TEST PREP
Read about each test prep below
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GRADES 3 - 8
It’s the night before the test. You help your child cram until 11:00 p.m. Will she score as high as a student that has been studying at home for months?
Actually, you may be surprised to find out that they could perform similarly. Without proper training, hours studying independently are often wasted time. But what if you want your child to test their absolute best?
Test-taking is a skill that requires proper instruction and practice. Students must develop test-taking skills early in their academic career, so that they have the skills to prepare for more difficult tests later on. But sometimes, students who study longer, and have a deeper understanding of the topics, actually score lower on tests than students who don’t study at all.
Remember: tests do not accurately show how well a student understands the topic being tested. More accurately, they show how well a student understands what they’re being asked. Further, each test is different, compounding the confusion for students who are untrained in testing.
Observe the following data on 2019 New York State Test results in NYC:
Only 45% of students scored proficiently in English (3 or higher)
Only 47% of students scored proficiently in Math (3 or higher)
What do these percentages truly mean? On both Math and English, the average NYC student scored a 2. This shows a lack of proficiency in the subject, but it also shows something more interesting: no familiarity with the test format.
Unfortunately, the Board of Education has not created curriculum to align with standardized tests. Children who seamlessly test well during the school year do not necessarily test well on the State Tests. At Sanidas Tutoring, we offer State Test Prep, where we focus on mastery of material as well as fundamental testing techniques that students will use on the State Test, SHSAT, SAT, and throughout college.
In our State Test Prep course, we focus on test format and test-taking strategies, so that students are prepared to perform their best.
What we cover:
Mastering all necessary ELA and Mathematics techniques at each grade level
Understanding the dynamics of a question
Understanding choice creation (a test-creator’s perspective)
Mastering choice manipulation
Timing and scantron techniques
2:2 vs 1:3 answer choice ratios
The Difficult Question Answering Algorithm
The Checking Answers Algorithm
In our class, students will take multiple practice tests, focusing on challenging and tricky questions. They will practice identification of answer choice ratios, and will use deletion techniques to drive towards correct answers.
Test-taking is a lifelong skill. Our job market is changing rapidly, and the best jobs require extensive credentials. Your child will likely spend more years in school, which means more time to either stress over tests, or enjoy acing them.
Assure your child faces every test with confidence, and with tricks up their sleeve! Ask about our State Test Prep today.
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This course prepares middle schoolers for the Specialized High School Admissions Test.
Description:
The SHSAT is the only tool used to evaluate students applying to prestigious New York high schools. Our instructors work with each middle school student to ensure that he/she has the knowledge and confidence needed to secure an excellent score. The Specialized High Schools that require the SHSAT are:
Bronx High School of Science
Brooklyn Latin School
Brooklyn Technical High School
High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College
High School for American Studies at Lehman College
Queens High School for Sciences at York College
Staten Island Technical High School
Stuyvesant High School
This program is held as a small class or in a 1-on-1 session.
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Our 1-on-1 SAT Prep is designed to improve students’ performance on all three sections of the SAT exam.
Description:
Colleges use the SAT to identify qualified students. Excellent scores will guarantee a strong first impression on any college application. Our instructors tailor the intensive curriculum to each student’s needs, ensuring improvement in math, reading, and writing. And the program doesn’t end with the exam—our instructors are here to advise students on every step of the application and acceptance process.
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We have programs to help students score highly on a multitude of private school tests and get into the school of their choice.
Description:
Top-tier private and Catholic schools use special tests for their admissions process as well. This creates a competitive environment and a ranking system for these private schools. We've had great success in guiding students to achieve their potential on these tests and receive admissions letters from their dream high schools.
New York State Test Prep
It’s the night before the test. You help your child cram until 11:00 p.m. Will she score as high as a student that has been studying at home for months?
Actually, you may be surprised to find out that both students may perform similarly. Without proper training, hours spent independently studying are often wasted time. So what do you do if you want your child to test their absolute best?
Students who perform well on tests are not always the smartest kids in the classroom or the ones who spend the most hours studying. Sometimes, they’re not even the ones who have the strongest grasp of the subject matter.
In fact, it is not uncommon for a student who did not study at all to score higher on a test than a student who studied for hours and has a deeper understanding of the material. This is because tests are not actually an accurate reflection of how well a student understands the topic being tested, but rather a measure of how much that student understands what they’re being asked.
Test-taking is a skill that can be honed and strengthened, provided the student has the proper instruction and practice. Some may have a natural gift for acing tests, but that is not a prerequisite for your child to get great grades on theirs.
Observe the following data on 2019 New York State Test results in NYC:
- Only 45% of students scored proficiently in English (3 or higher)
- Only 47% of students scored proficiently in Math (3 or higher)
What do these percentages tell us? On the surface, they might express a lack of proficiency in the subject, but what they may actually be showing us is a lot more interesting than that. A lack of familiarity with the test format could have contributed to the results.
The reason why this might be considered “interesting” is that if a lack of familiarity is the cause of the poor test results, then the solution to the problem is a simple one: test prep courses.
At Sanidas Tutoring, we offer New York State Test prep and various other courses designed to help students not only master the material, but to master fundamental testing techniques that they’ll be able to use on the State Test, SHSAT, SAT, and throughout their college career.
Our New York State Test Prep Courses
In our New York State Test prep courses, we focus on test format and test-taking strategies so that students know what to expect on the day of the test. Below are some details about what our course covers.
Mastering ELA and Mathematics Techniques
Understanding the techniques and strategies behind test-taking is crucial to getting great grades, but it’s also crucial to understanding the material itself. Our courses are aimed at helping students master ELA and mathematics subject matter at all grade levels, as well as the specific techniques that can help them ace each test.
Understanding the Dynamics of a Question
It’s an unfortunate fact that the wording of a question can often play an outsized role in whether a student answers it correctly or not. They may know the answer easily if it were worded a different way, but they don’t have any control over how a test is written, which is why test prep courses are so important. We help students develop an ability to tackle any test question, regardless of how it is worded.
Understanding Choice Creation
Sometimes the answer to a test question is attainable with almost no knowledge of the subject matter if you’re able to think from the test creator’s perspective. If a student can understand choice creation, they can begin to understand the art of test-taking.
Timing and Scantron Techniques
Time can work against any student trying to get the best possible score on a test, which is why it’s important to acquire some time management and pacing strategies before testing day. There are also scantron-specific strategies that can help any student maximize their potential on the day of the test. We equip all of our students with these strategies in our New York State Test prep, SAT test prep, and SHSAT test prep courses.
Other Techniques We Cover
On top of the test-taking strategies we’ve detailed above, we also cover the following:
- Mastering choice manipulation
- 2:2 vs. 1:3 answer choice ratios
- The Difficult Question Answering algorithm
- The Checking Answers algorithm
In all of our in-person courses and our SAT test prep online courses, students will take multiple practice tests, focusing on challenging and tricky questions. They will also practice identification of answer choice ratios and use deletion techniques to drive towards correct answers. If you’re interested in helping your child develop this lifelong skill, call today to learn more.
Our SAT Test Prep Courses
Many students see the SAT as the most important and stressful test that they’ll ever have to take. It’s the gold standard by which colleges identify qualified students, and an excellent score can guarantee a strong first impression for the school of their dreams.
The Sanidas Tutoring SAT test prep course is designed to improve student performance on all three sections of this important exam. Our course provides them with a stronger grasp of the material and equips them with SAT-specific test-taking strategies.
In order to ensure improvement and maximize the student’s chances of success, our instructors will tailor their curriculum to each student’s specific needs. Once they’ve taken their exams, instructors will continue to advise students through every step of the application and acceptance process.
Our SAT test prep program meets for four hours a week over the course of 16 weeks. Each student will receive our custom, 400-page SAT workbook upon registration.
SAT Test Prep Online Courses
Today’s students are extremely busy, and they often maintain a very tight schedule. We offer SAT test prep online as a convenient solution for students who want remote support. Students can cut down on unnecessary commute time and become test-taking pros from home or wherever there’s WiFi. Call today to learn more.
SHSAT Test Prep
Middle school students looking to gain entrance into the following prestigious New York high schools will need to score high on their Specialized High School Admissions test:
- Bronx High School of Science
- Brooklyn Latin School
- Brooklyn Technical High School
- High School for Math, Science and Engineering at City College
- High School for American Studies at Lehman College
- Queens High School for Sciences at York College
- Staten Island Technical High School
- Stuyvesant High School
Our SHSAT test prep course helps provide students with a strong understanding of the subject matter they can expect from this important test. It will also help to familiarize them with the format of the test to ensure that they get the highest score possible. The SHSAT test prep course consists of eight two-hour sessions.
NYC G&T Test Prep
Ensuring a successful academic career and a bright post-educational future begins as soon as your child’s schooling does. One of the ways in which parents in New York are looking to provide their children with an enriching educational environment is through NYC’s Gifted and Talented programs.
In order to gain entry to a G&T program or school, students must take the NYC G&T test. They must earn a score of 99 to become part of the lottery to be accepted at a Gifted and Talented school. Our NYC G&T test prep courses offer each student an individualized curriculum in a one-on-one setting that can help students develop the focus and retention they need to ace their test and secure their educational future.
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If you want to help your child hone their test-taking skills in preparation for the New York State Test, the SAT, the SHSAT, or the NYC G&T test, contact Sanidas Tutoring today.