Amid Test cancellations, one firm is staying on schedule
Intro: With millions of kids staying home from school, now is a great time to get them studying for their SAT tests.
Connecticut-based Ivy Bound Test Prep is holding Practice Tests almost no differently than before the Covid quarantines. The firm has held Practice SATs and Practice ACTs online since 2012.
Mark Greenstein, founder of Ivy Bound, joins us in the discussion.
Q&A:
- How has your business changed in the coronavirus era of everyone staying at home?
Answer: Via Zoom, we used to have students testing at home join students in our Newington classroom and some-time Test Proctor. Now we simply have all of them beam in.
- Paint us a picture. What does this look like?
Answer: Students see a countdown clock on their computer screen, a human proctor in front of the camera, and otherwise their task is the same as if they were testing in the same room.
- Practice SAT testing is a growing field. Tell us why that is.
Answer: The SAT remains an important admissions criterion at the more selective 4-year college. A high SAT score is even more important for landing college scholarships; these four-year scholarships range from $20,000 to over $120,000 over a four year span. The awards are MERIT-based, not need based and even wealthy families typically like saving money.
- You’ve been in the education business a long time. How to you project SAT scores to be in this ‘new normal’ of staying home?
Answer: I predict that SAT testers this summer will be the highest scores ever as home-bound students will be studying more than ever—including during a school year. Since practice improves scores, students are making the most of their home-bound time.
- Where may we get more information on Ivy Bound?
Answer: IvyBound.net
