Bad News for Test Prep Parents

[Anonymous]

Works of fiction and non fiction (e.g., novels)

Works is several academic journals

[Anonymous]

published = significant contributions in science, engineering, arts and the humanities by way of important peer-reviewed publications and products

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that the scores of these AAP identification tests are affected when kids have been practicing with materials that replicate past tests. Some people know this and have decided to make some money off this fact. The more they can convince young parents that:
a: a child's intelligence is dependent on how many of this business's worksheets the child does and,
b: that there is no good education available in FCPS except in AAP and,
c: the best way to get a child into AAP is to use our services/products,
the more money they will make.

They do not want the school to know that kids have been prepped, because they know that the scores would then be taken less seriously. It would certainly be bad for business for the schools to know which second graders have been doing practice questions from old tests at camps or classes or clubs or just at home with a parent. Even the idea that teachers might be asking kids at school if they have seen questions like these before could be bad for business. Parents may hesitate to buy into test prep programs or materials if they hear that the schools might not use test results from kids who say they have seen questions like this before.

Most of these businesses sell other types of tutoring and test prep so they will not lose their shirts if FCPS were to stop using these tests or drop the AAP.
But it would eat into their profits to a certain extent.

It's funny that, in a thread about identification tests for a program for elementary and middle school students, there have been multiple posts about tests taken by high school students. FCPS has had to change the identification tests because of one kind of prepping that is inappropriate for that particular test, which has a different function than the SATs/ACTs.
But still, post after post filled with bromides about the wonders of preparation appears, seemingly in hopes that parents will conflate SAT/ACT preparation with prepping for these first and second grade tests. As though to say, "If it is good for the SATs/ACTs, than it must be good for these tests, too!"

[Anonymous]

Rationale students (and their parent and school advisors) do not blow off the SAT and ACT just because of a slow trend of making this optional for some colleges and universities. It is still a billion dollar market for obviuos reasons.

[Anonymous]

No one has suggested that anyone blow off the SATs/ACTs. We are talking about second graders here, not high school students.

[Anonymous]

It's funny that, in a thread about identification tests for a program for elementary and middle school students, there have been multiple posts about tests taken by high school students. FCPS has had to change the identification tests because of one kind of prepping that is inappropriate for that particular test, which has a different function than the SATs/ACTs.
But still, post after post filled with bromides about the wonders of preparation appears, seemingly in hopes that parents will conflate SAT/ACT preparation with prepping for these first and second grade tests. As though to say, "If it is good for the SATs/ACTs, than it must be good for these tests, too!"

There's a rather obvious connection lacking humor but reality. In our educational universe where colleges expouse it is most important to get high marks in the most rigorous courses -- this tracking begins in elementary school all the way up to high gifted centers (HGC), magnet programs, IB programs, honors programs and AP programs in high school. No rational parent understanding the educational bureaucracy that is the US public school system and the legacy of tracking will defer to high school to expose their children to demanding academic course work. By then it is too late!

I glad to see many here can connect the dots even if you fail to appreciate this. This has become more of an issue with increasing attacks on the gilded and entitled who historically made up the studentry at our top colleges and universities. It's not the certain guarantee it was for many in NOVA and those who were never the beneficiaries watch this DCUM spectacle with amazement. And those not used to competing now hate the process and want to change it.

[Anonymous]

BTW, the ACT is regarded as a fairer test. These are needed to give a more complete picture than grades, since some schools hand those out like candy and are not always demanding enough to predict success in college.

Yes, the ACT is a test of high school subject matter. There is less need for prep courses for it because it does not use the tricky questions that the SAT uses.

And in terms of grades, we are discussing FCPS schools here, which do not give out grades like candy. Admissions officers know the reputation of the schools here and know that when the guidance counselor has checked the "most rigorous coursework" box, a high standard has been required for the grades on the transcript.

[Anonymous]

No one has suggested that anyone blow off the SATs/ACTs. We are talking about second graders here, not high school students.

You can refer to the above poster (PP) if you still have difficulty comprehending some of the issues. The poster sets the table nicely.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the ACT is a test of high school subject matter. There is less need for prep courses for it because it does not use the tricky questions that the SAT uses.

And in terms of grades, we are discussing FCPS schools here, which do not give out grades like candy. Admissions officers know the reputation of the schools here and know that when the guidance counselor has checked the "most rigorous coursework" box, a high standard has been required for the grades on the transcript.

Is there a difference between the rigor at TJ, an AP class, an IB class, an honors class or a regular class in FCPS?

What is the difference in rigor?

Do you think college admission's officers at UVA and Harvard can tell the difference?

Which programs do the admission officers want to see the high grades? Which students (by program) may have the competitive advantage?

[Anonymous]

Yes, this post does set the table perfectly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bottom line is that the scores of these AAP identification tests are affected when kids have been practicing with materials that replicate past tests. Some people know this and have decided to make some money off this fact. The more they can convince young parents that:
a: a child's intelligence is dependent on how many of this business's worksheets the child does and,
b: that there is no good education available in FCPS except in AAP and,
c: the best way to get a child into AAP is to use our services/products,
the more money they will make.

They do not want the school to know that kids have been prepped, because they know that the scores would then be taken less seriously. It would certainly be bad for business for the schools to know which second graders have been doing practice questions from old tests at camps or classes or clubs or just at home with a parent. Even the idea that teachers might be asking kids at school if they have seen questions like these before could be bad for business. Parents may hesitate to buy into test prep programs or materials if they hear that the schools might not use test results from kids who say they have seen questions like this before.

Most of these businesses sell other types of tutoring and test prep so they will not lose their shirts if FCPS were to stop using these tests or drop the AAP.
But it would eat into their profits to a certain extent.

It's funny that, in a thread about identification tests for a program for elementary and middle school students, there have been multiple posts about tests taken by high school students. FCPS has had to change the identification tests because of one kind of prepping that is inappropriate for that particular test, which has a different function than the SATs/ACTs.
But still, post after post filled with bromides about the wonders of preparation appears, seemingly in hopes that parents will conflate SAT/ACT preparation with prepping for these first and second grade tests. As though to say, "If it is good for the SATs/ACTs, than it must be good for these tests, too!"

[Anonymous]

Yes, the ACT is a test of high school subject matter. There is less need for prep courses for it because it does not use the tricky questions that the SAT uses.

And in terms of grades, we are discussing FCPS schools here, which do not give out grades like candy. Admissions officers know the reputation of the schools here and know that when the guidance counselor has checked the "most rigorous coursework" box, a high standard has been required for the grades on the transcript.

Take it easy on the poster. She may be a local community college graduate.

[Anonymous]

Some of these posts are barely coherent-like they have been run through Google Translator. Is it just the same person posting over and over?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
The bottom line is that the scores of these AAP identification tests are affected when kids have been practicing with materials that replicate past tests. Some people know this and have decided to make some money off this fact. The more they can convince young parents that:
a: a child's intelligence is dependent on how many of this business's worksheets the child does and,
b: that there is no good education available in FCPS except in AAP and,
c: the best way to get a child into AAP is to use our services/products,
the more money they will make.

They do not want the school to know that kids have been prepped, because they know that the scores would then be taken less seriously. It would certainly be bad for business for the schools to know which second graders have been doing practice questions from old tests at camps or classes or clubs or just at home with a parent. Even the idea that teachers might be asking kids at school if they have seen questions like these before could be bad for business. Parents may hesitate to buy into test prep programs or materials if they hear that the schools might not use test results from kids who say they have seen questions like this before.

Most of these businesses sell other types of tutoring and test prep so they will not lose their shirts if FCPS were to stop using these tests or drop the AAP.
But it would eat into their profits to a certain extent.

It's funny that, in a thread about identification tests for a program for elementary and middle school students, there have been multiple posts about tests taken by high school students. FCPS has had to change the identification tests because of one kind of prepping that is inappropriate for that particular test, which has a different function than the SATs/ACTs.
But still, post after post filled with bromides about the wonders of preparation appears, seemingly in hopes that parents will conflate SAT/ACT preparation with prepping for these first and second grade tests. As though to say, "If it is good for the SATs/ACTs, than it must be good for these tests, too!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
The bottom line is that the scores of these AAP identification tests are affected when kids have been practicing with materials that replicate past tests. Some people know this and have decided to make some money off this fact. The more they can convince young parents that:
a: a child's intelligence is dependent on how many of this business's worksheets the child does and,
b: that there is no good education available in FCPS except in AAP and,
c: the best way to get a child into AAP is to use our services/products,
the more money they will make.

They do not want the school to know that kids have been prepped, because they know that the scores would then be taken less seriously. It would certainly be bad for business for the schools to know which second graders have been doing practice questions from old tests at camps or classes or clubs or just at home with a parent. Even the idea that teachers might be asking kids at school if they have seen questions like these before could be bad for business. Parents may hesitate to buy into test prep programs or materials if they hear that the schools might not use test results from kids who say they have seen questions like this before.

Most of these businesses sell other types of tutoring and test prep so they will not lose their shirts if FCPS were to stop using these tests or drop the AAP.
But it would eat into their profits to a certain extent.

It's funny that, in a thread about identification tests for a program for elementary and middle school students, there have been multiple posts about tests taken by high school students. FCPS has had to change the identification tests because of one kind of prepping that is inappropriate for that particular test, which has a different function than the SATs/ACTs.
But still, post after post filled with bromides about the wonders of preparation appears, seemingly in hopes that parents will conflate SAT/ACT preparation with prepping for these first and second grade tests. As though to say, "If it is good for the SATs/ACTs, than it must be good for these tests, too!"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, the ACT is a test of high school subject matter. There is less need for prep courses for it because it does not use the tricky questions that the SAT uses.

And in terms of grades, we are discussing FCPS schools here, which do not give out grades like candy. Admissions officers know the reputation of the schools here and know that when the guidance counselor has checked the "most rigorous coursework" box, a high standard has been required for the grades on the transcript.

Is there a difference between the rigor at TJ, an AP class, an IB class, an honors class or a regular class in FCPS?

What is the difference in rigor?

Do you think college admission's officers at UVA and Harvard can tell the difference?

Which programs do the admission officers want to see the high grades? Which students (by program) may have the competitive advantage?

Have you had a child go through the college application process yet? If you had, you would realize that admissions officers spend a lot of time learning about the many high schools in their assigned region. FCPS schools are very well known and top schools are familiar with the various programs offered here.
Call the admissions office of a school that interests you and ask your questions. They understand challenge and know how to see it in a transcript.