Free college-prep tests

Parents Forum
1

<p>Anyone else see this? Is this available in your area? I think we just may do this as a dry run. The way I see it there is no downside, right?</p>

<p>WATCHDOG / FREE COLLEGE-PREP TESTS
Pioneer Press</p>

<p>Article Last Updated: 02/25/2008 11:41:18 AM CST</p>

<p>High school students who wonder how they'll do on standardized tests required for their college applications can find out for free March 8, when Princeton Review offers practice tests on the SAT, the ACT and the Princeton Review Assessment, or PRA. </p>

<p>Most colleges and universities now accept both the SAT and the ACT, which are different in scope, with the ACT being more subject-oriented. The PRA, a mixture of ACT and SAT sections, was developed to tell students whether they're likely to do better on one test or the other. </p>

<p>"People should take advantage of it to answer that age-old question, SAT or ACT?" said Keisha Hellon, marketing manager for the Twin Cities office of the Princeton Review, which sells books and courses to prepare for the tests. </p>

<p>Students taking the free tests will get an analysis of their scores in regard to particular subjects and particular types of questions, Hellon said. They can later attend free strategy sessions, which help them figure out how to improve their scores on the real tests, she said. </p>

<p>Practice test scores are not reported.</p>

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2

<p>Our public library offered free tests for both PSAT and the ACT (and maybe the SAT, I wasn't paying attention to that test). The were run by Kaplan and came with an analysis of the score and comments about what the student needed to do to improve. They hope, of course, that you will sign up with them for test review but there are no strings. It helped d tremendously to focus her attention on the sections of the ACT where she needed the most help.</p>

3

<p>I don't see a downside, a plus for kids to see what the tests are like and a plus for PR/Kaplan to sell prep books for whichever test the student decides to take.</p>

4

<p>These are great and there is no downside. Princeton Review here does these periodically in different suburbs around town, and also has free strategy sessions after the tests. They are hoping you will enroll in their expensive classes but at least here, there is no pressure to do so. It's nice.</p>