How to Prepare for High School Admissions

Looking Ahead to High School

by Kate Dalby, Vice-President, Dalby Tutoring, Inc.

If your child is planning on going to a public high school he probably won't need to take an entrance exam;* if you live in a particular neighborhood, the high school for that neighborhood is supposed to take him.

However, if he is looking to go to a private (or specialized public) high school, don't wait until the last minute to prepare for the entrance exam. The SSAT (Secondary School AdmissionsTest), the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam), the HSPT (High School Proficiency Test used by many catholic high schools) and the TJHSST aka TJ test (Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology) are the various tests your child might be taking to get into a competitive high school in the northern Virginia area. (In New York City there is the SHSAT: Specialized High School Admissions Test.) All these tests have two things in common; they test the reading and math skills of the test takers.

SSAT-requires a solid vocabulary, good reading skills, and math through very basic algebra and geometry.

ISEE-is similar to the SSAT. A good vocabulary, good reading skills, and math through basic algebra and geometry are musts.

HSPT-tests vocabulary, math, problem solving, reading comprehension, grammar,punctuation, and basic logic.

SHSAT/TJ test – these are essentially the same test, written by NCS Pearson, Inc.. There is a verbal section which tests paragraph reordering, logic and reading comprehension, and a math section that test math through basic algebra and geometry.

So, now that you know what is on the tests what do you do with that information?

First-break your child's calculator! None of these tests allow the use of a calculator. Calculators mask a child's difficulties with math. Instead make sure your child gets help the minute he is having difficulty with math. If he can't get a 90% or better on every math quiz or test, something is wrong; find it and fix it. Math is logical and builds on previous material. If a child misses an important concept it will plague him from that time on. If you think your child needs extra practice, ie. he understands the math but makes lots of careless errors, check out Kumon Math. It is a franchise so you might find the service varies from location to location, but the approach is solid.

Second-encourage reading. Some kids think that if they aren't reading fiction they aren't reading. They need to understand that biographies, how-to books, and histories are all legitimate forms of reading. Get them a handheld electronic dictionary and encourage them to use it to look up words they don't know. Franklin Electronics has excellent products such as the Language Master. Generally fiction written before 1960 will have much richer vocabulary than fiction post 1960. Also some classics are annotated with vocabulary definitions; pick those first.

Third-teach your child to edit his own writing. A simple thing to do is read his essay aloud. Mistakes jump out and then the student needs to figure out how to correct the problem. If the essay is being typed, use the "tools" in the word processing program to check for grammar and spelling errors. Make sure that this proof reading is a regular habit. A great resource for parents is Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Also most dictionaries have a style manual at the very front or in the back that sets down the basic rules for punctuation.

Test preparation can only help so much. If a student doesn't have the basic skills, either the test preparation service will have to fix the deficit (an expensive proposition), or will only be able to help the student make the most of what he has to start with.

Test preparation should not replace a good education. When you child learns the term "pyrrhic victory" from a list, it has no context, no back story; the definition is soon forgotten. When a student learns the term in the context of the Pyrrhic war, he learns much more; he learns history and the idea that a victory can have a devastating effect for the victor. Likewise, if a child gets into a competitive high school by "beating the system", it is a pyrrhic victory because he has won at a terrible cost to his own education and mental health. It does no good to go to a school for which you lack the educational foundation.

So parents, the take home message is: there is no quick fix. If a good education for your child is important to you, take action today.

If you have any questions, comments,or recommendations please write Kate Dalby on the form below.

* Virginia's Prince William County has several specialty high schools. You do not need to apply to the school if you are within its boundaries and plan only to participate in the base school program. However, if you want to go to the specialty school you must apply.

FOR AN EXAMPLE SEE http://www.battlefieldit.org/ITProgram/ApplyToProgramDocs/ITApplicationPacketBattlefield2009_PDF.pdf

Dalby Tutoring and Test Preparation is a high-quality, full-service, privately-owned, small-class test preparation and academic tutoring agency located in Northern Virginia.