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Tag: SAT

  • The Olive Book Unveils New ‘Revealed Preference’ College Ranking Methodology: The Olive Book 100

    A Transparent, Student-Driven Approach to College Rankings Based on Student Choice


    BLACKSBURG, Va., November 12, 2024 (Newswire.com)
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    Olive Book, a pioneer in visual, engaging SAT preparation, has announced its inaugural “Olive Book 100” college ranking, a list that redefines the way students, parents, and educators view college rankings. Unlike conventional methodologies, the Olive Book 100 is based on a “revealed preference” approach, relying on students’ actual enrollment choices. This methodology reflects what matters most to students in real-world scenarios and avoids the pitfalls of traditional ranking systems that are increasingly seen as skewed or manipulated.

    Two universities can be compared to discover: of those students who were accepted to both schools, and chose to enroll in one of the two, what percentage of those students went to School A and what percentage instead enrolled in School B. By pitting hundreds of schools against one another in a round robin tournament to see which colleges students chose when they got into both schools and chose to enroll in one, a revealed preference emerges. This ranking likely accounts for the students’ perception of the college’s academic reputation, affordability & perceived value, financial aid offerings, campus amenities (sports teams, dorm life, campus grounds), university location, perceived nightlife expectations, weather, balance of in-person vs. online classes offered, class size, majors available, and a general sense that “students like me belong in a place like this. ”This process reveals a preference that is often hidden in other ranking systems. Points are awarded to the school chosen more frequently and deducted from the less popular choice, creating a dynamic score that reflects true student inclinations.

    Michael Ermann, Olive Book founder and Virginia Tech professor, expressed frustration with the limitations of traditional legacy rankings, which he believes distort real indicators of quality in undergraduate education. “When a major legacy ranking publication eliminated class size as a factor in 2023, it did a disservice to students,” Ermann said. “Class size impacts quality, and faculty have lost a tool to push back on university administrators that, looking at budgets, understandably push consistently for fewer faculty and more students. Olive Book 100 provides a fresh, student-centered alternative that weighs the colleges the way students weigh the colleges.”

    Additional Methodology Insights

    To enhance fairness and transparency:

    • Point-Based Ranking: Schools accumulate or lose points depending on how frequently students choose one over another.
    • Data Analysis & Statistical Rigor: Advanced statistical methods ensure that differences among the 350 schools ranked are significant.
    • Limitations Noted: Military academies and schools with acceptance rates above 75% are omitted from the top 100. The Olive Book 100 comes at a time when public confidence in traditional rankings has waned. Many universities have reportedly gamed the ranking system to appear more selective. “Rankings that emphasize selectivity encourage schools to manipulate acceptance rates rather than focus on student experience and educational quality,” said Ermann. “This ranking tells a different story: one based on where students really want to go when they have a choice.”

    Olive Book invites the public to review and critique this innovative approach. Ermann notes, “If you believe an error has been made or your school has been overlooked, reach out—we’re committed to transparency and continual improvement.”

    For more information, or to view the Olive Book 100, please visit: www.olive-book.com.

    About The Olive Book

    At Olive Book, our mission is to transform SAT preparation by providing you with the most engaging, effective, and accessible test prep materials on the planet. We believe in the power of visual learning and have designed our content to cater to the needs of visual learners and busy students. Our goal is to simplify the SAT prep process, making it both effective and enjoyable so that you have the opportunity to achieve your highest potential score.

    Source: Olive Book

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  • UNC System waived SAT, ACT requirements during the pandemic. Now it could bring them back

    UNC System waived SAT, ACT requirements during the pandemic. Now it could bring them back

    Some of the test prep books at Hillside High School in Durham, N.C. Photographed Thursday, April 28, 2022.

    Some of the test prep books at Hillside High School in Durham, N.C. Photographed Thursday, April 28, 2022.


    Ethan Hyman

    ehyman@newsobserver.com

    It’s been almost four years since public universities in North Carolina stopped requiring applicants to submit standardized test scores as part of their applications for admission — a change first made during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Now the governing board that oversees the universities could reinstate the requirements in some form.

    A UNC System Board of Governors committee on Wednesday will review a policy recommendation from system staff that would require applicants with certain weighted grade point averages in high school — between 2.5, the minimum that will be needed to apply, and 2.8 — to submit test scores again. That would take effect with those students who will enter the universities in the fall 2025 semester.

    For that semester and the one immediately following it, spring 2026, there would be no required minimum score for students required to submit them, according to the proposed policy revision. Beginning in the fall 2026 semester, though, students with GPAs that require them to submit scores would be required to score either at least 17, out of a possible 36, on the ACT or 930, out of a possible 1600, on the SAT.

    Under the proposed policy change, the chancellors of the state’s 16 public universities, with approval from their campus-level boards of trustees, would decide for their respective schools whether students with weighted GPAs above 2.8 would be required to submit test scores.

    If the committee approves the policy changes Wednesday, the full Board of Governors will vote on the matter at its meeting in April. The full-board vote would be taken through the consent agenda, meaning the board could approve it as part of a package of policies and without individual consideration or discussion.

    The board first waived test requirements system-wide in July 2020, initially only for students applying for admission through 2021, citing the disruptions the pandemic had caused to education and testing, including test days for the SAT and ACT being postponed. The board then voted twice to extend the waiver, first through 2022, then through the fall 2024 semester.

    Throughout the pause, students have had the option to submit test scores if they wished to do so. Students who did not submit scores were required to meet the system’s minimum weighted GPA requirement, 2.5, to be considered for admission.

    The minimum GPA requirement would remain in place for all applicants under the proposed policy changes.

    Other colleges’ test waivers ending

    The board’s discussion on the policy will come as many colleges and universities across the country deal with the same issues around standardized testing requirements, which many schools paused — but did not fully end — during the pandemic.

    Now, four years removed from the start of the pandemic and almost one year after the federal government declared an end to it, colleges are evaluating whether to continue their test-optional or no-test policies, or reinstate the requirements.

    Yale University announced Thursday it would again require students to submit scores, though the university is offering flexibility on what tests students are allowed to take and submit. The University of Tennessee has also reinstated test requirements for first-year applicants, while the University of California system eliminated its requirements in 2020, The Washington Post reported.

    When the Board of Governors previously voted to waive the university system’s test requirements, some board members expressed fear that the change would allow ill-prepared students to be admitted to the state’s universities or that the change might devalue degrees from the schools, The News & Observer previously reported.

    Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem has been test-optional for more than 15 years, with “little appreciable difference” in student performance between students who submit scores and those who do not, The N&O reported.

    Just before the pandemic, the Board of Governors had approved a policy change that allowed the state’s universities to admit students with either a minimum 2.5 GPA or minimum test scores. That change was based on UNC System research that GPA is a better indicator of student success and performance, The N&O previously reported.

    Discussions around the use and importance of standardized tests in college admissions also center around inequity, with research showing students from lower-income backgrounds generally scoring lower than their wealthier counterparts. Poorer students are also less likely to take the tests, according to a New York Times analysis last year.

    Duke University, which is test-optional this admissions cycle, is no longer assigning numerical values to applicants’ standardized test scores or essays during the admissions process, The Duke Chronicle reported this week. Duke admissions officials made the changes due to “a rise in the use of generative artificial intelligence and college admissions consultants,” The Chronicle reported.

    North Carolina administers the ACT to all 11th graders in the state’s traditional public schools and charter schools each spring. Students in 10th grade take the PreACT.

    Under current system policy and the proposed revision, chancellors of UNC System universities reserve the right to set additional admissions requirements that exceed the minimum system requirements.

    Related stories from Charlotte Observer

    Korie Dean covers higher education in the Triangle and North Carolina for The News & Observer. She was previously part of the paper’s service journalism team. She is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC-Chapel Hill and a lifelong North Carolinian.

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  • Huntington Learning Center Leads the Way With Innovative Digital SAT Test Prep Program Ahead of Spring 2024 Transition

    Huntington Learning Center Leads the Way With Innovative Digital SAT Test Prep Program Ahead of Spring 2024 Transition

    Industry Pioneer Prepares Students for the Future of College Admissions in the Age of Digital Testing


    ORADELL, N.J., January 11, 2024 (Newswire.com)
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    Huntington Learning Center, the nation’s leading tutoring and test prep provider, is stepping up with a cutting-edge digital SAT program designed to equip students for success in this new era of standardized testing as the College Board prepares to launch its fully digital SAT in March 2024.

    Huntington’s digital SAT program is tailored to meet the demands of the digital age. Using advanced data analysis, students receive personalized learning paths that identify strengths and weaknesses, allowing for focused and efficient preparation. The adaptive test model, a hallmark of the digital SAT, ensures students are equipped to handle real-time changes during the exam, providing a competitive edge in their performance.

    Huntington’s digital SAT program offers students comprehensive support, providing essential insights into the key changes in the digital SAT format. The digital SAT assesses reading, writing, and math skills, eliminating the essay section on national test days. The exam, lasting 2 hours and 14 minutes, is administered on various devices, including school-issued, personal, or College Board-issued devices. Importantly, digital SAT scores are swiftly available, offering prompt feedback to guide further preparation.

    For detailed information on the digital SAT format changes, please visit Huntington’s digital SAT Overview.

    “Amidst the evolving landscape of college admissions and standardized testing, Huntington Learning Center remains steadfast in its commitment to student success. Our digital SAT program not only prepares students for an exam but equips them with essential skills to excel in a digital-driven academic environment. With our personalized approach and expert guidance, students are poised to achieve outstanding results, paving the way for a promising future. To that point, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with Jeff Selingo, a college admissions expert who serves as an advocate and speaker for our college prep programs,” said Anne Huntington Sharma, President and Board Member of Huntington Learning Center.

    Renowned college admissions expert Jeff Selingo, who works with Huntington producing free webinars for parents and students, emphasized the importance of strategic preparation. “You are essentially making a case to the admissions officer on the other side of the desk who is reading your application in 8-10 minutes. It’s not about whether a school ‘likes’ to see test scores or not; it’s about whether the test score will enhance your story and make a compelling argument for acceptance. Taking the test, doing your best, and being prepared are crucial steps. Once you have that score, then you can decide whether to submit it or not.”

    Selingo’s insights highlight the significance of a well-prepared application, highlighting the critical role that test scores play in the admissions process.

    Huntington test prep programs lead to a significant increase in test scores — on average, 229 points on the SAT and 5.4 points on the ACT. Moreover, on average, Huntington students receive $71,000 in scholarship offers. For more information on college and test prep programs, and to receive updates about Huntington’s initiatives to create a path to success for students graduating high school in today’s new climate, visit huntingtonhelps.com.

    About Huntington Learning Center

    Huntington Learning Center is the nation’s leading tutoring and test prep provider. We offer customized programs in person, online, and hybrid options. Our certified teachers provide individualized instruction in phonics, reading, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington’s programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Huntington is accredited by Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.HuntingtonHelps.com; and for franchising opportunities, visit www.HuntingtonFranchise.com.

    Source: Huntington Learning Center

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  • Indie Developer, Knowledge Crunch Releases Its First in a Series of Mobile Game Apps, WordPash

    Indie Developer, Knowledge Crunch Releases Its First in a Series of Mobile Game Apps, WordPash

    Press Release
    –


    updated: Jun 14, 2016


    La Jolla, CA, June 14, 2016 (Newswire.com)
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    Available today, the app Word Pash, is a word game mobile app for everyone in the global audience who enjoys playing games on their iPhones or iPads. Whether you are a third grader or Ph.D, word buff or student studying for that SAT, foreign student or international business person, within no time, you will get hooked to this word game.

    The app is visually appealing, maximizes social features, and has multi-player modes so that you can challenge your friends or play against random players. Because it adapts to any level of word difficulty you are never bored with too easy a level or overwhelmed by one too hard. You can challenge your friends or anyone on Facebook who wants to play.

    “I love the viral sounds”

    Mechanical Turk, Reviewer

    WordPash has a vast database of words arranged in order of difficulty that runs from easy words through Ph.D levels. Users can upgrade their game play experience with 105 hours of recorded audio at whatever levels they choose along the way. Male and female voices encourage perfect pronunciation of unknown new words surely to be encountered as you pass level after level. One of our beta testers John (Real name not disclosed) opines that “The fast 5 game was really fun! I like how you can listen to the definitions” There are 172 levels of play and coins can be earned to buy various power ups and audio compliments.

    Veteran computer pioneer, David Kay, of Kaypro and WordSmart Corps, is heading up the team that developed Word Pash over the last year. Peter Hompot, artist, Kevin Tran, software engineer, and Poorvi Adavi, social media marketing director, round out the management group.

    Please visit http://www.wordpash.com/ for more information on Word Pash, including screenshots and videos of the app.

    If you would like further information on Word Pash or you would like to schedule an interview please contact:

    David Kay, President

    Phone: 619-890-8068                                

    Email: davidk@wordpash.com

    Find us on Facebook and @WordPash on Twitter

    To download the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/word-pash/id1057735478?mt=8

    Source: Knowledge Crunch, Inc.

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