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Here’s a quick definition:

Second Quarter Slide (n.): a phenomenon in which a student’s average drops from five to ten points after a productive first quarter.

For many students, the start of the school year is a great time in which students are focused and ready to perform. However, after the first quarter, many students become lax and don’t work as hard as they did during the first quarter. The grade drop then refocuses students in the third quarter, who rebound by working even harder to get their grades up to where they were the first quarter.

Unfortunately, the Second Quarter Slide is a real thing that has happened to students for generations. You can easily tell if your child has suffered from this by checking old report cards. If you notice any dips in grades during the second quarter, then your child will most likely repeat this pattern unless you intervene. You can also look out for a few things so you can keep your children on track:

• “I don’t have any homework.” Chances are the workload will be the same as the first quarter, if not a little harder. So, students who say they don’t have any work are probably lying.
• Missing homework. Want to derail a quarter average? Miss homework regularly. For most teachers, homework counts for 10-20% of a student’s grade. If a student is not doing homework, his or her grades will slide.
• Work is being done, but the effort is far less apparent. As the school year progresses, the workload should be getting harder, not easier. If you notice less effort being put in, be wary, especially in subjects that have midterms.
• The first test of the second quarter is markedly lower than the first quarter average. Be on the lookout because you don’t want this to become a pattern.

Since many classes have midterms, the Second Quarter Slide can really be disastrous. Not only will the overall second quarter average suffer, but the stress level of all involved goes up. Keeping an eye out for potential drops in grades can avoid this and help keep children motivated.

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By now, you have likely at least heard of the ACT. This post is designed to give you a basic understanding of the test and its sections. In later writings, I will go more in depth with each section of the ACT in order to help you best prepare yourself and your children.

So, what exactly is the ACT?

The ACT is a standardized test that is used by colleges to determine admission. Unlike the SAT, the ACT (at least in the northeast) has only become popular over the last few years. The ACT consists of 5 parts, though the last part is optional. These parts, in the order they appear on the test, are:

1. English
2. Math
3. Reading
4. Science
5. Writing

What is tested on the ACT English section?

Grammar and stylistic reasoning are tested on the ACT English section. In a nutshell, this is a grammar test, so students need to know the rules of grammar. When I tutor students I go a step further than just the basics of grammar and show students 4 easy steps to finding the grammar error. I have found that the majority of students are weak when it comes to understanding the rules of grammar. They can get several questions right, but they don’t truly understand why the answer is what it is. Most students benefit immensely from tutoring on grammar because once they grasp the basic concepts their understanding of the rules takes on a snowball effect.

As you can see in the image (you can click any of them and read it on its own page), students are asked questions within an essay. Students have to correct the error for grammar or use reasoning/logic to best structure the essay.

The articles are a little quirky, but interesting. In fact, I can’t recall any students complaining about the actual content of the writing, which is good.

The major issue for students is time. The ACT English section consists of 5 essays, each with 15 questions for a total of 75 questions. These 75 grammar questions are to be answered within 45 minutes. If that sounds like a lot, it is. Yet, it is doable if students are prepared.

The ACT uses what sometimes seems like a magic formula to take the number a student gets right and pair it up with a score out of 36.

What is tested on the ACT Math section?

The ACT Math section is 60 questions long. Students have 60 minutes to answer these questions. The interesting part of this section is the way it is designed:

1. The first 20 or so questions are “easy.” Students can use basic formulas and basic math to figure out the problems and move through this part well under the minute a question pace that the test seems to give you. Students who understand how to use a calculator for testing purposes can fly through this section.
2. The second 20 or so questions are “medium.” Students need a deeper understanding of math to get these questions. Here, students will find algebra and geometry questions, among other types of questions.
3. The final 20 or so questions are hard. I’m not going to put quotes around the word hard because by this part of the ACT Math section, students will either know how to do the problems or will be picking their favorite letter. This is where a good tutor comes into play, especially if students haven’t completed trigonometry yet.

Like the ACT English, the ACT scoring formula gives students their score out of 36, with 36 being the highest.

What is tested on the ACT Reading and ACT Science sections?

Why did I combine these? The ACT Reading section and the ACT Science section are both reading comprehension based sections. The ACT Reading section is strictly reading comprehension. There is very little formal vocabulary on the test, but several questions utilize the vocabulary in context to formulate the questions. The ACT Science section is not biology, earth science, or chemistry based. No prior knowledge is needed, though it helps if students are accustomed to doing labs for their science classes. In a nutshell, the ACT Science section is “sciencey” reading.

The Reading section has 4 passages and 40 questions. The readings are taken from a novel or a short story, social studies context, science background, and humanities articles. The real issue on this section is time. Students have 35 minutes to read the four articles and answer 10 questions for each one. The real key to the ACT is time, and overall it is very much a reading comprehension test with math, grammar, and writing.

The Science section is made up of 6 to 7 lab experiments. The student’s job is to answer questions about the experiments. Like the Reading section, students have 35 minutes to answer 40 questions, and this can be frustrating for many. Combine fatigue with a reluctance to read and the potential for frustration is can set in. The trick is to show students how to take the test and focus on getting the answers. It is and can be as simple as that.

Both the Reading and Science sections are scored out of 36.

What about the optional Essay?

Think argumentative essay. Students have to evaluate different viewpoints and give examples for and against these viewpoints. Unfortunately, for most students, English class is based on writing literary essays. The ACT Essay requires students to argue a point and provide evidence refuting the other points. Students need to focus on perspectives or they could find themselves in trouble. Many students benefit from a simple template that reminds them to explain the other side of the argument for each perspective. It is easier said than done, and students have to commit to writing in a way they are unfamiliar with. The good thing? With good coaching and practice, students can write phenomenal essays. I have seen students grow as writers many, many times.

The Essay section is scored by two graders. They use a rubric to grade the essays. The scoring is a little convoluted and is best left for my more in-depth post about the ACT Essay.

Thanks so much for reading this article. I hope it was informative and that it helps clarify things for you. Be on the look out for follow up posts that go into further depth.

~Laurence

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Stamina is often the most overlooked aspect of the SAT and ACT

If there is one thing that parents and students overlook about the SAT and ACT, it is how long these tests are. Clocking in at just under 3 hours without the essay and 3 hours and 40 minutes with the optional essay, the ACT is a marathon for the brain. The SAT is more of the same: 3 hours without the optional essay and 3 hours and 50 minutes with it. The problem is, how often do students commit to working non-stop at such a high level? Usually not often. Students need to train their brains the same way they would train their muscles for a marathon: They need to work their way up to the big day through consistent time management practice.

Tip: As the test gets closer, book out some time on the weekend for the test taker to work his or her way up to testing “strength.” If possible, schedule this on a Saturday morning as students will take the test on a Saturday morning. Studies show that familiarity correlates to increased test scores.

The SAT and ACT focus on test-specific skills

In school, a student’s class average is usually made up of a few parts. For instance, I break my classes down the following way: 65% Tests and Essays, 20% Homework, and 15% Class Participation. However, most students receive very high Homework and Class Participation grades, so their overall averages are higher than their actual test and essay grades. If you eliminate these two categories and take only the grades of essays, reading comprehension tests, and other tests, you will get a much better understanding of what your child’s abilities in the subject really are.

Tip: The SAT and the ACT are only concerned with specific skills that fall within the “Tests and Essays” section. To get a realistic grasp of your child’s skills that are tested on the SAT Reading Test, SAT Writing and Language Test, ACT Reading, and ACT English (grammar) sections, ask to see tests that are reading comprehension based, grammar based, and writing based. To get a good grasp of your child’s skills that are tested on the SAT Math and ACT Math sections, ask to see and review tests that deal with algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. Having a realistic understanding of your child’s strengths and weaknesses can help both the student and the tutor in the quest for high test scores.

Students must commit to practicing the skills they learn from their SAT or ACT tutor

It’s not rocket science: more practice will lead to better results. But, for some, getting teenagers to practice for the SAT and ACT without creating stress for yourself can be more complicated than rocket science.

Success and improvement on the SAT and ACT are the two things that all tutors strive for. Just this past week, a student I tutored received her ACT scores. She scored 36 on the English, 33 on the Reading, 33 on the Science, and 29 on Math. Incredible scores! Prior to working with me, her scores were 30 on English, 27 on Reading, 28 on Science, and 28 on Math. When she told me her new scores I honestly welled up with pride. I am so proud of her because she did it. Jenny is a not a miracle client or a super-genius. She is clearly very smart, don’t get me wrong, but more importantly, she is an incredibly hard worker. She put her time in and worked hard to get those scores. She spent her free periods in school taking and reviewing ACT tests while practicing the skills we worked on. While her friends were hanging out, she was in the library. She deserves every point she scored on that test because she earned it.

The point of this story is that for students to really see success and reach their potential high scores, they have to work. Great scores are attainable, but they won’t come from thin air. Test taking skills usually aren’t taught in school, so students have to make up the missed time on their own. The more they do, the better they get.

Tip: A good deal of success does come from the teacher, but the rest of it comes from the student.  To aid in this, set a schedule before the SAT or ACT tutoring or class even begins. (Email me and I’ll send you a short, modified test that you can use to set things in motion). Since many students have trouble organizing their time, establishing a routine for them can lessen their resistance to practice. As students don’t always have the foresight to see how important these tests are to their futures, sometimes a little planning goes a long way.

Hope this helps!

~Laurence Mechanic

Laurence Mechanic is an English teacher and tutor. He lives on Long Island with his wife and two children.

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Have questions or interested in our SAT or ACT classes and tutoring? Call or text me at 516-376-8241.

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I can’t speak for anyone else, but I have a feeling the beginning of the school year is a new year for students of all ages. As much as it is a time of new hopes and dreams, new clothes and new shoes, it is potentially a time of angst and fears. Maybe you had a rough school year. What’s going through your head right now? Maybe too much time was taken to identify a problem, tutoring was needed but neglected, and now you dread the upcoming school year or a specific class. Is it too late?

No, it’s not.

Maybe you had a great year but fell behind in a subject. Things may have snowballed a little and now you, are a little further behind than you should be. Is it too late?

No, it’s not.

Maybe you are readying for 11th grade, overwhelmed at the prospect of taking the PSAT in October, the SAT in March or May, and the ACT in April or June. Or maybe you don’t realize what it takes to attain success on the SAT or ACT. You haven’t enrolled in any SAT prep classes; you haven’t even considered SAT prep. Is it too late?

No, it’s not.

Maybe you are the parent of a high school senior. Where to begin? There is so much! Why does my child seem so lax about the whole process? Don’t they know how much goes into the college essay? College applications? How important the whole college essay and application process is to their future? Is it too late?

No, it’s not.

It is never too late.

As these hot summer days become cool autumn nights, remember that it is never too late. The future is yours, if you want it, and people are out there to help you.

It’s the beginning of a new year. Let’s reflect, let’s imagine, let’s go.

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I know I’m not alone here. I’m sure thousands of teachers have similar experiences. And this got me thinking: who else has the infamous “back to school nightmare”? Is it just the teachers, or do parents and students have similar “nightmares”?

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that this is universal and affects kids and parents as much as it does teachers.

As I ready myself for the beginning of the school year, I am going to pay attention to cues and signs of worry that encompass me and potentially others. I am going to be more observant, more inquisitive. I’m going to do this in the classroom and at home.

I need to know: does my daughter have the same feelings about starting kindergarten that I have about starting school? If so, can she voice it or will her angst come out in another way? Is my wife worried about this seemingly monumental change? I’m sure she is. How will she voice it? Or will she internalize it?

And now for you… How do you feel about the beginning of the school year? Are you excited, angry, sad, or apathetic? Is this moment bittersweet or is it something else entirely?

Like the beginning of any journey, there is always hesitancy, angst, fear, and questions. I think the only way to make the journey that is the school year the best it can be is to question ourselves, our friends, and our children so we can evaluate how we can be the best we can be and make the most out of what we have.

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If you are a parent, you have come to the right place. Tutoring for SAT and ACT is a scary predicament for many, especially if you are new to this. You want to make the best choice among your options. Kaplan, Precision, Princeton . . . which do you choose? You have done everything possible for your children, but you may be confused about how to choose the right SAT tutors, how to begin the college essay process, or how to get your child through the Algebra Regents. Whatever the case may be, “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

(And I assure you no matter what it is that you are searching for, whether it be the SAT and ACT classes or the college essay and application process in mentioned before, there have literally been thousands of others who have been in your shoes. They all made it through unscathed, albeit likely with a little less sleep.)

What it all comes down to is remembering that the first step to getting what you want or need isn’t the deciding factor, but it very well may be the most important one.

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