I know most students are preparing for their midterms right now. Getting ready for these exams do not need to be a painful process. Being a great test-taker is about learning how to maximize your time, so start planning now! Just a little bit of extra preparation will help you learn and retain more for test day. Read on and good luck!
1. Make the TIME to study
2. Use the TIME wisely
3. Apply the TIME well on the test
With just a little bit of time on your side, you will surprise yourself with how much you know and retain for test day. Your formula for finals success is easy: TIME x 3!
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• Read, read, read! (novels, not comics)
• Get a set of flash cards (SAT/ACT Vocabulary) and start on them early. • Read the newspaper. • Visit a news website such as NY Times, CNN and read the top stories. • Do crossword puzzles. • Write in a journal or as much as possible. • Solve logic puzzles. • Answer the SAT question of the day on-line. • Take the practice tests offered on-line or at your school . As families look toward the next school year, it’s a great time to review what your child is participating in outside of class.
Often, when students get to 11th grade and they come to Lee Academia for college planning, they suddenly realize that their resume is blank for college as far as participation in activities is concerned. And colleges are suspicious when an applicant suddenly adds clubs in junior year. Other students see that they have been too narrowly focused on sports. So, here are 3 of the 10 extra-curricular activities that colleges love to see on student resumes: 1. Student Government Colleges like students who are engaged in formulating and executing policies and procedures at their school. Elected offices and those that have responsibility are also highly regarded. Colleges feel that these students are likely to be responsible citizens on campus and give back in the form of college government participation. 2. Academic Teams: Math, Robotics, Decathlon, etc. Nothing shows a passion for academics better than a rigorous math meet or a robotics competition. Colleges want students who are willing to put time in outside of class to compete locally, regionally and nationally in their field of choice. It shows a genuine academic interest that transcends the classroom. 3. The Arts: Music, Theatre, Visual Arts Colleges value creativity, whether you play the oboe in the state youth orchestra, have the lead in plays, or paint your heart out in studio art classes. The arts help brain development and they lend vibrancy to campuses. Balance is the key. Students should have a range of 4-6 different types of activities that they are consistently involved with throughout high school—not just sports. To learn about more extracurricular that colleges notice, contact Lee Academia for a consultation and start planning your next summer and school year. Private schools are notoriously rigorous, particularly in middle and high schools. High school students in private schools take a number of difficult classes, including some advanced classes, while participating in extracurricular activities and sports outside of class. While a manageable level of stress helps many students perform at their best and can be motivating, too much stress is counterproductive.
Here are some strategies for defeating stress in school: Tip #1: Take Advantage of Your School's Resources Many schools are employing their own stress-reducing programs, including classes in relaxation techniques and yoga. Take advantage of these classes if you can. Ask your teachers for help. Some schools also offer classes on study skills. These classes can teach you to study more effectively and efficiently, reducing the time you need to spend on your schoolwork and eventually reducing your stress level. Tip #2: Learn to Study Effectively Using classes taught at your school, you can learn to study more efficiently. If your work is taking too long or you aren't getting the results you want, be sure to ask your teachers what they recommend. They may have strategies to help you speed up your work, and they may also be able to direct you to additional resources. Tip #3: Speed Up Your Homework Learning how to make your homework go more quickly reduces stress. For example, if you notice that most of your homework time is spent surfing the web or on Facebook, you may need to disconnect yourself from the Internet while you are working.Try to find a peaceful homework spot where you won't be disturbed, and set a timer so that you are aware of time passing. Estimate how long tasks will take you. Don't waste time. Tip #4: Work with a Tutor If you've tried to work with your teacher but still don't understand the material, consider working with a tutor who is familiar with your school and its demands. Some schools also provide peer or other tutors who can help you. When working with a tutor, be sure to do all the work yourself. Ask your tutor to show you strategies to make your work more efficient and to help you prepare for tests with less stress. Private boarding schools' admissions process can be competitive. Boarding schools now have a global focus and are accepting many international student. Students from all over the world has broadened the culture at boarding schools and has enriched the education of American and international students alike. However, this also meant that students from all over the world are vying for spots in U.S. boarding schools.
As private schools are more international and diverse than ever before, they are able to often have their pick of students. Here are some of the qualities schools are looking for: Quality #1: Maturity and Independence Living at boarding school requires a good deal of independence and maturity on students' parts. Students themselves must make sure they work with their teachers and ask for help when needed. Boarding schools encourage students to be self-starters rather than the kind of students who sit back and wait for teachers to help them. Students must also be willing to meet new peers and be comfortable living with people they don't already know. Quality #2: An Appreciation for Diversity and Global Awareness Boarding school students have often become more diverse and students in these schools should embrace diversity and a global outlook. High school is a time for students to explore other cultures. Students who can embrace different cultures and ways of being are better able to take on not only the rigors of college studies but also life in an increasingly global and interconnected world, and boarding schools are looking for their students to be open to different cultures. Quality #3: Interest Beyond the Classroom As tomorrow's leaders will have a global focus, today's best students have a focus not only on the classroom but also on the world beyond. They also have extracurricular interests that go beyond studying. These interests will also help ensure that a student is a good fit with a school. The fit between the student and school is all-important. It means that the student is likely to do well and enjoy the school. Students who mesh well with their school will likely do well in the process of college admissions and beyond, so boarding schools are looking for students who are likely to fit in on their campus and enjoy their time there. For more information about the Boarding Schools Admissions process, contact LeeAcademia. We've all been there - tapping our pencil, bouncing our knees- filled with test anxiety right before the big test. Sure, you can take some calming breaths while tensing and relaxing those muscles, but the toughest test anxiety war can be waged in your head.
The following five test anxiety tips will help get those nerves settled right before you take the big test. So read on! Test Anxiety Tip #1: Set Realistic Expectations. You may never score perfectly on the big PSAT, SAT, MCAT, APs and you know what? That's okay! Drop the image of who you think you should be. Practice with a test booklet, so you know what you can and can't do. Part of your test anxiety may be coming from expectations. Test Anxiety Tip #2: Say, "I choose to." Instead of saying "I have to take this test," wrap your lips around this phrase: "I choose to take this test." By focusing on the fact that the test you're taking is set up by your own design, you take ownership of the stressor and that possession can have a relaxing effect, calming your test anxiety down a little bit. Test Anxiety Tip #3: Use Positive Imagery If you can mentally transport yourself to a place that is soothing to you from the comfort (or lack thereof) of your desk chair, you can ease some of the test anxiety building inside of you. Bury your toes in imaginary sand. Feel the warmth of the sun on your shoulders. Listen for the lap of waves breaking against a warm beach. You'll be surprised how much test anxiety you can alleviate by just transporting yourself to a place without a ticking clock. Test Anxiety Tip #4: Repeat an Uplifiting Phrase Much of our test anxiety comes from our own lack of confidence, and since your cheering section can't sit with you during the test and root for you, you're going to have to boost your own morale. One good strategy? Repeat a positive mantra. Try a phrase like, "I can do this," or "I deserve to achieve my goals." Say something positive to yourself for a quick confidence boost, and who knows! You may just start believing it. Test Anxiety Tip #5: Squash Negative Voices We all have them in our lives – the naysayers. Those people who aren't happy with their own lives and want to pull us down. Maybe they've told you you'd never make it to grad school. Maybe they said you'd bomb the big test. Those thoughts can leave you burning with test anxiety. Before testing, take a few moments to jot down the negative things you've heard on a scrap sheet of paper. Then, compose some rebuttals. If someone has always told you you'd never amount to much, then counter with the fact that you're sitting for this big test, one that could possibly alter your future for the better. As an added test anxiety relief, wad up the entire piece of paper and toss it into the trash. There are many more Test Anxiety Tips. Try these out first and for more information about our Coaching sessions, contact Lee Academia. We've all been there, right? You forgot about a test (or procrastinated) and realized that you had less than an hour to cram in as much knowledge as you could. Learn how to cram for a test efficiently, and study for your test even if you only have minutes.
NOTE: These techniques will not work for tests like the SAT, or ACT. If you need help studying for those, contact Lee Academia. 1. Go somewhere quiet. Head to the library if you're in school. If you're studying at home right before the test, turn off the TV, shut off your cell and computer. Tell your friends and family to leave you alone. You have less than an hour to cram, so you're going to need 100% of your focus. 2. Learn your study guide. Most teachers pass out study guides for a major test. If your teacher is one of them, use it now. If you have to cram for a test, it is the only resource you have time to use. Memorize everything on it. Don't bother making flashcards at this point – you'll just be wasting time if you only have minutes. 3. Head to the book Read the first two pages of every chapter that's being covered on the test, looking for major ideas, vocabulary, and concepts. Read the last page of every chapter, too, answering the review questions in your head. If you can't find an answer to a review question, then look it up in the book. It's probably a question on the test. 4. Review your notes/quizzes/assignments Your teacher probably created your exam based on the notes, quizzes and assignments he or she gave out during the unit. Read through everything you can, memorizing the info on the pages. 5. Quiz yourself. Now is NOT the time to hunt down your best friend and have him or her quiz you. This is a cram session! You'll waste time! Cover up the answers on the study guide and quiz yourself, instead. Cram Tips
Make your studies a little bit easier. Sometimes, the things that lend a helping hand are more surprising than you’d think. For instance, trying a little music therapy on yourself might be the key to acing that next exam.
Have you noticed that music is all around us? From the stereo in your car to the music played at department stores or even in the elevators. And you also may not be aware that music has a wide array of impacts on your health: Studies show that music has a strong effect on your mood levels and emotions, and also on how you think and your general intelligence. The music you listen to can have a profound effect on your test scores and your ability to quickly process information. And if you’ve ever played an instrument, studies show that you’re already ahead of the curve. Playing an instrument is a great way to test out your creative thinking and push your brain to process information in a new way. Stephenie always encourages her students to play or listen to certain types of music to boost their test scores. Having played musical instruments all her life, she is familiar with how music has profoundly impacted her mind, life and studies. For more information and to know more about the studies and test results of students who listen/play to specific types of music, contact Stephenie. See below recommendation. Mozart for your Mind Has homework become a daily battle at home?
Here are tips for getting back on track... —Have a well-lit, organized desk for doing homework. —Try to stick to a set routine.
—Try to create a quiet environment with few or no distractions: no television, no little brothers or sisters coming and going, no music, etc.
—Prepare all needed material for the specific subject in advance. —If possible, try to do the same type of task as your child: Write when they write; read while they read. —If your child needs help, give guidance, not answers! Always be willing to help - but wait for your child to request it.
--Your homework is to always be aware of your child's assignments and due dates. —Tackle the tough tasks first. If they're put off, they'll only get psychologically harder to do as your child gets more tired. —Having trouble concentrating? Take a break! It's healthy and refreshing for the brain. While breaking, go for a walk or eat a light snack.
Last, but not least: Give your child a little pat on the back from time to time. Take him or her to the park, play ball or go to the movies, once the homework is completed. She or he will appreciate the reward, and understand that hard work pays off. Strategies to Become a Better Students Sometimes, it’s not enough just to work harder to improve your grades. Instead, you have to learn how to work smarter—that is, to find ways to work in a more organized and efficient manner that helps you remember what you learned.
Here are five tips to becoming a better junior high or high school student in the fall: Tip #1: Read actively. Read with a pencil, pen, or highlighter in hand, and underline the key points of what you are reading. Skim the passage before reading to get the main idea and the overall context for the passage. As you read, underline the main details, and then summarize what you’ve read. If you write down your summary, it will help you recall your reading without re-reading the entire passage. As you read, look up any unfamiliar vocabulary words. Building your vocabulary will also help you with admissions tests, such as ISEE, SSAT, SHSAT, COOP, PSAT, SAT, ACT, and other admissions tests for college. Keep a list of new vocabulary words and review them for 10 minutes each day. Tip #2: Study word roots. You can easily and quickly build your vocabulary by studying common Latin and Greek word roots and prefixes. You can expand your vocabulary by recognizing common roots. Studying Latin also helps you learn new roots and improve your vocabulary. Tip #3: Get organized. If you don’t have a way to organize and keep track of nightly and long-term assignments, find one now—before school starts. You can use a traditional planner or any other device that keeps you on track. Practice putting your assignments into your planner and checking it regularly. For long-term assignments such as research papers, you should break down the work so that you put each mini-task in your planner. For example, write down the days you plan to go to the library to do research, the days you will work on your outline and rough draft, and the days you will complete your final draft. Leave time for revision and rewriting. Find out more ways to get organized from Steph. Tip #4: Learn how to take notes. You may want to organize your notebook by writing the major ideas in each lecture on the left-hand side of your page and writing the details related to the main idea on the right-hand side. Each lecture tends to have a major theme or themes, and these are the types of ideas that teachers like to ask about on tests. You should identify the main idea of each lecture to prepare for tests. Review your notes after taking them and think about how you can organize the material more efficiently. Tip #5: Learn about your teachers. Before the year starts, speak to older or other students who’ve had your teacher or teachers, and ask them how the teacher works. What does the teacher want, and what is he or she looking for in assignments? The better you understand your teachers, the better prepared you will be for tests and other assignments. Carefully read the information your teacher gives you on the first day of class, as it usually spells out the expectations the teacher has and how you will be graded. If you have any questions, ask them before the school year starts so you will understand exactly what you need to do to have a successful year. |
Stephenie Lee
Stephenie, having been a tutor/instructor/mentor since 1996, discovered her passion and founded Lee Academia Educational Consulting, LLC. after she left the dental and medical field. She loves teaching/mentoring and counseling her students. Her passion lies in educating others and helping them pursue their educational path. Today, certified in College Counseling and with more than 10 years of experience, Stephenie and her team continues to blog about current updated educational news and events. Archives
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