Talk of the Trail

Any standardized test can prove to be a tough road to navigate. The preparation, the material, the actual test itself―the entire process can be overwhelming, especially when the test has so much gravity to it. This is especially true of the SAT, which is notorious for its complexity across the board. For that reason, countless books, blogs, online sources, and even specialized programs exist to help students prepare as much―and as hard―as possible. With such a plethora of resources, it seems like the easiest thing in the world to find something that best helps you prepare for the SAT. But, in fact, finding a source that not only caters to your learning style but helps you understand the test can be almost as taxing as the test itself!

I myself thought that, with such a breadth of material, it would be a cinch to just dip my hand in and pull out something that’d help me ace the SAT. So, I scoured popular SAT blogs to find out what they recommend. I thought that certainly the materials they suggested would be like a magic wand―or at least one that’d work after some practice. Every big-time educational publisher was on the “best preparatory materials” list, so you could say that there was a pretty big emphasis on ethos¹.

So, I tried all those books. I was certain they’d help me sharpen my skills and understand the big, bad SAT that some students prepped for an entire year in advance. But, what was the result of all that reading? I want to say I came away with a brain full of facts and a vigor for the test, but that would, frankly, be a lie. Instead, I found that those A-list books did nothing but focus on the same thing: drilling, drilling, and―guess what?―more drilling. The books, in essence, said: “Memorize this, this, and this, and you’re good to go.” There was no focus on application. It not chiefly, but purely, memorization. If you got it, you got it―if not, well, good luck. Such a method didn’t work for me. I know my learning style. When I learn or even review a concept, the best way to make it stick in my head is to practice it in a variety of ways so I understand how to manipulate and apply it under any given circumstance. This is especially true in math, where basically every formula is like a one-size-fits-all shirt―in the formula’s target group, every concept fits. It just needs to be fitted in the right way. But, you can’t establish a firm understanding of that rule when you just hammer away at memorizing a formula and not how it works.

Now, how else did those books teach? Well, if I didn’t understand or made a mistake, my skill level was demoted and I was sent to a lesson for something I already knew well. In that review lesson, they’d go over the concept in the most basic way, with no elaboration, and then throw me right into another SAT-esque question. Because of this, I felt my confidence fall, especially in math. Not only did I start feeling like I was too stupid to take the test, I felt a terrible apprehension grow. My ticket was already printed, the school had a seat just for me, and my family was looking on―if I may quote a book title―with great expectations. At that time, the only thing that went through my head was this: Fabulous, I’ve got a whole audience with front-row seats to watch me crash and burn.

I’m really not sure why I didn’t just give up, but I’m happy I didn’t. Thinking about it, it’s funny how things can come together just because everything else didn’t work. One day, I was browsing the internet for any―any―little thing that I may have missed in my test prep. Somehow, I stumbled upon a publishing website that was selling a book I’ve never heard of, by a man called Dr. Gary Gruber. That name wasn’t among the books said to be the best in the business, but I decided to try it anyway just because. Fortunately, the website offered a free preview of a good deal of the book’s pages, and among these pages was Dr. Gruber’s famed fifteen minute diagnostic test. I really can’t say how Dr. Gruber did it, but he managed to measure up my potential score and what core areas I needed to focus on in barely any time. After a tiny glance into how he covered the subjects, there was no drilling to be seen. Instead, I saw the text as a little scene, where you were being taught to map out a concept rather than emboss its outline in your head. That’s what sold me―and a book! I feel that it was Dr. Gruber’s book that helped me understand the structure of the SAT in a flexible, innovative way; I not only focused on the subjects, but the test’s structure itself. I found out that all it really did was test things you know, but in a way that rendered them practically unrecognizable. It’s almost like seeing someone again after ten years.

I am not saying Dr. Gruber’s book is the only thing that can be used for testing and that everything else is bad. Really, it all depends on you, the student! You should be the one who seeks out the most effective means of studying―or, in this case, test prep―because you’re the one who knows how you learn best. And, if you’re taking the SATs this spring, don’t falter if things don’t seem to be going so great. Pace yourself, because an overworked brain won’t do you much good. Familiarize yourself with your weaknesses. Invite them over to some prep work more often than what you know you’re good at, but be sure you don’t totally exclude your strengths either. And, most of all, remember this: if something doesn’t work, you’re not stupid nor slow―just try something new. Then, you’re good to go!

As a senior, you’re sometimes nagged at by strange thoughts about the future. Among these thoughts are those that nip at your identity. All the things that built up your identity for, well, your entire life are suddenly falling away as graduation nears―being a “kid”, being a student in the twelve-year school system, everything. In my case, one of the things I felt was a part of my identity forever that is now slipping away from me is being a homeschooler, specifically a homeschooler attending an online school. All my life, save for kindergarten, I have been homeschooled, and the label molded itself into me. It came with the many questions and uncertainties; I’m sure many online and homeschoolers have heard the famous, or rather, infamous “But…how do you make friends?” and “Why don’t you go to a real school?” But, I feel it mostly came with good. Across each of the three schools I’ve been able to attend throughout my elementary, middle, and high school education I feel I benefited both academically and, as so fitting as a piece of my identity, as a person. This is especially true with Forest Trail, which enabled me to not only sharpen what I have learned previously, but to develop new skills due to its unique curriculum. Thus, below, I’d like to shortly reflect on a couple of aspects of homeschooling in an online school.

Self-pacing: This encompasses a great deal of meaning. It not only refers to going at your own speed; it refers to knowing how to pace yourself―when to stop and think and when to continue on. You can stop on a subject and do further research. You can reach out to a teacher for discussion. You are allowed the time if you know how to use it, and if used right, the door to so much knowledge can be opened.

Freedom: On both an academic level and a social level, even, freedom reigns. As aforementioned, research is a few keystrokes away when you stumble upon some especially interesting course material (hello, 12^th grade Astronomy!); you’re afforded the opportunity to dive into those interests on your school time. If the lesson is succeeded by an assignment, even better―you can deepen the quality of your work with all the new things you learn. The social level of freedom is to be considered, too. While peers are not a desk away, you have the chance to really look for those who share the same interests and hobbies and so forth, even if it takes a little digging in the form of attending clubs or out-of-school classes. The effort may be greater, but in the meantime, the exposure is invaluable and the freedom to choose is endless.

You, Yourself: What is one key selling point of, for example, a private university or exclusive college? For many, it’s the small class sizes that allow individual attention. It’s not greedy or selfish to desire such attention―it is all for the pursuit of knowledge, the depth of knowledge, the journey to understanding. This is nothing new in an online or homeschool setting. Office hours exist. Individual meetings are commonplace. But, that’s not the only way such a school setting can cater to an individual. Its flexible structure inspires and enables students to pursue their passions, hobbies, and even their mental health―all without hurting academic progress.

An FTA Observation: While not the case for all students particularly, I wanted to point out that, in particular, I enjoyed FTA’s strong emphasis on writing and research. I found it not to be isolated to only my English classes, either―I find myself writing out analyses and observations and so forth in even science and math classes! While it was difficult at first to adjust to the volume of work, it propelled not only my personal growth in writing, but it allowed what I learned to be more prominent, memory-wise. The pen, and rightfully so, is power here at Forest Trail.

All in all, though it is a bit of a sad time to be leaving both Forest Trail and homeschooling behind, I am grateful to have gone down the path of online schooling, and I am happy where it has led me, despite its twists and turns. Most of all, though, I am proud to have been a Forest Trail trailblazer!