The most meaningless test score is perhaps the most important one. It depends on its use. Once the raw score (the number right out the number possible) is determined, it is then converted into this score. Apart from the raw score, this score is the most important one because all the other scores like percentile…
Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you needed to act as if you understood something when the fact is you knew you didn’t get it? I think most of us will admit to this. Sometimes we find ourselves in a conversation where we feel the need to nod our heads in…
I think very few of us are what you call “numbers people.” Most people when they finished algebra 1 or algebra 2 in high school, or college math for that matter, had no intention of ever returning to it “just for fun.” Why? Because it lacked relevance and usefulness to their life. NCE (normal curve…
Most car insurance companies offer high school students a discount if the student can prove he or she is academically “above average.” The standard to qualify for the discount is a “B” average on the student’s transcript. The creation and maintenance of a high school transcript is one of the features and benefits of our…
Most homeschoolers compute raw scores every week. They are the result of scoring spelling tests and simple math tests in which the items are either right or wrong. With the answer key in one hand and your student’s work in the other, you determine how many items were answered correctly. The raw score represents the…
If you’re like me and you’ve just been assessed or evaluated in some way, you’re probably wondering, did I do OK? That’s likely the case when it comes to receiving your student’s achievement test results too. The first question often asked is, “Did he or she pass?” Once this question is answered, it’s quickly followed…
In my last article I presented seven tips for choosing the right answer when taking an achievement test. Most students might think this is all they need to do to ensure getting the best score possible. In other words, they think once they’ve reached the last item on the test, they can relax until the…
In my last article I presented four time-management tips that, if practiced, will result in higher test scores on the TerraNova test, or on any test. In this article, I will suggest seven practices that will help students choose the right answer when testing. Typically, the correct answer on an achievement test does not stand out from…
In my last article I gave you six tips to increase your child’s performance on any achievement test. In this article I want to address another aspect of test taking that if practiced, will result in higher test scores: time management. All achievement tests have timed sections. This can present a problem if your student…
End of the year homeschool achievement testing begins soon, and in many states it’s a requirement. In the coming weeks I’ll be presenting a series of test-taking tips designed to help your child perform at his or her best. This first tip begins with what you can do prior to actually testing. Below are six…