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College Prep Genius: 'Master the SAT Class' helps students to success
HELPING: Students can earn scholarship money with good scores.
By Jim Kilpatrick, McKinney Courier-Gazette
Jean Burk has created a class for students who want to improve their scores on the SAT and PSAT tests.
"I started the class about three years ago," Burk said. "But before that I was working with my son [Josh] on improving his scores."
Her son was a ninth grader at the time.
"A friend of mine told me we could get money by doing well on the PSAT test," Burk said. "We started working on how to take the test and how to find the answers."
The trick to scoring higher came when she and her son realized that the tests are not normal tests. They are logic tests, she said.
"This is the reason a lot of students don't do well on the test," Burk said. "They just don't understand it."
After working with Josh for two years, he was able to get a full ride to any school he wanted to, she added.
Following her son's graduation from high school in 2003 she decided to share her knowledge and success with other parents.. She wrote a book called "College Prep Genius," which she uses to teach her classes on the PSAT and SAT.
"I put everything I had learned into the book and began teaching the class," Burk said. "If you are studying for one, you are studying for both of them."
Burk shows students how to break down the question types, how the questions are asked and all the tricks, strategies and short cuts students can use to get higher scores and cut their examination time in half.
She added that during her class they work actual problems and she explains why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Linda Townson of Celina had her son take the class.
"I think it covered a lot of material, but I think it was done in a way that the kids were able to comprehend," Townson said. "She was very engaging for this age of high school students."
The class takes two days to complete.
Faith Christian Academy uses Burk's textbook in their SAT prep class.
"We are seeing great results from her classes," Principal Toni Gore said. "She presents a very brilliantly put together set of techniques which she had found to be useful."
She added that it was important to take the techniques provided and practice with them.
"In our prep class here, we use her techniques with her textbook to practice and when they take the test they are prepared," Gore said.
The next class in McKinney will be held at the Faith Christian Academy at 115 Industrial Blvd. on Sept. 20 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Sept. 21 from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
"I have had great success all over the DFW helping students raise their SAT scores and reach test success," Burk said. "One of the reasons is that my classes are both effective and affordable."
Contact Jim Kilpatrick at jkipatrick@acnpapers.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Arjay wrote on Sep 17, 2008 10:14 AM:
" Looks like we don't need to waste money on MISD anymore - just send the kids to this 2 day class, they get their scholarships and everybody is happy. "
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