Standardized Tests: Akshay's Experience as an SAT Student

“I hate the Writing section of the SAT! I want to study engineering. Why should I study Writing? I wouldn’t even need SAT prep if I did not have to take the Writing part of the Standardized Tests!” shouted Akshay*. 

Akshay’s parents were at their wits’ end. He was doing well at school and wanted to apply to a university abroad. They supported his decision completely, and everything looked favorable for their plan to fructify. But they had not factored in the Writing section of the SAT, which now threatened to derail Akshay’s entire study abroad program. 

They had enrolled him in Collegify, a premium education services company specializing in SAT prep and ACT coaching, confident that they had done what was needed to facilitate their son’s getting an undergraduate degree in the US. 

But Akshay presented them with a long list of why it was not working for him: 

1. Coaching timings were not always convenient. They clashed with his tuitions and other co-curricular activities. 
2. He enjoyed the coaching and was benefitting from the individual attention, but he needed much more time than he’d thought to get to an acceptable level in the Writing section. 
3. He needed more practice in the specific types of Writing section errors he made, but taking a test meant going over even those areas where he did not need practice. Hard-pressed for time, he did not appreciate the time he had to ‘waste’ on practicing skills he already had. 
4. He was disheartened because he didn’t know whether he getting better at Writing. Some days he got 24 answers correct, other days he got 31 answers correct, but that didn’t mean he was improving, because the test with more correct answers might have been a very easy test.
5. It was hard to deal with the vagaries of traffic and the weather, which sapped his energy and enthusiasm to attend the coaching. 
6. Waiting for the test results was difficult. If he could have the test results sooner after he’d taken the test, he would be more motivated. 

Akshay’s discouraged parents went back to Collegify with the list, thinking they were losing the only shot he had of making his study abroad dream come true. 

To their surprise, instead of disagreeing with them, the counselor was nodding agreement. The counselor said, “So many students face these problems that Collegify decided to come up with a solution. And we’re delighted to share that after more than 18 months of design and testing, it has been launched!” 

Akshay’s parents learned that Collegify that launched a revolutionary E-learning platform for SAT prep and ACT coaching. They came back home to Akshay with their own list – of solutions!  

1. The E-learning platform meant Akshay could learn at times that were convenient to him. 
2. Subject knowledge experts created the tests specifically for Indian students and he could take as many tests as he wanted. 
3. Artificial intelligence (AI) identified the areas where he was weak, so he would get more practice in test sections and areas where he needed it. 
4. AI would scale the tests to his difficulty level. As Akshay’s performance in the section improved, the difficulty level of the tests presented to him would increase, so that he would have focused, meaningful practice. 
5. E-learning meant he could take a test section at any time – even on the phone, while getting to a tuition class! 
6. Results were available immediately after the test was completed, which would complete the feedback loop and keep his motivation high. 

Akshay couldn’t believe his ears. He logged on and took the diagnostic test. 

Some hours later, he told his parents, “This is exactly what I wanted! It feels as if I’m sitting one-on-one with a tutor whose only student is me, who has infinite time to explain everything, and who is not forcing me to pay attention when I’m tired or when my focus is wandering. It’s interactive, personalized, and I get percentile scores against everyone else on the platform who’s taking a test at the same time! I need to join this!” 

Akshay’s story doesn’t end here. To know what happened next, and to see how you can make your study in the US dreams come true, subscribe to our blog. 

 *Names have been changed to protect the individual’s identity and privacy.