<p>It cites a study which concluded that students from higher-income families have access to private prep classes and tutors and that students who take private prep classes averaged 60 points higher on the SAT than those who did not attend such private classes.</p>
<p>The study also concluded that self-help books are the least effective prep tool.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the study may have omitted "student motivation" as a factor. Personally, I have seen motivated students excel regardless of their socio-economic status.</p>
<p>I would be interested to hear what people think about this article and the study findings.</p>
<p>60 fricken points? Thats NOTHING. I come from a very wealthy family and I would NEVER take a SAT class, I just buy the book and study on my own. Theres no reason to take a class. </p>
<p>Princeton Review has free tutors if you are considered low income.</p>
<p>Of course they are! This isn't about SAT preparation, this is about the fact that wealthy kids have every other advantage possible. They don't have to work, so they can spend much more time on academics. They're raised from the cradle flooded with encouragement to study, while many unfortunate kids are blessed with parents who don't understand the powers of a good education. They live in good neighborhoods and attend good schools with good security, teachers, advisement and student body, while others live in inner city areas where they are forced to go to schools where it's hopelessly overcrowded and understaffed, with depressed teachers and a student body that has half owning guns and another half owning heroin. Hell, wealthy kids bring laptops to school to study while others can barely afford a backpack. </p>
<p>Childrens of priviledge getting higher scores on the SAT? No ****, sherlock.</p>
<p>They do have an advantage, but I agree with Ray192. It isn't in the form of private tutors because I don't think that those assist the student anyhow. It's in the form of what they do get that other people don't get. I'm not going to get into it because Ray192 made an obvious case, but I think the most important of the listing is encouragement. Seriously, if you don't know the importance of the SAT or the value of it, then you're screwed.</p>
<p>Thats such BS. Its not true for all wealthy kids...Like I said, I come from a very wealthy family, and I have been taught the value of a dollar. Since Sophmore year, I have held a 25 hour a week job through school. I don't have as much time as some of my contemporaries do for studying, but I make my own time for it. </p>
<p>Ray, what you are talking about is the very EXTREME cases, not what is actually commonplace. Not everyone from a low income family goes to a ****ty school.</p>
<p>The difference between your job and the poor person's job is that you aren't working to support your family, but rather yourself and spending money.</p>
<p>I agree with you guys that the study left out a lot of important factors and oversimplified things. I also agree that 60 points is not a big deal. Any motivated student could close that gap in a matter of hours by simply practicing and seeking out some free advice online or from a good teacher at school.</p>
<p>I agree that privileged kids are destined to do better on the SAT. I attribute my success on the SAT to my stellar private elementary school education.</p>
<p>Glucose101: How does that make any difference, I am working the legal limit that I am allowed to work in the state of California. Whether I am working 20 hours a week to support my family, or 25 for my own money, I am still putting forth the effort of going out and getting a job.</p>
<p>I pay for my review books/gas/car/lunch out/movies and anything else that I want to buy. There are so many free things given to low income families in terms of test prep that would only cost them like 100 bucks to pay for themselves.</p>
<p>Ray, what you are talking about is the very EXTREME cases, not what is actually commonplace. Not everyone from a low income family goes to a **ty school.</p>
<p>And every wealthy kid works 25 hours a week. Don't try to counter an extreme with another extreme.</p>
<p>Of course, if you want to argue how every low-income kid can afford all the test prep they want for 100 bucks (which I really doubt, and the Princeton review "free tutor" program is offerd only in several locations within 5 states, and only in failing schools), you have to assume these kids actively look for these deals. "My family is running out of money to pay for rent, we don't have enough food, our phone line just got cut off, the foundations of our floors is crumbling... hey, I wonder how I can raise my SAT scores! Let me check online for Princeton Review's free tutoring program! Oh wait, I don't have internet!" Wealthy kids can afford to worry about standardized tests. </p>
<p>Do you have a good house? Do you ever worry about financial problems? Do you ever see despair in your family's faces? Do you live close to excessive crime and drug use? Do you have parents that emphasize education? Can you afford everything from books to laptops? Did you grow up in an environment good for education? </p>
<p>Well, then, it's obvious you have an advantage over low income kids.</p>
<p>You just countered with another extreme case. This is very rare, unless your living in a poor underdeveloped country. Here in the US, there are so many oppertunities for jobs. If I can walk into 5 random stores at the age of 17 and get offered 3 jobs, each paying above 9 dollars an hour, these parents should also be able to get a higher paying job, enough to support a family. Also, there is welfare for people who are struggling that bad that they just can't keep up. </p>
<p>Are you implying that you also have an advantage over low income kids? Cause you have the internet!!!!!! OMGZORS. The library has free internet..The library has free books. </p>
<p>Look, its not MY fault that they are poor, so what are you trying to get me to do, pity them? As long as someone puts forth the effort in school, they will learn. You don't have to have genius teacher to learn, you can do a lot of that on your own. Its called motivation.</p>
<p>Yes. The answer is yes. I have been blessed to have parents who earn more than 99% of the country. The benefits? It's hard to even quantify. I've traveled and thus my vision for what I can accomplish is a lot greater than someone who has never left the inner city. I was raised with Toni Morrison and Charles Dickens lying around the house. For me it was natural and normal to read: my parents had enough time in their day to relax with a book, something many less fortunate people don't have. Both my parents have college degrees, my mom has a BA and an MA and my dad has a doctorate, as such they are very eloquent people. I did not have to study vocabulary once for the SATs because I knew what most words meant already. These are things that you cant learn in one year of test prep. It is not out of the ordinary to go to college in my family, in fact, it is expected. Many people do not have these expectations placed upon them by their families. I went to a private school with small classes. I discussed Crime and Punishment in a seminar class. I can almost bet this option is not available at a large public hig school. My parents had enough money that I didn't need to worry about having a job to support the family. I could focus my outside of school energy on sports, drama, and other things. I did not have the stress that comes with supporting a family. My upbringing in school has taught me how to feel comfortable nad able to talk to adults in a professional manner: think this doesn't matter? Try having a conversation with your professor or going on a job interview.
What I'm trying to say is that privelege means so much more than being able to afford a tutor. It means growing up <em>expecting</em> to go to college, expecting to go to an Ivy League. Having everyone around you wish the best for you. You'd be surprised how many people do not have this. Don't sneer at the inherent advantages that come with wealth, and be impressed by the low income students who have managed to overcome them.
A tutor can not teach you what 18 years of privelege can. There's no way.</p>
<p>All of you guys are awesome. You have opinions, you are articulate, and you are passionate. You all have thoughts worth pondering. I am a bit older than most of you, 38 to be exact, so take my advice. Don't loose your passion and willingness to speak out. Also, don't be above listening and possibly changing your minds. You will all be successful in life . . . however you define success.</p>
<p>As far as it goes, I partially with filmxoxo. Its a lot more than test prep that makes a person. However, there are many cases where people from severly low income families make it, goto college, and live a good life. I've known many of these people. </p>
<p>Also, the kids coming from low income familes can get into some schools easier because of their families income. So it does balance out, if there was a huge advantage between rich vs poor.</p>
<p>I am deemed "low income." I'm not at the extreme, since obviously, I have internet access, but the school I attend is filled with those extremes. It's not very rare, the whole district is the same, totaling about 17,000 students, not counting middle and elementary schools. We're not in some undeveloped country, we're in one of the largest cities in the richest country in the world. I'm one of the few people at school who's parents aren't divorced, or who has to work to support the family. I consider myself very lucky, and thank Him for blessing me with good parents. I go to school and see fights at every lunch and between classes, and fear that somebody might pull a knife on me, or worse. The AP teachers I have rarely live up to the name. When I try, and I have, to start a discussion on anything abstract, people laugh. </p>
<p>Prep courses? Practically unheard of. AP tests? 2 is considered an achievement. SAT's? Why bother, the community colleges accept everyone.</p>
<p>Yes, "priviledged" children have a great advantage. They get prep courses, and talks about education. They get to do homework instead of manual labor. They get to have a childhood, and be told that they can do anything they want.</p>