Transcript Knowsys Test Prep

Educational Services
Karen Green, M.Ed. Sheila Griffith, Ph.D.
President
GT Coordinator
Knowsys
McKinney ISD
Middle School Today
National Merit Tomorrow
www.myknowsys.com
Instructions?
• We do not believe in game prep!
• We never teach to the game instructions
• You either know how to play or not!
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What is the Duke TIP?
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What is the 7th Grade Duke TIP
• Johns Hopkins University started first TIP in 1972
• There are now 4 Talent Searches in the US:
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Johns Hopkins University (includes “roaming”)
Duke University (covers Texas)
Northwestern University
Western Academic Talent Search
(University of Denver)
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Eligibility is an Honor!
• Duke TIP is an “invitation only” non-profit program
• Current 7th grade students must qualify with a 95th
percentile or above on standardized tests
– STAAR
– MAP
– ITBS
– Stanford
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Participation is Rewarding!
• Participants in the 7th Grade Talent Search
receive:
– Motivation to focus on academic achievement
– Encouragement to challenge themselves
– Resources and opportunities
– Above grade level testing
The Goal of the TIP
• The goal is to identify gifted youth and expose them
to advanced academic opportunities.
• To qualify to participate, students must excel on
either the SAT or the ACT.
“Excel” = score at or above the
senior averages in one section
of the SAT or the ACT.
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Why an SAT or an ACT?
Duke TIP 7th Grade Talent Search
• Helps educators and families determine students’
academic abilities…
– On an above-level test
– In comparison with other top
performing peers
– In order to provide appropriate
educational challenges
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What ARE the Benefits?
Please verbally Tweet your Twitter partner.
Remember keep your response to 150 characters or fewer
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Benefits
• The SAT and ACT the 7th graders take are
– Identical to the high School ACT and SAT
– Challenging above grade level testing
– Opportunities for knowledge and invaluable experience
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Why is preparation important?
1) Encourages Achievement and Perseverance
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Top students are used to being successful
Without preparation, they are likely not to be as
successful
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Why is preparation important?
2) Provides long-term academic abilities
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Opportunity to help students solidify knowledge and
build skills
Without preparation, students are not prepared for
timed above grade level testing
With preparation, students have the opportunity to
apply new knowledge and broaden their skill set
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What does preparation look like?
McKinney ISD 7th Grade Duke TIP Prep:
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Students/parents invited to Information session
Practice SAT Exam
Strategy/Score Report Session
Mini Course (3 days, 9 total hours)
Administered SAT (or ACT) at Boyd High School
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MISD Duke TIP Prep Challenges
• The program is SHORT (just 9 hours and a test)
• It is very targeted
• It doesn’t provide sustained focus on increased rigor
and preparation
• It only reaches a small number of students
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Phase II: Duke Scholar
• State or Grand Scholars Receive
– Recognition
– Access to Educational Programs
– Great resources
– Digest of Gifted Research
– My College Guide
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What about the other students?
• Identifies talent potential for administrators,
teachers, and parents
• Provides talent development early
• Raises level of college readiness for top students
– PreAP and GT
– Economically disadvantaged receive discounts
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What else can we do in MS?
• Middle School College
Readiness Program
– Summer program
– Target G/T students or open
enrollment
– Combined focus on
• SAT vocabulary and grammar
• Math
• College exploration
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What else can we do in MS?
• Middle School College Readiness Tests
– College Board’s ReadiStep (the pre-PSAT/SAT)
– ACT’s Explore (the pre-PLAN/ACT)
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What else can we do?
• Middle School Academic
Vocabulary Building
– Systematic, vertically-aligned
program
– Daily warm-ups and activities
to build academic vocabulary
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What else can we do?
• Sustained Middle School Test Prep
SAT Math:
Arithmetic
warm-ups
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SAT Verbal:
ReadiStep
warm-ups
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Why Middle School?
What’s the rush?
Intellectual ability needs to be nurtured.
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Why the rush?
• Competition for admission and for top
scholarships is fierce
• Help students reach their maximum potential.
• Testing well is a combination of
– testing skills
– practice
– content mastery
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National Merit – The Goal
Why is solid, sustained preparation so important ?
What it takes to get there:
– The PSAT
– SAT
– The National Merit Program
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Why the PSAT Matters
How much does college cost these days?
– Public University?
– Private University?
– Out of state?
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Why the PSAT Matters
• Let’s just look at tuition and fees . . .
1 year*
4 years
Texas A&M
$8,500
$34,000
UT Austin
$10,000
$40,000
University of Oklahoma
$20,300
$81,200
Baylor
$34,000
$136,000
TCU
$34,500
$138,000
Rice
$36,600
$146,400
Auburn
$25,200
$100,800
Northeastern
$39,300
$157,200
*Rounded for ease of math!
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Wow!
Why the PSAT Matters
• What kinds of scholarships do top PSAT and
SAT scores provide?
= Full tuition
= Full tuition
= $24,500/yr
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Why the PSAT Matters
• Did you catch what that means???
The PSAT is a $100,000 TEST!!!
– This is Big!
– This is Important!
– This is your high-stakes
test!
– This makes college dreams
possible!
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Why strive for Merit Scholar?
Merit Scholar Recognition leads to . . .
1. Scholarships
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From National Merit Corp
From National Merit Corporate sponsors
From Universities
From Private Scholarship sources
(Coca-Cola, Ladies Auxiliary, Women’s Marine Corp
Scholarship, Eastern Star, etc.)
2. Offers of Admissions
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National Merit®
“Merit Scholar” is synonymous with
scholastic excellence
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What is the PSAT?
• The PSAT is the “Pre-SAT” that the students take in
October of their Junior year
• The PSAT IS NOT used for college admission
• The PSAT IS used to give your student . . .
– A feel for his/her potential
on the SAT
– An opportunity to qualify for the
National Merit
Scholarship Program
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National Merit
• All Juniors are
automatically registered
for the National Merit
Scholar Program = 1.4
million students
• National Hispanic and National Achievement are
based on what the student marks under
demographic information
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What is the PSAT?
• A standardized college admissions exam
• 2 hours and 10 minutes (SAT is 3:45 and ACT is 3:20)
• 3 sections
– Math
– Critical Reading
– Writing
• Score range: 60 - 240
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National Merit Competition
Top 3.6% of all test
takers are recognized
as “high scorers”
3.6% = top 50,000
students
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Levels of Recognition
201
216
Commended
Semifinalists
Finalists
Merit Scholars
Top 2.4%
Top 1.2%
= 34,000
students
= 16,000
students
• National Hispanic Recognition:
186
• National Achievement Scholarship: 186
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Intellectual Ability Pay$ off!
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Get the Word Out
1. Educate students and parents
on the College Prep Timeline
(free copies available at
myknowsys.com)
2. Make sure top students know
the importance of the PSAT.
3. Inform ALL students and parents about
the opportunities the district offers to
PRACTICE and PREPARE
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Provide the Opportunity
to Practice & Prepare
1. Use Practice PSAT, SAT, and ACT Exams to raise
awareness
2. Host parent/student sessions on The College
Prep Timeline
3. Build academic vocabulary
4. Offer targeted preparation courses
– PSAT Courses
– SAT Courses
– ACT Courses
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What Does Preparation Entail?
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Test-taking strategies
Review of frequently-missed content
Methods for each type of question
Timed testing strategies
SAT vocabulary
Practice Exams
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High School Time Line
• Grade 9 and up:
– Academic Vocabulary Building
– Sustained verbal and math warm-ups
– Practice exams
• Grade 10:
– Fall: PSAT Workshops
(so students don’t go in unprepared)
– Spring: Invitations to PSAT Scholars Program
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High School Time Line
• Grade 11:
– Fall:
• PSAT Scholars Program
• PSAT Workshops (so students are aware)
– On going:
SAT Courses and/or ACT Courses
• Grade 12:
– Admissions Workshops
– Admissions Essay Workshops
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Questions?
Thank you for your time and participation!
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Contact Information
• McKinney ISD
– Karen Green, M.Ed.
– [email protected]
• Knowsys Educational Services
– Sheila Griffith, Ph.D.
– [email protected]
– 512-961-8522
www.myknowsys.com
Award Possibilities
• University of New Mexico
– Finalist, Achievement, or Hispanic:
• National Scholars Award: $61,200
• = Full Ride Tuition & Room and Board
• University of Oklahoma
– Finalist: $98,000 (for non residents)
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Award Possibilities
• Oklahoma City University (Private)
– Finalist, Hispanic, or Achievement:
• Full Tuition Scholarship = $106,800
• Northeastern University (Boston, Private)
– Finalist, Hispanic, or Achievement:
• Full Tuition Scholarship = $157,280
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Award Possibilities
• Baylor University
– Finalist: Regent’s Gold (Full Ride): $138,344
– Regent’s Gold also available for top SAT scores
• SMU
– Finalist or Achievement: $20,000+
• University of Tulsa (Private)
– Finalist, Achievement, or Hispanic: Full Ride
Tuition plus Room and Board: $186,336
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Award Possibilities
• Auburn University (Auburn, AL)
– Finalist or Achievement:
• Tuition + Housing + extras = $90,420
– Hispanic: $8000 University Stipend
• Texas A & M College Station
– Finalist: $40,000 - $52,500
– Achievement: $32,000 - $50,500
– Hispanic: CB Recognition Award = $14,000+
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