around to it.  You know I'm talking to you, don't you?  Good!  Let's begin.

You could probably wake up one morning, step out the front door, complete a 5K.  It might not be great--but most people could run (run/walk?) a 5K in an acceptable time.  That's similar to sitting down and taking an hour long essay test.  Even with little preparation, by the time that you are a junior or senior in high school, you have enough knowledge to sit down and pump out a fairly good essay.  The 5K and the essay are both fairly easy objectives to accomplish.  

Now--let's compare the marathon to the ACT.  They're both long, and they both demand that you give consistent and diligent effort for not only days, but actually weeks...even months of preparation.  The marathon is 26.2 miles long, and in order to finish it you need to follow a training schedule.  I've trained and completed a marathon before, and it took consistent effort to follow the plan for 3 months before the race day.  On the day of marathon, I had a rough idea of what my time would be, because I'd been doing my "long runs" at a specific pace.  I was happy when I finished, because my training and race time matched each other.  I had prepared my muscles for the length of 26.2 miles, and even though I was exhausted at the end, it was a contented exhaustion.  I had prepared with loads of "long runs" that simulated the actual muscle depletion that happens during the marathon.  I knew what it was, how to push through it, and ultimately finish.

The ACT is similar to the marathon because of the sheer length.  It's a 4-hour test!  Even with the breaks, it still takes a lot of mental stamina to stick with it.  The problem isn't that the student doesn't know the material (although this can definitely be a problem), it is that they simply can't focus for the length of the test.  Many students lose steam halfway through the individual sections, as well as on the last section of the test.  They simply haven't prepared their mental muscles for the stamina that this test requires!  They've walked into a marathon, thinking that a few 30-minute prep sessions of scanning through various test prep books would be enough.  It's not.

The key component to succeeding on the ACT Test is consistent and diligent effort.  This means that a student should prep for 1-2 hours, 3 times a week.  And they should follow this schedule for a minimum of 6 weeks, even better if it is closer to 12 weeks (3 months).  They need to be diligent with this, because they will build skills and mental stamina with the repetition and length of these study sessions.  Devoting 2 hours enables you to actually plow through an entire section of the test in one sitting, preparing you for the mental drain that happens in a real test.  Students do even better if they simulate an actual test--completing ALL the sections in one sitting.  I hear time and time again from students that they simply become exhausted from the 3rd or 4th section of the test.  The reason for this is that they don't have the mental stamina to make it through.  And you don't gain mental stamina for a test by talking about the test, complaining about the test, or thinking about studying for the test--you gain mental stamina by sitting down and practicing taking the actual test!

If this concept seems too strict to you, and you're still bent on finding an easier solution, I'd like to remind you that the ACT Test is half (half!) of your academic record for many of the big Academic Scholarships that Universities award.  The other half is your GPA--which takes ALL the grades earned in ALL the classes throughout high school.  Doesn't it seem silly to work hard in all your classes from 9th - 11th grade, then study for a few hours on a few days for a test that makes up HALF of your Academic Record?  I know, right?  Put that way, it makes sense why you would suddenly want to study for close to 3 months for this test and give it your best effort.  I'm glad we agree.  Get to work.  :-)

Coming Soon:  Best Books and Websites for ACT Prep  

Kindergarten Days

Kindergarten graduation is wonderful.  It's fun to see these little 6-year olds dressed in cap and gown, ready to show all they have learned.  My daughter, age 6, just had her graduation, and I was snapping pictures as fast as my camera could keep up.

Love the tennis shoes with the graduation gown.  That's my girl.  In addition to all the picture-worthy moments, you can't escape hearing quotes from Robert Fulghum's "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten".  It's a great book, quoted and framed and hung in many schools, businesses, and homes because it resonates of what matters most.  Here is a little excerpt:

        "Share everything.  Play fair.  Don't hit people.  Put hings back where you found them.  Say                 you're SORRY when you HURT somebody.  Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.  Live           a balanced life--learn some and drink some and draw some and paint some and sing and dance           and play and work everyday some."

Good stuff, right?  I would highly recommend reading the book in it's entirety.  In addition to these little tidbits of life counsel, I'd like to add a few things that all students know in Kindergarten, but many people forget through the years.  I'd like to suggest that these little 6-year-olds have a handle on people skills and life knowledge that high school students and college students would do well to remember.  In no specific order, may I share some top tips you can learn (re-learn) from Kindergarten Days.

1.  Kindergarten students are genuinely excited to go to school everyday.  They don't want to be late, because that means they will miss sitting in the circle and singing songs.  Sure, 11th grade English doesn't usually involve this circle time, but it is the attitude of the 6 year olds that you can learn from.

2.  Kindergarteners love their teachers.  They don't see it as teacher vs. students, they see it as the kindergarten team, where every student matters and the teacher is more of a coach than the oft-viewed high school teacher-tyrant.  I don't care who your high school or college teacher is:  if you approach them with an attitude of "Wow, I'm excited I get to be in your class today because I know you've got something awesome to teach me", that teacher will bend over backwards to help and teach you.

3.  Kindergarteners love learning new things:  how to read, how to add, how to write--how to do anything!  They don't see learning as hard, they see it as exciting!  So, next time that your Geometry teacher tries to show you how to solve proofs, don't hedge up your brain and say, "This is stupid--I don't want to"...take a cue from these pint-size students that essentially say:  "I don't know how to do this yet, can you do it with me?"  Even an exhausted professor would recognize this genuine desire to learn, and would work with the student.

4.  Kindergarten students have homework every night:  read 15 minutes.  Sounds simple, but the reality is that a little bit everyday is the ticket to success.  How does that apply to you:  studying a little bit everyday is better than waiting and studying for 2 hours once a week.  It wouldn't work with learning to read--and it doesn't work with your English, Math, History, or Science classes either.

5.  Running around the playground is not "lost" time, or simply "child's play".  These kids are actually learning better because they intersperse their day with lots of play.  How does this translate to high school and college?  Use this pattern for study sessions:  study for 45 minutes, then play for 15 minutes.  The key word is PLAY.  Remember play?  It's not looking at your phone for 15 minutes or watching tv.  It's "Play", which involves some sort of running around.  So, after you study for 45 minutes, get up, go kick around a soccer ball for 15 minutes, and at the end of 15 minutes, you'll be ready to hit the books again.  Essentially:  Work Hard.  Play Hard.  Don't confuse the two.

6.  Sleep.  These little kinders usually have a lot of shut-eye, around 12 hours a night.  And though most 16 year olds don't need that much--they do need a good amount (8-10 hours per night).  That means that instead of staying up to play video games, you hit the sack around 9:30 or 10:00, and sleep until 6:30 or 7:00.  Sure, you won't be able to watch The Late Show, but you'll be trading late-night laughs for staying awake and alert in class...even that horrid 6th period post-lunch slump.

7.  6-year-olds are notorious for asking loads of questions about anything they don't understand.  They want to know how things work, why certain things happen, where things came from.  They want to learn to understand a little better, not just to finish an assignment or pass a test.  They are genuinely interested in learning and so they never, never, think that asking a question will make them look clueless.  So--the translation to teenagers and young adults is this:  recognize that maybe, just maybe, you could learn from someone else.  Maybe, just maybe, someone else has been in the same place you've been in and could offer some advice.  Don't be scared about asking questions when you're in class, or approaching a teacher for extra help.  Be curious about how things work, why they work, and how it fits together.