Gaming the SAT

The statistics and reports have bias of whoever created them.  College Board reports say that there's no actual change w test prep courses and advise students using only CB's stuff.  Kaplan says that there are actual changes in their students' scores.  The National Association consists of mostly high school counselors, whom, because of the admissions political game, cannot say that they like private admissions/college prep entities.  But then, when they retire, they become private entities themselves =)  Likewise, college counselors cannot say outright that they need elite students even though they truly need them to keep the elite circle running.  Hence, they have to say that they favor the poor, even though only a handful of them are need-blind.

When people measure students' changes in test scores, the initial student sample has to come from the same score range, similar student backgrounds/ family backgrounds, and controlling for the type of coaches/teachers they have for us to have any better insights on our course performance.  Maybe Yola can do this test one day? :) 

This article brings up an interesting perspective on how the results delivered by for-profits vs. non-profit school may not be that big http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/22/nyregion/22private.html - the important lies, with both types of school, in how good the management is (efficient, result-oriented, etc.)

Over time, I realize that teachers are not there for the knowledge.  With the right motivation, anything can be self-learned.  The key thing is that in those transforming years, students will form habits that will stay with them when becoming adults and those include: how to learn, how to manage time, how to ask for help, how to stay focused and determined, how to be accountable with others, and how to make decisions.  That's why good teachers are needed.  That's where Yola's value is important, not the change in test scores, even though that's the only tangible metrics we can boast about. 

Tu

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On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 4:42 PM, Duy Phan | Yola Institute <duyphan@yola.vn> wrote:
The schools actually are the ones who created the frenzy about the SAT. They now are kicking the ball away from their field.

On Fri, Sep 24, 2010 at 4:27 PM, Khoa Pham | Yola Institute <khoapham@yola.vn> wrote:

Tu and Duy, what do you think?

http://www.unigo.com/articles/gaming_the_sat/?taxonomyId=760030