A+ Test Prep & Tutoring Blog

A recent article in the Shreveport Times reported that over the past year, 92% of college students used a credit card to pay for education-related expenses such as textbooks. The survey, conducted by Sallie Mae, the student lender, indicated the use of credit cards to pay for education-related expenses rose 7% from 2004 to 2009.

And a 2006 survey of students at Louisiana State University showed that one in five students who responded had maxed out their credit cards.

Congress and President Obama are poised to make some changes in this area.  Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn., has authored a new bill which, if passed, would require someone 21 or over to cosign for a credit card for a college student under the age of 21. At the same time, President Obama is meeting with the largest credit card issuers in the country and asking for concessions. These include elimination of unfair rate increases, longer delays before rate changes go into effect, and more notice before a change in the due date of a cardholder’s bill.

For more information, use the following links:

Shreveport Times Article

Sallie Mae Survey

Approximately 4.4 million (7.8%) children in the United States have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and 56% of affected children take prescription medications to treat the disorder. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is strongly linked with low academic achievement, but the association between medication use and academic achievement in school settings is largely unknown*.

A recently published study in the current issue of the medical journal Pediatrics, which is published by the American Academy of Pediatrics,  found that students who take medication for the condition earn higher scores on standardized tests of math and reading skills.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Mental Health, and conducted by Richard Scheffler, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley, and colleagues,  surveyed almost 600 students. The students were all in kindergarten in the 1998-1999 school year and were surveyed five times between kindergarten and fifth grade.

Results of the study showed that students who took the AD/HD medications had reading scores equivalent to about 1/3 of a year ahead of their unmedicated peers with AD/HD.  On the math test, the medicated students performed at about 1/5 of a year ahead of the unmedicated group.  Researches believe that there may be an underlying difference in the learning processes of math and reading that would account the for differing results by subject area.

While these results are encouraging, the researchers noted that even the students taking medication were still, on average, behind their peers who do have the disorder.  Researchers are interested in conducting a long term longitudinal study to further study the effect of AD/HD medication  on academic achievement. In addition, further research is required to determine if a combination of medication and behavioral therapy might be even more effective in helping these students improve.

* Source: Pediatrics, May 2009.

Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (on May 26 in 2008). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. US Eastern time. Another tradition is to fly the U.S. flag at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers usually place an American flag upon each grave site located in a National Cemetery. Many Americans use Memorial Day to also honor other family members who have died.

<p>SAT (II) Subject Tests are held on the following Saturdays for the 2008-2009 Academic Year:</p>
<ul>
<li>October 4, 2008</li>
<li>November 1, 2008</li>
<li>December 6, 2008</li>
<li>January 24, 2009</li>
<li>May 2, 2009</li>
<li>June 6, 2009</li>
</ul>
<p>This posting was based on the College Board’s official calendar as of September 1, 2008.  Visit <a href=”http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html”>Collegeboard’s Official SAT Test Dates &amp; Registration Calendar</a> for more information.</p>

‡ The late registration deadline is extended for online and phone registrations only in the United States, U.S. Territories, and Puerto Rico. Any paper registrations sent by mail must be postmarked by the late registration deadline for mail, as noted above.

Important Information for All Test-Takers

• Sunday administrations occur the day after each Saturday test date, for students who cannot test on Saturday due to religious observance.
• The Language Tests with Listening are offered only in November.

* U.S. Registration Deadlines Important Information

• U.S. deadlines apply to students testing in the United States, U.S. Territories, and Puerto Rico.
• U.S. registration materials that are mailed must be postmarked by the U.S. deadlines.
• On March 14, only the SAT Reasoning Test™ is offered.

** International Registration Deadlines Important Information

• International deadlines apply to anyone testing outside of the United States, U.S. Territories, and Puerto Rico.
• International registration materials must be received by the international deadlines.
• There is no late registration for international testing. Online and telephone registrations must be completed by the international deadline dates listed above.
• Students registering through International Representatives must submit their paper registration with full payment by the early registration deadline.
• On March 14, the SAT is not offered outside of the United States, U.S. Territories, and Puerto Rico.

SAT (I) Reasoning Test is held on the following Saturdays for the 2008-2009 Academic Year:

• October 4, 2008
• November 1, 2008
• December 6, 2008
• January 24, 2009
• March 14, 2009
• May 2, 2009
• June 6, 2009

This posting was based on the College Board’s official calendar as of September 1, 2008.  Visit Collegeboard’s Official SAT Test Dates & Registration Calendar for more information.