<p>Heh, I ought to change my use name to One to Go at this point. (Grin)
I'm soliciting advice here... My youngest son just had those practice PSAT's that they give to HS Sophs and received his scores. THe verbal section was absolutely atrocious--good Lord. I'm glad I saw this now instead of next year!</p>
<p>Of course he is also at that age where everything requiring an effort is "Stupid" and any effort is "Not worth it". Oh, I forget there <em>are</em> other types of teens out there, but that is my son in a nutshell: resistant, sensitive to criticism and hates to read outside school. (Why me, the person who loved to read???) Spends way too much time playing live computer games, imho, but his regular school classes (except for Spanish) are A's., which is why I was somewhat surprised by the dismally low verb scores (like in the 20's and 30's!)</p>
<p>So, we have got to work on bringing those darned verbal scores up. What do you recommend? What about those SAT tutoring programs? Are they worth it or an illusory waste of cash? Recommended workbooks that a kid will actually do without threat?</p>
<p>Gosh, it sounds like maybe he misbubbled the answer sheet or something! It doesn't make any sense for an A student to get verbal scores that low, especially with sky high math scores. Since the 10th grade PSAT doesn't count for anything other than practice, there's no point in asking for a rescoring (I don't even know if they offer the service for sophomore PSATs). But you do want to find out if it was a fluke or if he really does have a problem with verbal questions.</p>
<p>Before shelling out for a SAT tutoring program, I'd suggest getting him to take a practice PSAT. I think there's one that comes with the signup materials they get at school - you might ask the guidance counselor if she has a spare one he can have. If you can't find that, you could use the blue SAT book published by the College Board (The Official SAT Study Guide) and have him take the verbal sections for practice. That way, you can see if he really has a problem with solving the questions. If he still scores in the 20s and 30s (200-300 for the SAT) , a SAT tutoring program would probably help greatly.</p>
<p>As far as getting him to do it without threat, you're on your own there! I had the same problem with my own S and there's no easy answer.</p>
<p>I don't know if the option is still available, but you used to be able to get a photocopy of the PSAT (NOT the SAT) without asking for handscoring. That will let you know if he just did something silly like bubbling in the last circle of 5 on the answer sheet when there were only 4 choices and the answer was D, which was the last choice. I'd do that if it's possible. </p>
<p>Then find out which questions he missed--scattered throughout or all of one type, etc.</p>
<p>Sad to say, it is all too likely that those could be his scores or close. Then again, he may have had an attitutude when he took the tests since they weren't for real. I say this low score is a possibility on basis of a test that was taken in elementary school in N. VA. where there was again a great gap between the two and it was noted then and remarked on as indicative of something or other--some disconnect. I took him to Sylvan to learn to write cogently and it did help and he <em>was</em> in an IEP program for a while over low esteem/learning issues but it was determined he didn't need it after a while.</p>
<p>I'll check to see what is up--but if his scores are truly that low wouldn't it show up in his regular classes? Or is our school that backward (they aren't stressing much regular writing afaik.)</p>
<p>When I read the second paragraph of your post, I thought I was reading about my son. Especially the words "stupid" and "resistent" and "A's". Then I remembered my son is in 7th grade. Also, my son BOMBED his standarized test this year. Thank you sooooooo much for reminding me that I have at least three more years of this attitude!!!! :eek: ;)</p>
<p>Perhaps you could get your son to do the online SAT practice questions/tests? Or maybe you could start saving the SAT "question of the day" in a file for him.</p>
<p>Since he likes the computer so much, let him study using the PC and it won't seem like so much like studying. And if anybody knows how to incorporate NCAA '07 for the PS2 into more studying ... I'd love to hear about it.</p>
<p>My soph daughter received the test booklet back with her scores. I don't know if that's the practice everywhere but you could start with reviewing the test and see where he's having trouble. Unless you can get him to see the importance of working towards improvement you may be in for a lot of frustration.</p>
<p>Three<em>to</em>go, I have a D who scores were very lopsided on her Soph PSAT. Math 70, CR 49, Ouch! She's a junior and she has not received her Junior scores but am expecting more of the same. She did not take a prep course but tried to practice on her own. She was not improving that much, I felt like it would be moving mountains to get her CR score up to any where near her Math score. She's an A- English student who loves to read, who knows why her CR scores were so low.</p>
<p>In the end she took one practice PSAT and one practice ACT. The ACT was so much higher than the PSAT, she abandoned prep for the PSAT, SAT and concentated on the ACT. With prep and a very little bit of tutoring (only 3 sessions with an English tutor, concentrating on grammar) she pulled a 29 on her English ACT. Quite a feat considering where she came from.</p>
<p>Resistant and sensitive to criticism are not mutually exclusive to boys. I have a girl who is very much the same. Esp. any help her parents might want to give.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend an SAT prep course.</p>
<p>Online programs and test books are useful for the self-motivated, but a course is better for those who aren't likely to do the preparation unless they're in a room where there is nothing else to do. Sometimes, there are cheap courses available through your school system; that might be enough. If not, it might be worthwhile to fork over the $900 or whatever it is for a commercial course.</p>
<p>It may also help if you start talking about SAT preparation in terms of psyching out the test and beating the system, rather than in terms of actually (heaven forbid!) learning anything. Young people appreciate the merits of gaming the system.</p>
<p>Before signing up for a PSAT course, go to the college board website and sign into his personal PSAT score report at <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/psatextra%5B/url%5D">www.collegeboard.com/psatextra</a> (the information is on his score report) You can then review which questions caused problems for him in some detail -- and more importantly so can he. That will give you an idea of where he's making mistakes, or what sort of help he might need.</p>
<p>This is one reason I like forums: you realize you aren't all alone in these problems.</p>
<p>I know that he takes the whole college prep thing seriously at an emotional level. He was really concerned that his Spanish teacher had RUINED, RUINED I say, his chances to get into college by giving him a "C" this term. (He has a really hard time with the audio tapes which are used to give tests--he can't process them enough after just 2 plays and that's how the directions are given).</p>
<p>AND, he watched us go through all the haranguing and cajoling of his older brother last year to keep his grades up, not do things last minutes, etc.</p>
<p>So, he's good about getting to his homework and is responsible. But if he gets an occasional bad grade--a C or low B which he is always sure is undeserved-- he is very defensive and the first thing is to blame EVERYTHING else (teacher, system, school...) But then, when he gets a good grade, he doesn't really accept praise either. I think it's because he had to come from a place where he felt he was stupid or faulty and really inculcated that attitude (thus the IEP) Go figure--it's confusing. So, I have to get past this initial overall negative attitude and get him to "join up" in order to get a true effort that's geared toward working now for the intangible future.</p>
<p>A little veering off--
How do the accomplished or education geared parents get their kids to also want to be competitive/motivated in the positive sense (against a distant goal)? I guess my family is quite low key and has the attitude that the "inner genius" will out... I think part of it is that the kids don't really know what they want to do and just getting into the A1 colleges isn't enough without more to go on for them. I want them to have many choices so good grades are essential. OTOH, only slightly tongue in cheek, my husband has never had to compete since it is just "obvious" that he's brilliant and unusual so people pay attention--but he's very against instilling a hyper-competitive attitude for ethical reasons.</p>
<p>As for increasing his scores, yes, a prep class may help, but it'll be tedious and boring. He's got almost 2 years before he has to take the SAT--encourage him to read as much as possible. Trust me, that is what gets you high Verbal scores (personal experience). It can be math/science books or magazines, doesn't have to be dry literary classics, but make sure that he's being exposed to high quality literature and journalism of some sort.</p>
<p>You can sign him up for the online course at collegeboard.com. I'd probably wait until the summer, though. I think it costs around $70.00, and you get to use the online tool for 4 months. We signed up my son in either July or August, which meant he had use of the tool until he took his PSATs in October (He's now in 11th grade).</p>
<p>I am of the opinion that the only thing that can raise a verbal grade is reading, and a writing grade is (guess what?) writing. So I think what you need to do is try to find things that your son likes to read. I wouldn't call my son a "reader"; like your son, his passion is playing video games. We found he likes to read science fiction (like Isaac Asimov) and fantasy (like J.R.R. Tolkien). He also reads the wall street journal every day, mostly the op-ed column. As far as writing is concerned, if some one knows a way to get a kid to write, I'd like to know how, too (the online tool has you write an essay, and somehow or other they do score it, and I think the score is fairly accurate).</p>
<p>We also signed my son up for the SAT question of the day. I also signed myself up for it, so that I could see what the questions are like. Most of the questions are fairly simple, and the sample questions do not test reading comprehension at all. But they do contain the "gotchas" that cause incorrect answers. I found that in the beginning, both my son and I were making a lot of mistakes. But we fairly quickly learned where the college board was trying to trick us into an incorrect answer. </p>
<p>My sons score went up 15 points (on the PSAT scale, 150 on the SAT scale) between 10th grade and 11th grade. Maybe that was just a result of advancing one year, but I do think these tools helped.</p>
<p>This may sound off the wall, but have you had your son's vision tested? My D had a problem with writing that showed up only on certain kinds of tests. We couldn't figure out what the problem was--tried physical therapy, tried writing exercises, etc.--until her eye doctor discovered she had a very specific vision problem that made it difficult for her to use her eyes together for close work. She got eye exercises and improved very quickly. (The eye doctor tested me too, and I have the same problem, I just had learned to compensate for it.) Now whenever I hear about standardized test problems that are highly specific (just verbal, etc.), I wonder about vision problems. It seems to be the case about one time in ten.</p>
<p>Junior PSAT CR score increased over 100pts. Prep courses? Nope. Just did the practice test(s) in the booklet in the Xiggi way. Took about 5 solid, serious, intent hours. And, key, I told him he had to pay attention to the reading parts and not just skim them looking for an easy answer. Because he has that tendency, fostered I believe by video games. So do go and see where your son made mistakes and then have him study on his own first before trying courses etc. Especially if your son doesn't like to get criticized. My son just hates having anyone he doesn't think is brilliant teach him anything, so, if he teaches himself there's no one else to blame:).</p>
<p>
[quote]
A little veering off--
How do the accomplished or education geared parents get their kids to also want to be competitive/motivated in the positive sense (against a distant goal)?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Three<em>to</em>Go - I think this is a great question.</p>
<p>Neither of my children is particularly competitive. My sense is real drive has to come from within. Perhaps they will develop it, but in any case the need to make a living will force them to come up with some kind of plan.</p>
<p>Some people bloom later than others, and it is impossible to tell when and how the annoyed-by-any-suggestion-he/she-needs-to-think-about-the-future 10th grader will become self-motivated.</p>
<p>In addition to prep courses, I found in Barnes and Noble the other day, novels filled with SAT vocab words. The vocab words are highlighted within the novel and their defs are given in the margins. The idea being that it will be easier to remember if learned in the context of a story. They don't test vocab directly any more on the SAT but it is impossible to do well in the verbal section without a strong vocabulary. They just integrate it into the reading passages. Some of the books are science fiction some are more girl-like. I bought two..My son hasn't been willing to read them yet tho!</p>
<p>1) Son must read, read, read. The video games cannot take over. And guess whose in control of those? You. Strike a deal with your son - he can earn X number of minutes with his PS2 by reading Y number of minutes, etc. He won't like it. Tough. You're the parent. Also hint to everyone else: it's easier to start this when they're younger. So don't let the video games take over.</p>
<p>2) Getting him to write is trickier. If you were able to get him to keep a journal of some sorts, that would be great, but not likely. Another avenue is getting him to start a blog. He can do it for free in lots of places. I'm not talking about MySpace stuff. I mean a real blog where he spouts off on current topics, movies, yes, even video games. People can go comment and discuss. Tell him you will read it occasionally, and tell him it must be written in real English ("r u really gonna do btr on tests if u don't?"). Otherwise, the format, topics, etc. are entirely up to him. If you can get him to do it, it's a terrific way to practice writing.</p>
<p>3) Random hint on the Spanish tapes. Record your own Spanish tapes (with someone who can speak like the Spanish tapes) with phrases in the book. Find out how many times he needs to listen to it to really get it. For arguments sake, say it's 4 times. Then have him practice everyday listening to it 3 times and transcribing it (I assume that's what they're doing with the tapes). Once he is accurate with 3 times, reduce it to 2 and practice more. Obviously, keep changing the phrases, etc - if he is listening to the same tape each time, it doesn't quite have the same effectiveness. If he's still really struggling with the tapes and no amount of practice helps, you may want to have him tested for auditory processing. Schools routinely test hearing, but hardly ever the actual processing.</p>
<p>Thanks for these suggestions, everyone. I tend to try to hit all the bases.
Something positive to report: Son3 informed me that he had chosen a book to read BECAUSE he had peeked at his test scores and figured he had better do something about that. YESSSSSSS! He says he only likes to read the fantasy type books right now though. Hey! I will take what I can get! He is reading before he goes to sleep, so I don't know how much he's getting through before conking out--but this was self initiated. :-)</p>
<p>Visiting some wonderful colleges really seemed to motivate my son. He's always loved to learn and read a lot, but, unfortunately, to get a good GPA and class rank, you have to motivate yourself even in areas of lesser interest. If you know a current college student, I'd suggest seeing if your son can attend some classes in an area of interest.</p>
<p>"In addition to prep courses, I found in Barnes and Noble the other day, novels filled with SAT vocab words. "</p>
<p>My younger son read Frankenstein in one of these versions for school. He found the highlighted words and only reading on one side of the page horribly distracting.</p>