How to Write Well Quickly

            Writing a paper is hard enough, but writing a whole paper in twenty-five minutes can seem like a nightmare. On the SAT, it’s not enough to be a great writer. You also have to be able to think quickly and avoid distractions. The best way to prepare for the writing portion is to practice, practice, practice. But practice aside, here are four tips which could alleviate some of your stress and maybe earn you a few extra points.

Editing is Everything. Of course, editing is the last part of the writing process, but I mention it first because it’s so important to remember that the best writing is actually done in editing. You’ll maximize your score if you go into the exam expecting to spend a large chunk of your writing time in the editing phase.

Knowing that you will have time to edit gives you the chance to put your ideas on paper without having to deliberate for fifteen minutes about your first sentence. On top of that, it’s only in editing that you can step outside your own head and start to imagine how your sentences will sound to others. If you don’t understand your own writing when you read it back, how can you expect your readers to understand it?

“As Abraham Lincoln Said…” You may have heard this one before, but it’s still good advice: go into the exam with a little bit of Abraham Lincoln already in your back pocket. Or Albert Einstein. Or your sixth-grade English teacher. The point is, you know that the SAT wants you to back up your claims with specific examples from history or from your life; why not come to the test with examples at the ready?

Remember, the essay readers don’t care what examples you use, they care how well you construct your sentences and paragraphs to get your point across. Coming to the test with examples in mind isn’t a form of cheating. It’s a form of thinking ahead. It saves you time during the exam, and you end up with a stronger paper as a result.

Start with an Outline. As far as the outline goes, the important thing is that you have one—it doesn’t really matter what it looks like. It may seem like you don’t have the time in a twenty-five minute period to write a complete outline, but believe me: having an outline makes the writing portion of the test that much easier. In my experience, the five-part structure is a great model: introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion. Three clear body paragraphs is a solid amount of writing for a twenty-five minute period. It’s enough space to build an argument but not so much space that you run out of things to say.

But no matter what outline structure you use, introductions and conclusions are key. The specific arguments of your essay should be mentioned in your introduction, and the major themes should be represented in your conclusion.

And how do you make sure your introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion relate to each other? You guessed it: editing.

Talk to Yourself (But Not Literally). So you’ve brought your Abraham Lincoln, you’ve written your outline, and you remember to leave time to edit. What about the actual writing? Strangely enough, this is the easy part. You make clear arguments every day without even thinking about them. Really, all it takes to write well is to forget you’re writing at all—to tap into your everyday eloquence. One way to do this is to imagine explaining your essay to an invisible audience, preferably someone you trust.

There’s no such thing as a magic formula for writing a great SAT essay. But if you come to the test prepared with examples, write a solid outline, treat your argument like a conversation, and remember to edit, you can’t go too wrong.

Why are standardized tests so important? (SAT, ACT, GRE, MCAT, LSAT, etc.) - Part 2

Why are standardized tests so important? – Part 2

As an SAT and  ACT tutor I've encountered many students who think that college entrance exams are truly evil, or are government conspiracies, or are more painful than root canals. While I can definitely sympathize with these beliefs - it wasn’t too long ago that I was a High School student who clung to similar theories - I've come to really appreciate in recent months the logic of standardized tests (for instance the SAT and ACT for undergrads, and the MCAT, LSAT, and GRE for grads.) More and more I understand the role they serve in the admissions process. Obviously, they give institutions a concrete, although imperfect, measure with which to group students. But I also appreciate the linearity and innate logic within the exams. Indeed, to be perfectly honest, I've developed an admiration, that's spilled over into love, for standardized tests. Like many whirlwind romances, I never anticipated this fiery passion I'd develop. We started out merely as unknown acquaintances -then they charmed me and stole my heart.

Now give me a moment to explain myself. It may seem odd that I've developed a love for inanimate objects that I hated not too long ago. So I'll explain.

 I truly enjoy teaching the ACT and SAT, and I find it fulfilling to impart knowledge to others. Whenever I'm teaching, I feel like I'm improving the world in my own little way. So in this respect, it makes sense that I've grown to like the SAT and ACT in part because they've been the subject matter of my teaching. It's like the experiments with the rats - rat hears bell at feeding time - bell is associated with food. So under this theory, teaching is interesting to me - therefore the SAT and ACT become something I like.

Still though, I think there are innate characteristics that I enjoy about the ACT and SAT. Here are the big ones: firstly, they are more or less predictable - the more practice tests you take, and prep sessions you complete, the more familiar and predictable the exam becomes. In time, you can see these tests tricks coming from a mile away. Improving then is simple - the more you study, the more you understand the test.

Furthermore, while I think the SAT and ACT each have their own shortcomings, they do a fairly good job accomplishing what they say they do, something I can appreciate about anyone or anything. They DO give colleges a crude approximation of a student’s level of understanding of some basic academic concepts. Students who get 10’s, 11’s, and 12’s on their SAT essays (out of 12 points) are generally better writers; they show a greater proclivity for language and writing, and will probably have an easier time in college classes. Students who score well on the Math section similarly show a mastery or a competency in basic algebra and geometry that will serve as a vital foundation for college level mathematical thinking.

Importantly, standardized tests don't exactly convey true intelligence; if they did, how would an almost instant jump in scores afforded by prep classes be possible? A few tutoring sessions and classroom lectures can bump a student’s overall SAT score by more than 200 points. Also many variables - like amount of sleep before test day, level of distraction, blood sugar levels, etc. - wildly affect performance. Neither do the SAT and ACT measure interpersonal intelligence, diligence, or study habits, factors perhaps more important to college success than reading and writing skills. Again though, they do offer a crude approximation of college readiness.

So they're easy to master, if you put in the time, and yet they're still useful for colleges.

Can there be an easier set up for students? A test that is at first difficult, but can be understood by anyone who puts in the time, and yet that is still viewed as important by the gatekeepers of your future.

So while the SAT is an imperfect exam, it's not a bad deal for students, if you weigh it all out. Plus I find it fun (does that make me a nerd?)

So, a student hoping to gain admission into a competitive college, or pay for college with scholarships, must understand the realities of a situation, and prepare for the realities, ideal or not.  There are definitely worse things in life.

Why I like working for Victory Step!

 I've held jobs or internships pretty consistently since I was about 16 years old. I've gained life experiences in all of them. Each work environment has improved my abilities as a person in some way or another.

To be honest though, more often than I'd like, I've found myself poorly positioned in these jobs on the tedium vs. reward continuum. Many of these jobs or internships have been way more boring and difficult than they've been useful in my financial or intellectual development.

As I analyze my time at Victory Step, I realize that it's been these past mixed experiences that have given me a greater appreciation for the work environment at this company. I'm also in a skilled position, doing something useful in the world, and using my talents as a test taker and teacher to help students. I enjoy my job now, and I like my boss a lot. But like many, I haven't always been so lucky.

My first "real" job was at Genghis Grill (before that I'd spent summers answering phones and filing documents at my Mom's office.)  It had been one of my favorite restaurants as a kid, mainly because they offered the colorful Jones sodas, and created what seemed to be a fun and exciting dining environment. Now while I sometimes enjoyed my time during my shifts, mostly in getting to know the various interesting personalities of my bosses and coworkers, I was naive to assume that working at a "fun" restaurant is just as exciting as eating at a "fun" restaurant. I worked as a host, and was charged with taking customers to their seats. It was fun to people watch, and I developed a deeper understanding of just who Genghis Grill's customers are. When I wasn't bored to tears rolling silver wear or cleaning tables, I entertained myself thinking and observing

Unfortunately, not all was sunshine at Genghis Grill Mongolian Grill. As a host, I was the lowest paid staff member in the "front of the house" as this was the only job available to someone under 18 who can't, according to state law, serve alcohol. I made seven dollars and something per hour even though I often did all of the same work that the servers did - taking drink orders, delivering food, bringing condiments, etc. And because I made a lot less money doing essentially the same amount of work, I was supposed to be given a small percentage of the tips that waiters received each night.

At first I was not diligent in following up on and collecting these tips. I thought that they were automatically added into my bi-weekly paycheck. After my first two paychecks, I did some calculating and realized that the tip outs weren’t being included.  I went and talked to one of the managers only to find out that they were kept in the back office (duh!) - even though no one had told me.

We went to the back, and he forked a small pile of cash over - something like 30 or 40 dollars, which by my figuring was about 250 dollars short. I talked to another manager, who had nothing to tell me. That’s all the money that’s there. Thats your tip out.

 Cooooool, I thought. Not only am I doing a server's work for a host's pay, the one financial perk of the job is getting stolen from me. From then on out you can bet I picked up my tips diligently after every shift! Still I felt wronged and taken advantage in a way that didn’t go away.

Later, I figured out who ended up stealing the money. There were three or four managers who had access to the back office at different times so it was impossible to conclusively point the finger at anyone. Yet I talked to a few other employees and we all concluded the same thing: it was probably "Steve." Although personable, Steve was a sketchy guy and I found out that other employees had noticed first hand money getting "lost" when he was in charge. I personally knew he had more or less flexible morals after the first or second day I was working for him,  when he told me got kicked out of High School as a ninth grader for  beating a classmate to within an "inch of his life" for making fun of him for being a "white boy." I also once heard him conducting a drug deal on the restaurant's phone. He was an entertaining coworker, if lacking in moral scruples.

My time with the managers at Genghis Grill contrasts greatly with my time working for Victory Step. Varun (Victory Step's Founder) has been an excellent boss, and embodies important traits that my manager at Genghis Grill was lacking. Importantly, after working closely with Varun for over a year and a half, I know that he brings integrity into everything he does. He has a very well defined moral compass when it comes to his employees and clients, and will always go the extra mile to make a customer satisfied; he expects the same of his employees.

Unlike the managers at Genghis Grill, Varun pays his employees fairly and treats us with respect. Not to sound corny, but he also cares about us as individuals. I was very sick not too long ago and he insisted on finding a replacement for me for one of my shifts, even though I told him I could make it. He's just a generally decent guy, which makes a huge difference in a boss.

I also think his integrity and high expectations shine through in the whole Victory Step experience. As I said, we always give 110% to deliver on what we promised, as there's no gimmicks or shortchanging in our results. I can appreciate Victory Step so acutely because it compares so favorably to the subpar places I've worked at before.

Why are standardized tests (SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT) so important? – Part 1

Every college application stands as a balance between concrete and subjective – between hard, impersonal facts, and individualized expression of creativity and intellect. The admissions essays, personal statements, and letters of recommendation comprise the subjective aspects of an application. They can be wildly different for each student. For instance, one student writes about her time volunteering in China; while her classmate talks about why he thinks the Jersey Shore corrupts America’s youth. In both cases the student puts forward an individualized expression of self. A short, hopefully well-crafted essay gives an admissions officer a chance to appreciate a student’s unique personality and gifts. Idiosyncrasies, unique talents and experiences, passions and dislikes, all dance from the page of the essay into the minds of admissions staff.

Unfortunately in college admissions, as in life, time is limited. Most admissions staff can’t give much time to delving deeply into the individual personalities of applicants. There are just too many applicants at most competitive institutions. While Tommy may be the special-est snowflake on the snowman, his individuality and creativity will only be contemplated for a short, pre-allotted time frame. The same time frame each applicant at a specific school is given by the admissions officers. College admissions is a numbers game, and Tommy only gets 5 to 20 minutes, on average, to woo an admissions officer with his artistic brilliance via his essays and personal statement.

The level of special attention Tommy gets is further dictated too by his test scores. If the average ACT score for a college is 27, and Tommy has a 19, his essay will be hardly considered, if at all, despite the possible brilliance of his essays. In this case, his concrete parameters fall too far out of line to make him a viable candidate. He won’t be able to “write himself in” to this particular college. Thus no matter how much his mission trip to Arkansas changed his views of the world and the universe, he probably won’t be able to overcome the hard parameters put in place by the college. Thus an ACT or SAT score that falls in line with the average at a specific institution is vital to be considered at that college. Your artistic brilliance won’t be important if you don’t have a sufficient standardized test scores. Your objective measures need to be up to snuff to let your creativity shine through.

In the next installment I’ll look at the shortcomings of the SAT and ACT, which actually highlight why they’re so important.

The Beauty of The Victory Step Curriculum

In the next two weeks I begin teaching two new 6 week Victory Step SAT Classroom program classes. This will be around my 20th time to work through the six-week class with a group of up to ten students, and will mark somewhere around my 75th time of going through the curriculum because of past private tutoring students.

Going through the curriculum this many times, certain things start to stand out. Yes, the built in cheesy jokes are just as cheesy, or cheesier than ever, and I pretty much know how to solve every question in my sleep. I also know which questions students are going to have problems on, and I have developed a really good sense of the correct pace to take in moving through the different sections.

Most strikingly, I have developed a deep appreciation for the logic of the course itself. The course is broken down into five sections of curriculum, each covering in different proportion the three sections of the SAT - Critical Reading, Math, and Writing. The course moves from easier concepts to more difficult ones, and keeps a good balance between Math and English to keep the students from getting bogged down.

Even better, the curriculum truly covers about 98% of EVERYTHING you will need on the SAT. In a simple 6 week course you are reviewing nearly everything that you will ever encounter on the SAT. That's pretty cool to me.

An important thing to note about the SAT is that it is a repetitive exam. That is, there is a finite number of concepts that the exam tests. Thus achieving mastery, and the underlying strategy of the Victory Step curriculum stems from exposing the student to the different problem types and gaining an understanding of them.

At this point in my knowledge of the SAT, I don't approach individual questions as individuals, but rather iterations of a subset of specific problems. I'm like a Law Enforcement officer who’s learned to spot patterns in speech and action that give clues to underlying behavior. I can simplify a specific situation into the question that it is asking or testing me on.

Being an expert on the SAT isn't about becoming a better person, a smarter person, or a super person - It's really only about gaining a deeper understanding of the SAT, its quirks and its traps. The more you practice and immerse yourself in the SAT, the greater your ability to understand the way the test functions. The Victory Step curriculum exposes students to the underlying logic and "traps" of the SAT questions. The student learns of the concepts tested, how they're set up as traps, what concepts to use to understand the traps, and then avoid them.

- Devan E

Summer with Victory Step

             Summer is almost here! It’s time to relax, hang out with friends, catch up on sleep, take a trip or two, and enjoy yourself before a stressful senior year. But what about that pesky SAT next fall and the college applications which come after it? While they may seem far away right now, separated from the present by innumerable long days on the beach, there are many ways you can prepare now for the academic stresses of next fall. Here are a few tips for the summer before senior year that will help you get ready for the Fall SAT and college applications.

1. Create a reading list

Between the long days on the beach and the long flights, summers are the perfect time to catch up on reading. While reading anything is a step in the right direction, now is also a good time to challenge yourself with a classic. These books will help you learn new vocabulary in context, provide possible examples for the English AP or SAT essays, and maybe even spark an interest in a certain author or genre. Here are some books that my friends and I read in late high school or early college that we enjoyed and thought important:

If you like science fiction, there are plenty of great dystopian novels to read which are very engaging including works by Kurt Vonnegut, Aldous Huxley, and George Orwell. Classics such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Frank Herbert’s Dune, or Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities are also great if you want to immerse yourself in alternate worlds.

If what you’re interested in is stories of growing up and/or adolescent rebellion, there are Victorian novels such as George Eliot’s Mill on the Floss, mid-20^th Century novels like Ken Kesey’s One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, and Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, or more recent works such as Dave Eggers’ A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

If you are interested in war literature there are many great books written about World War I or Vietnam which would help expand your understanding of these moments in history. Good places to start would be All Quiet on the Western Front, The Things They Carried, or any poems by Wilfred Owen.

Lastly, if you just want an exceptionally well-written novel to introduce you to a new way of seeing history, the world, and the English language, you can’t go wrong with Vile Bodies, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Things Fall Apart, Mrs. Dalloway, Howards End, or The Remains of the Day.

Any of these books, plus many more like them, will help you keep your mind engaged in critical reading over the summer, build up your vocabulary, and hopefully provide ideas and characters that stick with you.

2. Start thinking about your college application

Although application due dates are still half a year away, now is a great time to be giving thought to how you are going to construct your application and who you’re going to send it to. If you haven’t already started, now is the time to write that short-list of potential colleges. It is also the time to start thinking about that dreadful application essay and perhaps even to write a few drafts. Starting this essay now will help keep you from having to write it at the same time as other school work and will give you the opportunity to have other people proofread it long before it’s due. When it comes to college essays, lots of time and plenty of eyes are the keys to an effective essay.

3. Take lessons with Victory Step!

The summer before senior year is a great time to prepare for the Fall SAT or ACT because you are not busy with lots of other school work and have time to devote to lessons and practice. While many of you will have taken the SAT or ACT for the first time during the spring of Junior year, now is a good time to focus on what areas can be improved to ensure the best possible score on your applications. At Victory Step, we provide private tutoring throughout the summer that will target your individual needs and work with you in a fun and relaxed way to make your application as strong as possible.

We understand that it is summer, but a little preparation now when you have free time is a lot better than scrambling to get things done during Senior Year. Have a great Summer, but don’t forget to read and plan ahead!

Victory Step Scholarships: A Focus on Affordability for Every Student

If you are considering Victory Step for your student’s test preparation, you have probably checked out the prices available from a number of companies in the area. With prices ranging from merely expensive (You’ll only need to take out a second mortgage!) to outright absurd (Please sign over your second-born child to pay for the first-born.), Victory Step already has the competition beat as far as pricing goes. Add in an awesome referral program that pays you for introducing your friends to our program, as well as some amazing instructors, and Victory Step seems like the obvious choice for any parent concerned about score improvement and affordability.

However, for some students, the costs of preparing for their tests can still seem insurmountable. At Victory Step, though, we pride ourselves on sticking to all of our founding principles, especially our financial principles. We strive to ensure that every student has the opportunity to prepare for the SAT and ACT with the best instructors, regardless of ability to pay. With this in mind, we offer qualifying students scholarships to cover the costs of preparing for their exams. This way, students who otherwise could not afford adequate test preparation have the chance to show their best work on the test and get the recognition they deserve from colleges and scholarship-giving organizations.

If you are interested in seeking one of these scholarships, you will need to get some basic financial information in order. Once you have done that, give us a call (855-773-7744) and let us know that you are interested in Victory Step’s scholarship program. We would love to have the chance to help your child become one of our new students.

With the economy still struggling and the costs of a college education ever on the rise, parents and teenagers across the country are seeking ways to save up for an education. Saving on your test preparation without sacrificing quality can be just a few dollars more to put towards your dream school!