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rolling rock
The Pinball
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 Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:08 Post subject: S.A.T.s
when i took these tests we just showed up with a pencil. i am reluctantly being introduced to the world of parenting a high-school child and finding that lots of my son's peers have begun STUDYING for these things already.
THEY ARE IN 9th GRADE. Their parents are sending them to classes, buying books and mock-tests all in an effort to prepare them for the college prep (standardized???) tests that they will TAKE IN THREE YEARS.
i think they are anal and pushing their kids to the limit---then again i feel compelled to jump on this sick bandwagon to give him a fighting chance at a comparable score.
are these tests worth anything anymore if kids are (being forced) to study for them YEARS in advance. WTF????????? is up with this 
aaaaauuuuuuuuugh. more pressure. i'd love to just blow it off. any thoughts??
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prohemp
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:16 Post subject:
i showed up with a pencil and a photo ID
i think it is too early to start studying now for a test in three years.
Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry
i'm sure they help but i don't know if your child would be at a disadvantage by not taking one
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BamBam
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:19 Post subject:
My 6 year old is getting Hooked on SAT for his birthday today.
Can't start 'em young enuf. I'll learn him to be one thinkin' guy before too long.
No this can tend to be ridiculous, but I guess these people are looking at any advantage to getting their kids into a good college or gain a scholarship.
My big problem is with the way tuition is going up exponentially.
The school I went to was consisdered fairly expensive in the 1980 at around 12-13 Grand a year. It went up to about 36,000 this past year.
I was floored when I found that out. We told our girls acedemic or athletic scholarships (Title IX) are their for the takin'. (Just teasing) We hope they can get them but we'll let them wait til the can take the tests to actually get ready for them.
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:19 Post subject:
| prohemp wrote: | | Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry |
Exactly! Nothing like creating your own industry to generate income.
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BamBam
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:22 Post subject:
| purple hayes wrote: | | prohemp wrote: | | Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry |
Exactly! Nothing like creating your own industry to generate income. |
Too bad this Riff-raffer scam isn't workin' out like you had hoped. 
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prohemp
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:26 Post subject:
| purple hayes wrote: | | prohemp wrote: | | Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry |
Exactly! Nothing like creating your own industry to generate income. |
another example - like building the airport that serves a large city out in the middle of nowhere (cough Pittsburgh cough) All of a sudden a county's revenue tax base is coming from limo and shuttle bus services
Last edited by prohemp on 10/09/02 - 15:26; edited 1 time in total
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Running Brewer
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:26 Post subject:
I took the ACT not the SAT. However my classmates studied just same. One the day of the test I showed up late and intoxicated. However, I would not recommend it, it did earn me some free money into school. I scored a 26.  Some of the "Smart" kids that studied bombed big time. 
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purple hayes
Frightened Inmate #2
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:28 Post subject:
| BamBam wrote: | | purple hayes wrote: | | prohemp wrote: | | Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry |
Exactly! Nothing like creating your own industry to generate income. |
Too bad this Riff-raffer scam isn't workin' out like you had hoped. |
When I build up a big enough base of forum junkies, I'll hit em with a subscription fee.
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rolling rock
The Pinball
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:34 Post subject:
HA - Hooked on SATS - LMAO!!!
if you take it and bomb, you just pay to take it again and again and again till you get it right.
this sucks. these parents suck. i bombed and still got into a very good school. i think i'll push him towards Triange Tech. i'll make a little wrench outta him.
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keltic63
the kilted one
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:34 Post subject:
are they really preparing for taking the SAT's or are they preparing for "how to take standaradized tests" ? I talk to my teens (pre-SAT age too) about smart test-taking strategies, and they get some of those skills in school too. we have not discussed the SAT in particular. I'm sure these prep courses are along those lines. You really can't teach the content of the SAT, but you can teach the strategies for answering those kinds of questions.
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megawill
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:36 Post subject:
I'd say that unless your child desires to go to an Ivy League school to forget about the test for now.
Have your child concentrate on becoming a well-rounded individual. Make sure that they are involved in plenty of extra-curriculars and maintain decent grades and they'll do fine.
My nephew was a good student, captain of football team, student body president, member of National Honor society and participant in Student UN. He was in the top 10% of his class. Because he was an 'involved' student he had schools fighting over him and throwing all kinds of Financial Aid / Scholarship packages at him, even though his test scores were only average.
He could have gone to virtually any school he wanted to except the most competitive schools were his test scores would've probably come in to play. If your child desires to go to a very competitive school then yes, they should probably spend some time familarizing themselves with the test...but I still wouldn't waste a whole lot of time or money on this. I'm sure there are several home computer type tutorials available for 40-50 bucks...
So bottom line, for all but a few schools other things will come into play other then the test scores. Concentrate on the other intangibles that schools look at and let the test scores take care of themselves...
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megawill
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BamBam
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:43 Post subject:
| prohemp wrote: | | purple hayes wrote: | | prohemp wrote: | | Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry |
Exactly! Nothing like creating your own industry to generate income. |
another example - like building the airport that serves a large city out in the middle of nowhere (cough Pittsburgh cough) All of a sudden a county's revenue tax base is coming from limo and shuttle bus services |
Bustin' on our fine airport (or rather the limo scam) that is truly the first time I've ever heard that criticism. Since I drive over and leave car in long term parking never thought of the shuttle taxes. Oh well, what did you think of the airport though--probably one of the best I have to go into. (Not trying to be too provincial).
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Sahara
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:48 Post subject:
| keltic63 wrote: | | are they really preparing for taking the SAT's or are they preparing for "how to take standaradized tests" ? You really can't teach the content of the SAT, but you can teach the strategies for answering those kinds of questions. |
I think that it's ridiculous to study content for teh SAT's, at least that's what I thought of it when I took it 20 years ago. But then again, I did okay and wasn't trying to get into an elite university.
I agree that learning "tips and tricks" of standardized tests, like the SAT,is smart. Too bad high schools don't spend time on this.
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keltic63
the kilted one
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 15:56 Post subject:
| Sahara wrote: |
I think that it's ridiculous to study content for teh SAT's, at least that's what I thought of it when I took it 20 years ago. But then again, I did okay and wasn't trying to get into an elite university.
I agree that learning "tips and tricks" of standardized tests, like the SAT,is smart. Too bad high schools don't spend time on this. |
that's much wiser than trying to learn content (cramming). my kids go to school in a district that teaches the strategies and tips. I work in a different school district. I just told my 6th graders to use the info that is around them. They feel like they are cheating if they look at one of my bulletin boards during a test. I tell them if I didn't want them to use it, I'd cover it for the test. It is no longer important to know facts (basics, yes, but so much info changes so quickly) It is important to know where to find the info you need. Those are the skills that need to be taught.
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Sahara
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Posted: 10/09/02 - 16:08 Post subject:
| prohemp wrote: | | purple hayes wrote: | | prohemp wrote: | | Overall, test prep courses are big business - in effect, they created their own industry |
Exactly! Nothing like creating your own industry to generate income. |
another example - like building the airport that serves a large city out in the middle of nowhere (cough Pittsburgh cough) All of a sudden a county's revenue tax base is coming from limo and shuttle bus services |
Not sure if you're kidding <crossing fingers that you are>. I just spent the past 5 days in Chicago. Took me 50 minutes to get from the O'Hare to the downtown hotel. It takes 25 from PIT to downtown Pittsburgh, during rush hour 35 minutes.
This is an issue that I deal with for work. About 1000 people that come to my company for training... so I'm familiar with their typical logistic questions. Transportation from the airport to downtime can be taxi (~$25) to shuttle (~$16) to bus ($2.20). All three are convenient (I've literally tried them all).
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