Clear Choice Prep

Posts featured on the Clear Choice Prep blog

What Makes a College Applicant Stand Out?

Sheldon Soper

Since long before the Common App, students have been looking to gain an edge in the college admission process. The problem is a simple case of supply and demand: each year droves of students apply for a finite number of seats at the best colleges and universities. Some get in;  many more do not.

So what’s the secret? How can a student position him or herself to be one of the select few who receives a fat acceptance envelope instead of a flimsy one filled with disappointment?

It’s actually less complicated than you might think.

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Optimizing Your Student’s Summer Study Space

Sheldon Soper

Studying over the summer isn’t fun. Sure there are ways to try and make it more exciting with games and engaging multimedia content, but for the most part, students study because they have to, not because they want to.

Therefore, as tutors and test prep professionals, it is crucial to ensure that the time students spend studying is both focused and productive. One of the most overlooked ways to maximize the effectiveness of a student’s studying time is taking a closer look at the studying environment itself.

A couple simple, purposeful choices can make a huge impact on the quality of a student’s studying experience! Here are some learning space hacks you can put in place for your students to help create a more optimized study space…

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When Students Are Too Cool to Care

Sheldon Soper

One of the biggest challenges in education is motivation. For many students, getting older brings the added pressure to fit in and be accepted by their peers. This focus on popularity and “personal branding” doesn’t always line up with being seen as “the smart kid”.

As educators, how can we successfully promote learning and growth with a student who is preoccupied with image? Here are some practical approaches to both understanding and combating the issue of students who are too cool to care:

 

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Helping Students Cope with Test Anxiety

Sheldon Soper

Test anxiety is about so much more than simply not liking to take tests. For thousands of students, formal assessments like a pop quiz , the SAT, or the PARCC can bring about intense physiological and psychological responses. This powerful anxiety can make it all but impossible to perform well.

Once I experienced clinical anxiety myself, I got a true glimpse into what students with test anxiety are contending with. Here are some practical tips for both understanding and supporting students suffering from test anxiety:

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