Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

Dos and Don’ts 24 Hours Before Test Day

In approximately 24 hours, hundreds of students will sit down and take the SAT. With this in mind, I offer some helpful hints of what a student can DO and what a student should NOT DO in the last day leading up to the test 


Let’s start with the DOs:

  • DO gets lots of rest. Solving problems on the ACT and the SAT require logical thought-processing. If you are not rested, your brain won’t be able to think logically. 
  • DO review test directions. You can save a lot of time on test day if you already know the directions. Get on the test websites to see test directions and be sure you understand them. 
  • DO map out a plan to attack the test. Make sure you have a game plan for each question type. For example, on Math, be sure you use the answers to help you solve the problem. On Passage-Based Reading, attack the answer choices by connecting to evidence in the passage. Consider how the test is scored and how to manage your time to maximize your point total. 
  • DO prepare the resources you need for test day. Get your admission ticket, snack, calculator, driving directions and the other items you need for test day all ready so you can wake up on test day and arrive stress-free. 
  • DO approach the test as if it were a crossword puzzle or a riddle. If you critically think through each question and eagerly solve problems, your chances of success will improve. 
And now for the DON”Ts: 

In all, there should be little studying tonight. Get your mindset focused on solving the problems you can solve. Remind yourself that the test is just one measurement of your performance but not the only one. 

Best of luck, test takers. If you need further help for the ACT or SAT, contact CROSSWALK today. CROSSWALK is the Monterey Peninsula’s resource for test prep and academic tutoring. 
Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

Test Prep and College Counseling Workshop: January 16, 3pm

Attention parents and high school students: Marisela Gomez of CollegeWise and I will be presenting a free workshop on test prep and college counseling on Saturday, January 16th at 3pm in the Teen Lounge of the Harrison Memorial Library in Carmel.

Marisela will give useful tips on how to navigate the college admission process.

I will present “8 Steps to a Better ACT and SAT Score” and review some of the key changes to the new SAT. 

This is totally free! Spread the word and come join us!

See you there.

If you have any questions about this event or test prep in general, feel free to contact CROSSWALK.

CROSSWALK is the Monterey Peninsula’s local resource for academic tutoring and test prep. 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

The Best Test Prep Gifts are FREE

The holidays are here. Time for giving, loving and spending time with those that are special to you. 


This is also the time that many high school juniors start to turn their attention towards college. As students enter the second half of their junior year, they should start to consider which school or schools might be a good fit. 

Inherent to the college search is research into what test scores are needed to get into the school(s) of choice. The best test prep starts with the end in mind: figure out what score you need and map out your strategy to get there. 

Since this a fairly involved process, most every student needs support along the way. And in the spirit of giving, here are three gifts that you can give to your student or child as they embark on this journey:

A Stress-Free Environment: As I tell my students, stress is the enemy of performance. If there is stress in your life, it will manifest itself on your test score. Stress reduces ones ability to focus which makes problem solving and logical thought more difficult. The ability to solve problems and think logically is what will determine success on a test, so the student that is stress-free will indubitably score better. Support the student through any challenges (i.e. not just test prep) and remove as much stress as possible particularly as test day approaches. 

Achievable Goals: Getting the best score you can on the SAT or ACT can be a long process. Test-taking, for many, is a new skill and learning a new skill can be overwhelming. Avoid the overwhelming feeling by setting manageable goals. For example, set a goal to complete at least three full-length practice tests before you take an official test. Or, set a goal to master graphing functions by March. Set and achieve small goals along the way and get to your end goal easier. 

Resources: Every student needs some resources for test prep. The good news is that there are two key free resources for test prep: the downloadable ACT test prep guide and SAT prep resources via the Khan Academy. You can also subscribe to this blog for study tips and hints directly to your inbox for free! These gifts cost nothing and are highly valuable. Nowadays, it is not totally necessary to hire a tutor or take a course. Many things students can do on their own. 

Yes, the holidays are here. If you know a student about to embark on the test prep journey, give them resources, goals and a stress-free environment and watch them soar.

If you have any questions about test prep and academic tutoring, contact CROSSWALK. 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

Stop Calling Students "Bad Test Takers"

Here’s a typical conversation with a parent of a student embarking on SAT or ACT prep:

Parent: Do you tutor SAT and ACT?
Me: Yes, I most certainly do. 
Parent: My child is a bad test taker. Can you help them? 


Put the brakes on right there. 

“Bad test taker” might be the worst label you could ever give a child. “Bad test taker” is baggage that will weigh down any student for years and years. 

Unfortunately, many parents and teachers alike feel that labeling a student as a “bad test taker” is a viable excuse for student performance. If a student performs poorly on a test, the adult can say, “don’t worry, you are just a bad test taker but you have other skills.” 

What appears to be a loving and caring statement is actually quite damaging. 

Truth be told, there is no such thing as a “bad test taker.”  

Someone that feels like a “bad test taker” simply experiences anxiety over tests. Anxiety leads to fear, fear leads to survival instincts, and survival instincts supplant logical thought making test-taking more difficult. Think about how most people respond to a bee: instead of logically staying still, many panic and try to escape. 

For many students, this can be a vicious cycle: test anxiety becomes fear, fear reduces the ability to think logically, performance suffers and the student generates more test anxiety. 

Sow do you break the cycle? Two simple ways: 1) manage anxiety and 2) adopt a growth mindset. 

First, managing anxiety is a skill that will help on tests and in life. Approach a problem with a clear and calm demeanor. Don’t let the “flight or fight” survival instincts take control of logical problem solving. If fear or anxiety starts to creep in, take a step back and relax. Tests are not life-threatening. Approach test day as if you were embarking on a new opportunity. Tests can be a challenge but they should not instill fear. 

Second, a growth mindset is the absolute key to learning. A growth mindset is the thinking that one’s brain is capable of learning new things. Once you believe you can learn new things, you can learn new things. Conversely, if you don’t think you can learn new things then you won’t learn new things. 

Yes, our brains have certain strengths and weaknesses, but we shouldn’t get caught in the fixed mindset that we cannot change our brains. The science behind a growth mindset shows that the more growth you think you are capable of achieving, the more growth you can actually achieve. In other words, you can teach an old dog new tricks, or you can learn new test-taking strategies. 

So if you consider yourself a bad test taker, stop that thinking right now. Change that fixed mindset and view tests as a new opportunity to learn. Adopt a growth mindset and manage test anxiety with a calm and relaxed approach. Break the cycle of fear and poor performance, learn some new approaches to test-taking and watch your test scores improve.

For more tips and hints, contact CROSSWALK. CROSSWALK is the Monterey Peninsula’s resource for ACT prep, SAT prep and academic tutoring. 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

New 2016 Boot Camp Dates Added

Attention all Monterey Peninsula locals: CROSSWALK added two new Boot Camps for 2016. 

Mark your calendars because CROSSWALK’s Boot Camps are a quick and easy way to get up to speed on the content and strategies around the SAT and ACT. Even more, the SAT session will dive into the changes coming for the new SAT launching in March. 

Here are the new dates:

SAT Boot Camp: January 10, 9am-3pm

ACT Boot Camp: March 13, 9am-3pm

Both of these Boot Camps take place at the Stevenson School.

To sign up for the Boot Camps, contact CROSSWALK here. 

Can’t make these dates? Don’t worry because CROSSWALK can create a Boot Camp just for you! If you have a group of at least five students, contact CROSSWALK here and we can set up your own personalized Boot Camp. 

Boot Camps are not the only answer CROSSWALK offers. We also do private test preparation as well as academic tutoring for just about every subject. Our tutors can meet in person or via Skype. 

CROSSWALK offers test prep, academic tutoring and SAT/ACT Boot Camps for the Monterey Peninsula and beyond. Contact us today! 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

6 Ways to Support Your Child’s Test Prep

As a test prep tutor, most of my work deals directly with preparing students.


Nevertheless, I find that parents often need some preparation in order to gain a better understanding of how best to support their child during ACT or SAT preparation.

With this in mind, here are six things a parent can do to provide a supportive, encouraging, and ultimately successful test prep experience for their children:

1) Set a Plan and Follow It: Like most things in life, test prep requires a plan. Though this recommendation is quite obvious, I am surprised at the number of families that do not plan ahead for test prep. Parents do great at scheduling sports practice, musical performances, social events and other things more but they rarely set up a thorough plan for test prep. Ideally the plan should start junior year by taking the ACT and the SAT without prep. The plan should then include a review of scores, a schedule of follow up practice and a retest. Hiring a tutor is a great way to help build the plan but not totally necessary. 

2) Nudge But Don’t Nag: The worst kind of student I could have is the one that says “My mom is forcing me see a tutor.” This is a recipe for disaster. The student is reluctant to study because mom or dad is obligating them. Parents (myself included) are famous for telling kids, “well, you better go study or else!” This nagging does not yield positive results. The reluctant student starts to dread test prep which in turn leads to dreading the test itself which in turn leads to poor scores. Instead of nagging, simply nudge your child. “Can you show me your latest essay practice?” or “How is your test prep plan coming?” are great questions and won’t lead parents into a potential conflict.

3) Recreate the Testing Environment: Vince Lombardi is credited with the saying “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” This applies to test preparation because the student that prepares for the test exactly like the test is administered will be more prepared. This means that when a student is studying, s/he should study in a test-like atmosphere. For example, no cell phones are allowed while testing. So students that are practicing test prep should not use their cell phone. Same goes for the television, radio, computer, etc. Since these items are not allowed during the test, one should not have these items accessible during test prep. Same goes for timing: the test is timed, so practice should be timed. Ultimately, a parent can ensure a student gets the best test prep by practicing in an environment that perfectly matches the testing experience.

4) Be Realistic: Testing is hard. And some students do not respond well to standardized tests. As such, a parent should be very realistic about the potential for their son or daughter to achieve a high score. Any student, with time and practice, can improve. But not all students will get a perfect score. The best parent is one that celebrates improvement and looks for ways to encourage the student to do better. Parents should not add stress to an already stressful situation (see #5). 

5) Remove Stress: The key goal in test prep: remove stress. Stress is the enemy of test performance. Cramming the week before the test is the worst way to prepare for the SAT or ACT. Remember, the test is a marathon. Prepare your student for the marathon with ample time, lots of love and encouragement.

6) Read: Simple enough, right? Just read! Seriously, read books. And lots of them. If you model that reading is a normal activity, your kids will follow suit. Even better, read with them. Pick out a book together, read and and have your own personal book club. Reading is the number one skill tested on the SAT and ACT. Even the math section is more reading than math (remember word problems?). So model good reading habits and watch your son or daughter improve his or her test score. 

All in all, the best way a parent can support a son or daughter with ACT or SAT prep is with love and time. Take the time to prepare a plan, encourage lovingly, recreate the testing environment at home, be realistic, remove stress and read! 

If you need help, contact CROSSWALK. We know how to prepare students, and parents, for the ACT, SAT, SSAT, PSAT and academic subjects.

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

Have a Laugh with SAT Prep for Halloween

In honor of Halloween and this day of tricks or treats, click here for a funny trick and treat about test prep courtesy of The Onion. 


Just be sure you DON’T do what The Onion suggests. The Onion is great about getting a good laugh but not so great about recommending test prep tips.

For some real test prep tips with no tricks, contact CROSSWALK today. 

CROSSWALK specializes in one-on-one tutoring, SAT/ACT Boot Camps and academic tutoring for the Monterey Peninsula and beyond. 

Happy Halloween! 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

Old SAT or New SAT?

If you are currently a high school junior, you are faced with a decision between taking the old SAT or the new SAT. 

The old SAT has a brief shelf life remaining since the new SAT format will roll out permanently in March. This gives you three opportunities (November, December and January) to book your score with the old test. 


I generally recommend that current juniors focus their prep on the new format since, in all likelihood, you would want to take the test again your senior year to try and improve upon the score from junior year. Thus, if you intend on taking the test again senior year, don’t worry about the old format. Instead, focus on the new format. In fact, you might be familiar with the new format since the PSAT you likely took this past week uses the new format.

Nevertheless, if you have already started to prep for the old format or you feel more comfortable with the old format, there is nothing stopping you from trying to get a good score in the next couple of months. The only risk with this is having to learn a new format should you want to take the test again your senior year. 

In all, the decision is a personal one and it depends on where a student is in their preparation. The following is a very useful resource that can help you figure out which test format is better for you. Check out this link to take a brief test that can help you decide between the old format and the new format. 

If you need further guidance on the old SAT vs the new SAT, please contact CROSSWALK. We are the Monterey Peninsula’s local resource for SAT prep, ACT prep and academic tutoring. 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

PSAT Prep for FREE

The PSAT is approaching quickly. In fact, there is likely less than a month to prepare for the PSAT since schools that administer the test will do so on October 14 or 28.  


That the test is on the horizon should not create any stress for test takers. As my students and readers of this blog can attest, stress should not be part of any test preparation. 

First and foremost, the PSAT is an opportunity to understand how a student performs on standardized tests. Scores can be used to qualify students for scholarships or national recognition, but are generally used as just a pulse check for the SAT. 

With this in mind, students should approach test day free of worry, concern or stress. 

Should a student want to get a sense of what is on the test, the College Board provides a couple of free resources. And since the PSAT has a new format, it may behoove students to take a gander at either of the following links before test day: 

  • Practice Test: click here for full-length practice test. Download the test and get a feel for the directions, timing, question types, format, etc. 
  • Practice Sets: click here for some practice sets and practice quizzes. You will have to sign in via Google or Khan Academy but that should stop you since the practice sets are very helpful. 

Above all, be sure to get plenty of rest leading up to the test. Cramming a bunch of test prep the night before, or even the weekend before, will actually hurt your score. 

Best of luck, PSAT test-takers. Should you need some support, don’t be afraid to contact CROSSWALK, Monterey Peninsula’s local resource for test prep and private tutoring. 

Brooke Higgins Uncategorized

Another ACT Success Story!

Success stories never get old so let’s tell another one from CROSSWALK. The following was emailed to me:

“We were very pleased with Dan’s tutoring. He worked very well with Nicole and Nicole has improved in her practice tests consistently over the weeks. Her overall score has improved by six points and we are very impressed. Overall he was a wonderful tutor.”

Go Dan! Go Nicole! A six-point increase on the ACT is exceptional. 

While there is no doubt that Dan helped create this success story, the biggest impact on score improvement comes from Nicole’s willingness to put in the practice time and improve. 

Time on task is crucial to improving a score. The more dedicated and diligent practice time you commit to the SAT or ACT, the higher your score will go. Couple this with the guidance of one of our outstanding tutors–like Dan–and you have a guaranteed recipe for score improvement. 

To learn how to boost your ACT, SAT or GPA, contact CROSSWALK today.