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Guide for SAT/College Entrance Essay |
| Test Taking Strategies |
College for All Texans gives information about all tests  you will need, colleges, financial aids for Texans

TAKS Practice

I. From TEA

Released TAKS tests, Answer Keys & Scoring Guides. Released tests from previous years . Students can also take the Interactive Online version.

Revised TAKS Information Booklet from TEA with Study guide, Objectives students have to achieve, and samples questions for each objective.

II. From HISD Online Resources (If you access from home, ask your librarian for the username and password each year.)

Testing & Education Reference Center- Selet a school, then scroll down to Testing & Education Reference Center at the bottom of the page. Many tests of all kinds, including TAKS Exit test prep, (SAT, ACT, TASP, GED, GRE, TAKS Reading, and Math for 4th and 8th Grades, basic English & math skills).
Based on the official tests, the site generates many tests for students to practice.

Test Prep E-Books to read online or printout, also available from the link above

III. From University of Texas in Austin

TRACK for the TAKS- Free from UT- helps prepare for the 11th grade TAKS tests_Social Studies, Science, Math & Language Arts, includes diagnostic tests and supplemental learning materials in the subject areas tested on the exit-level. Click on "Get Started" and follow the prompts to download necessary plugins. Create your own account.

IV. From Alief ISD

TAKS Practice- for TAKS Exit Test for 11th & 10th grade science with Notes and Activities for each of the five objectives.

V. From Houston Public Library

Learning Express Library- (Login with your HPL Power Card number to enter this site).
Provides test preparation materials and interactive practice exams (SAT, ACT, TASP, GED, GRE TAKS Reading, and Math for 4th and 8th Grades, basic English & math skills) as well as a Job and Career Center. Based on official tests, the practice exams will help you improve your scores on academic, civil service, military, and professional licensing and certification exams, Civil Service, Law Enforcement, EMS, Real Estate, Military, etc.)

VI. From Textbook Publishers & Others

Online TAKS Practice for Social Studies for grades 8, 10 & 11 from Glencoe. Click on a grade level to find a full practice test as well as quizzes based on each TAKS objective.

Online TAKS Practice- Social Studies-This web site is provided by Pearson Prentice Hall. Select the textbook you want to review. Choose a test to take.

Language of Literature Test Practice- from McDougal Littell, for grade 6-11 in reading and English language arts Exit level

Interactive Test Practice for K-8

Assessment: K-12- Help students practice skills for annual assessments.

Mathematics TestQuest and Test Prep: Grade 1-6- Improve critical thinking skills with lessons, Shockwave tutorials, and brainteasers.

MathSlice Mock Tests: Grades 3-5- Study number concepts, fractions, measurement, geometry, and statistics.

ReviseWise: Grades K-6- Offers academic support as kids prepare

VA Standards of Learnin: Grades 3,5,8- Complete interactive quizzes as they practice answering science, math, and technology questions.

SAT & ACT Practice

I. Online Resources Subscriptions From HISD & Houston Public Library

**Thompson Gale Test Prep- The Testing & Education Center is at the bottom of the page. All kinds of tests, and college, scholarship & career search. There are also Test Prep e-books to read or printout. (If you access from home, ask your librarian for the password and username.)

**Learning Express Library- (Login with your HPL Power Card number) to enter this site.
Provides test preparation materials and interactive practice exams (SAT, ACT, TASP, GED, GRE TAKS Reading, and Math for 4th and 8th Grades, basic English & math skills) as well as a Job and Career Center. Based on official tests, the practice exams will help you improve your scores on academic, civil service, military, and professional licensing and certification exams, Civil Service, Law Enforcement, EMS, Real Estate, Military, etc.)

II. Free Internet Resources

***College for Texans Test Prep: TOPCAT (TX Online Preparation for College Admissions Tests.) SAT, ACT, GRE, Vocab.

** CollegeBoard.com- Information about PSAT, SAT, AP, CLEP to prepare for the new SAT(beginning in March, 20005). Practice taking this test and find out your result scores, ability and explanation for all answers.

*College PowerPrep. provides a complete SAT and ACT preparation course - all online and all FREE! Each week you'll be provided you with new learning module s from our SAT and ACT. You'll need to register and download free software. Visit the Lab, then open the "Classroom"

**Number2.com- Free SAT, ACT, GRE Prep. Online test preparation courses are totally free! By creating an account you can access a customized course that includes tutorials, practice sessions that dynamically adapt to each student's ability level.

* Pink Monkey Study Guide & Online Textbooks with SAT sample questions for practice

*SparkNotes:Test Prep- Study guide and practice tests for the New SAT, ACT, AP, SAT Subject tests. Read the book online for free.

*Test Prep Review- Your Source for Free Practice Tests of all kinds. Provides results with correct answers, but not interactive.

ACT Test Prep. A 79 page book written about the ACT test and one sample test providing explanations of both correct and incorrect answers are given with correct answers, and a sample topic for an essay with 4 different essays written about this topic from poor to excellent samples and comments.

Barrons Free Practice Test. 4 sections with 5 questions in each.

College Board AP Information

College Board SAT Question of the Day.

4Tests.com- provider of free, online practice exams

Free English Tests for ESL/EFL, TOEFL, TOEIC, SAT, GRE, AGAT and ESL exercises in 3 levels.

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SAT VOCABULARY- Links to help you study for the Verbal part of the SAT

SAT Vocabulary Preparation

100 Most Common SAT Words (activities)

Vocabulary

Vocabulary University


TOEFL Practice

4Test.com- Samples of TOEFL, SAT, Pre-SAT, AP, ACT, GED, college and graduate exams.

Free TOEFL Practice-

Online TOEFL Practice-

Sample Tests-

TOEFL -

*TOEFL Practice -

TOEFL Practice Questions-

TOEFL Practice Quiz-

TOEFL Structure and Written Expression /Grammar Tests.

Test Taking Strategies

These helpful tips are for teachers, parents and students.

Improving Your Test-Taking Skills

Test-Taking Strategies

Effective Study & Test Taking Strategies for Kids with Learning Difficulties by SchwabLearning.org at http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=878

 

 Guide for College Entrance/SAT Essay

Sample Essays

Read the following application essays. See if you can figure out the essay's strengths and weaknesses. Click the menus below to view critiques of the essay as you go along.

Sample 1. Sample 2. Sample 3. Sample 4 with unedited and edited versions and critics.

Sample College Essay Questions

Generally, there are three types of questions: The "you," the "why us," and the "creative." Here are tips and actual sample questions for each type. Don't assume that the questions are currently being used by a college (most colleges adjust questions annually).

The "You" Question

Many colleges ask for an essay that boils down to, "Tell us about yourself." The school just wants to know you better and see how you'll introduce yourself. For example:

  • "Please complete a one-page personal statement and submit it with your application." (James Madison University)
  • "How would you describe yourself as a human being? What quality do you like best in yourself and what do you like least? What quality would you most like to see flourish and which would you like to see wither?" (Bates College)
  • "Describe any interesting experience you have had during your college admission search."
  • "Creative people state that taking risks often promotes important discoveries in their lives or their work. Discuss a risk that has led to a significant change (positive or nagative) in your personal or intellectual life."
  • "Describe the most challeging obstacle you have had to overcome. Discuss its impact and tell what you have learned from the experience."
  • "To learn to think is to learn to question. Discuss a matter you once thought you knew "for sure" that you since have learned to question."

    Your Approach

    This direct question offers a chance to reveal your personality, insight, and commitment. The danger is that it's open-ended, so you need to focus. Find just one or two things that will reveal your best qualities, and avoid the urge to spill everything.

    The "Why Us" Question

    Some schools ask for an essay about your choice of a school or career. They're looking for information about your goals, and about how serious your commitment is to this particular school. For example:

  • "Why is UVM a good college choice for you?" (University of Vermont)
  • "Please tell us about your career goals and any plans you may have for graduate study." (Westfield State College)
  • "Tell us about yourself, your reasons forapplying to USF and your reasons for seeking a college education."
  • "Describe your selecting UH and your personal and professional goals, plans for after college."
  • "We would like to know what experiences have led you to select your professional field and objective."
  • "Please relate your interest in studying at George Town Uni. To your future goals."

    Your Approach

    The focus is provided: Why did you choose this school or path. This should be pretty clear to you, since you probably went through some kind of selection process. Make sure you know your subject well. For example, if you say you want to attend Smith College to major in dance, the school will be able to tell how carefully you've chosen (Smith doesn't have a dance major).

    3. The "Creative" Question

    Some colleges evaluate you through your choice of some tangential item: A national issue, a famous person, what you would put in a time capsule, a photograph. Here the school is looking at your creativity and the breadth of your knowledge and education. For example:

  • "Do you believe there's a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others." (Denison University)
  • "Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence." (Common Application)
  • "Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its important to you." (Common application)
  • "In your opinion, what is the greatest chanllenge that your generation will face? What ideas do you have in dealing with this issue."
  • "What is the value and importance of community service in our society and tell us what it means to you."
  • "Who do you feel has serve as the strongest Afro-American role model in this century and why?"
  • "John Keats said "Even a proverb is no proverb to you Til your life has illustrates it" Please tell us about an experience in your own life which illustrated a proverb, maxim, or quote that has special meaning to you" (Duke U.)
  • "You have just completed a 300-page autobiography. Please submit page 217." (U.of Pennsylvinia)
  • "For some prognosticators, the end of the world was insight by the year 1000. How do you forsee your world of 2020?"

    Your approach

    Again, you have something to react to, a way to show yourself and write about your real views. Just don't forget the importance of writing an informed essay. For example, don't write about a fantasy lunch with a famous writer and get the titles of her novels wrong. Also, when thinking about how creative to get, use common sense. Being creative to the point of wacky is a risk you may not want to take.

    Three Steps to a Great College Essay

    You, in 500 words or less

    The college application essay is a chance to explain yourself, to open your personality, charm, talents, vision, and spirit to the admission committee. It's a chance to show you can think about things and that you can write clearly about your thoughts. Don't let the chance disappear. Stand up straight and believe in yourself!

    The Essay Writing Process

    OK, boot up your computer and let's get to it. To write a college essay, use the exact same three-step process you'd use to write an essay for class: first prewrite, then draft, and finally, edit. This process will help you identify a focus for your essay, and gather the details you'll need to support it.

    1. Prewriting

    To begin, you must first collect and organize potential ideas for your essay's focus. Since all essay questions are attempts to learn about you, begin with YOU.

  • Brainstorm

    Set a timer for 15 minutes and make a list of your strengths and outstanding characteristics. Focus on strengths of personality, not things you've done. For example, you are responsible (not an "Eagle Scout") or committed (not "played basketball"). If you keep drifting toward events rather than characteristics, make a second list of the things you've done, places you've been, accomplishments you're proud of; use them for the activities section of your application.

  • Discover Your Strengths

    Do a little research about yourself: ask parents, friends, and teachers what your strengths are.

  • Create a "Self-Outline"

    Now, next to each trait, list five or six pieces of evidence from your life -- things you've been or done -- that prove your point.

  • Find Patterns and Connections

    Look for patterns in the material you've brainstormed. Group similar ideas and events together. For example, does your passion for numbers show up in your performance in the state math competition and your summer job at the computer store? Was basketball about sports or about friendships? When else have you stuck with the hard work to be with people who matter to you?

    2. Drafting

    Now it's time to get down to the actual writing. Write your essay in three basic parts: introduction, body, and conclusion.

  • The introduction gives your reader an idea of your essay's content. It can shrink when you need to be concise. One vivid sentence might do: "The favorite science project was a complete failure."
  • The body presents the evidence that supports your main idea. Use narration and incident to show rather than tell.
  • The conclusion can be brief as well, a few sentences to nail down the meaning of the events and incidents you've described.

    An application essay doesn't need to read like an essay about The Bluest Eye or the Congress of Vienna, but thinking in terms of these three traditional parts is a good way to organize your main points.

    Three basic essay styles you should consider
  • Standard Essay

    Take two or three points from your self-outline, give a paragraph to each, and make sure you provide plenty of evidence. Choose things not apparent from the rest of your application or "light up" some of the activities and experiences listed there.

  • Less-Is-More Essay

    In this format, you focus on a single interesting point about yourself. It works well for brief essays of a paragraph or half a page.

  • Narrative Essay

    A narrative essay tells a short and vivid story. Omit the introduction, write one or two narrative paragraphs that grab and engage the reader's attention, then explain what this little tale reveals about you.

    3. Editing

    When you have a good final draft, it's time to make final improvements to your draft, find and correct any errors, and get someone else to give you feedback. Remember, you are your best editor. No one can speak for you; your own words and ideas are your best bet.

  • Let It Cool

    Take a break from your work and come back to it in a few days. Does your main idea come across clearly? Do you prove your points with specific details? Is your essay easy to read aloud?

  • Feedback Time

    Have someone you like and trust (but someone likely to tell you the truth) read your essay. Ask them to tell you what they think you're trying to convey. Did they get it right?

  • Edit Down

    Your language should be simple, direct, and clear. This is a personal essay, not a term paper. Make every word count (e.g., if you wrote "in society today," consider changing that to "now").

  • Proofread Two More Times

    Careless spelling or grammatical errors, awkward language, or fuzzy logic will make your essay memorable -- in a bad way.

    College Essay Writing Tips

    Write an Effective Application Essay

    A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the admission staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from the other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin.

    DOs

  • Keep Your Focus Narrow and Personal
  • Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Try having someone read just your introduction to see what he or she thinks your essay is about.
  • Essays that try to be too comprehensive end up sounding watered-down. Remember, it's not about telling the committee what you've done -- they can pick that up from your list of activities -- instead, it's about showing them who you are.

    Prove It

    Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. There's a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details:

  • Okay: "I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests"
  • Better: "During that night, I sang the theme song from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman's gall bladder operation."

    Be Specific

    Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing by using vivid and specific details.

  • Okay: "I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel that many individuals have not been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others."
  • Better: "My Mom and Dad stood on plenty of sidelines 'til their shoes filled with water or their fingers turned white or somebody's golden retriever signed his name on their coats in mud. I think that kind of commitment is what I'd like to bring to working with fourth-graders."

    DON'Ts

  • Don't Tell Them What You Think They Want to Hear

    Most admission officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear.

  • Don't Write a Resumé

    Don't include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue, or laundry list. Yawn.

    "During my junior year, I played first singles on the tennis team, served on the student council, maintained a B+ average, traveled to France, and worked at a cheese factory."

  • Don't Use 50 Words When Five Will Do

    Eliminate unnecessary words.

    Okay: "Over the years it has been pointed out to me by my parents, friends, and teachers -- and I have even noticed this about myself, as well -- that I am not the neatest person in the world."

    Better: "I'm a slob."

  • Don't Forget to Proofread

    Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below.

    • "After I graduate form high school, I plan to work for a nonprofit organization during the summer."

      "From that day on, Daniel was my best fried."

    Choosing a College Essay Topic

    What You Write About Says Something About You

    Underlying all essay questions is choice. The essay question may be direct and ask you to choose something about yourself to discuss, or it may be indirect and require you to write about something such as an event, book, or quotation.

    Why Your Choice of Essay Matters

    The college regards your choices as a way to evaluate your preferences, values, mental processes, creativity, sense of humor, and depth of knowledge. Your writing reflects your power of persuasion, organizational abilities, style, and mastery of standard written English.

    Here is what colleges look for:

    § Your Preferences

    Your essay topic reveals your preferences.

    Your essay topic reveals your preferences. Are you an arts person or a hard-facts science type? Certainly, there is a difference between the person who'd like to talk about the cold war with Machiavelli and someone who'd like to get painting tips from Jackson Pollock.

    § Your Values

    Choice also reflects values. The person who drives a beat-up, rusty, 1971 Volkswagen is making a statement about how she wants to spend her money and what she cares about. We say, "That dress isn't me" or "I'm not a cat person." In choosing, you indicate what matters to you and how you perceive yourself.

    § Your Thought Process

    Choosing shows how you think. Are you whimsical, a person who chooses on impulse? Or are you methodical, careful, a person who gathers background information before choosing? Questions about you and about career and college reflect these choosing patterns, and even a question about a national issue can show your particular thinking style, level of intelligence, and insight.

    Think About Topics

    The topic you select for your essay can also reveal much about who you are. Yale's application instructs: "In the past, candidates have used this space in great variety of ways.... There is no 'correct' way to respond to this essay request...." No answer is wrong, but sloppy, general, insincere, or tasteless responses can hurt your cause.

    Some of the best essays, the memorable and unusual ones, are about very similar, just more focused, topics. Essays about your family, football team, trip to France, parents' divorce, or twin can be effective as long as they're focused and specific: a single Christmas Eve church service, a meal of boiled tongue in Grenoble, dipping ice cream on a summer job.

      Recipe for a Draft

    How to Kick-Start Your College Essay

    Sometimes the hardest part of writing a college admission essay is just getting started. Here's a quick exercise to get pen to paper (or keyboard to computer).

    § Step 1: Think about yourself

    What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your best qualities? Are you a plugger? An intellectual? A creative type? Curious? Passionate? Determined?

    § Step 2: Choose a positive quality you'd like to convey to the admission committee

    Don't pick an event or something you've done. President of the Nuclear Awareness Club is not a personal quality. Focus on a quality of your mind or of your character. Complete this sentence: "I am a very _________ person."

    § Step 3: Tell a story

    Set a timer for 20 minutes. Pretend you're taking an exam at high school and the question is, "Tell a story about an experience or time when you showed you were a very _________ person." Use the characteristic you identified in Step 2. Write or type non-stop for 20 minutes; force yourself to keep telling the story and what it reveals until the timer goes DING.

    You're Done

    Okay. That's it. You've got a rough draft for your college application essay. Look at the college application forms and see what questions they ask. No matter what the questions are, you've already identified the important characteristic you want to convey to each college.

    This article is based on information found in The College Application Essay, by Sarah Myers McGinty.

Please send questions, suggestions and corrections to dvolz@houstonisd.org