Has the Coalition for TJ (or any other groups) considered another lawsuit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DP. Reposting what we do know about TJ test prep...


There was enough concern in the community about test prep companies "cracking the test" that they changed the test/process multiple times over the years. Affluent families who could afford these programs were buying their kids an unfair advantage in admissions.

In fact, back in 2017 the SB switched to quant-q, which intentionally didn’t share prep, in an effort to reduce this unfair advantage.

https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/04/26/is-the-no-1-high-school-in-america-thomas-jefferson-fairfax-discrimination/
“ “Is it gonna once again advantage those kids whose parents can pay to sign them up for special prep camps to now be prepping for science testing as well?” Megan McLaughlin [FCPS School Board] asked when presented with the new plan.

Admissions director Jeremy Shughart doesn’t think so. The firm that markets the math portion of the test, Quant-Q, doesn’t release materials to the public, a practice that should make them harder for test-prep schools to crack.”


TJ students and others have publicly acknowledged the unfair advantage that money can buy and that test prep companies have a "cache of previous and example prompts".

https://www.tjtoday.org/23143/showcase/the-children-left-behind/
“ Families with more money can afford to give children that extra edge by signing them up for whatever prep classes they can find. They can pay money to tutoring organizations to teach their children test-taking skills, “skills learned outside of school,” and to access a cache of previous and example prompts, as I witnessed when I took TJ prep; even if prompts become outdated by test changes, even access to old prompts enables private tutoring pupils to gain an upper edge over others: pupils become accustomed to the format of the writing sections and gain an approximate idea of what to expect.”


TJ students admitted that they shared quant-q test questions with a test prep company or they saw nearly identical questions on the test.
https://www.facebook.com/tjvents/posts/pfbid0jKy4hotXF8AxKwfHm2MAVi7e2yYoCqtrTTXPYsszAdQg6uMoTmReMidqyM1mpu9Bl

Examples of various test prep companies harvesting test questions and sharing with others.
https://katedalby.com/get-tj-update/
The math required for the test is basic math, algebra, and geometry. In the past, we have used old SAT tests from 30 years ago augmented with select problems to mimic the Quant Q. In order to adapt to the changes, we will increase the number of permutation and combination problems in response to students’ observations about the math last fall.

https://www.optimaltjprep.com/
““M. said that the  math questions were very similar to the challenge problems she did with you in classes.” - C.R. (Mother, after 2018-19 test)
“E. said that the  math questions were very close to what she did with you during the last 2 sessions. To quote her exactly: 'Dr, Tripathi's math problems were dead on point.'  We really appreciate your help with her preparation for the test!” - L.R. (Father, after 2017-18 test)”

Many videos showing how to solve actual SIS math questions on TJ admissions tests:
https://www.youtube.com/@katedalbysinspiringtestpre864/videos
https://www.youtube.com/@EduAvenuesTJTestPrep
https://www.youtube.com/@principiatutorsconsultants4395/videos



Kids from affluent families who attend these test prep programs have an unfair advantage. The test prep companies are constantly trying to "crack the test". They ask students to share details/questions about the tests and then share that info with other students.

Your claim was that families were paying for test answers.

The evidence provided is that people pay for test prep and test prep can provide an advantage.

Equating prep to paying for test answers is like equating baseball practice or watching game tape to paying off the umpires.

If you have to lie to make your point, you don't have much of a point.


As for "cracking the test," the more transparent a test is (see PSAT) the less impact expensive test prep has over cheap test prep.
If everyone has access to "test prep" then there is no real advantage to it and PSAT test prep ha s a lot of free/cheap options.

You are maybe confusing posters.

Affluent parents were paying for test prep that sometimes included questions/answers from previous tests.

Free/cheap prep is better than no prep but it doesn’t compare to live instruction.

There is a big difference between test prep that teaches how to approach questions and use your time wisely, and test prep that gives the actual questions.

To truly measure ability and intelligence, you need questions that the student has never seen. The tests used to be under lock and key and before the internet and copy machines, no one had access to the questions--except cheaters.
Something new needs to be developed to prevent this.

Are you under the impression we didn't have Kaplan and princeton review before the internet?
The SAT published their questions and answers every year before the internet.

Peer reviewed studies show that SAT scores are valid and consistent across socioeconomic lines. A poor kid with a 1500 does almost exactly as well as a rich kid with a 1500. if the test score measured affluence, you would expect the poor kid to do better because the test scores over-selected the rich kids, but this does not happen. Your kitchen table guesses about how testing works and the validity of testing is highly colored by wishful thinking.

https://opportunityinsights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SAT_ACT_on_Grades.pdf

[Anonymous]

Kids from more affluent families score higher on the SAT than kids from lower-income families.

For some kids, test prep makes a big difference.

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/24/05/sat-still-needed
Between 75% and 80% of the students at the high school where Yom works now are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, and a large percentage of students identify as Black and Latino. The vast majority of students at her school aspire to go to college. “Personally, I think it’s impossible to get an SAT score above 1200 without ‘studying’ the SAT,” she says. “It’s not like you get straight A’s in your high school classes and you take AP English and then you’re guaranteed a high score on the SAT.” Rather, it’s about learning how to take the test well and that often depends on having parents who can pay for tutoring. Before becoming a high school counselor, Yom worked as an SAT tutor. Most of the students she tutored came from affluent families and were able to raise their scores 200 to 300 points after weeks of drills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids from more affluent families score higher on the SAT than kids from lower-income families.

For some kids, test prep makes a big difference.

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/24/05/sat-still-needed
Between 75% and 80% of the students at the high school where Yom works now are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, and a large percentage of students identify as Black and Latino. The vast majority of students at her school aspire to go to college. “Personally, I think it’s impossible to get an SAT score above 1200 without ‘studying’ the SAT,” she says. “It’s not like you get straight A’s in your high school classes and you take AP English and then you’re guaranteed a high score on the SAT.” Rather, it’s about learning how to take the test well and that often depends on having parents who can pay for tutoring. Before becoming a high school counselor, Yom worked as an SAT tutor. Most of the students she tutored came from affluent families and were able to raise their scores 200 to 300 points after weeks of drills.

What? That's the most idiotic thing I've read today. I guess for her, it's "impossible", since her IQ is apparently pretty low. Back in the day, I took the SAT completely cold and scored a 1500+. My kid took the PSAT cold in 10th grade last year and got a 1460. Any reasonably bright kid could go in completely cold and score at least a 1200. It's a low bar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids from more affluent families score higher on the SAT than kids from lower-income families.

For some kids, test prep makes a big difference.

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/24/05/sat-still-needed
Between 75% and 80% of the students at the high school where Yom works now are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, and a large percentage of students identify as Black and Latino. The vast majority of students at her school aspire to go to college. “Personally, I think it’s impossible to get an SAT score above 1200 without ‘studying’ the SAT,” she says. “It’s not like you get straight A’s in your high school classes and you take AP English and then you’re guaranteed a high score on the SAT.” Rather, it’s about learning how to take the test well and that often depends on having parents who can pay for tutoring. Before becoming a high school counselor, Yom worked as an SAT tutor. Most of the students she tutored came from affluent families and were able to raise their scores 200 to 300 points after weeks of drills.

My child did not prep, in spite of my repeated admonitions. I could only get my child to take half of a practice test - English portion because child is adamant that math part is pretty straightforward. Got 780 in English and 800 in math in the first and only attempt.

[Anonymous]

Most of the decent paid prep places guarantee a 200 point increase after taking their class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that adding a FARMS bonus to the MS allotment is too much weighting toward underprivileged. I would also like to see them keep the latter and do away with or lessen the former.

I don't know if the system is already so weighted in favor of wealth and privilege that it seems necessary. Up until recently people even bought early access to the entrance test for years to game the process.

I am the poster at 14:04 and I believe in FARM preferences and holistic admissions and I also believe you are full of shit. I think you are a false flag trying to make anyone that supports the current admissions process sound like a dishonest idiot

+1

Kids from affluent families had access to previous test questions via test prep classes. They didn’t have “early access to the entrance test”. Although I do vaguely remember something that happening for CogAT years ago.

You don't have to be "affluent" to have test prep.

And if they adopt the PSAT as their entrance exam, test prep is available from Khan academy.

Just give every 8th grader the PSAT and use that.

Khan Academy is a great resource, it doesn’t compare to live instruction.

PSAT would be more of the same. SOLs would be more fair.

At least there is khan academy for PSAT. What free resource is there for SOLs? You think SOL's are not preppable?

I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.

This. Most kids aren't disciplined enough to handle this on their own. For wealthier parents, the only benefit in paying $$$ for the prep course is that you can outsource all of the nagging that you would otherwise have to do to keep your kid on track. I'm sure that I could handle the prep for my kid just fine using khan academy. But I don't want to have to micromanage my kid and do all of the nagging. It's the same reason I outsourced driver's ed for my kid.

The easiest way to level the playing field is for the lower SES schools and/or Young Scholars programs to offer an afterschool 'TJ prep' club, where they go through khan academy psat 8/9 prep and practice writing essays. That would also help separate the kids who really want to attend TJ and are willing to put in the work from those who won't.

Princeton Review and Kaplan are not going to nag your kid.
They don't get paid based on your kid's results.

I think an afterschool TJ prep club is fine. They have something like that in NYC for the stuyvesant exam.

They do. Many have a money-back guarantee for 200+ points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the decent paid prep places guarantee a 200 point increase after taking their class.

It's not going to happen at the high end of the scale, though. Can they prep a 900 to an 1100? Sure. Can they prep a 1400 to a 1600? Unlikely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids from more affluent families score higher on the SAT than kids from lower-income families.

For some kids, test prep makes a big difference.

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/24/05/sat-still-needed
Between 75% and 80% of the students at the high school where Yom works now are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, and a large percentage of students identify as Black and Latino. The vast majority of students at her school aspire to go to college. “Personally, I think it’s impossible to get an SAT score above 1200 without ‘studying’ the SAT,” she says. “It’s not like you get straight A’s in your high school classes and you take AP English and then you’re guaranteed a high score on the SAT.” Rather, it’s about learning how to take the test well and that often depends on having parents who can pay for tutoring. Before becoming a high school counselor, Yom worked as an SAT tutor. Most of the students she tutored came from affluent families and were able to raise their scores 200 to 300 points after weeks of drills.

IQ correlates at least a bit with income.
So the average income of people with 140 IQ (it kind of maxxes out at this level) will be higher than the average income of people with 120 IQ.
IQ correlates with parental IQ.
So if your parents are smart you are more likely to be smart.
So if your parents are rich,m they are likely to have a higher IQ and that means you are also likelier to have a higher IQ.

These are averages but your initial claim is based on an average as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kids from more affluent families score higher on the SAT than kids from lower-income families.

For some kids, test prep makes a big difference.

https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/ed-magazine/24/05/sat-still-needed
Between 75% and 80% of the students at the high school where Yom works now are eligible to receive free and reduced lunch, and a large percentage of students identify as Black and Latino. The vast majority of students at her school aspire to go to college. “Personally, I think it’s impossible to get an SAT score above 1200 without ‘studying’ the SAT,” she says. “It’s not like you get straight A’s in your high school classes and you take AP English and then you’re guaranteed a high score on the SAT.” Rather, it’s about learning how to take the test well and that often depends on having parents who can pay for tutoring. Before becoming a high school counselor, Yom worked as an SAT tutor. Most of the students she tutored came from affluent families and were able to raise their scores 200 to 300 points after weeks of drills.

What? That's the most idiotic thing I've read today. I guess for her, it's "impossible", since her IQ is apparently pretty low. Back in the day, I took the SAT completely cold and scored a 1500+. My kid took the PSAT cold in 10th grade last year and got a 1460. Any reasonably bright kid could go in completely cold and score at least a 1200. It's a low bar.

I used to teach SAT and LSAT prep and a totally unprepared student can have their score improved significantly with prep. But increasing an SAT score by 200-300 points requires starting with a kid that has never seen an SAT test before in their life. If they have looked through a $20 Barron's book and take even one practice test, I don't think you get those sort of results.

And like she mentions. Test prep is weeks not years. A total of maybe 6-12 hours aside from practice tests. You can only teach process of elimination for so long before you start getting repetitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the decent paid prep places guarantee a 200 point increase after taking their class.

Students who have already taken an SAT usually don't see a 200 point increase but they don't get refunds because the conditions are rarely met.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the decent paid prep places guarantee a 200 point increase after taking their class.

It's not going to happen at the high end of the scale, though. Can they prep a 900 to an 1100? Sure. Can they prep a 1400 to a 1600? Unlikely.

Princeton review hasn't had a 200 point guarantee since 2016. I think it is a 100 point guarantee.
It is very hard to hold them to that guarantee.
The diagnostic test is a lot harder than the actual test so the baseline is artificially lower unless you are using an actual test score.
You have to meet coursework and attendance criteria. So if you are late with one homework assignment or miss one class, you are disqualified.
If you meet all the criteria and your score does not improve by the guaranteed amount, then you have to take the course again and take the test again meeting all coursework and attendance criteria again.
And if you still do not improve then you get a refund minus the cost of materials.

It is extremely difficult to cash in on that refund.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that adding a FARMS bonus to the MS allotment is too much weighting toward underprivileged. I would also like to see them keep the latter and do away with or lessen the former.

I don't know if the system is already so weighted in favor of wealth and privilege that it seems necessary. Up until recently people even bought early access to the entrance test for years to game the process.

I am the poster at 14:04 and I believe in FARM preferences and holistic admissions and I also believe you are full of shit. I think you are a false flag trying to make anyone that supports the current admissions process sound like a dishonest idiot

+1

Kids from affluent families had access to previous test questions via test prep classes. They didn’t have “early access to the entrance test”. Although I do vaguely remember something that happening for CogAT years ago.

You don't have to be "affluent" to have test prep.

And if they adopt the PSAT as their entrance exam, test prep is available from Khan academy.

Just give every 8th grader the PSAT and use that.

Khan Academy is a great resource, it doesn’t compare to live instruction.

PSAT would be more of the same. SOLs would be more fair.

At least there is khan academy for PSAT. What free resource is there for SOLs? You think SOL's are not preppable?

I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.

This. Most kids aren't disciplined enough to handle this on their own. For wealthier parents, the only benefit in paying $$$ for the prep course is that you can outsource all of the nagging that you would otherwise have to do to keep your kid on track. I'm sure that I could handle the prep for my kid just fine using khan academy. But I don't want to have to micromanage my kid and do all of the nagging. It's the same reason I outsourced driver's ed for my kid.

The easiest way to level the playing field is for the lower SES schools and/or Young Scholars programs to offer an afterschool 'TJ prep' club, where they go through khan academy psat 8/9 prep and practice writing essays. That would also help separate the kids who really want to attend TJ and are willing to put in the work from those who won't.

Princeton Review and Kaplan are not going to nag your kid.
They don't get paid based on your kid's results.

I think an afterschool TJ prep club is fine. They have something like that in NYC for the stuyvesant exam.

They do. Many have a money-back guarantee for 200+ points.

Princeton review's class is 100 points unless you get the really expensive program which is about $400/hour and even that doesn't have a great refund policy if there is even modest improvement.
Kaplan has no point guarantee but you can get a refund if there is ZERO improvement or you can retake the class if you are not satisfied with your score.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that adding a FARMS bonus to the MS allotment is too much weighting toward underprivileged. I would also like to see them keep the latter and do away with or lessen the former.

I don't know if the system is already so weighted in favor of wealth and privilege that it seems necessary. Up until recently people even bought early access to the entrance test for years to game the process.

I am the poster at 14:04 and I believe in FARM preferences and holistic admissions and I also believe you are full of shit. I think you are a false flag trying to make anyone that supports the current admissions process sound like a dishonest idiot

+1

Kids from affluent families had access to previous test questions via test prep classes. They didn’t have “early access to the entrance test”. Although I do vaguely remember something that happening for CogAT years ago.

You don't have to be "affluent" to have test prep.

And if they adopt the PSAT as their entrance exam, test prep is available from Khan academy.

Just give every 8th grader the PSAT and use that.

Khan Academy is a great resource, it doesn’t compare to live instruction.

PSAT would be more of the same. SOLs would be more fair.

At least there is khan academy for PSAT. What free resource is there for SOLs? You think SOL's are not preppable?

I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.

This. Most kids aren't disciplined enough to handle this on their own. For wealthier parents, the only benefit in paying $$$ for the prep course is that you can outsource all of the nagging that you would otherwise have to do to keep your kid on track. I'm sure that I could handle the prep for my kid just fine using khan academy. But I don't want to have to micromanage my kid and do all of the nagging. It's the same reason I outsourced driver's ed for my kid.

The easiest way to level the playing field is for the lower SES schools and/or Young Scholars programs to offer an afterschool 'TJ prep' club, where they go through khan academy psat 8/9 prep and practice writing essays. That would also help separate the kids who really want to attend TJ and are willing to put in the work from those who won't.

Princeton Review and Kaplan are not going to nag your kid.
They don't get paid based on your kid's results.

I think an afterschool TJ prep club is fine. They have something like that in NYC for the stuyvesant exam.

They do. Many have a money-back guarantee for 200+ points.

Princeton review's class is 100 points unless you get the really expensive program which is about $400/hour and even that doesn't have a great refund policy if there is even modest improvement.
Kaplan has no point guarantee but you can get a refund if there is ZERO improvement or you can retake the class if you are not satisfied with your score.

It’s an improvement of 180 or to 1500.

That’s certainly an advantage that kids from rich families would have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that adding a FARMS bonus to the MS allotment is too much weighting toward underprivileged. I would also like to see them keep the latter and do away with or lessen the former.

I don't know if the system is already so weighted in favor of wealth and privilege that it seems necessary. Up until recently people even bought early access to the entrance test for years to game the process.

I am the poster at 14:04 and I believe in FARM preferences and holistic admissions and I also believe you are full of shit. I think you are a false flag trying to make anyone that supports the current admissions process sound like a dishonest idiot

+1

Kids from affluent families had access to previous test questions via test prep classes. They didn’t have “early access to the entrance test”. Although I do vaguely remember something that happening for CogAT years ago.

You don't have to be "affluent" to have test prep.

And if they adopt the PSAT as their entrance exam, test prep is available from Khan academy.

Just give every 8th grader the PSAT and use that.

Khan Academy is a great resource, it doesn’t compare to live instruction.

PSAT would be more of the same. SOLs would be more fair.

At least there is khan academy for PSAT. What free resource is there for SOLs? You think SOL's are not preppable?

I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.

This. Most kids aren't disciplined enough to handle this on their own. For wealthier parents, the only benefit in paying $$$ for the prep course is that you can outsource all of the nagging that you would otherwise have to do to keep your kid on track. I'm sure that I could handle the prep for my kid just fine using khan academy. But I don't want to have to micromanage my kid and do all of the nagging. It's the same reason I outsourced driver's ed for my kid.

The easiest way to level the playing field is for the lower SES schools and/or Young Scholars programs to offer an afterschool 'TJ prep' club, where they go through khan academy psat 8/9 prep and practice writing essays. That would also help separate the kids who really want to attend TJ and are willing to put in the work from those who won't.

Princeton Review and Kaplan are not going to nag your kid.
They don't get paid based on your kid's results.

I think an afterschool TJ prep club is fine. They have something like that in NYC for the stuyvesant exam.

They do. Many have a money-back guarantee for 200+ points.

Princeton review's class is 100 points unless you get the really expensive program which is about $400/hour and even that doesn't have a great refund policy if there is even modest improvement.
Kaplan has no point guarantee but you can get a refund if there is ZERO improvement or you can retake the class if you are not satisfied with your score.

It’s an improvement of 180 or to 1500.

That’s certainly an advantage that kids from rich families would have.

The money back guarantee only applies if you meet the criteria.
You must buy 18 hours of tutoring (which is a lot)
You must attend all sessions without rescheduling.
You must timely complete all homework and practice tests (and there's a lot).
You must take a second SAT within 90 days of the first one.
The score is superscored between the two tests.

There is really only so much you can do to get a kid across that finish line.

Once again poor kids with high test scores do the same in college as rich kids with high test scores.
The test score measures a real thing that matters in college performance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that adding a FARMS bonus to the MS allotment is too much weighting toward underprivileged. I would also like to see them keep the latter and do away with or lessen the former.

I don't know if the system is already so weighted in favor of wealth and privilege that it seems necessary. Up until recently people even bought early access to the entrance test for years to game the process.

I am the poster at 14:04 and I believe in FARM preferences and holistic admissions and I also believe you are full of shit. I think you are a false flag trying to make anyone that supports the current admissions process sound like a dishonest idiot

+1

Kids from affluent families had access to previous test questions via test prep classes. They didn’t have “early access to the entrance test”. Although I do vaguely remember something that happening for CogAT years ago.

You don't have to be "affluent" to have test prep.

And if they adopt the PSAT as their entrance exam, test prep is available from Khan academy.

Just give every 8th grader the PSAT and use that.

Khan Academy is a great resource, it doesn’t compare to live instruction.

PSAT would be more of the same. SOLs would be more fair.

At least there is khan academy for PSAT. What free resource is there for SOLs? You think SOL's are not preppable?

I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.I taught kaplan and princeton review for years. The test taking strategies are probably about 6-12 hours at most. The rest of it is taking practice tests and being disciplined about reviewing the tests and answers. A disciplined kid with khan academy will do better than a kid that has to have their hand held through Kaplan.

This. Most kids aren't disciplined enough to handle this on their own. For wealthier parents, the only benefit in paying $$$ for the prep course is that you can outsource all of the nagging that you would otherwise have to do to keep your kid on track. I'm sure that I could handle the prep for my kid just fine using khan academy. But I don't want to have to micromanage my kid and do all of the nagging. It's the same reason I outsourced driver's ed for my kid.

The easiest way to level the playing field is for the lower SES schools and/or Young Scholars programs to offer an afterschool 'TJ prep' club, where they go through khan academy psat 8/9 prep and practice writing essays. That would also help separate the kids who really want to attend TJ and are willing to put in the work from those who won't.

Princeton Review and Kaplan are not going to nag your kid.
They don't get paid based on your kid's results.

I think an afterschool TJ prep club is fine. They have something like that in NYC for the stuyvesant exam.

They do. Many have a money-back guarantee for 200+ points.

Princeton review's class is 100 points unless you get the really expensive program which is about $400/hour and even that doesn't have a great refund policy if there is even modest improvement.
Kaplan has no point guarantee but you can get a refund if there is ZERO improvement or you can retake the class if you are not satisfied with your score.

It’s an improvement of 180 or to 1500.

That’s certainly an advantage that kids from rich families would have.

You have to ave a final SAT score of below 1400 to get a full refund.