Midterms: How to Plan and Thrive

Midterms occur this month for High School Students.  These are important exams and require effort and planning. Here are some basic ideas to help you thrive on the midterms and avoid unneeded stress.

1. Early and Often: Start to study early and give yourself time.  15 minutes of review a day over a few weeks is much more effective than 3 hours of cramming.

2. Collect and Organize: Gather and organize all of your papers, worksheets, notes, old quizzes and tests, etc from the classes in one place.  Typically midterms cover the entire year to date so work from September and October is important.

3. Ask Questions Now: Whether you typically need help or see your teacher outside of class, it is a good idea to clarify any information or answer any questions you have early in the study process.

4. Know Your Abilities: Identify your areas of need.  People tend to redundantly study information that they already know because it’s more comfortable.  Make a plan to address your areas of need.

For more tips or to create a midtern study action plan contact Dr Greene at mAke the grAde AcAdemic services at www.makethegrade.net or 215 540 TEST

PSAT Analysis

The PSATs are (finally) back.
mAke the grAde will do a no cost analysis of your test and your score along with recommendations for improvement and an assessment of what the scores mean.

Contact sgreene@makethegrade.net for information.

Twas the night before the SATs…

This is a funny take on the SAT and it’s stresses… good for this time of year…
and with an SAT this weekend…

Done by Dr. Nancy Berk,  author of College Bound and Gagged: How to Help Your Kid Get into a Great College Without Losing Your Savings, Your Relationship, or Your Mind

SAT Vocabulary list

One way to learn vocabulary is by grouping words that have similar meanings.

If you are using my ‘index card’ system… this fits right in.

(if you’re not.. ASK about it.. it WORKS!)

Words by Category

Unoriginal/Lacking in Substance: Prosaic, Pedestrian, Banal, Cliché, Trite, Hackneyed, Vapid, Vacuous, Quotidian, Mundane, Insipid, Derivative

Stubborn – Obstinate, Obdurate, Intransigent, Intractable, Tenacious

Brief – Fleeting, Ephemeral, Transitory, Cursory, Transient

Beyond normal human understanding – Esoteric, Recondite, Abstruse, Arcane

To Make Better/Relieve Pain – Ameliorate, Alleviate, Assuage, Palliate, Mitigate

Varied, Diverse – Heterogenous, Eclectic, Motley, Multifarious

Talkative/Outgoing – Loquacious, Garrulous, Gregarious

Using few words – Laconic, Terse, Perfunctory, Spare

To Insult – Impugn, Disparage, Deprecate, Malign, Censure (also means punish), Decry, Vilify, Vituperate

To Praise/Hold in high regard – Tout, Extol, Revere, Laud

Generosity – Munificence, Magnanimity, Largess

Greed – Avarice, Cupidity

Inclination toward – Penchant, Proclivity, Predilection, Affinity

Prevent – Forestall, Preclude, Thwart

Highly decorated – Florid, Ornate, Baroque

Poor – Indigent, Penurious, Impecunious

Shy – Reticent, Aloof, Diffident, Reticent

Hardworking – Assiduous, Diligent, Sedulous

Cheerful – Jovial, Jocund, Mirthful

Overjoyed – Exultant, Elated, Jubilant, Ebulliant

Lazy – Indolent, Slothful

Arrogant – Condescending, Supercilious

Complicated – Byzantine, Convoluted

Clear – Lucid, Perspicuous

Harsh, Burning – Caustic, Vitriolic

Sickeningly Sweet – Cloying, Treacly, Maudlin, Mawkish

Mystery – Enigma, Conundrum

Unpredictable – Mercurial, Capricious

Narrow-Minded – Provincial, Insular, Parochial

Broad-Minded – Cosmopolitan

Small Amount – Paucity, Dearth

Large Amount – Myriad, Copious, Plethora

Fake – Spurious, Specious

Suspicious of – Wary of, Chary of

Fraud, Trickery – Charlatanism, Chicanery

Naive – Ingenuous, Guileless

Calm – Phlegmatic, Placid

Easily Angered – Irascible, Cantankerous

Violent – Bellicose, Pugnacious

Supplementary, not of central importance – Ancillary, Peripheral

Irrelevant, Unimportant – Picayune, Trivial

Free from blame, find innocent – Exonerate, Exculpate, Vindicate

credit: http://ultimatesatverbal.blogspot.com/p/top-sat-words.html

by Erica Meltzer

Vocabulary Building – free iPhone app

There are many ways to improve vocabulary.

Here is a link to an iPhone based app:

http://www.domesatreview.com/content/dome-sat-vocabulary-flash-cards-iphone-free

I have found that this app is a good basic start.

Enjoy

Test Evaluations

With the Octover PSAT complete and the October SAT and ACTs and November SATs done, students will be receiving their score reports shortly.  It is important to understand how to interpret these scores to help plan your test prep strategy moving forward.

Contact the MTG office for a free test evaluation.

ACT? SAT? which is better for you?

The Upper Dublin Library Presents:
College Admissions Tests ACTand SAT
Which is better for you?  What is your plan?
http://ACTSAT.eventbrite.com  to register

Thursday November 3 2011  7pm – 830pm
in the UD Library Community Room

The objectives of this event are to discuss:
Common Questions About Test Prep
College admissions credentials
Differences & value of SAT & ACT tests
Learning styles best suited for each test
Value of Test Prep
Test Prep Options
mAke the grAde Approach

This event if FREE and open to the general public. Please spread the word with anyone who would have an interest. If you have questions about this workshop please contact mAke the grAde at 215 540 8378.  This event if FREE and open to ALL members of the community.

UD Library Info>> 215 628 8744   http://www.upperdublinlibrary.org
mAke the grAde Info>> 215 540 8378 www.makethegrade.net