12月SAT最新出分! 1580!!! 1570!!! 恭喜!

 

9月SAT最新出分!!! 1510!!! 恭喜!!!

 

8月SAT最新出分!!! 1560!!! 1490!!! 恭喜!!!

The key to the college application essay : Show - don't tell

When you're writing your personal statement, or college application essays, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to keep talking about your thoughts and feelings. Admissions officers don't want you to tell them the kind of person you are. They want you to show them.

Remember: your actions tell your story. Write about what you did in response to certain situations. What you do shows who you really are, especially in difficult situations. Talk is cheap.

International Students Still Need the SAT for the University of California system! 想申請UC的學生千萬不要以為不需要考SAT喔！

International Students Still Need the SAT for the University of California system!

想申請UC的學生千萬不要以為不需要考SAT喔！

Yesterday, the board of UC announced that they will be making changes to their testing requirements regarding admissions.

Unfortunately, there has been some mis-reporting of the facts. Let me clarify what has been decided and what is still undecided.

Most importantly, California residents and non-residents will be assessed differently. Residents will (probably) NOT need the SAT/ACT beginning in 2025. The UC system is going to attempt to write their own test as a replacement, so in a few years, the new test may become a substitute for the SAT at the UC universities.

Unless your student is a California resident who is studying in California, though, that will not matter.

Here is a brief overview of the changes for INTERNATIONAL students:

1. First, the good news. The SAT/ACT essay is no longer required. Therefore, if you are currently preparing for the SAT/ACT essay only for a UC school, you no longer need to worry about it. (Most other universities do not consider the essay in their applications process.)

2. If your student is currently (May 2020) in G10 or G11, the SAT is optional. However, do not get excited yet! Let me explain what “test optional” means. Test optional means that if you choose not to submit a test (SAT or ACT) score, then you will need something to act as a replacement to show your academic achievement. Unfortunately, your GPA will not be sufficient: grade inflation, which is common at most high schools, is a serious problem for admissions officers. They are unable to judge a student’s eligibility purely based on his or her GPA, so they need some other evidence to back up the GPA. The admissions process is all about selling yourself to the admissions officers. The sad reality for most international students is that they do not have anything apart from their GPA and SAT score to make them attractive. Therefore, in order to be competitive, students still need to submit SAT scores.

3. If your student is currently (May 2020) in G8 or G9 (and a California resident), the SAT will be unnecessary for admission. However, it will still be used for scholarships and placements, so there could be advantages for taking the SAT for those reasons. For non-residents, the UC board is still undecided. Again, this means that without the SAT, a student would need something else to highlight their academic achievements. Most students do not have any other way to sell themselves, so the SAT is still strongly recommended to remain competitive.

4. If the UC can invent a new test, that test will be required for California residents (and possibly all US residents). International students may or may not be required to take the California test. As a UC test would be specific to the California curriculum, though, it is highly unlikely that the UC would require international students to take that test because it would put international students at a severe disadvantage. Therefore, the UC would most likely still accept the SAT of international students.

Here is the link to the UC website:

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-board-regents-approves-changes-standardized-testing-requirement

Should you have any questions about the SAT or this new policy, feel free to leave a message or contact us.

今年第二位申請上UBC的學生！ 恭喜！

今年第二位申請上UBC的學生！
恭喜！
看著Eve從準備考試的掙扎到最後錄取加拿大頂尖大學，這過程真的很不容易！

辛苦是值得的！

每週來報到兩天，其中一天總是半睡半醒的出現。

天氣再熱或再冷，她也不願錯過任何一堂課！
就為了在最後剩餘不多的時間衝刺！


其中SAT進步了160分，從本來對想申請的目標大學沒抱什麼太大的期望，到最後她充滿了鬥志與希望！

她做到了！
順利申請上加拿大排名第二的UBC！
美夢成真！

有關疫情的影響，UC大學申請的正式宣布與解讀。

有關疫情的影響，UC大學申請的正式宣布。
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/uc-eases-admissions-requirements-help-students-families-wake-covid-19


What does the University of California’s decision to temporarily become test optional really mean to international students?

The following quote is taken from an article about the recent decision for one of the “critical, short-term measures:”

“Suspending the standardized test requirement for students applying for fall 2021 freshman admission.”

I’m sure many 11th graders would see this news and be very excited! Yeah! No SAT!!!!

However, is this what it really means?

The short answer is “no.”

Never forget that academics are the main purpose of studying at a university. That means that the most important factor in being admitted is academic achievement. In US schools, a student’s GPA holds the most weight in the admissions process, followed by their SAT scores. For international students, however, individual high schools are less known to the university admissions officers, so the GPA scores are less well understood than they are in the US. This is because admissions officers are quite familiar with the local high schools in their designated areas, so they are able to account for grade inflation and course load rigor. That is much more difficult for them to do in international schools, so admissions officers attach less weight to international GPAs than they do to US GPAs, which means that the SAT scores are even more important for international students.

Now that UC schools will be test optional for this year’s admissions, the admissions officers’ jobs have become even more difficult. You need to look at the admissions process from the admissions officers’ point of view: if they don’t have SAT scores, they have one fewer way to determine a student’s merits.


For those rare students with astonishingly good extracurriculars and leadership roles, lacking an SAT score will not be a major problem. Such students will still be able to demonstrate their incredible talents to the admissions officers. For students without such outstanding achievements, though, admissions officers rely on SAT scores to help them understand students’ academic performance.

For students to be competitive, they need to make the admissions officers’ jobs as easy as possible, which means giving them more tools to judge your admission with.

Make sure you take the SAT as soon as it becomes available, and, just as important, make sure you continue to practice while you wait for the next test date. Without the May administration, there is one fewer chance to get the score you need.

For students in grade 10, remember that the coronavirus will pass, and testing will be back to normal next year.

Feel free to leave comments and ask me any questions.

恭喜J.W.錄取UCLA!!!

#UCLA

從去年的這個時候開始，我們一起並肩作戰到年底。

就像你跟Amanda說的：我們是最強組合！

謝謝你今天讓我感到很有成就感！

永遠的最強組合—Jordan & Brett👍👍👍

我會一直記得。謝謝！

也恭喜你！
我最強的學生之一！

恭喜你們!!!

I guess it’s time to put up some test scores.

From the beginning of June to the end of December (the day before my mother came to visit), I’ve had classes every single day. I certainly hadn’t planned it that way, it’s just that I couldn’t say no to students who needed my help.

Amanda: “Aren’t you exhausted?”

If I were to claim that I wasn’t tired, I’d be lying, but I’m so passionate about teaching the SAT, especially when students’ eyes light up upon learning about a new concept or way to approach the test, that my fatigue vanishes without a trace (until my adrenalin subsides, that is).

One of the most gratifying experiences for me this year was to have a high-achieving student tell her mother, “I learned more in one of Brett’s mock test classes than I did during that three-week intensive course at the other place.” Every time parents tell me this kind of thing, I know I’m fulfilling my mission in life.

Thinking back, it was that student’s comment that got me through my grueling schedule for the past seven months.

Originally, she had been stuck at 1390 for quite some time, but after completing her classes with us, she got an awesome 1530! Not only am I happy for her, but I’m also relieved to have been able to help her out after she expressed such confidence in me.

I steadfastly believe that as long as students are willing to work hard and never give up, sooner or later, they will achieve the score that reflects their true ability.

Below are the improvements some of my SAT students showed in the October and December tests. Congratulations, guys!

For juniors who have yet to reach your goals, you still have time, so focus on the future and don’t give up! Persist with your preparation. I can’t wait to hear about your March test scores!


榜單還是要放一下的!!!

從2019的6月開始到12月底(我媽媽來拜訪前)，我每天都有課，沒有一天的全天休假。也不是刻意的不排假，只是因為學生有需要，所以就排課了。

Amanda問我 : 你不累嗎?

其實說不累是騙人的。但是我真的很喜歡教SAT，尤其是當看到學生上課時眼睛發亮的樣子，那瞬間的累通通一掃而空!

得到最大的肯定是當知道學生回家跟媽媽說 : "來上我一天的SAT模考課，比她以前去上的三週密集班的收穫還來得多很多"時，我的使命感瞬間倍增!

我想應該也是這句話，讓我可以將近半年都不放假吧! 哈!

看到她原先在1390卡關許久，而上完課後順利拿下1530，這讓我非常開心與欣慰，也不枉她對我的肯定與信任了!

我也相信只要學生願意努力，堅持不放棄，早晚他們會拿到符合自己實力的好分數!!!

這是前陣子10月跟12月的SAT學生進步成果，恭喜你們!!!

還沒考到目標分數的十一年級同學，你們還有時間，不要輕言放棄!!! 好好繼續準備，期待你們3月的表現!!!