SAT, ACT Testing Date Windows Are Getting Smaller for 2010 Seniors

It is confusing to research the dates and locations for these two college board exams in the Spartanburg and Greenville area. It seems students in the Greenville area have more test centers and dates available than those in Spartanburg.

If you plan to take either test, start working with a test facilitator such as myself, Dr. Linda B. Greer ( business site: http://www.academicsupward.org/ or telephone 864-278-2018), for one-on-one assistance in the SC Upstate. Group sessions are expensive and often do not raise scores as effectively as personal coaching where individual targeting of weak areas can be addressed. As Manager and Owner of Academics Upward, I have seen many college board exam clients improve their scores as much as 15-20% after completing a test prep contract with me.

However, a student must allow 5 weeks prior to his/her test date and open four consecutive Saturday mornings for coaching time before the Saturday exam date the fifth week. The start of Dr. Greer's coaching will also coincide with early registration for a client's exam since the deadlines without late fees occur approximately one month prior to the chosen test date.

As for Spartanburg area high school students, Spartanburg High School will hold testing for SAT on Dec. 5, 2009 and Jan. 23, 2010. All other SAT testing after these two dates will only be available at one of the locations in Greenville. So if you want to sleep as late as possible before your 8 AM Saturday exam, your choice of test dates is limited at this point.

In order to work with Academics Upward Tutoring for the Dec. 5, 2009 SAT test date, a client would need to start by Saturday, Oct. 31 or Nov. 5, depending on availability for Saturday during Thanksgiving weekend.

To prepare for the Jan. 23, 2010 SAT test date in Spartanburg, a client would need to start by Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009, to allow for Christmas break starting Sat. Dec. 19, 2009.

ACT Test Dates for Spartanburg area high school students held at Spartanburg High School are also limited. The only date left at this point is Feb. 6, 2010. To prepare for this exam, a client would need to contract with Academics Upward Tutoring by Sat., Jan. 9, 2010. All other ACT testing dates will be held in Greenville at various locations.

Since most of the best colleges require scores about January of your high school senior year, it is important not to put off your test date until the last minute. Try to think of this as the head of your college application, not the tail.

Here's wishing you the most blessed of holidays in 2009 and peace in the New Year!

Ready, Set, SAT!

Dear rising seniors, the first chance to take the SAT will be shortly after school starts this Fall term. Be sure to take time at the end of summer to get an academic coach and a good study guide (Princeton Review for example) to help you score your best on your first attempt at the SAT (or ACT).

The SAT has sample questions on their web site, but it is not enough to prepare you for the actual exam. Areas of Math that are covered include algebra, geometry, arithmetic, conversion of units of measure, understanding value insertion into a rational expression in one or two variables, word problems, and reasoning skills.

The essay portion asks for specific examples to support your argument in the given topic. If you can't keep up with current politics, then you need to review some of the key monetary, political and social events over the past half century in our country.

Get into the habit of reading the news--local, national and international. The BBC World News station on TV is one of the best for world news events. They have won several broadcasting awards for their excellence in presenting the news from around the globe. I am sure they have streaming video on their website as well. You are about to become a responsible citizen of this country and the world. Remember that information is power!

The reading comprehension sections may be one long passage, two short comparative passages or one moderately long passage. Questions appear in the order of the reading materials for the single passages. Remember to read a little, answer a few questions, read some more, answer some more items, etc. If you spend the whole allotted time reading, you score no points!

The grammar and the vocabulary are contextual. For example, you will be given a sentence and you must judge whether the grammar is correct as is or there is a better way to state the sentence. The vocabulary sections have one or two blanks in the sentence(s) and you have multiple choices of words that best fit into the context.

The vocabulary words are college level words and not ones familiar to you, so get a good guide for SAT vocabulary words.I recommend perusing several books over the summer and making flash cards in 3 segments of the alphabet for each of your summer months, i.e., vocabulary beginning with letters A-J for June memory work, K-R for July memory work, and S-Z for August memory work. The more words you can add to your vocabulary before testing, the better your language score will be. Besides, you are likely to see some of these words in your reading comprehension as well.

Here's hoping part of your July and August will be spent with Academics Upward Tutoring in Spartanburg, SC to prepare you for your college board exams!

Dr. Linda B. Greer drgreer@charter.net

BS Chemistry, minor in Biology

MS Polymer Chemistry, minor in Statistics

Ed.D Math Curriculum & Instruction, College Level

Graduate and Attend the College of Your Choice

Calling all rising seniors graduating in 2010! Summer of 2009 is prime time for taking your SAT or ACT. Think about it--no homework or school classes to take, lots of free time, flexible scheduling around summer jobs and less tension. All these add up to a better score on your college board exams.

Acadmeics Upward Tutoring is a Christian tutoring service available 12 months every year to coach you and raise your college board scores as well as course grades in high school and college. Many colleges and universities require certain levels on your college board exams and on your Grade Point Average in high school for admittance.

Don't wait until the last minute to take your college entrance exams or to get help with required courses for graduation. Summer school tutoring is also available with Academics Upward. Dr. Greer, owner and manager, has over 20 years of experience in tutoring all ages from elementary through graduate students. Her home office is quiet and conducive to learning with many manipulatives, a laptop for looking up sites related to subjects being tutored, and lots of prizes as incentives for taking responsiblity for your own learning. You (or your parent) can email Dr. Greer at drgreer@charter.net for an appointment.

My mantra: I am your coach and facilitator and not a punishment for poor grades. I am your friend when your academic material gets frightening. I am here to objectively help you succeed and reach your academic goals.
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Dr. Greer is located in the Upstate of SC. She works on a contract basis with clients of all ages. She has earned a BS in Chemistry, minor in Biology from Appalachian State University, Boone; an MS in Textiles, minor in Statisitics University of MD, College Park; an Ed.D. in Math Education, requiring 3 doctoral qualifying exams in statistics and research, mathematics, and curriculum and instruction. Her doctorate was completed in 1999 from the University of Central Florida, Orlando.

End of Semester Blues?

Don't panic! Call Academics Upward Tutoring in the Upstate of South Carolina (864-542-7622) or email me at drgreer@charter.net. I have been a private academic tutor for over 20 years.

It is better to get help earlier in the term, but if you are like most people, you wait until it is nearly too late. That's OK, I procrastinate on other things myself.

Private tutoring in my home office is available for Elementary through Adult learners. My subject areas include Sciences (all ages), Mathematics (all ages), and English (Elementary thru grade 8 only), and standardized tests like SAT, ACT, GRE, GED, EMS, etc.

I have lots of local references in Spartanburg and surrounding areas. Please call today and schedule an appointment for your first of several contracted sessions. My web page is http://academicsupward.org/

Actually, if you are finishing 11th grade, this summer is a perfect time to schedule coaching with me for 12 total hours to prepare for your college entrance exams.

Dr. Linda Greer