“Put down your
pencils and please turn in your test booklets.”
These are the
words thousands of high-school students hear each year when taking the SAT or
ACT tests that could determine college admission and/or college scholarships.
Such standardized tests have been the source of frustration, excitement and
success for young students.
There’s only one
problem. Scores are dropping nationwide. The College Board organization that
writes and manages the SAT reported the lowest scores in 40 years and a 20-point
decline since 2006, according to The Washington Post.
Focused Preparation
ElDeiry |
Preparation for
such a daunting test requires a deeper understanding of the test itself and a
focus on a student’s learning and test-taking style, according to Mike ElDeiry, owner and
instructor with Weston-based Broward Tutorial Services, also known as BTS.
Broward Tutorial
Services provides small-group preparation with eight or fewer
students and private tutoring for SAT and ACT preparation as well as
ACT/SAT Diagnostic testing to give students a baseline for what they might
score on the test and areas for improvement.
“The key to
success is not volume, but quality,” ElDeiry says. “Taking small-group classes
gives our students a personalized approach while relating to the struggles of
fellow students. Students have to start early in taking practice tests, putting
the time in studying and practicing—and practicing some more.”
Broward Tutorial
Services boasts an impressive
track record of success, with many students raising scores by over 300
points on the SAT. After studying at Tufts and Harvard Universities and earning
an MBA from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, ElDeiry used his
experience as an algebra, math and business professor, to prepare students for
these and other areas of college testing. ElDeiry teaches these small-group
classes with language arts expert Adam Moss, a reading and English professor
who specializes in coaching students at every skill level in preparation for
grammar and reading examinations.
While ElDeiry and
the BTS team try to pinpoint each student’s potential for improving testing
scores, additional portions emphasized include time management,
recognizing “trap” questions and process of elimination.
Expect Success
Florida’s
lottery-funded “Bright Futures” program sets a minimum GPA and ACT/SAT
scores for automatic scholarships to any Florida public college/university.
These requirements create a more competitive landscape for college admissions
and scholarships. The ability to help a student achieve the desired score and
beyond is one of the reasons ElDeiry continues to provide test preparation
services.
“I always knew
that teaching was my calling, and my fellow instructor Adam and I both have a
special skill for seeing where students get stuck and what they get stuck on,”
he says. “Helping students be able to afford college is life-changing.”
For more information about Broward Tutorial
Services, please visit BrowardTutorial.com or call (954) 667-6500. To view a listing of upcoming small-group classes,
click here. Online registration
is available.