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Bloop
GuestMy 6th grader will be applying
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Bloop
GuestSorry meant to say: my 6th grader will be applying to Kenwood AC. We live in Tier 2 and they have all A’s for 5th grade. Most people seem to be taking prep/tutoring classes for the AC exam but based on my understanding of the cut scores we only need to score 110 or even less, so it seems kind of unnecessary? We have taken the RGC test before and scored 130-140 range. Can anyone clarify why we should take the prep course ?
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cb
GuestI would guess that other students are not scoring as high on the exam as your student and have a desire to try to prep for that reason. A score of 130 is in the 98th percentile, so just speaking statistically most students that may have an interest in applying are going to have lower scores.
The other variable to watch out for is that tiers (appear) to be redefined each year. I live in an area where surrounding blocks can be different tiers. Last year, I was tier 3, but a block in one direction was tier 4 and two blocks in another direction was tier 2. This year (application cycle just ending), my physical address did not change, but my tier classification moved from tier 3 to 4. That can change things fairly significantly.
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SD
GuestMy kids haven’t done the AC tests, but for the HS test, test prep was helpful for timed test-taking strategy and familiarity with what to expect. Fwiw, we also went from tier 3 to tier 4 right before the test. We were pretty confident that tier 3 left us some wiggle room for the schools we wanted, but tier 4 was tight. So keep an eye out!
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SadCubs
GuestAC tests are more like RGC exams. HS exam more like classical. I highly recommend at least buying a $20 booklet with practice problems to make sure your kid understands the instructions and practice with timed test taking.
Depending on how they perform in the practice problems, you can decide if the extra test prep is necessary.
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