Now that the school year has started in St. Louis, I can tell from my blog stats that more people are looking up ACT and PSAT prep classes. Cooperating School Districts offers both this fall over interactive videoconference in a partnership with The Princeton Review. The registration deadline is Monday, September 8! For each class (series) to run, at least 50 participants are needed from all participating sites. For more details on each class, like practice test days, class dates, and fees, please click here.

Some figures from The Princeton Review to note regarding our classes:

• ACT Class: When students attend all of the program sessions, take all of the practice tests, & complete all homework the average score improvement is three points.
• PSAT Class: Public Missouri High School PSAT Score analysis:
  
  • Test 1 to Test 2: average score increase 12.1 pts; equivalent to 121 scaled SAT points.
  • Top 50% average score increase: 21.6 pts; equivalent to 216 Scaled SAT points.
  • Public Missouri high school students who completed The Princeton Review PSAT Clinic averaged of 12.1 pts higher on the PSAT, and the top 50% of student scoring 21.6  points higher, which is equivalent to an SAT scaled score increase of 216 points.

Don't delay in inquiring about this possibility in your (child's) school! We need to get class rosters and the technical information set before the classes start. The first ACT class is September 22 and the first PSAT class is October 2. It is also important to remember that we do not recommend students take the ACT prep course and the PSAT prep course at the same time, as techniques, tips, and tricks for both tests are different.

Don't Forget!

• Registration is still open for both of the videoconference ACT Prep Course and PSAT Prep Course - the deadline is September 8. Contact Rebecca Morrison at rmorrison@csd.org for prices, questions and/or registration.  
• The Technology Leadership Academy (TLA) starts October - you can still sign up with Martha Bogart at mbogart@csd.org.

As promised, Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis and The Princeton Review have set up classes for the October ACT course.  This class meets ten times over videoconference. Participating students are at far sites connecting to the instructor over interactive videoconference. There are three practice tests (not over v/c) given by participating schools on Saturday mornings, as the real ACT is given. (The October ACT this year will be October 25, 2008).

What takes place during the class? Twenty hours of instruction; The Princeton Review instructor connects live from CSD to participating sites. The Princeton Review instructor uses a SMART Board to illustrate how to solve equations. Each student gets a manual with practice problems in it. Homework is assigned. Tips & tricks for mastering the ACT are given. Questions are answered.

The course now costs $140 per student. The registration deadline is September 8, 2008. For those who register late (the late registration deadline is September 15), the fee increases to $190 per student. For the class to run, we need at least 50 students (this is a total from all participating sites, not individual ones). To register, or if you have questions about the videoconference course, e-mail rmorrison@csd.org.

Practice Tests, Saturday mornings on Sept. 20, Oct. 4, Oct. 18 2008
Class sessions, Monday & Wednesday afternoons:
Sept. 22 2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Sept. 24 2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Sept. 29 2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 1    2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 6    2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 8    2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 13  2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 15  2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 20  2008  3:30 - 5:30PM
Oct. 22  2008  3:30 - 5:30PM

According to The Princeton Review, when students attend all of the sessions, take all of the practice tests, and complete all assigned homework, average ACT score improvement is three points.  Again, the registration deadline is Monday, September 8.

Remember, we need at least 50 students (total from ALL participating sites) for the course to run.