Hi there,

If you have questions about the brand spanking new SAT, and/or the brand newer/spanking-er ACT that JUST came out three weeks ago. tune in for tonight's impromptu, live SAT- ACT Preview class.  

It starts at 8pm EST.

Here's the classroom link, no registration necessary.  Just show up at 8pm (bookmark the link so you don't forget):

FREE Preview Class

- Andy"At the Test Prep Movies" Lockwood

P.S.  Please share this with anyone you think could use this info.

P.P.S. One more no-risk, freebie for you:  a "Test Drive", Try Before You Buy actual free SAT or ACT Class.

(This is an actual class, totally different than tonight's walkthrough of both tests.)

College Coffee Talk | Free SAT & ACT Class

Good morning!

Two announcements:

1. We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today, it's a real doozy, bound to make some parents a little miffed:

How can parents support their children in the application process without overstepping?

In other words...

How not to be a helicopter parent even if you think nothing will get done if you don't micromanage your child until they're 35 years old.

2. Today's the last day for our Free SAT and ACT class promo, a/k/a Try Before You Buy.  Here's where to sign up.

Marissa will be doing a live Q&A tonight at 8pm EST. I'll send out the link for that session this afternoon.

Here's where to join us live on College Coffee Talk, in a few minutes, 10am sharp! 

Tune In!

- Andy "Caffeine Addict" Lockwood

Free SAT and ACT Class | Last Minute College Advising

 You may have heard, more and more colleges are abandoning their test-optional policies.   And for the colleges that still let you conceal your SAT and ACT scores, there's more to the story.

Plain and simple...

There's a difference between APPLYING test optional versus being ACCEPTED test optional

The three most important academic components of a college application are 1. GPA, 2. rigor of course load and 3. standardized test scores.  These three factors comprise approximately 60% of the entire college application.

Simple logic:  if you remove one of these three academic components -- test scores -- the other two factors take  on greater weight.  So do the non-academic ones (40% of the application).

Mass marketing by colleges has created a tsunami of applications, year after year.  But are those applicants from QUALIFIED students?

Or is a huge chunk of them from kids who think,...

Good morning!

Come join us this morning if you can -- 10:00am EST --  for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!  

Here's what's on tap for today:

• Another blow to test-optional;
• The latest on student loan "forgiveness" developments;  and 
• Your questions, we'll be live and chatting!

Tune In!

Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)

- Andy Lockwood

In response to my email predicting the slow demise of test-optional policies, I received a mini rant from a subscriber to my email list.   Her point, summarized:

* She was a great student herself back in the day

* She was not a great test taker though

* She was admitted to an elite school

* Ergo, standardized testing is ineffective at predicting academic success in college

My response:

"Back in the day" there wasn't as much grade inflation as there is in modern times.  Today, admissions officers can't rely on GPA they way they once could to predict how well a student will do in college, academically.

*I'm happy that she was admitted to the college where she apparently wanted to go.  But I'm curious why she has a chip on her shoulder big enough to spend her time emailing me.

*My email reported the news that Yale (joining Dartmouth, Georgetown, MIT, Georgia Tech, Purdue and others) announced they were tearing up their test-optional policies.  Not my...

Were I a betting man, I'd wager that more colleges will scrap their test optional policies in the coming year. 

Last week, Yale (joining Dartmouth, Georgetown, MIT, Georgia Tech, Purdue and others) announced they would now require standardized testing, because

     a. they're accurate predictors of how well a student will perform in college and

     b. SAT and ACT scores actually improve diversity, not reduce it.  

The SAT and ACT are more accurate predictors of college performance because grade inflation is rampant at most high schools.  This makes it harder for admissions officers to gauge how prepared a child is for college, academically speaking.

On the diversity front, the dean of admissions at Yale explained that underrepresented minorities and under-resourced students frequently chose not to submit their standardized test scores, which were commonly lower than the median of Yale's published range, but could have...

[BREAKING] - proponents for test-optional college admissions policies were dealt another blow yesterday.  Here's the latest news and what it could mean for you:

Here's where to watch this short report.

-Andy Lockwood

P.S.  I pretty much called this, last night on our SAT and ACT Town Hall presentation.  You can watch the recording here.

P.P.S.  Spoiler alert:  we thing the whole test-optional thing is overblown and misleading.  We're still offering 1:1 tutoring and small group tutoring classes.  Our ACT prep class starts next week, March 5.  Learn more here  - use the coupon code CRUSH2024 for 100 bucks off.

Free SAT/ACT Webinar

I'll be faster than and almost as powerful as a speeding locomotive with this message:

Tonight, our head tutor, Marissa U, will host a live walkthrough of each of the sections of the SAT and ACT, in order to help you figure out Which Test is Best...

...to help your kiddo multiply his odds of admission to his Dream School...

...and get his mitts on the scholarships you deserve to help combat the ridiculous cost of college!

The whole thing will be over in order an hour, but there will be plenty of time for Q&A.

Sign up here, and you will discover

• Which test is best for kids good at math
• Which test is the "faster one"
• The hidden "science section" on the SAT
• More

SAT/ACT PREVIEW

See you in class.

- Andy Lockwood

P.S.  There's no charge to attend, but the information you learn could save you dozens of stressful hours, not to mention thousands of donuts in wasted tutoring fees for the Wrong Test.

P.P.S.  Here's the sign up page one...

If you've been on my email list for a little bit, you won't be shocked to learn that I was a big Mad Magazine fan back in the day.   

One of my favorite features was the Spy vs. Spy cartoon, which depicted outlandish battles between one faceless spy, dressed all in black, the other, identical but in white attire.

To the best of my recollection, there was hardly ever a clear winner, which was satisfying to some people, I guess.  But not to me. I always wanted to know which spy was better.

A lot of parents, and kids, feel the same way about the SAT or ACT.  There's an assumption that one is "better," meaning one that colleges prefer, or is better in some other, undefined way.  Possibly because those of us who grew up in the 80s on the East or West coast may never have heard of the ACT, which was largely a midwestern thang until it grew, and eclipsed the SAT 7-8 years ago.

Here's the deal...

Colleges are agnostic.  They accept either test.  So the...

Earlier in the week, a client said "Danger, Will Robinson!" to me, evoking a popular show people our age grew up with, Lost in Space.

That was a black and white adventure series about a family of space travelers, who bounced around from planet to planet, adventure to adventure, always trying to find their way home, but never quite getting there.

Reminds me a lot of how college planning works, including standardized testing. 

Parents (and kids) bounce around all over the place, getting conflicting, "adventurous" thoughts and advice form other parents, kids, guidance counselors, maybe even (artificial intelligence) robots about standardized testing, like:

• Don't take either the SAT or ACT, colleges don't need them
• Don't submit your scores
• You have to submit your scores if you're not a minority applicant
• You have to submit your scores if you want to get scholarships
• The SAT is better for kids good at math
• If you're bad at science, don't take the ACT
• Study for both the SAT and...