1. Must I take an expensive Guarantee Program ($4,500-$4,800)?

No.  If your score is above 670 in each subject, you can achieve 1500 or better without taking a long, expensive Guarantee Program. For these students, we recommend taking Accel’s 1-semester Preferred Guarantee Program ($3,000).  However, if your score is lower than 650 in each subject and your goal score is 1450 and over, you are a good candidate for Accel’s multi-semester Math, English, or Full Guarantee Program. 

 

2. What teaching methods does Accel use? Do you actually give lectures and teach the concepts and techniques? Or do teachers just give problems and answers to the questions?

Some programs don’t seem to have their own curricula; therefore, the centers only give problems and let students check the answers. Accel has developed its own curricula for four levels of ability to fit students’ needs. SAT classes consist of lecture on SAT-specific topics in math, grammar, and reading; review of Homework, Q & A & Quiz; and SAT Test and Review, Q & A

 

3. Are Lectures essential?

Lectures are a NECESSITY for improving SAT scores, especially for students whose starting scores are 650 or below.  These students must be taught through lectures, not just problem solving.

Surprisingly, parents often ask “Do you actually teach?  The question sounds odd; however, many SAT Prep centers do not give any lecture but only have problems solving sessions. 

A. Math

In Instructional Math class, lectures cover numerical and arithmetic concepts, basic algebraic concepts, geometric concepts, and advanced concepts. 

B. Writing

There are two types of questions on the Writing Section, Grammar Questions and Context Questions.

• In Instructional Writing class, in-depth lectures cover 17 units of grammar.  Most students’ schools have taught only a few of the grammar units Accel covers.

• Sentence Fragments & Run-on Sentences / Punctuation /Noun agreement / Subject-Verb Agreement / Pronoun Case / Pronoun Agreement / Pronoun Reference / Modifiers (Single-word, Misplaced, Dangling) / Double Negatives / Degrees of Comparison / Faulty Comparisons / Faulty Constructions / Verb Tense & Conjugation /Active-Passive Voice / Subjunctive Mood / Parallel Structure / Idioms & Diction

• Lectures also include strategies for answering context questions that ask students about supporting details, topic sentences, conclusions, and logical sequence.

• Teachers point out traps students will encounter and how to avoid falling into them.

C. Reading

In Instructional Reading class, lectures cover vocabulary and critical reading skills. 

• Students get instruction on

• basic strategies

• types of passages

• types of questions and how to find the right answers

• common wrong answer choices

• vocabulary 

• Teachers point out traps students will encounter and how to avoid falling into them.

 

All Math, Reading, and Writing Lectures pre-recorded in  Moodle so that students can view lectures at any time during their enrollment for review, preview and absence.

 

4. What is the average improvement in SAT per Semester?

Although each student's case is different, the typical experience of our students indicates that most students improve 80 to 100 points in Math and 60 to 70 points in Reading/Writing after one semester.

 

5. How do the Math, English & Full Guarantee Programs work?

The student must complete two consecutive semesters and take the official SAT test to find out his improvement.  The Math, English, and Full Guarantee Programs guarantee 270 points improvement or 1500 score achievement, whichever comes first, from the placement test scores or his/her own official SAT scores. If the student does not achieve 270 points improvement or 1500 score achievement, free classes are guaranteed to the student until the student achieves his goal score.

The Guarantee has no monetary value; it applies to free classes only. The student must attend all classes and must fulfill all the requirements such as attendance, make-up classes, homework, corrections, etc.

 

6. Are there requirements to join SAT Guarantee Programs?

a. Prerequisite courses

• The students must have completed Algebra 2 and Geometry in their schools prior to taking any Guarantee Program.

• Required Semesters at Accel Academy after joining the program

• Student must register and study at least 2 regular semesters consecutively OR 1 regular semester for the Preferred Guarantee right after joining Accel Academy.

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b. When to take the official SAT Test?

• The Official Test Date requirement will be given to students at the time of registration.

 

c. Report SAT sores

• Student must report official SAT scores to Accel Academy to confirm improvement.

 

d. Minimum SAT sores

• Students must score higher than 500 in both Math and English (at least 670 in each subject for Preferred Guarantee Program) on the SAT/PSAT test or placement test before joining.

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7. After being placed according to the results of the placement test, can a student move up/down during a Semester?  How can a student change the level in which he is initially placed?

Yes. If a student wants to move up a level, he can do so in the first 5 classes, based on his teacher’s recommendation.  If the teacher does not recommend moving up, the student still can request one more placement test to show his ability to perform on a higher level.

 

8. What is the best way to improve scores fast?

Most importantly, students must closely and thoroughly analyze the mistakes they make so that they don’t continue to make the same mistakes. They do so by properly completing homework and test corrections for items they got wrong.

Everyone agrees that doing homework is extremely important. However, corrections are even more important.  Students must not forget that if they do not analyze the problems they have answered wrong and correct their mistakes, they will keep making the same mistakes or not learn how to answer that type of question.  Actually, these are the problems that should be targeted and that students must keep tackling.  Therefore, Accel emphasizes corrections of problems students have gotten wrong.

 

Remember, continuing to solve problems without doing corrections is just like not solving the problems at all.

 

• It is proven by Accel’s data that the students who do corrections are the ones who see 200% improvement!

• Just completing homework without doing corrections is not enough to see maximum improvement. 

• Students who don’t do corrections don’t analyze their mistakes and can’t strengthen their weaknesses; therefore, they keep making the same mistakes and getting the same kinds of questions wrong. 

 

9. What is the On-Line Testing Class?

• Testing Classes can be done online.  The test, answer sheet, answer key and explanation are uploaded in Moodle.

• Flexible and convenient in time and place

• Especially beneficial for students who get only a few questions wrong in each subject.  They can take the test at their convenience, check their answers right away, and listen to the explanations for just those questions they can’t figure out themselves.  They don’t have to sit through a class and wait for others to ask their questions.

 

10. What is Moodle?

• Moodle is an online learning platform Accel students use for homework, quizzes, tests and lectures.

• Originally created in Australia for universities and high schools, it is now popular with schools all over the world.

 

11. What is Targeted Practice?

Students who take the official SAT in October, April, and May can pay a nominal fee to College Board for the Student Question and Answer Service.  For this fee, students receive a copy of the official SAT test they took and a score report that contains the right answers and their answers.

For Guarantee Program students, Accel Academy’s teachers will examine and analyze students’ wrong answers to pinpoint areas of weakness.  Accel will provide extra practice in those areas through targeted practice with similar problems to those they got wrong on the test to strengthen weaknesses.

 

12. How much of homework do I get each class?

Once the lecture is delivered in the class, homework will be assigned.  No matter how excellent the lecture was that the student received in the class, if students do not practice the concepts at home, students cannot master the concept they were taught in class.  Students are expected to spend the same amount of time on homework as the lecture to digest and master the concepts.

Detailed Explanations to all homework problems are recorded by Accel’s full-time teachers.  Once students submit their homework answers and find out which items they got wrong, students follow a link to a video recording that explains the particular items they answered incorrectly.  Students listen to the explanation and do corrections at home before coming to the next class.