Study Skills and The Wall Street Journal

Toni Whalen is an instructor with Victory Step.


A recent Wall Street Journal article addressed a pressing question that most students have, especially with their SAT’s and ACT’s coming up. The article, “Toughest Exam Question: What is the best way to study?” does not specifically outline how you should prepare for each and every test. It does, however, give some good, general advice to young scholars that can help them to retain information.

The article touches, directly and indirectly, on two main parts of Victory Step’s test preparation strategy. First, the article covers how repetitive studying helps students best retain information. Of course, studying for the SAT is not quite like studying for a history exam. You cannot simply memorize names, dates and facts in order to pass this sort of exam. What you can do, though, is practice the same sorts of skills over and over in order to build them up so that you will be ready for any question they throw your way. It’s a bit like building up your muscles by weight-lifting, except instead of working on your skeletal muscles, you work on a different kind of muscle: your brain.

Certainly this information is not new; yet many students still skim through a test prep book once and expect that will help their scores. Thankfully, Victory Step’s founder, Varun Tewari, recognized the importance of repetition in test preparation and based our classroom program off of this idea. Students do not simply memorize formulas for a few hours and then take their exam. They learn the skills in class at least once, practice the skills on their homework and on their four practice exams, and cover the skills one more time with the instructor in a review class. This way, each student has the chance to cover each type of question a number of times before facing down the real test.

Second, the article implicitly addresses how preparation for tests must be long-term. This means in the weeks before a major exam, students should study diligently piece by piece so that they are prepared the day of the exam. Students should also prepare by developing good eating and sleeping habits, especially in the days before a big test, in order to get their minds working in top form.
Of course, some students still think cramming can help them do better on a test. Victory Step holds a different opinion on that. Students in our classroom program spend six weeks learning our strategies and implementing them on practice exams before they ever have to face the real thing. This gives students the chance to absorb, process, and comprehend the information rather than trying to squeeze it in all at once. After all, it takes time to build up a muscle; you can’t just do it all at once.

While both of these strategies should be common sense to students, many students still ignore these strategies backed by wisdom and science. This is where Victory Step comes into play, giving students a structured classroom environment in which to prepare for their exams, where students cannot simply say, “I don’t feel like studying today.” That is why Victory Step has helped so many students achieve their goals on standardized testing.

VS: Now Offering Private Tutoring in all Dallas and Ft. Worth Locations!

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Victory Step understands that each student is different. Our experienced instructors will sit with you for a free consultation, and gauge 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!

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Victory Step's instructors work with the students to maximize learning by stimulating 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.

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Message from the Founder!

Dear Students,


Your last SAT or ACT prep book may have been thicker than a regular phone book. That SAT/ACT prep class at your school is possibly being taught by someone who is completely boring and out of touch. Your friend's overpriced SAT/ACT tutor probably assigns him/her 300 practice problems each week.

Would you like to add hundreds of points to your SAT score in a few weeks, without doing thousands of practice problems? Would you like to make sure you get the SAT score you deserve, without risking thousands of dollars on a mundane SAT prep course? If you can add, subtract, multiply, or divide, if you have basic and general vocabulary, if you could use your "grammar ear" to answer basic grammar questions, then you already have the potential to quickly and easily boost your SAT score to levels you never dreamed possible.

I can confidently assure you that this whole process is much easier than you think. If you are anxious and nervous about getting a great SAT/ACT score, but are not willing to spend thousands of dollars or countless hours over mind numbingly boring questions, I have great news for you!

Victory Step was founded on the idea that there needs to be different, but better ways of doing things. There has to be a middle ground between expensive, boring test prep companies and self-study. Victory Step's methods, strategy and program pricing are re-defining the test preparation industry in and around Dallas, TX. After spending years working with students in one-on-one and classroom settings, we've learned what works and what does not. If you are aware of the right SAT/ACT tricks and strategies, your score can skyrocket quickly and easily. We have also learned that each student is different, with unique personalities, needs, and strengths. Victory Step's instructors and tutors have been thoroughly trained to instill confidence and motivation into each one of you. We build upon your unique strengths and help you deal with weaker areas. Most importantly, we help you identify yourself. We want to take you through the path to high scores while you actually enjoy the journey. Our classes are fun-filed, lively and highly interactive, and we stimulate you into tackling standardized test problems with ease. We have innovative study material, advanced methods and informative progress tracking. We back our services with score guarantees and satisfaction promise. No wonder Victory Step is one of the fastest growing and best-rated test prep companies in town.

Victory Step is also on a social mission to assist each student in need, regardless of his or her financial background. I believe that you deserve the opportunity to go to college, and also the necessary tools to get there. Victory Step offers merit-based and need-based scholarships for all of our programs to anyone that meet our requirements. Victory Step also offers flexible payment plans to further assist you.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website (www.victorysteponline.com). I invite you to explore what we have to offer and see if it fits your needs. I am confident that we can meet and even exceed your expectations, if given the chance. Call us with any questions you have, or if you need any clarification. Avail our special holiday rates on private tutoring and classroom training. Compare us with other offerings available in the area and read our reviews on Yahoo, Google and more, to learn about what I call the Victory Step Advantage. You can even schedule a free, no obligation consultation with one of our talented instructors. At Victory Step, we are committed to going above and beyond for one purpose- to get you into the college of your dreams.

Sincerely,


CEO & President
Victory Step LLC

Ph: 1 855 773 7744
Web: http://www.victorysteponline.com

Language on the SAT

All of my students invariably get my spiel on the number of languages I have studied and know with some proficiency: two forms of ancient Greek, Old English, Middle English, smatterings of Italian, German and more Latin than is good for me. Often students wonder why anyone would bother to learn so many languages, especially languages no one speaks anymore. I would argue, though, that studying different languages is one of the best things you can do to improve your cognitive ability and even your SAT score.

The study of foreign languages has some obvious perks in our interconnected world. First, in the job market, it makes you more competitive if you know how to speak another language. For example, the business world currently prizes those who speak Cantonese and Mandarin, while languages like Arabic are in high demand in the foreign relations field, and anyone entering academia should look at languages that relate to their area of interest. There’s nothing quite so fun for a philosophy major as reading Heidegger in the original German, after all.
Of course, the study of a language doesn’t have to be all about business. You can study a language just for pleasure. If you’re looking to take a trip to a foreign country, you should learn at least some basics of the local language. It’s certainly no fun to miss your 8:45 train because you did not understand viertel vor neun. However, intensive study of a language could even lead you to those travel opportunities through study abroad programs, international universities and the like. Immersing yourself in the language and culture is probably the best way to truly understand a language, and it’s definitely the most fun!

Then there are academic benefits. Numerous studies have shown that learning a second language develops different pathways in the mind, allowing it to process words and even logic problems in new ways. Understanding a second language makes it easier to pick up a third or even fourth, as demonstrated by students in Europe who routinely learn three or four languages before they leave school.

Finally, knowing other languages can help you on the SAT. By learning the grammar of a different language, you force your mind to develop a deeper understanding of your own grammar. This is invaluable on the writing section, where the hardest questions often require a feel for the fine nuances of word order and clause subordination. It also helps on the critical reading passages by improving your overall reading comprehension. Last but certainly not least, nothing will help you build up your vocabulary for the critical reading section quite like knowing your Latin cognates.
Hopefully by this time, you have started on your philological journey. If not, don’t despair. Even an elementary understanding of a second language can give you some impressive benefits in school and even in life!

Victory Step on the News!

Stuart Fraser is a blogger and instructor for Victory Step. Stuart contact's information - swfraser@gmail.com

Article Link - http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/education/091411-average-sat-scores-fall-in-texas

On September 14th, Fox 4 News ran a story about an alarming trend in Texas testing. Across the state, the average SAT scores have dropped 3 points in Math, 5 points in Reading, and 8 points in Critical Reading, bringing them to a combined score of 1446 (out of 2400).

While this problem has many causes, including the reduced resources in public schools and the growing number of students taking the test, Victory Step is taking measures to ensure that everyone is able to get the training they need in order to tackle this daunting test including SAT classes and private tutoring. The Fox 4 News story entered the class of one Victory Step instructor, Devon Earle, to discuss how an SAT test prep course helps students gain an even footing with students who perhaps have more resources in their schools to help with college prep and college-level AP courses.

With the growing number of students in Texas schools, more of them are not getting the individualized attention that is necessary to remain competitive on a standardized test such as the SAT. At Victory Step, each student gets training in the specific sections of the test which they need the most improvement, and results are measured across 4 full-length practice tests taken under simulated test conditions. This helps the students reinforce the subjects they already know while allowing them to bring up their scores on the sections they feel most challenged in, even as the relative strength of the student in each section changes over the duration of the course. Practice tests and instructor feedback help provide reassessment of each student’s strengths and weaknesses on the test.

With the Victory Step promise, any student who takes the time to practice and learn from our instructors is guaranteed a 200 point increase between their first test and their final test. This guarantee helps students take the real SAT with the confidence that they know how they will be able to perform on test day. By using the techniques mentioned above, Victory Step is working hard to fight against this alarming drop in average SAT scores.

Defeating Cognitive Bias

Eric Rosenbaum is a blogger and instructor for Victory Step. Eric contact's information - rosenbaume88@gmail.com


Imagine that you are in a room with nothing but a wax candle, a box of thumbtacks, and a book of matches. How can you attach the candle to the wall and light it so that the wax doesn’t drip onto the floor?

When psychologist Karl Duncker asked subjects this question in the 1940s, only about 20% of them got it right. It’s not that the problem is hard; once you know the answer it seems obvious (the correct answer is at the bottom of this post). The problem seems hard because it exploits flaws in human reasoning known as cognitive biases.
SAT problems can sometimes be as tricky as the candle problem. You may think that you are immune to the SAT’s tricks (a bias known to psychologists as bias blind spot), but chances are, you are not: some tricky phrasing can have you wasting time on a wild goose chase, or getting the question wrong altogether.

Confirmation Bias, or, “A Looks like the Right Answer; It Must Be A”

Have you ever tried to remember a song title, certain that begins with the letter L, only to remember days later that it begins with B instead? Once you start thinking in terms of L, it’s very difficult to switch tracks to think about B. In other words, instead of really looking for the title of the song, you begin looking for confirmation that your first method was correct. This phenomenon is known as confirmation bias.
One great way to avoid confirmation bias on the SAT and ACT is to avoid looking at the answers beforehand. If you subconsciously pick A before you’ve completely worked through the problem, it will not be hard to justify your solution later, right or wrong.

Overconfidence Effect, or, “This Is Easy!”

A study done by psychologist Ulrich Hoffrage came up with some interesting, upsetting results: of the people who claimed to be 99% certain about their answer to a problem, 20% turned out to be incorrect. Most of these people weren’t too far away from the right answer, and they were justified in making the choices they did. The problem is that people tend to overestimate how certain their certainty is.
Sometimes the most dangerous questions are those that look easy. They probably are easy, but maybe not as easy as you think they are. It’s important to check your work on the easy problems as much as on the harder ones.

Incubation, or, I Can’t Move to the Next One Until I Solve This One


Incubation isn’t a bias. It’s a way to protect against biases. Think back to the song title example. When your brain was in L mode, what was it that finally made you see B? Putting the problem aside. When you come back to the problem after thinking of other things, it’s easier to cut through dangerous preconceptions.
Oftentimes when I am working on a difficult problem, the solution feels so close that I want to keep working until I find it. I don’t want to forget the progress I’ve made, even when the progress is in the wrong direction. If you get stuck on a tricky SAT problem, even if you think you almost have it, try taking a break: it may be much easier when you come back. Even if you think you have an answer correct, it is a good idea to check your work and look at your solutions with fresh eyes.

Cognitive biases are a fact of life, but their effect can be limited. It just takes practice and a little bit of self-awareness. The difference in your score could be astounding.




Solution to the Candle Problem

The key is in realizing that the “box of thumbtacks” is really two things: a box, and thumbtacks. First, thumbtack the box to the wall. Then, place the candle inside the box. The wax will drip on the cardboard, not the floor.

SAT/ACT Guided Wilderness Tour

Welcome to the guided SAT wilderness tour. Please keep your eyes, ears, and brains inside the test zone at all times.

The SAT wilderness is a dangerous, disturbing place. All kinds of creatures are out there, trying to steal your attention and kill your score.
Hear that buzzing noise? That’s the sound of the mow-squito (lembus herba), an animal rarely seen, but nonetheless dangerous. You can recognize it by its faint, unending droning sound, usually outside of windows in quiet rooms. The mow-squito, though small, has the ability to really get under your skin.

If you listen very carefully, you can also make out a softer sound. This is the AC bee (frigidus locus), a close relative to the mow-squito which lives inside cold, echoing rooms. The AC bee is less obtrusive than its outdoor cousin, but for that reason it can be even more dangerous. As is the case with all the animals on our tour, the AC bee is more afraid of you than you are of it. If you stop listening, it will leave you alone.

On your left, you will see Sickness Stream. The stream is populated with all sorts of dangerous, distracting wildlife. See that ripple there? That’s the sign of the predatory sniffler fish (pisces naso). Sniffler fish are nearly harmless alone, but they always attack in schools. I remember once when I was almost attacked by sniffle fish. I was sitting in the test zone, minding my own business, when I heard a sniff from desk in front of me. Then, after a few seconds, there was another sniff to my right. Then one to my left. I was surrounded! Fortunately, I was able to ignore them before it was too late.

However, the most dangerous thing about sniffler fish is that they attract the deadly cough-odile (gutter lacerta). Where there is a school of sniffler fish, there are bound to be at least one or two of these attention-killing coughing machines. If you do hear the sudden bark of a cough-odile, you may find yourself momentarily distracted. However, you will be fine if you take a few breaths and return to the test.

On this tour, you may see one or two cell-ephants (tinnulus monstro). These big guys are banned from the SAT wilderness, but every now and then you’ll hear one charging through the underbrush, or at least feel the vibration of its giant feet.

What’s that you say? You think we’re being followed? Of course we are. The time-ger has been stalking us since we left camp. But don’t worry; as long as we pace ourselves and don’t try to run away, he won’t bother us. The time-ger can be your best friend in the SAT wilderness, keeping you on the path and away from distractions. He can also be your worst enemy if he tricks you into making dumb mistakes.

That brings us to the end of our tour. I hope you learned a lot about the wildlife of the SAT. The SAT wilderness can be a loud distracting place, and it’s easy to get lost there. But if you keep your head down, and stay out of reach of the time-ger, you’ll be just fine.