SAT, Test Prep, and Reality

Now I am old enough to have taken the PSAT and SAT in the 50s. Yes, that long ago. I went to a classics oriented secondary school where the emphasis was on Latin, Middle English, Solid Geometry, etc and less on what was becoming contemporary requirements in the public arena. So one day in early Junior year we all got called into to take what was the PSAT. Frankly I had no idea what it was and just punted, after all I was in the midst of Cicero and who really cared about wasting a morning on a test. Needless to say I did not do well and it was not until the results came in that I realized that these tests had some importance.

Now as a student of a good Catholic school I knew that my best chances were to ask my friends at the local Jewish Community Center what to do. The CYO just played basketball and that would not be a viable career option. So off to the intersection of Forest Avenue and Victory Blvd and seeking wisdom, the answer was the Bronstein and Wiener course at the Commodore Hotel in NY (now the Hyatt) on Saturday mornings. So I took my lifeguard funds, signed up and every Saturday, for what I believe was ten weeks, I went amidst this crowd of intent exam passers and along with the exam review book, of which I did every problem and memorized every word, I then was prepared for the December SAT.

Now there is also a technique for taking the SAT. It was at Curtis HS near Port Richmond. I was primed. I arrived dressed casually, as one did in the 50s, and just sat with no evidence of last minute preps. I did not even have a pencil! I looked around saw some acquaintances and just asked what they thought of the dance last evening. Dance!

They all were studying! What I wondered. I had a secret, I prepped with the most aggressive mental animals in New York City for months, my group would make the products of Tiger Moms look like wimps, my group was the descendants of Feynman, Rockaway Beach, Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, mad intellectual animals, all seeking MIT admission, no one ever thought of wasting time at Harvard and Princeton was after all in New Jersey and Yale could never be found amidst the mess there in New Haven. Besides MIT was a factory, we all understood factories.

The next trick is to finish with more than half the time left. I accomplished that task easily, then stride outside and wait on the corner until the others come out. The look on the faces of the exam takers as you walk up less than half way trough looking totally at ease and hand in your exam. It terrifies the rest, and I would guess drop their scores at least 100 points!

Now for the results. Not only perfect but I found mistakes, yes my readers the SAT had errors. Not only had they told me that prep was useless and that was totally wrong but they had made mistakes. I wrote then but all I received was a form letter informing me of the fact that others had also informed them. Were they sorry? No, after all they are the SAT!

Now to why this rant if you will. In the NY Times there is a brief discussion regarding SATs and prep. It states:

Q: Several readers have found incredible your assertions that test-prep activities and tutoring have only minimal impact on students’ scores. Are you truly suggesting that such resources are not beneficial enough to pursue? Why do you offer test-prep materials on your Web sites, and what is your response to tutors who write that their test-prep techniques have been successful?...

Ms. Juric: While the idea that test-prep activities do not materially improve SAT scores may seem counterintuitive, several highly respected independent organizations — including the National Association for College Admission Counseling (Nacac) — have conducted research showing that to be the case.

My response, Balderdash! Those kids with me at Bronstein and Wiener in the Commodore, they showed up at MIT. Personally I just about doubled my score from the PSAT, adjusting for baseline. If you do not know the vocabulary then you will not do well, if you have not read extensively, you will not do well, if you have not drilled the math style, you will not do well.

The answer was evasive at best, use someone else to cover for you perhaps. Counter-intuitive, to say the least. What is clear is that a personal commitment to excel is essential. But it is like studying for the Medical Boards or the Bar, you just have to consume many facts but at the same time you must not have to spend time understanding the question, it should be clear from prior practice.