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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]These kids go to school for roughly 7 hours a day.  They are learning new material in school, have homework and (usually) some extracurricular activities, too.

I can not imagine adding 12-15 hours a week of test prep to their already full load.  That translates into 3 hours, 4 or 5 days a week. On top of school, on top of homework...

SAT prep is about learning tips for taking the test and filling in gaps that you might be a little shaky on - I can see doing one 90 minute evening class once a week followed by practice tests on the weekends but not much more than that.  There is such a thing as over preparing for a test.[/quote]

They're all doing the intense $4000 classes here at my DD's Bethesda private. We're the only ones not having our DD do that, it seems - the tutoring class company regularly sends out a listing of who else is taking the class now and in previous years going way back. You know, so you can see who the good parents are and who the inferior ones are. The school has them administer the girls one free practice  test at school so thats how they get your information to send the letters out.
We don't have 4k, and if we did we wouldn't spend it on that but the pressure is strong to do that. I explained to one mom that DD wasn't test prepping recently and she stopped communicating with me. She strongly believes that you should do all you can for your kid.
I believe that DD can do some things for herself but this is not a popular belief in this environment.

DD did well on the test. She could have done slightly better on one part (perfect score on other part) but she can go over that herself and figure that out.
Is believing that your kid is capable really a bad thing?[/quote]

I'm surprised a prep company would publish the names of its students......doesn't seem ethical.  I think there is some value in learning test taking strategies but you can get most of that from a book. The real prep is repetitions taking practice tests and making sure you understand the correct answer to every question you get wrong.  Practice tests also teach you time management which frankly is a big key o success on any standardized test.  These prep companies take advantage of parental guilt and add little value beyond what you could do with your child directly.....assuming you have the time, inclination, and capability.[/quote]

We get a packet in the mail with the names monthly, it seems.
I wish the school would just offer a few basic classes for all of the kids and then those that wanted more prep could sign up but that is not how it is.[/quote]

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