Sapna did not make the final cut, but we felt Dalby's tutoring helped motivate her and bolstered her confidence. She enjoyed interacting with you guys and your class.
In retrospect we felt we could have started our prep earlier... I'd advise students to begin prep six months in advance. (Not sure how that affects costs).
Additionally, taking my favorite sports analogy, cross-training helps - so drills with variety in them.
Oh well. No regrets - the challenges (for a parent) ahead lie in keeping these bright kids motivated (and being supportive I guess).
Kate's reflections: unfortunately a lot of parents don't think of prep until late in 7th grade -I know I didn't, but was fortunate that my son was on Mr. William's Math Count Team and my mother, an elementary school teacher, trained him to do a lot of mental math just for the fun of it (something to do in the car).
Sapna is a good example of a very bright girl who would have fit in beautifully at TJ if given more time to prepare.
This year we are continuing to tinker with our preparation. Instead of waiting until the class begins for the diagnostic test, we are having the students take the diagnostic as soon as possible after they sign up to pinpoint weaknesses and give more time to fill in the weak spots. All on-site practice testing is mandatory, not optional AND we are putting together a dedicated geometry course to strengthen the math component.
The goal this time around is scores in the high 40s (88% or better). It isn't enough to make first cut for Dalby.
Regarding cost: as I've mentioned before, if a student is well motivated and understands the goal, it does not necessarily take a lot of money to prepare. There are a lot of ways to hone skills and we are happy to work within the parents' budget to maximize the preparation process.
