By DEREK LEBZELTER
It's tough enough to find a college that's right for you.
There are all sorts of variables that have to be taken into consideration
before you make your choice. Once you make the decision on where to
go, how do you get in there?
There are several answers to that. Most of the emphasis will be put on
your grades and the level of difficulty of the classes you've taken. A
"B" in calculus is worth more to the prospective engineering major
than an "A" in basket weaving.
Your extracurricular activities and community service will also figure
into the admissions process. They don't want you to stay in your room
studying all the time.
Some colleges may require interviews, auditions, or portfolios
depending on the department to which you are applying. One thing all
colleges require though are the standardized college entrance tests -
the SAT and the ACT.
Those are the two big ones. What are they? Which should I take? How
much can I take them? What's the difference? How should I prepare
for them? These are questions that may be going through the heads of
many college-bound high school sophomores and juniors. Sometimes
the easiest way to do badly on these tests is to not know anything about
them.
The ACT assessment is run by the American College Testing
Program. The test is given six times a year in hundreds of cities all
over the United States. This test shows more about your reasoning
skills than actual knowledge.
You'll need a good background in the areas it covers, but specific facts
aren't required of you. Instead of "What is the atomic weight of
hydrogen?" it will ask, "Given this table of experimental data,
what is
the atomic weight of hydrogen at certain points." It is an indicator
to
colleges as to how well you will cope with some of the new concepts
you will be learning throughout your two, four, or more years of
college.
The ACT is divided into four sections: math, science, reading, and
English. The math section deals mainly with algebra and geometry.
Word problems are used a lot, and there is a small section on basic
trigonometry.
There aren't any questions that deal with any specific constants and
there are no formulas that you will need to know going into this test.
The science section has a lot of tables in it that need interpreted. Basic
knowledge of biology, chemistry, physics, geology and meteorology
are assumed.
There is no indepth formulas or theories that need to be known. The
English portion of the exam is just an exercise in editing. You will be
asked to correct any errors that are found throughout several passages.
Sometimes sentences will be out of order in a paragraph and you will
be required to organize them so they make the most sense and get the
idea across best. The reading section deals with understanding several
passages. A page-to-page-and-a-half article will be given to you. You
are to read it and then answer questions about the content of the article
and what it means.
The time limit varies from portion to portion. The order is: English -
45 minutes; math - 60 minutes; reading - 35 minutes; science - 35
minutes.
Calculators are allowed on the math section. Graphing, scientific, and
regular four function calculators are permitted, but none with a
QWERTY keypad nor any that make noise. ACT tests are scored 1-36.
Each section is graded individually with the scores averaged into one
composite which many refer to as their "score."
All questions on the ACT are multiple guess, I mean multiple choice,
but guessing is encouraged, since there is no penalty for marking down
the wrong answer. (There are no negative points).
The SAT is run by The College Board and is much more English-
oriented than the ACT. In the SAT I: reasoning test there are two
main sections: verbal and nonverbal (math). They are scored on an
800-point scale in increments of 10. That means that you can have the
score of 610, but not 613 or 608. In the SAT, guessing is punished.
Whenever an incorrect answer is given, a fraction of a point will be
taken away from your score. The SAT is divided into different
sections. Usually there will be one long verbal section followed by one
long math section followed by one long verbal and then another math.
Then there are three short sections consisting of either math or verbal.
The verbal section has all sorts of parts to it. There is a section where
you are given a paragraph and you must fill in the appropriate
vocabulary words from the other side of the page. Analogies are, to
me, the toughest section of the SAT. You are given something like
HELMET:HEAD::GLOVE:???? Of course they are much tougher than
that, but if you don't know what the words from the first part of the
analogy mean (like either helmet or head), you have no prayer of
getting the answer right. You can't eliminate any choices. Also
included are short reading excerpts with critical questions pertaining
to it.
The math section is more advanced than the ACT math. SAT
nonverbal has a lot more trigonometry in it, and those of you with
little math experience will have a great deal of difficulty with it. There
aren't as many word problems as are in the ACT, but geometry is used
equally in both exams. Again, you don't need to know any formulas
coming into the test - only basic techniques of algebra, trig, and
geometry. The SAT is mostly multiple choice, but there is a section of
the math test that requires fill in answer.
The information that I've given so far has concerned mainly the SAT
I: Reasoning Test. It's designed to see how you can figure out
problems. There is a far more sinister exam in the SAT realm that
examine specific knowledge in a particular area - the SAT II: subject
tests. These are really nasty. When you arrive at the test center, they
give you a packet full of these subject tests. You are allowed to pick
three. You have a choice between subjects in math, literature, the
sciences, history and foreign languages. They are mostly multiple
choice except for the writing test which involves a section on editing
and then a section where you must write an essay on a topic they give
you. All tests are graded on the 800-point scale except for certain
foreign language tests.
Which test is right for you? It depends on what kind of college you are
looking at. If you are looking at a small Midwestern college, especially
in Ohio, the ACT should be fine. They will make you eligible for any
of the scholarships open to those who take the SAT. Everyone should
probably take the ACT, but if you're looking at an elite private school,
you may want to take the SAT I and the SAT II subject tests. The only
college in Ohio that really wants the SAT IA's is Case Western
Reserve University. Ivy League schools all require SAT and SAT II. If
you aren't comfortable with the setup of the SAT and don't plan to go
to an elite school, you may want to just skip it altogether and take the
ACT. There won't be any penalty if you do.
How do I find out more about the tests and get sample questions? Go
to your guidance counselor. He or she should have booklets like
"Taking the SAT I Reasoning Test," "Taking the SAT II: Subject
Tests," and "Preparing for the ACT Assessment." There are
numerous
sites on the World Wide Web that contain information and practice
questions for both tests. Just go to www.yahoo.com and search for
either "SAT" or "ACT." Also for sophomores, take the
PLAN (the Pre-
ACT) test or if you're a junior, the PSAT.) They can give you valuable
insight on what your test scores might be. The PSAT can also qualify
you for the National Merit Scholarship which is nationally recognized
as one of the most prestigious scholarships one can get.
A plethora of ACT and SAT materials can be found scattered about
the Lebzelter living room when the tests are scheduled in the area, at
least that's we we're told.
A Derek Lebzelter column
Preparation for ACT and SAT tests can get really tricky.
You don't want to study too much for them because your brain will be
fried, but you don't want to blow them off because your score will
almost certainly go down. My advice, on the ACT, is to just review
very quickly some of the rules of grammar and English. There is no
real preparation for the reading section except to be familiar with the
format. Math and science can be review by going over the basic
concepts of the respective disciplines. In the SAT, look for vocabulary
words. Ask the junior or senior English teacher in your school for a
list of vocabulary words that are likely to appear on the test.
That is the biggest thing that can boost your score on the verbal
portion. There are a variety of books out there that have all sorts of
information on both the SAT and ACT, but I really don't think they do
much good. Sometimes they give little rules or hints, but sometimes
the questions on the real test don't look too much like those in the
book. It depends on how much money you are willing to spend.
More little preparation tips - Get a good night's sleep before the test.
If
you start nodding off in the middle of the math portion of the ACT,
your score will go down. There is no maybe. You need to be able to
concentrate on the test. I have been accused of harping on food too
much in past articles, but this time I'm not going to spend too much
time on it. Make sure you have a little something before the test - a
Poptart or nutragrain bar is enough. You just don't want to be worried
about food during the test. Don't stop off at McDonald's before the test
just so you can have a big breakfast. The lost sleep is more important
than the food.
After you're done with the test, go out to eat. If you're taking the test
with friends, tell your stories about the tough problems on the test.
After laughing about them, they won't seem so bad. The objective right
after the test is to keep your mind off it. Just relax. You can't do
anything about it now. ACT will take longer to get back than the SAT
by a few weeks, so be patient. If you have any questions about your
results or about anything dealing with these tests, talk to your
guidance counselor. He or she is there for YOU. Use them, but don't
abuse them.
If college is your goal, make sure you take these tests. Your scores
aren't the only things looked at when applying, but they are an
important part. Make sure you're familiar with the tests and prepared
for them. Your future is riding on it.
A Mandy White column
It's all about stress. Everyone has too much of it.
Teens' lives are stressful today, no doubt about it. Pressure to take drugs,
have sex at an early age, get the best test score, etc. Like the world's
trying to make us grow up as fast as possible.
It's almost tempting to look back and wish for "the good old days"
when
kids could be kids. Until you actually listen to what the kids of yesterday
tell you about their childhood.
Let me tell you a story about a dear friend of mine, who had what you
could call a few stressful teen years of his own.
His name is John Krenisky, and he's a great-grandfather. I'm sure there's
lots of senior citizens out there like him - not the richest people in the
world, but the hardest workers you'll meet and a heart of gold.
Anyway, back to my story. Circa 1930. The Great Depression. And
John's mother is trying to make ends meet with seven children and no
husband in Johnstown, Pa., where jobs aren't exactly plentiful unless you
can work in the steel mills.
John's the oldest boy - he's 12. Not old enough to work in the mills, but
he needs a job to support his family. (After all, he's 12 - the man of the
house.)
There are no jobs in Johnstown to be had, and so John makes a tough
decision. Somehow he finds the money for a train ticket, packs his best
suit of clothes, and says goodbye to his mother and brothers and sisters.
His destination? New York City.
There are no friends, no relatives to greet the 12-year-old as he steps
off
the excursion train. This huge city is nothing like the hilly, spread out
Johnstown and John doesn't even have a map of New York.
He does have a few dollars left from his train fare and he has to find a
place to stay.
So John starts asking people on the street where he can find a room and
maybe a job. Some ignore the little boy, others offer suggestions.
After some searching, a room is obtained - $4 a week. (What kind of
person would rent a room to a 12-year-old? When times are hard, people
don't ask too many questions as long as you can pay, John told me.)
Now, to find a job.
As he walks through New York, John stops at every business
establishment looking for work. Being 12, he has to lie about his age to
possible employers.
Pretty young looking for a 16-year-old, but after some pounding of the
pavement he gets a job cleaning tables at an automat. It lasted two
weeks, until John gets a job across the street as a busboy in a big
restaurant.
Hours: 12 a day, seven days a week, plus whatever "overtime" can
be
scraped up after hours. Once, after work, he cleans the whole restaurant's
ceiling on a narrow walkway set up between two ladders.
For 84 hours of work a week he gets 12 bucks. Four he sends home, four
pays for his lodging, and four is for busfare. He wakes up, works, comes
home and sleeps. Wakes up again.....and so on. But he works really hard.
The restaurant owner takes a liking to John, so he's always fed good in
the restaurant's kitchen. John told me that once his boss even invited him
over to his house. John refused, because he said he looked too poor to be
in a fine house. "It's not what you look like, it's what you are like,"
his
boss informed him. But John never did get to see the fine house.
He works there until he is old enough to work in the steel mills back
home. But he was still at the big New York restaurant to see the workday
shortened to 10 hours and to pay 50-cent-a-week union dues.
When he told me that story, I was just amazed. It sounds like a different
world, doesn't it? I forget I take for granted that I've never been hungry
one night, never worried about how I was going to support my family. I
may have a part-time job, but I buy CD's and wicker chaise lounges with
my money, not the bare necessities. And I'm 16. I have a 12-year-old
brother who won't pour his own milk. And here this little boy was in a
strange city trying to support his family - for years. This is just one
example of many similar stories, but hopefully you see my point.
Teens' fears and problems may change, evolve with the world they live
in, but there is no such thing as "the good old days" where young
people
lived in a haze of stability and happiness. Yesterday they struggled for
the basic necessities of life - food, clothing, shelter and companionship.
So what is our struggle today?
White works part-time to help support her good friends Leonard, Bingo
and Sam, but that's another story. Read more of Mandy's
columns.
What has Matt Umholtz been doing lately?
Playing basketball, dreaming about baseball and studying the U.S.
Constitution (in that order?).
The lanky 13-year-old, an eighth-grader at Columbus Junior High
School in Ashtabula, has strong opinions about why his school is cool.
His favorite class: civics. The tastiest item on sale in the school
cafeteria: fries.
A lifelong resident of Ashtabula, Umholtz remains uncertain about his
future. But he is thankful for the people he's met in Ashtabula County.
"I like the teachers (at Columbus)," Umholtz said. "They're
nice to me.
(And) I got a lot of friends." (OK, teachers, pay up!)
Umholtz is quite the athlete, playing on his school's baseball and
basketball teams. He says he would like to play professional baseball
someday - but here's his problem:
He also wants to live - badly - in a place that's warmer and has less
snow than Ashtabula Is there such a place?
Well, the Florida Marlins are awash in winning ways right now. But
do they have as many good years ahead of them as Umholtz appears to
have?
Kids doing Steinbeck?
Hijack a car and take off for the Beck Center for the Cultural Arts in
Lakewood.
Teen Theater there is doing "The Grapes of Wrath."
It runs Feb. 13, 14, 20, 21 and 22. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. on
Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets for teens are $5.
Add a couple of bucks if you're older.
The center is on Detroit Avenue.
And here's something else to know if you ever make TV's "Jeopardy,":
According to a center release, "Beck Center's School for Children and
Teens is the oldest continually operating children's theater in the
country. Besides providing three productions each season, the theater
school offers classes, workshops and camps for young thespians
throughout the year."
Teen/Currents resident movie critic Laura Dowler and some of her
pals are jetting off to France this week, no doubt to examine how
American films are dubbed into French.
Have a nice time and let's hope this plane ride goes a little better for
you, Laura.
We'll stay home and watch "Au Revoir Les Enfant."
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editor
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