All posts by Matthew Makrinos

The End of Optional

sat test optional

Top colleges are announcing the end of their test optional policies which were instated during Covid quarantine due to inaccessibility to testing. Many competitive universities have been doing their due diligence crunching the numbers and have come to the conclusion that a standardized admission test, a.k.a. the SAT or ACT, is a better indicator of future success at that college than are high school grades. 

This is the first year colleges have acknowledged outright that they believe grade inflation to be in place at high schools. They declare this because they are seeing admitted students with Grade Point Averages in the colleges’s average range not succeeding in classes at their schools in a way that students did who presented SAT scores in the college’s average range. They have also been able to analyze standardized test scores of admitted students to see “what would have been“ because colleges are able to access students’ SAT information even though it was not submitted in the application, after admission decisions have been made. This information has also indicated that the SAT is a far better predictor of a student’s ability to handle the level of work required at top universities than is the grade point average.

For these reasons, starting in 2025 we will see the return of the SAT/ACT requirement for admission. Some of the schools that have already indicated their intention to reinstate the requirement for 2025 are: Cornell, Brown, Dartmouth, Georgetown, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Princeton.  

Juniors, be sure to double check the SAT requirement policies of each individual college on your wish list for your application year, 2024. Although we will see most of the changes taking place for 2025, you should be sure of each school on your list. 

The Long Shadow of Covid on K-12 Education: The Rise of Absenteeism in American Schools

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped nearly every facet of our lives, and the education sector is no exception. As schools have struggled to return to normalcy and fill the gaps left in students’ education, American K-12 programs have been particularly stunted by an emerging effect of the  world wide public health crisis: the rise of absenteeism. The New York Times has presented some disturbing data about absenteeism, asserting that on any given day, approximately 10% of schools’ student bodies are absent in many communities. This phenomenon has far-reaching implications for students, educators, and parents alike, and it demands a closer examination.

No doubt increased mental health challenges for students in these years since school closures have contributed to this increase in absenteeism, so should parents take the path of least resistance and ignore worsening attendance records? The drawbacks greatly outweigh the benefits of this approach as we learn more about the penalties of absenteeism.

Absenteeism leads to significant learning loss as students miss out on essential lessons, instructions, and practice, making it challenging to keep up with their peers. Prolonged absenteeism can result in substantial knowledge gaps, making it difficult for students to grasp advanced concepts and build a strong educational foundation. These gaps further affect future educational success. Frequent absenteeism can have a lasting impact on a student’s overall educational trajectory, affecting their academic performance in subsequent years and potentially limiting future opportunities.

Although students might be citing the need to stay home as caused by anxiety and stress, these two factors are actually increased by absenteeism in the long-run. Students who frequently miss school may experience heightened anxiety and stress due to the pressure of catching up on missed work, assessments, and the fear of falling behind. It can also be much harder to assimilate back into the schedule due to the effects of absenteeism on social skills. Chronic absenteeism can hinder the development of social skills as students miss out on interactions with peers and opportunities to build relationships with classmates.

Some students may exhibit behavioral issues as a result of absenteeism, feeling disconnected from school and disengaged from the learning process. This in turn can lead to struggle with developing a sense of responsibility and accountability, which can affect academic and personal growth.Absenteeism can lead to a lack of motivation and interest in school, making it harder for students to engage in their education and set future academic goals. And if those goals include college, ultimately, gaps in education, suppressed social skills, and general academic insecurity have a serious detrimental influence on college admission outcomes. And practically speaking, students with inconsistent attendance records may face challenges when applying to colleges for the absenteeism itself: admissions committees often consider attendance and discipline records as part of the application process.

Support for students’ mental health and emotional well-being should remain a top priority; parents must be part of the team approach to keeping students on schedule and in school so that the resources allocated by American schools can do the good they were created to do. The rise of absenteeism in grades K-12 since the advent of COVID-19 is a complex issue with wide-ranging implications. As we move forward, addressing absenteeism and its underlying causes should be a key focus to ensure that no child’s education is left behind as we take steps forward in our changed world.

Edging Out the Admissions’ Competition

In the ever-evolving landscape of college admissions, the decision to take standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT remains a compelling advantage for prospective students. As colleges increasingly adopt optional test policies, submitting test scores provides an opportunity to stand out amidst a sea of applicants who choose not to release their scores.

In addition to the shift towards optional standardized tests, another factor has significantly impacted the college admissions landscape—the COVID-19 pandemic. With the sudden transition to online learning during quarantine, students faced unprecedented challenges and disruptions to their education. Many students relied heavily on internet devices, searching for information and resources to navigate their coursework. Unfortunately, this reliance also created opportunities for some students to engage in academic dishonesty, including cheating during online assessments. As a result, grade point averages (GPAs), which have traditionally been a crucial factor in admissions decisions, may have been influenced in ways that make it even more challenging for admissions departments to discern the true merits of applicants without standardized test scores.

Studies consistently demonstrate that students who submit strong standardized test scores have higher acceptance rates. These scores serve as a standardized benchmark, enabling admissions departments to compare applicants fairly, particularly in the absence of reliable GPAs influenced by the challenges of online learning and potential academic dishonesty.

By taking standardized tests, students showcase their academic abilities and demonstrate their preparedness for the rigors of higher education. These tests provide valuable insights into a student’s potential, beyond what can be gleaned from GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and recommendation letters alone.

Moreover, submitting standardized test scores brings a sense of transparency and consistency to the admissions process. They offer admissions departments a reliable measure of a student’s aptitude and readiness to thrive in a college environment, regardless of their educational background or high school curriculum.

While the decision to take standardized tests ultimately lies with the individual student, it is important to recognize the significant advantage they offer in an environment where the majority of applicants are not releasing their scores. By seizing this opportunity, students can distinguish themselves and enhance their chances of acceptance to their desired colleges and universities.

In conclusion, the choice to take standardized tests should be seriously considered by aspiring college students. By doing so, they position themselves favorably within the admissions process, demonstrating their academic abilities, readiness for higher education, and commitment to their academic journey. Embracing the opportunity to take these tests opens doors to a multitude of possibilities and increases the likelihood of realizing their educational aspirations.

The Difference Between Life-Long Earning Potential and Being Replaced by a Bot

Knowledge deficits in cumulative course material like mathematics can have long-lasting negative effects on students’ academic performance and even their future career prospects. This is because subjects like mathematics build upon themselves over time, with each new concept building upon the last. If a student misses key foundational knowledge, it can lead to difficulty in understanding more advanced concepts, which can result in lower grades and lower confidence in the subject.

Furthermore, research has shown that mathematics fluency is strongly linked to annual income for emerging graduates and to lifelong earning potential. According to a report by the Brookings Institution, math skills are a significant predictor of future earnings, with workers who have strong math skills earning significantly more than those who do not. The report notes that the math skills gap has been growing in recent years, with careers in high-skill, high-paying jobs requiring ever-greater levels of mathematical proficiency. According to a report by the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, people with strong math skills earn on average $10,000 more per year than those with weak math skills. This earnings differential can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime.Pandemic math losses
Given the importance of mathematics skills for future success, it is essential that students receive the support they need to remediate any knowledge deficits caused by COVID school closures. Private tutoring can be a particularly effective remedy for these deficits, as it allows students to receive personalized, one-on-one attention from a knowledgeable tutor who can identify their specific areas of weakness and provide targeted instruction to help them catch up. This can be especially important for students who may have missed out on critical foundational knowledge during the disruptions caused by COVID. By investing in private tutoring for students who need it, we can help ensure that they have the tools they need to succeed both in the short-term and in the years to come.

While private tutoring may be an additional expense for families, the long-term benefits of improved academic performance and earning potential make it a wise investment today.

 

The Effects of Covid School Closures Still Plague Our Kids

The Covid-19 pandemic left many parents, students, and educators wondering when schools should reopen. The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, was among those who argued in 2020 that reopening schools would be a safety risk for students and staff. She pushed for broader policy changes that the union had long favored. Other education leaders favored a faster reopening of schools. Many schools remained closed for months, even after vaccines became available. School Closures COVID-19 PandemicThe closures affected low-income, Black, and Latino students the most, but all children suffered: the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in children’s mental health. Many teachers were understandably frightened to return to work amidst the cloud of public misinformation, and teachers’ unions advocated for their members’ safety. However, despite emerging data that schools were not superspreaders, many U.S. districts remained closed well into 2021.

While teachers and schools worked tirelessly to provide online classes and other resources, the reality is that online learning is no substitute for in-person instruction. As a result, many parents have turned to private tutoring as a means of addressing the educational deficits that their children have experienced due to the school closures.

One of the key advantages of private tutoring is that it provides students with individualized attention and support. This is especially important for students who may have fallen behind during the school closures or who may have struggled with online learning. Private tutors can work with students to identify their strengths and weaknesses, develop a personalized learning plan, and provide one-on-one instruction and support to help them succeed.

In addition, private tutoring can be tailored to meet the specific needs of each student. This means that tutors can focus on areas where students need the most help, whether that be in a particular subject or skill. Private tutors can also adjust their teaching methods to accommodate different learning styles and preferences, making learning more effective for each individual student. It can help students to stay motivated and engaged with their studies. 

With the disruptions caused by school closures, many students have struggled with maintaining their focus and motivation. A good tutor can provide students with a sense of accountability and structure, helping them to stay on track and make progress towards their academic goals.

As we continue to navigate the challenges in the wake of the pandemic, it is important to prioritize solutions that will help students recover from the educational deficits caused by school closures. Private tutoring offers an effective way to address these gaps and set students on a path towards long-term success.

 

The Flood Gates Are Opening and the SAT is Your Life Raft:  How the Overturning of Affirmative Action Can Hurt College Applicants

Affirmative Action College Admissions Supreme Court Ruling

The potential overturning of affirmative action by the Supreme Court could have significant implications for college admissions, particularly for students in the Monmouth County area of New Jersey. Affirmative action policies were designed to promote diversity and provide equal opportunities for underrepresented groups, in areas including education and employment. If the Supreme Court overturns affirmative action, it could result in fewer opportunities for these groups, making it more difficult for them to gain admission to colleges and universities.

This blow to diversity is a deficit to the global education of all college students and to society at large as higher education leaves more underrepresented communities behind. And it doesn’t mean there will be a host of newly available seats for middle class white applicants. Many universities themselves will aggressively fight the overturning of affirmative action by transferring their policies to socio-economic factors; this backlash could result in even fewer seats for the middle class white students who will need increasingly competitive SAT scores and grades.

A main criticism of affirmative action has been that it can lead to the use of quotas, which limit the number of students from certain racial or ethnic groups that can be admitted to a college or university. This has historically had negative consequences for Asian American students, who are often held to higher standards in the college admissions process. In fact, some studies have found that Asian American applicants need to score higher on standardized tests and have higher grades than other groups to be admitted to selective colleges and universities. In contrast, the overturning of affirmative action create opportunity for Asian American students. Without affirmative action policies in place, Asian American students may have a better chance of gaining admission based on their academic qualifications. 

So, when affirmative action is overturned here’s how things will look:

Progressive universities will create a backlash and actually expand old affirmative action policies under the new label of socio-economic leveling. With the limits of racial quotas removed, above-average qualified Asian American students will flood the freshman classes of selective colleges. And the past three years of Test-Optional torpor will hit the proverbial fan for middle-class white students who have been all too happy to lap up the fantasy that they don’t need to take the SAT/ACT anymore to get into college.

There is hope. Color blind admissions will rely more on standardized test scores and grades. So middle class white students with both average and above average grades must get back to test prep and focus on maximizing their SAT and ACT scores to stay relevant, or be left behind by the current of the post-affirmative action college admission process.

 

The New Computer Adaptive SAT or Paper and Pencil

computer adaptive sat test

As a college-bound junior, you may be wondering which version of the SAT to take: the current SAT or the new computer adaptive SAT. While both exams have their pros and cons, in this blog post, we’ll make the case for why you should consider taking the current SAT.

First and foremost, familiarity is a key advantage of the current SAT. Many high school students have been preparing for the current SAT since their freshman or sophomore year, and have become accustomed to the format and structure of the exam. On the other hand, the new computer adaptive SAT may require you to learn a completely new set of skills, such as navigating an unfamiliar interface and adjusting to different question formats.

Another benefit of the current SAT is that it is a more predictable exam. With the current SAT, you know exactly what you’re going to get. You can prepare for the exam by studying past tests and practicing with official test prep materials. In contrast, the new computer adaptive SAT adapts to your level of ability, which can make it harder to predict what kinds of questions you will face. This unpredictability can create added stress and anxiety on test day.

The current SAT also offers more flexibility in terms of test dates and locations. The test is offered seven times a year, and there are numerous test centers across the country. This means that you can choose a date and location that works best for your schedule, and won’t have to worry about traveling long distances or missing school.

Moreover, many students find the current SAT to be a fairer exam. The new computer adaptive SAT adapts to your level of ability, which means that some students may end up with more difficult questions than others. This can create an uneven playing field, and make it harder to compare scores across test takers. The current SAT, in contrast, offers a level playing field for all students, as all test takers face the same set of questions.

While the new computer adaptive SAT may seem like a tempting option, there are many reasons to consider taking the current SAT. Its predictability, familiarity, flexibility, and fairness, all make it a compelling choice for college-bound juniors. So, dust off your study materials, sharpen your pencils, and get ready to conquer the current SAT!

SAT prep in the Age of “Test Optional”

Students had to sacrifice a lot during Covid. Colleges were aware of this and, in response, many adopted “test optional” policies, allowing students to apply without submitting test scores. So should today’s college applicants bother taking the SAT and should they bother to prep for the test? The answer is yes. SAT prep with a small and experienced tutoring staff is still important in today’s climate of “test optional” college admissions for several reasons crucial to students.

Firstly, while some colleges and universities have adopted test-optional policies, many still require standardized test scores as part of the application process. This is particularly true for selective institutions, which often use test scores to assess a student’s academic abilities and potential for success in college. Therefore, students who choose not to take the SAT or ACT may be limiting their options for college admission.

Even for colleges and universities that have adopted test-optional policies, submitting strong test scores can still be beneficial.

Many schools use test scores as a factor in awarding merit-based scholarships, and a high SAT score can also help to offset weaker grades or other areas of a student’s application.

SAT prep with a small and experienced tutoring staff can provide students with valuable skills and knowledge that will benefit them regardless of whether they ultimately choose to take the SAT. Standardized tests like the SAT require critical thinking, problem-solving, and time management skills, which are important for success in college and beyond. By working with a tutor who is experienced in SAT prep, students can develop and hone these skills, improving their academic performance in general.

SAT prep with a small and experienced tutoring staff can also provide students with personalized attention and support. Unlike large test prep companies, which may rely on one-size-fits-all approaches to teaching, small tutoring services can tailor their instruction to meet the unique needs of each student. This can be particularly helpful for students with learning differences or other challenges that may make standardized testing more difficult.

In conclusion, while some colleges and universities have adopted test-optional policies, SAT prep is still important in today’s climate of college admissions. By preparing for the SAT, students can increase their options for college admission, improve their chances of receiving merit-based scholarships, develop valuable skills and knowledge, and receive personalized attention and support.

What students can do to continue studying for the SATs and/or ACTs

  • Advice on what parents and students can do to continue studying for the SATs and/or ACTs (especially if they had already completed a study program preparing for the March or May SATs).

If you have recently completed a test prep course for testing in March or May, the good news is that the techniques learned there should be conditioned skills that won’t be lost in the short term. To keep yourself fresh we recommend one full-length practice SAT or ACT per month and maintain the golden rule of one full-length practice test the weekend prior to any real test. Practice tests can be found in the official study guides for the SAT or ACT which you should already have from your prep course, as well as online. Remember, not all practice tests are created equal: always use practice tests issued by the test makers themselves for reliable results. 

  • Why high schools in NJ should be prepared to open as testing centers in August

NJ high schools are always open as test centers in August for the national administering of the SAT. That test date is always the third weekend of the month, and, so, may be far enough from now to run without cancellation.

COVID-19 and the SAT: Will the Fallout Sideline the Class of 2021? Part 1 of 3

Covid-19 and standardized testing: First Scenario

Reports of rising cases of COVID-19 in the United States and the impact of the pandemic on the economy have monopolized the news. But what about our high school juniors fast approaching their College Application seasons? As it stands right now, the admission testing required by over 85% of American colleges and universities has been made unavailable to students since March. The SAT was cancelled in March for many New Jersey students whose high school testing locations were closed due to early cases of Coronavirus in the community. Two weeks later, once all U.S. schools had closed, the College Board, the private company responsible for the SAT, and ACT Inc. both suspended their next rounds of testing, the May SAT and the April ACT. This left hundreds of thousands of 11th graders across the country prepped for the spring testing, but with no tests to take. According to CDC recommendations and with New Jersey still three weeks away from the peak of the pandemic, it is a very real possibility that the June SAT and ACT will be cancelled as well.

So where does this leave our juniors with no Spring SAT’s and early admission deadlines as early as October 15, 2020? As I see it, we have three possible outcomes. The first hinges on the CDC and local governments giving the all clear by August for public high schools to reopen as testing centers. This would enable the August SAT to run as scheduled. In this scenario, the October test date would also run as scheduled giving college applicants those 2 test dates only to reach their career high scores before the Early Admission deadlines. Of course, in this scenario it is certainly possible that colleges will extend their deadlines for application as they are always the good guys in the process. For example after Hurricane Sandy, colleges extended application deadlines for all students in areas affected by the storm. Extended deadlines could give Early Admission applicants the chance to submit scores from the November and December SAT’s as well. The College Board will no doubt be looking for every opportunity to schedule make up dates to avoid issuing refunds for the canceled March and May tests, but the college application timeline itself will limit just how many they can schedule.

Marlee Napurano, BA Yale University, is Co-founder of WaveLength tutoring and test prep, a test preparation and college consulting company in its 19th year serving Monmouth and Ocean counties.