手机版
Thousands of intelligent students seize up during standardized test season. They're the ones in the back of the gymnasium, frantically writing to the last minute and choking under the pressure of an egg timer. I am this student.
Perhaps test anxiety doesn't come from the actual questions sitting in front of us, but rather the fact that these standardized test scores can be life altering. These scores affect our admittance to the right schools, our ability to gain scholarships and our ability to qualify for certain types of aid. The weight of these tests had many of us prematurely self-destructing, and honestly, it doesn't get any easier as we get older.
Want to do an MBA or law degree? Your qualifying test scores could mean the difference between a great life transition and a mediocre one. Below is a list of test prep resources. If you're spending your summer prepping, these might just help you gain the confidence you need to come out on top.
1.Watermelon Express: NYC-based Watermelon Express is a learning company that claims to have helped 10,000 members with it's mobile, desktop and web applications. The company provides students with detailed performance analysis, projected scores, online forums and customized review pages. Mobile applications are currently available on the iPhone, Blackberry and Android and separate study sets for the GRE, LSAT, SAT, GMAT, MCAT are priced reasonably at $20 dollars each.
2.Grockit: Grockit prepares students for the SAT, ACT, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT and GRE. This service emphasizes the group learning experience and students invite friends from Yahoo, Gmail and Plaxo to join in the site's games. This is particularly useful for the SATs when large groups of peers are likely to be studying together. The service offers a point system for tests and games, and displays student scoring in terms of community testing percentiles. Additional features include real time chat and the ability to find online tutors. Tutorial rates range from zero to $20 dollars per hour. Grockit is free for the first 35 questions or $40 dollars per year for unlimited access to questions, diagnostic tests and scheduled group games.
3.Brightstorm: Brightstorm focusses on preparing teens for the SAT, ACT and AP-level high school courses. This tool is particularly useful for visual learners because programs offer hours of video courses, strategies and practice exams. What's interesting about this preparation tool is that while it provides knowledge-based tests and quizzes, it also teaches students strategies to make educated guesses. For example, in one video the instructor says, "On the ACT English, the shortest answer is correct a third of the time." Brightstorm packages are priced at $99 dollars per test and a 1-800 line is available for questions.
4.EPrep: EPrep also prepares students for the SAT, ACT, PSAT and high school subjects using video instructions. Students complete practice tests in a timed environment, receive grades and review test answers via video tutorials. EPrep offers a free 7 day trial period and packages generally range in price between $69-$249 dollars. This service takes a more conventional classroom-style approach to teaching so it's better for those that excel in this type of environment. For those that prefer a more interactive experience, Watermelon Express and Grockit might be a better fit.
5.Knewton: Prep Me is a learning environment for students interested in taking the PSAT, ACT and SAT. This service offers an initial diagnostic test and then builds a personalized study schedule for students. Similar to other programs, students can chat with tutors, take practice quizzes and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. The service is currently expanding to offer testing in the GMAT, MCAT and LSAT and is priced between $300-$700 dollars. That being said, the company boasts an average 305 point increase on the SAT for grade 11 students. The company is currently offering premium services for free to students in the State of Maine.
6.Knewton: Knewton is another program that adapts a study plan for students. The company specializes in GMAT, GRE, SAT and LSAT testing and matches videos and lessons to a students "learning arc". Students can interact via a live on-demand video classroom and the company offers results or a money back guarantee. Courses are priced at $890 dollars for 15 teaching sessions and more than 45 classroom hours. While this is a particularly high price tag for testing services, if a couple hundred dollars is the cost of qualifying for a scholarship, perhaps the service is worth it.
成千上万名天资聪颖的考生都要为标准化考试忙得焦头烂额。他们坐在考场的后排，不顾一切地奋笔疾书到最后一分钟，被计时器逼迫得喘不过气来。我就是这样一名考生。
恐怕考试焦虑症并不来源于考题本身，而是标准化考试可以改变命运的事实�？际猿杉ɑ峁叵档轿颐潜荒囊凰笱既。懿荒苣玫浇毖Ы穑忻挥凶矢袢〉媚骋坏燃兜闹Ы�。这些考试的份量之重，让我们中间的很多人过早地毁了自己的前途，而且，随着年龄逐渐增大，这些考试也越来越不好对付。
想读MBA或者是法学学位？你的考试成绩既可能让你飞黄腾达，也可能让你泯然众人。以下是几个备考资源，如果你在准备夏季的考试，这些东西也许会帮助你找到从众人中脱颖而出的信心吧。
1.Watermelon Express:位于纽约城的Watermelon Express是一家学习公司，它声称已通过自己的手机、电脑和web应用程序帮助了一万名会员。它向考生提供具体的成绩分析、预计分数、在线论坛和自定义回顾页面等服务。Watermelon Express的手机程序现在可以应用于iPhone、黑莓和Android,拥有GRE、LSAT、SAT、GMAT、MCAT的学习包，学习包售价不贵，每个20美元。
2.Grockit:Grockit 帮助考生准备SAT、ACT、GMAT、LSAT、MCAT和GRE考试。它强调小组学习的重要性，考生可以从Yahoo、Gmail和Plaxo邀请好友。Grockit对SAT尤其有用，因为很多人通常都在一起学习。这项服务还提供了一个测试和游戏的积分系统，并能显示出考生得分在群体中占第多少个百分位。附加功能还包括实时聊天以及寻找网上教程。教程每小时费用从0到20美元不等。Grockit对于前35个考题免费，而支付40美元的年费可以无限制地答题、参加诊断测试以及预定时间的集体游戏。
3.Brightstorm:Brightstorm 专注于帮助青少年准备SAT、ACT考试和高中AP课程。它提供了数小时的视频课程、备考策略和模拟考试，因此对视觉学习者帮助甚多。这款备考工具的有趣之处在于，在提供以知识为主题的测验和问答同时，它还会授以学生猜题策略。比如，教师在一部视频中说道，"在ACT英语测试中，最短的选项正确的概率是三分之一。"Brightstorm每种考试的学习包售价99美元，可以通过拨打1-800热线提问。
4.EPrep:EPrep 用视频教学的方式帮助学生备考SAT、ACT、PSAT和高中课程�？忌梢栽诠娑ㄊ奔涞幕肪诚峦瓿赡Ｄ饪际裕竦梅质⑼ü悠到坛滩榭创鸢浮� EPrep提供7天的试用期，学习包的价格在69-249美元之间不等。Eprep采取的是一种更为传统的课堂式教学环境，比较适合在传统环境中成绩不错的考生。对于更喜欢互动式环境的学生，Watermelon Express和Grockit是较好的选择。
5.Knewton:Prep Me是为有兴趣参加PSAT、ACT和SAT的考生准备的学习环境。该服务会在用户首次使用时进行摸底测验，然后为考生建立起个人化的学习计划。同其他应用类似，在Prep Me中学生可以同教师聊天，参加模拟问答，分析出自己的长项与弱点。Prep Me目前正在扩大业务，提供的考试服务还将包括GMAT、MCAT和LSAT,售价在300-700美元之间。据说，该公司声称能将11年级的SAT分数平均提高305分。目前，公司为缅因州的学生提供免费的增值服务（link）.
6.Knewton:Knewton是另一款为学生制定学习计划的软件。公司专门从事GMAT、GRE、SAT和LSAT的备考，将视频和课程同考生的"learning.arc"文件匹配起来。学生可以通过请求式视频课堂进行互动。课程价格为890美元，包括15次课程以及超过45个课时。这在备考服务中可是当仁不让的高价，但如果花这几百美元能帮你拿到奖学金，那么还是物有所值的。
