The Dangers Of Multitasking

Conan O’Brian used to be the only person who could motivate me to work late at night. That is, television shows like his. I would switch the TV on right after cross country practice, and it would stay on until I finished my work and went to bed. As I grew older, I decided that late night television was too distracting, and instead motivated myself by listening to music, chatting with friends, or periodically stopping to surf the internet.

Like a lot of people my age, I thought that distractions focused me, or at least did no harm. They kept me from getting bored, kept me awake, and allowed me to accomplish twice as much in the same amount of time.

It turns out that multitasking is not as harmless as I once thought. Psychologists have long understood that multitasking limits your ability to concentrate. Multitasking takes a bite out of your complex reasoning skills, as well as your long-term and short-term memory. It causes you to spend a large chunk of your study time switching your attention from one place to another. Plus, it uses up the time you would otherwise spend on actual relaxation, which your brain desperately needs.

How often have you looked up from your work to realize that you have no idea who that patient is on Gray’s Anatomy, or that the album you were listening to started over a few minutes ago? If you can’t think about television while you work, you definitely can’t think about work while you watch television. And how much raw time would you say you spend in limbo, in the act of switching your attention from one place to another? It’s a good estimate to say that your brain takes five to ten seconds to completely switch back into homework mode from relaxation mode. If you switch back and forth a few times every minute, those seconds add up.

Not that you can’t use distractions to your advantage sometimes. Here are a few tips, from my own experience:

· Work with friends. You and your friends can distract each other via text message, but it’s a lot harder to help each other that way. When you are physically in a room with people, it is easier to tell when someone is “in the zone” and when they are in the mood to talk. Plus, asking questions is a way of getting something done while taking a break.

· Take a real break. If you feel like you have to stop or else you’ll scream, then just stop. Get a snack. Watch a full TV show, from the couch. Then, when you’re relaxed, pick up where you left off.

· Stagger your work. Work may be less onerous if you switch from one task to another every once in a while. Instead of reading your 100 page reading assignment and then starting your 20 physics problems, alternate 20 pages and four problems. Make sure to finish with the assignment you find the easiest or most enjoyable.

· Choose your music carefully. If you have to listen to music, make it something you have heard a million times before. It is also better to pick music without words.

· It’s OK to do just one thing. One of the reasons I like to multitask is that I feel guilty doing one thing at a time. Why just read a book, if I can read and watch a lecture, or read and talk to friends at the same time? Just remember: not being able to multitask efficiently doesn’t make you a bad person. It just makes you a person.

--Eric Rosenbaum

SAT/ACT Instructor

Victory Step

Giving Back to the Community and Getting into College

When college admissions committees examine students’ applications, they attempt to get a feel not only for the applicant as a student but as a whole person. For this reason, a large portion of any admissions decision – roughly 25 percent – is based on the applicant’s extracurricular activities, including club participation, sports and admissions essays. Most importantly, colleges give particular attention to volunteer service in considering the student as a whole.

Now, one might ask, why that is the case, as volunteer service often has little to do with one’s specific interests or academic abilities. Turns out, it tells the college a great deal about a student.

First, it shows that the student is willing and able to give his/her time to helping others for no real personal benefit. This demonstrates that an applicant who has performed some community service has a compassionate personality and recognizes the importance of giving unto others. An extension of this, volunteering to help one’s community shows the desire to improve the community in which he or she lives. Both of these show a person who would be willing to contribute to improving the school by participating in student government, organizing events, or even helping their fellow students through tutoring or similar services.

Thinking in the long term, a student who acts upon the impulse to help out the community in their teenage years will later go on to aid their community in greater ways as an adult. This includes getting involved in politics or otherwise contributing time and money to the community, both of which raise the prestige of their alma mater by extension. Also, in a more financial vein, these individuals are seen as more likely to donate to their colleges, giving back in a monetary way to the school that ‘raised’ them.

Additionally, students who perform community service show their prospective colleges a well-rounded person. A student is not merely the numbers and statistics printed on their transcripts. A student is an individual with their own personality, interests, dreams and aspirations, which will drive the student and, in a small way, the college in a specific direction. Because of this, admissions boards consider very carefully the aspects of the student as an individual as they are able from the application.

More importantly, schools realize that working for a community cause in sometimes challenging team dynamics helps foster teamwork, leadership skills, interpersonal skills and maturity in an individual. These are traits that go a long way in defining a person, and in determining success relative to ambitions.

So, if you are planning to take the SAT or the ACT in the near future, do pay a good deal of attention to selecting a meaningful volunteer activity. Not only will you beef-up your application, you will also grow personally and feel a great deal of satisfaction while improving the community around you! Its a win-win situation!

Victory Step

SAT/ACT and Academic Tutoring

www.victorysteponline.com

Victory Step Question of the Day - 4/28/2011

As if the SAT exam in itself isn't weird enough, the SAT tries to make it even weirder by adding some strange symbols (Ω, φ, @, etc.) into their problems. Unlike your high school exams, SAT is the only place where you will find these weird symbols. Don’t let this intimidate you. Weird symbol problems can also be seen as simple function problems. Here is one!

Practice, Practice, Practice!

Nowadays, for better or worse, most colleges require prospective students to submit standardized test scores as a part of their application. More often than not, this test is the SAT exam; however, some of the same strategies used to practice for the SAT can be applied to just about any other test you’ll ever take. The most important strategy, though, is always practice; but the question is, how should you practice?

Even though the College Board says there is no way to really “study” for the SAT, practice, as with everything else in life, really does make perfect. In this case, practice begins by learning the material in school, in your math and English classes. Even though the SAT tests your critical thinking skills, you’ll still need to start learning those skills from your school work.

If you understand the concepts behind the SAT math and have honed your critical reading and writing abilities, you have developed the strong basis needed to ace a test of critical thinking. These are all skills that you need for the SAT, for college and for the rest of your life, but you can only acquire proficiency over them with years of practice at school.

No matter how good you are at school, though, the SAT can trip you up if you don’t know how to find the real answer, or some shortcuts or strategies to move through questions more quickly. After all, the SAT is a timed test, and high scores inevitably rely on how fast and accurate you are. Much of this is based on really understanding the ways the test is designed to confuse you. At Victory Step, we help prepare you for this reality of taking the SAT by teaching you to avoid common pitfalls, such as not answering the real question, and by showing you ways to save yourself time answering each question. In doing this, even if you’re not always sure of how a problem works or what a word means, you can figure it out on the spot and earn that all-important point. We also provide you with intelligently created homework and practice problems that will help you hone your skills.

Finally, there is nothing that can prepare you for the SAT as well as taking the SAT itself. That is why most students take the test two or three times before they are finally pleased with their scores, or before they realize their true potential. Even taking practice tests at home cannot really simulate the experience of taking a test in a crowded classroom on a Saturday morning for four hours. You need to prepare yourself for the conditions of the exam- like the noise from other test-takers and the hunger that inevitably sets in by section 8.

Because we at Victory Step recognize this, our program offers you the opportunity to take four practice SAT exams, giving you a feel for not just the material tested, but also the conditions you will face when you really take the test. This removes morning-of jitters, prepares you for the less-than-ideal conditions of the actual exam, and helps you learn to work against the clock.

As you can see, a lot goes into making yourself ready for the SAT, but most importantly, it’s practice, practice, practice!

Toni Whalen
SAT/ACT Instructor
Victory Step
toniwhalen@victorysteponline.com

Victory Step's SAT Test Prep has made a difference!

Victory Step’s SAT test preparation has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of students in the Dallas Metropolitan Area. Recently, Victory Step has expanded to include ACT preparation and Academic tutoring that students can take advantage of. This blog shares the impact of the Victory Step difference with some of its students, who benefitted from Victory Step’s innovative, affordable and personal instruction.

Mrs. Nguyen from Mansfield, TX wrote:

“My son took your private tutoring course this past August-September. He had scored a 1780 when he took the SAT test in May 2010. He took the SAT test this past October, and scored a 2090!!!!! He increased his score by 310 points!!! We are both so happy that your course was available to him. He really liked the instruction, and scored a 750 on the math portion.”

She also asked, “Will you be offering your course before this May’s SAT? My daughter will be taking that test, and I would like to sign her up for your class. Please let me know if there is a class available.”

I’m really excited to see her score go up by a few more points!

Mr. Kumar from Lewisville, TX:

“Many thanks to you for offering this private tutoring package. As a parent, I must tell you that this SAT preparation option made a huge difference for us, in view of our scheduling needs and transportation constraints. The timing of this program was precisely what we needed, as well. Kudos on a well planned, affordable service.”

Adam N, Student from Plano West High School wrote:

“I just wanted to say thank you for the SAT prep class. It really helped me a lot. Because of your help, I received a score of 1860 on my SAT. This is a lot higher than I expected on my first attempt at the SAT.”

With the addition of ACT preparation and Academic Tutoring, the impact of the Victory Step difference continues to grow!

Why does Victory Step private tutoring work for everyone?

96% of Victory Step's first time callers become our customers. Here is why:

1. It's Flexible

You tell us what schedule works for you, and we will make it work. Victory Step's programs are entirely tailored to fit your needs. Whether you want to learn once a week or twice a week, whether you prefer short sessions or long, Victory Step will make it work for you!

2. It's Customizable

Victory Step understands that each student is different. Our experienced instructors will sit with you for a free consultation, and guage your needs. Once we understand your strengths and weaknesses, we will design a program that addresses areas that you can target, to increase your scores dramatically!

3. It's Effective

Victory Step's instructors work with the students to maxmiize learning by stimualting them with fun-filled sessions. The programs are interesting, the concepts are unique, and the techniques used are eye-opening. It is no surprise that we have an excellent track record in score-improvement among our students.

4. It's Economical

Our rates are the lowest in the market, and we can guarantee that! All of our classes are taught by the best instructors, and we don't charge for "premium" instructors, unlike competition.

Call us today at 214 417 9406 or visit us online at http://www.victorysteponline.com to understand more about our private tutoring programs.

Getting the most for your money

I can almost guarantee that if asked, any parent with college going children would like the opportunity to save money in any way he or she can. I mean, why wouldn’t they? A good education doesn’t come cheap. However, as a student, there is actually more you can do than you think.

Believe it or not, the government is dying to give away money. Okay you have no reason to believe that, but in reality, there are so many scholarships and grants out there for students; the student simply has to do the research! There is a scholarship out there for everything from excelling academically, to being a loyal customer at Best Buy. The amounts individually may not seem like they’d even make a dent in the large tuition bill, but these small scholarships are what add up and make the huge difference. Fill out all the applications, even if you have the smallest chance of winning. Do research, talk to adults, and find out everything you can by using the Internet. Scholarships and grants do nothing but benefit because unlike loans, you don’t have to worry about paying them back, or being in debt with interest.

Furthermore, get it out of your head how horrendous and miserable AP classes are in high school. In reality, they are one of the best things you get out of high school! By doing well on the test at the end of the year, you save you or your parents thousands of dollars! For each class! I’m not making this up, folks. All that studying in high school really pays off once you get to college. Not only are the same classes 10 times harder in college (and the professors are 10 times more boring), but they also cost astronomically more. So do the work early, get that 5, and do you and your parents a favor.

If qualified, there are also tremendous amounts of need-based grants available for those who have the grades to go to the top 10 universities, but not the money. Don’t let the lack of money stop you from achieving your goals and moving forward towards the career of your dreams. Because honestly, being successful really is everything you hear and more.

Teacher Recommendations for College Applications!

“Can I have your recommendation for my college application?” Okay, it may not be THE question, but it is a pretty important one in regards to college and the long process of applying to a college. While some state universities do not require them, many private and prestigious state universities require prospective students to obtain 2-3 letters of recommendation adults they have known inside or outside the classroom for some time.

Most students find this to be a slight problem. Math teacher? I always sit in the back. Gym teacher? Doesn’t know I exist. Counselor? Has 100 other students to deal with. In order to avoid this common, but unfortunate dilemma it is important to start early and to start strong. This isn’t an advise to start a friendship with all 7 or 8 teachers. This is to say that it is important to get to know one or two teachers and assure that those teachers do the same thing in return. While the recommendations do not have to be from an academic teacher, most universities ask for at least one academic recommendation. This means that other than the one, the other recommendations can be from youth leaders at church, coaches, art teachers, etc. However, all letters of recommendation should have at least a slight indication towards the perspective student’s academic potential. Hence, the letters that hold the weight are the ones from teachers.

If the student makes the effort to be polite, to spend a little time in the classroom outside of class, and to show diligence while in class, all teachers feel honored to help their students have a better shot of getting into college. While a teacher is unlikely to write a truly bad recommendation, colleges can tell the difference between a generic letter of recommendation and a personal, more detailed letter.

So, how do you get a better letter than John who sits across form you? Or, how do you make sure the letter isn’t the same as Lisa’s (generic)? It’s simple, really.

• Do not ask a teacher that barely knows you. Generic, generic, generic.
• Plan ahead. Give the teacher at least a month’s notice before he or she has to submit the letter. The less time, the more cranky the teacher will be while writing it.
• Do not ask when the teacher is busy, or distracted. Take the time to go in outside of class and ask politely. The teacher is doing you a favor, don’t act like you’re doing him or her a favor.
• Sometimes, it is helpful to provide the teacher with a brief resume. Other times, teachers have forms already made that ask you to list talents, important moments, etc. in order to help them write the letter.
• Provide envelopes and stamps. If he or she is doing this much to help you pursue your education, they should not have to buy stamps for you too.
• Follow up. After about a week’s time, politely remind the teacher about the due date. After the work is done, write thank-you notes to all teachers who you asked to write a letter.

Early Action vs Decision

Deciding Early

When applying to college, there are several options in regards to turning in the application. First of all, the majority of applications are now turned in online. Come on people, this is the 21st century. Secondly, and more importantly, students often wonder when is the best time to turn in an application.

Well, I've said it before, and I’ll say it again, the early bird really does get the worm. Most colleges now have options for Early Decision or Early Action. These methods allow the applicant to turn in the application in November and receive the decision earlier than the regular notices that arrive in late spring. Yes, it is true that applying early can give the prospective student a better chance of getting into the school, but the student must be sure of his or her decision before choosing one of these options.

Applying Early Action has absolutely no harm to it whatsoever. The student applies in November, hears back from the school earlier, has a better chance of getting in, and is not bound to attend the university in case he or she changes his or her mind. Sounds perfect, right? Well it sort of is. If possible to get the application completed early, there is no reason not to turn it in Early Action. However, not all and not many schools have this option available. Rather, they either accept regular applications or applications for Early Decision.

Early Decision. Sounds scary. How scary? Well, it depends on how much the student wants to attend the university. Okay, I’m kidding, it’s not scary, but very decisive. Applying Early Decision is for those students who have had a dream to attend a particular university ever since they can remember. Or those students who think their only chance of getting in is through Early Decision. Both of these options aren't intimidating, but the important thing is that this method is binding. This means that the student and the parents must be sure that they can afford the tuition before applying as there is no turning back. If an applicant is uncertain about attending the university, doesn't know if the family will be able to afford it, or has other options in mind, DO NOT APPLY EARLY DECISION.

Of course it isn't easy to get in applications early enough to qualify for one of the above methods as the student must take the SAT and/or ACT earlier, complete essays in a shorter time and get more work done, in less time. But no fear, regular admission is here!

Victory Step is an educational test prep company based in Dallas-Ft. Worth. We are here to help you with the college process; SAT prep, ACT Prep, PSAT Prep, College Consulting, etc. Give us a call today at 214 417 9406 or visit us online at http://www.victorysteponline.com

Why is college so important?

As young children never wanting to let go of our parents’ fingers, we all dreamed big. Our parents’ love and encouragement made us believe that we could be the President. The Movie Star. The richest person on earth. As we grow older, these dreams are often shattered by the reality of probability and the awareness of opportunities. No matter what our future goals, we are told one thing. “You must go to college to be successful”.

This seems like the most difficult statement to understand as we are comfortable teenagers protected by the doors of our homes and the walls of the familiar high schools. Why do I have to leave? Why do I have to start over? Going to school with the same friends for years, and having parents or guardians to guide us seems like too good of a deal to leave behind. We all think that we have excellent maturity and can handle anything that life throws our way. However, it is sometimes important to wonder, have we really experienced everything that life has to offer?

That’s where college comes in and offers us something vitally important-experience. Experience makes us wiser. Experience makes us stronger, and more willing to persevere. Taking the sometimes impossibly difficult classes, meeting people from all over the world, and travelling to the most remote places, each day of the 4 years of college brings something new, something we have never experienced before. The long exam week, the diverse student body, the community activities done through various clubs, team work established between peers, knowledge gained through experiments, relationships and networks created - all of this and more changes us into strong, skilled citizens. We are then truly equipped to handle all of the world’s problems.

President Obama attended Occidental College, got is BA from Columbia University, and studied Law at Harvard. Julia Roberts attended Georgia State University. Finally, Bill Gates attended Harvard. Suddenly, the dreams of being the future president, a movie start, and the richest man in the world don’t seem so impossible. While it is true that we grow the most in the first few months after we are born, college is the time for one to grow the most as a person. Without this growth, the remote dreams of our childhoods seem to remain distant.

As high school seniors it is difficult to understand why we must work so hard to get into a college of our dreams. The grades aren’t enough to get us in. We must have extracurricular activities, do well on the SATs or the ACTs, fill out numerous applications, etc. However, the simple word ‘college’ does not justify the prestigious and significant portion of our lives that the word brings with it. College is important. College is crucial. Why? Well, there is no better way to seek an answer to that question than to live through it.

Victory Step

SAT/ACT Test Prep

Ph: 214-417-7406

Website: http://www.victorysteponline.com

Email: solutions@victorysteponline.com

Back to School!

The time has come to buy the new notebooks and arrange the new backpacks. Everything is new and exciting and it’s one of the easiest times for a student to completely erase college examinations from his or her mind: Back to School!

While school itself usually comes with an enormous course load, and is accompanied by extracurricular activities, sports, etc., it is not advisable to let the SAT or the ACT completely slip from thought. Students often work rigorously during the summer to bring up their score on the SAT or the ACT. When school starts however, all this work can go to waste. It may seem hard, and it is, but it is crucial to set aside some time to do practice problems, work on some vocab, or even just read up on some strategies. Use online resources, rent books from the library, and take practice tests. But, all of this could require some self motivation. Victory Step could help you through the process, with the help of our highly intelligent, fun and charismatic instructors. Victory Step currently offers SAT and ACT Classroom instruction and SAT & ACT private tutoring in Dallas, TX.

Seniors: It is difficult to know exactly how busy senior year can be until you are actually experiencing it. It seems that time truly does fly by during senior year. This is because there is so much going on with college applications, interviews, not to forget the school work. If you are one of the many seniors still trying to bring up that SAT score or that ACT score, make sure you have registered for the first available test date and are spending every free moment preparing. Do everything you can to make that time slow down and use it to ensure admission into an incredible college.

SAT Test Date Registration Deadline

October 9, 2010	September 10, 2010
November 6, 2010	October 8, 2010
December 4, 2010	November 5, 2010

ACT Test Date Registration Deadline

September 11, 2010	August 6, 2010
October 23, 2010	September 17, 2010
December 11, 2010	November 5, 2010

Test dates in 2010 alone are fast approaching. It is easy to get involved with school and forget registration deadlines and test dates. For that reason, go to victorysteponline.com to ensure such things don’t happen. Schoolwork is definitely very important but by spending a little time each day on college preparation will do not harm, but only put that schoolwork to good use at an excellent college.

Victory Step

SAT/ACT Test Prep

Ph: 214-417-7406

Website: http://www.victorysteponline.com

Email: solutions@victorysteponline.com

Only 27 percent of Texans hold college degrees...

Only 27 percent of Texans hold college degrees, mainly because students are unable to pay for their tuition.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D9H4RTB00.html

Victory Step is here to help you save money and get amazing scores on your SAT and ACT. A good score can influence college admissions and help you earn scholarships!
http://www.victorysteponline.com/

Welcome to Victory Step

Welcome to the official blog of Victory Step – the exciting & affordable STEP to college admissions. We are excited to launch our first official blog for Victory Step. Most of our posts are going to focus on standardized testing (SAT and ACT) and college advice. We also hope this blog provides you with a deeper insight into who we are, what we provide, and we are very excited to be out here talking to you! At the end of each post, you can click on the different tags and feel free to post a comment to every article!

Keep on the look out for upcoming posts from our team members this week and beyond.

Thanks so much for visiting our blog. Enjoy!

-The Victory Step team!