Learning versus Memorizing Vocabulary Words

Studies show that vocabulary is one of the best indicators of intelligence. Standardized tests like the SAT focus heavily on this in the reading comprehension and essay sections to demonstrate the ability to form abstract ideas and communicate them. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are more than one hundred thousand words in the English language. This is why it is important to start increasing your vocabulary early. But, picking up the dictionary and memorizing each word is not the best approach.

There is a huge difference between memorizing and learning. When memorizing, there is only a shallow glimpse into the full potential of the word. Maybe you know how to spell it and pronounce it. But, do you know the depths of its meaning? Not understanding the full meaning of a word can create a barrier when it comes creating sentences with the word or understanding abstract ideas when the word is used in reading material.

A great way to increase your vocabulary, especially if you are looking to enhance your scores on college entrance exams, is online SAT prep. Standardized test prep helps you learn rather than memorizing by introducing the word in the context that it is used. This is particularly true in the reading comprehension section of the exam. It also allows you to practice your knowledge of how a word should be used on the essay section. When taking a practice SAT exam, you will be exposed to dozens of unfamiliar words. The free SAT course goes at your pace so take your time in order to learn new vocabulary.

You can also take these new words, learn the context and try to use it when talking to your family and friends. This will create association with the word. Now you haven’t memorized a new vocabulary word, you’ve learned it.

You can use online SAT prep for vocabulary building exercises daily. Set a goal of learning one to two words per day. You will have a better understanding of the reading section on the test and be able to write stronger essays.

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Why do I need to study for the SAT?

Imagine standing up in front of thousands of your peers at your college graduation, having been chosen as a speaker because you were president of the Student Engineering Club and the Association of Medical Student-Doctor Alliance, not to mention founder of the Beginner’s Salsa Club and a beloved personality on the campus talk radio show. Basking in self confidence you have been slowly acquiring for the past years since you were accepted to your number one choice school, you give your mother a wink and chuckle to yourself when you notice her crying and smiling with tears of pride. Suddenly a word comes to mind. “Approbation”. This word means, “praise” such as “The crowd welcomes the heroes with approbation.” You realize you remember when you first learned this word. It was on a SAT test prep years ago. You remember those long hours spent huddled over your grueling flashcards that still had damp spots from when you fell asleep at three in the morning on a school night and all of the high school football games you missed out on and think to yourself, “It was so worth it.”

You may think you are naturally gifted and privileged just because you took the first step and signed up to take the SAT, but to achieve true success and this above scenario takes hard work and dedication, even for the naturally gifted. The SAT is designed to test skills learned throughout your high school career so it should seem like common sense but how often are you really brushing up on the algebra 1 class you took in ninth grade or vocabulary words that you crammed in the night before the test? Preparing with a free SAT test prep gives you a chance to learn the set up of the test and familiarize yourself with the types of questions you’ll be asked. This also opens doors for all types of scholarships based on your SAT scores.
While having confidence about the SAT test will be beneficial, don’t blow off preparing. Take a free SAT prep course so you can earn the best score possible.

For more information, visit B Line Test Prep

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AP Classes vs. Dual Enrollment

In contemporary high schools, it is often possible for students intending on going to college to acquire a handful of college credits before they graduate. The two most notable programs are advanced placement (AP) and dual enrollment. AP classes are essentially college level courses where the student must pass a test on the respective subject at the end of the school year to determine if they qualify for credit. Dual enrollment programs allow students to attend classes at a local college while taking fewer classes in high school. Both programs have pros and cons to consider.

For AP courses, a student earning an A, B or C will receive an additional two points to their weighted GPA. While the final test is difficult and covers all material learned throughout the year, many colleges will grant three to four credits depending on the course taken and the score received. The added bonus is that it is completely free to take these classes and colleges are impressed by students taking on a rigorous schedule.

The major cons of an AP course revolve around the fact that, at the end of the day, it is still not a real college course. While secondary teachers are often very knowledgeable in their particular field, they spend considerably more time learning how to better manage their classrooms than gaining in-depth academic knowledge like a college professor. Furthermore, if a student does not receive a sufficient grade on the test, he or she will not receive college credit no matter what how well they did in the class itself.

Dual enrollment, on the other hand, provides students with access to an actual college course in order to earn credit. This means, not only more knowledgeable professors, but an exposure to a real college environment including testing procedures, group projects, lectures and following a syllabus verses having a teacher remind you constantly when an assignment is due. Also, like any college course, these classes last only one semester, and to receive credit, a student must simply pass the class with a C or better, rather than one stress-inducing test.

The downside of dual enrollment is that it is not as convenient. In order to get to the class itself, students may need to go back and forth from high school to college campuses every day. There is also the fact these courses will not give students any GPA boost. Also, many schools hold the student responsible to pay for the course and books out of pocket.

Both options give students a competitive edge in the eyes of a college admissions officer. Therefore, it is for each student and parent to decide which one best fits their needs.

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Summer Time SAT Prep Can Go a Long Way

For many high school students, summer is the ideal time to prepare for the SAT. With summer vacation, most students will have larger blocks of time to devote to studying and even if you’re planning around a summer job or other activities, it is generally still a time of year with time to devote to studying. For students taking the SAT in the fall, starting to study with the new school year just isn’t enough time, getting a head start over the summer is a great option.

Free SAT courses can be a practical solution for many students looking to get their SAT prep off to a good start during the summer. Free SAT prep courses are readily available if you know where to look. In fact, B Line Test Prep is now offering free SAT prep online, a simple way to start out any student’s summer SAT study plan.

Taking a free SAT prep course will help you to learn tricks and techniques to study on your own. It will also give you a better idea of your own strengths and weaknesses. Looking through SAT books or taking practice tests online will feel a lot better once you’ve had a great foundation through an SAT course. If you plan to study with friends or get help from a teacher or family member, it will help to have a better idea of where you need to focus during your SAT prep.

Free prep isn’t just the best option for many families these days, it makes sense. With many great options available, you can feel good about making use of these options during your studying. By trying out different free options, you’ll also learn which test preparation methods make the most sense for you and begin to understand the ways that you learn best. This knowledge will be critical during the rest of your studying and as you enter college.

Free SAT courses like the ones offered by B Line Test Prep can be the perfect way to get your study plan off to a great start this summer and enter the new school year feeling ready to tackle the SAT. Every student is sure to feel less stressed when they have a great head start on SAT preparation.

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Students Seeking Alternatives to Free SAT Prep at School

Many schools have felt the repercussions of their shrinking budgets over the past several years. Unfortunately for many students preparing for the SAT, programs in schools that used to offer free SAT prep are sometimes being cut or reduced. This means that students may need to do their homework and find free SAT test prep on their own.

B Line Test Prep is now offering free SAT prep that can help fill in these gaps left by high schools’ budget cuts. Online SAT prep is easy to fit in after school, on the weekends, and during summer vacation. When it’s free too, it becomes a no-brainer, every student preparing for the SAT can give it a try.

These days, not every student has the option of free SAT prep at school, smart students may need to do a little more outside of the school day to find the right prep course. A free online course just makes sense for students with hectic schedules and little time to devote to a regular classroom course. Plus, online SAT prep makes great financial sense, with a new free option, it’s something everyone can benefit from doing.

Some high schools are also taking proactive steps to maintain free SAT test prep in spite of cuts. B Line Test Prep is an option in this situation too and is now being used in high schools around the country. Schools are using the online course to track their students ‘process and supplement their remaining program. Schools trust B Line and know that when they are able to track their students’ progress, they are better able to target the parts of the SAT that need the most work, thus focusing their resources in the right places.

The course will help students to watch their progress and test their skills with practice tests designed to measure their progress and give students a great sense of how they’re doing in their SAT prep. Being able to see this progress will make SAT prep a lot less stressful and allow students to go into test day with a good sense of their abilities, ready to perform well on the SAT.

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When to Take the GMAT

Deciding when to take the GMAT is an important step in the process of applying to business school. Before choosing a test date, it is critical to find out application deadlines for all of the schools where you will be applying. Most experts recommend taking the GMAT at least two to three months before the deadline to be sure that scores are returned in time for the deadline.

Still, many people will feel better having a little more time before the deadline. Taking the GMAT earlier will allow you the leeway to take the test again if you want to improve your scores. You must wait 31 days after your first test day to retake the test and can retake it up to five times within a twelve month period of time. Planning for time to take the GMAT twice can give you that extra insurance, there’s no harm in having your scores early and knowing that you are free to focus on the rest of your applications as the deadline approaches.

By allowing yourself the time to retake the test if need be, you’re likely to go into the test with greater confidence and the ability to do your best. Taking online practice tests and GMAT test prep classes before your first attempt at the GMAT can help you to gain the knowledge of both the test’s material and the test’s format before test day.

Some people may choose to study and take the GMAT immediately after receiving their undergraduate degree if they are sure that they want to go on to business school and an MBA in the near future. Studying and taking the GMAT while you’re still in the mindset of studying and taking exams can be helpful for some people. GMAT scores are good for up to five years, for this reason, there’s little fear of taking the test too early. Your good scores will still be there even if you choose to wait a year or two before applying for business school.

Setting up a calendar to have your GMAT scores done ahead of your application deadlines will save you a lot of stress as the deadline approaches. A study calendar with test dates planned, deadlines marked, and all of the information in one place will ensure that nothing stands between you and and meeting application deadlines.

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Breaking down the SAT: Sentence Completion

The sentence completion section of the SAT will test your vocabulary and ability to make sense of “context clues” while reading. In this section, you will be given questions that consist of sentences where either one or two blanks are present, indicating missing words. You then must choose from among five answers to find the word or words that make the most sense in the context of the sentence.

These types of questions make up about a fourth of the Critical Reading section of the SAT, so it is important to be familiar with them since you will only have a little less than a minute to answer each one. Online SAT test prep is a great way to familiarize yourself with the types of questions you will be confronted with and how to answer them.

A good strategy for answering these fill-in-the-blank questions is to read the sentence quickly and fill in your own word to complete the sentence. To do this, you will need to look for context words that the test writers include in the sentence. Words like “however,” “because of,” or “additionally” can clue you in as to whether you need a contrasting word or a complementary one.

After coming up with your own word to complete the sentence, look to see if there is a synonym for your word among the answers. Consider all the answers. If there is more than one that is close to what you chose, try reading the sentence with both of those words in context to see which makes more sense.

Let’s look at an example:

Even though Vincent van Gogh painted many of the world’s greatest masterpieces, people in his own time thought he was ____.

A) able B) inexpert C) unrivaled D) merited E) masterful

Reading through this sentence, we can see there is a clue word right at the very beginning: “even though.” “Even though” usually sets a sentence up for a contrast at the end-even though this happened, something unexpected was the outcome. Keeping that in mind, we can come up with our own word for the end of this sentence that contrasts with the fact that Van Gogh painted many of the world’s greatest masterpieces-perhaps, “not good.”

Looking through the answers, most of them have the opposite meaning from “not good,” except for B) inexpert. So B must be our answer.

This section is typically ordered from least to most difficult question, so be sure to leave enough time to answer the harder questions by moving quickly at the beginning. You can use online SAT test prep to practice answering questions and become familiar with techniques that will save you time.

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Breaking Down the SAT: Sentence Error

Everyone who takes the SAT must do their best to pass the Sentence Error section of the exam.

Can you spot the error in the sentence above?

If you recognized that the pronoun “their” does not agree with its antecedent “everyone,” then you are probably well on your way to becoming a pro when it comes to identifying sentence errors for the SAT.

Identifying Sentence Errors questions are what comprises the bulk of the new Writing section of the exam with 20 questions at the beginning of the multiple choice portion and another 10 at the back, making 30 questions in all. You will be presented with a series of sentences like the one above that may contain a grammar mistake and asked to identify it from among four underlined options, or if there is no mistake to choose the fifth option, “No error.”

These types of questions test your “writing sense,” or your ability to identify errors based on the way sentences sound and on grammar rules. Because of this, in order to do well on this section it is helpful to have a solid “reading” background: the more you read sentences like the ones presented on the SAT, the more attuned your “inner ear” will become to mistakes that sound wrong. However, even if you are taking the SAT next week and don’t have time to read the New York Times everyday, there are a few strategies and things you can do to boost your confidence and your score for this section of the test, including online SAT test prep.

One important thing to remember is that these identifying sentence error questions are not going to test you on your knowledge of punctuation conventions. While it is probably helpful to be familiar with things like comma rules or where to place apostrophes, what these questions really probe is your understanding of grammar and syntax within the context of sentence structure.

The best method of approaching these questions is to read through the sentence quickly, “listening” for what sounds wrong. This often yields an obvious error. If there is more than one possible answer that you think sounds wrong, look at each option within the context of the surrounding sentence and apply your grammar knowledge to eliminate those without errors.

If upon reading the sentence you cannot “hear” anything wrong, go through each underlined option and eliminate those that you are sure do not contain errors. After that, if you cannot identify an error, mark “No error” and move on.

The sentence errors you will be asked to identify can have to do with a variety of topics such as subject/verb agreement, parallel structure, pronoun/antecedent agreement, verb tenses, infinitives and gerunds, adjectives and adverbs, and prepositions. You’re not going to be asked to name or correct these errors, only identify them, so don’t worry too much if you cannot remember exact definitions. In the example above, for instance, you may not remember what an antecedent is, but if you remembered that singular subjects do not go with plural pronouns, you probably spotted the error anyway.

To prepare, do your best to familiarize yourself with grammar principles. Online SAT test prep can be very helpful in giving you a quick refresher on concepts you may have forgotten.

If you keep these tips in mind, you can breeze through this section and concentrate on others that may be more difficult for you.

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Navigating the GMAT Essays

Are you worried about setting yourself apart during the business school admissions process? One of your key opportunities is to deliver well-written GMAT essays. This guide will teach you the tricks to overshadowing your competitors with great essays.

The Analytical Writing Assessment section of the GMAT lasts for one hour and is divided into two essays: issue and argument. Consider the following top-tier advice:

  • Stay on topic. With only thirty minutes for each essay, you will not have time to go off onto tangents. Plan to make your points within 300 words or less.
  • Use supportive statements and cite facts whenever possible. Include your personal experience when appropriate but also rely on the evidence given by third parties.
  • Both a computer program and a human reader will review your essays. Make sure that your word choice, sentence construction, and overall flow appeal to both entities.

For the Analysis of an Issue essay, your job is not to prove that the issue is right or wrong; your job is to convince the reader to believe your position. The simplest format for the Analysis of an Issue section is the following:

  • Introduction with a background on the issue and reasons why you agree or disagree
  • Reason One with an explanation of the reason and an example
  • Reason Two with an explanation of the reason and an example
  • Acknowledgment of the opposing side’s arguments and ways to refute them
  • Conclusion re-emphasizing the issue and the arguments you have already presented

The easiest format for the Analysis of an Argument essay is below. For this section you must point out the flaws of the argument and convince the reader your conclusions are correct.

  • Introduction with a background on the argument and your stance on its validity
  • Point One with an emphasis on the argument’s positive aspects, using examples whenever possible
  • Point Two with an emphasis on the argument’s negative aspects (flaws), using examples whenever possible
  • Point Three listing ways in which the argument could be improved or strengthened
  • Conclusion reiterating the argument and its major advantages and disadvantages

Before your writing time is complete, review your essays. Make sure they are free of spelling errors, meet conventional grammar and formatting guidelines, respond well to the essay topic, and capture the reader’s attention.
Practice essay writing several times before you reach the testing center, so you will understand the pacing necessary to meet the time limits. GMAT test prep is available both online and in-person for essay assistance.
With advanced planning and GMAT test prep, you are on your way to furthering your education and propelling your job prospects well into the future.

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Sorting Through Acceptance Letters: Which to Choose?

It may seem like having a few acceptance letters to choose from would be a great problem to have in the spring of your senior year. While it is an honor and an exciting time, it can also be stressful to make the final decision, especially when faced with several excellent choices. It is important to put in the time to make the best decision possible and end up at the perfect college for you next year.

Refer Back
Be sure to hold onto the brochures and materials you collected during interviews and campus visits. These things, along with any notes you made at the time, can help to jog your memory and make the decision a little easier. Think about how you felt on each campus, which ones stand out and which made you feel at home from the beginning?

Additional Research
If you come up with additional questions or feel like you still need more information, don’t be afraid to contact the admissions office or to follow up with contacts you made on campus. These people can help you to feel confident about your decision and ensure you choose the right school for next year.

Practical Considerations
For many students, cost is an important factor in making your decision. If you are being offered a particularly generous financial aid package or scholarships from one of your top school — it may help to bump it ahead of the competition. Similarly, an acceptance from a good state school with a great deal for students in the state can be tough to pass up if cost is a big component of your choice. Similarly, you may want to consider other practical matters, like the location of the school and how far from home you would be while attending college.

Talk it Over
It can sometimes be helpful to talk through your options with a parent, teacher, or guidance counselor as you make your final decision about college. Just the simple act of talking about your schools with someone else may help the top school to become clear. A guidance counselor may also be able to help you to narrow your options and a parent may have insights from going along on the process with you.

When one school ends up the clear front runner, it’s time to send in your acceptance, announce it to your family and friends, and celebrate the end of your college search process.

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