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College Readiness: Teachers 3 Views

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Description:

Worried about how to use that big ol' 12-month license for your SAT or ACT prep guide? Well, as a very wise, animatronic fish once said, "don't worry, be happy...and check out this video to give you all the pointers you'll need." ...We may be paraphrasing, but you get the gist.

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English Language

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Transcript

00:03
Hi there - I’m David Siminoff and I’m the founder of Shmoop.
00:06
Every student who goes on to college after high school has a chance to carve out an exceptional
00:10
life for him or herself. However, which college a student attends may
00:14
go a long way to determining just how exceptional that life ultimately is.
00:19
Graduate at the top of your class from a well-respected school and the sky’s the limit...

00:23
Aim a little lower and, while they may still land their dream job one day, the path there will be tougher.
00:28
Decide to skip out on college all together
00:31
and the closest they may ever be to attaining the title of CEO is to be promoted to Chief Elevator Operator.
00:36
How much does 10% extra effort matter?
00:41
The unfortunate thing is that, in reality, there is a very fine line between greatness and mediocrity.
00:47
It isn’t always the brightest kids who go to the top universities. Often, it is simply
00:51
those who are willing to work harder and put in the time required to give themselves a leg up.
00:55
As someone who has already gone through the whole rigmarole, YOU know the importance of
01:00
getting into a good college...
01:01
but have you communicated that sense of importance to your students?
01:05
So that they kinda understand it?
01:07
If they fall short of their potential, is it going to be on your head?
01:11
Is the prospect of going to college even something that is being encouraged by the parents of
01:16
a given student? Everybody’s background is different – someone may be the first
01:20
in their family with the opportunity to take that next step…
01:23
Shmoop can help demonstrate to students how extra effort can equal a wealth of opportunities.
01:31
If they understand how much better their life will be if they push hard to get into that
01:35
dream school of theirs, maybe it won’t have to be such a dream after all.
01:39
So… how can Shmoop help? We’re glad you asked. Shmoop isn’t just
01:43
about pummeling your student with a barrage of study guides so they can scrape by on quizzes.
01:47
We know that being prepared for college can help as much in the long run
01:50
as being prepared for the real world itself. We offer PSAT prep,
01:54
because everybody loves a national merit scholar. Not all students realize that this bad boy
01:58
isn’t just practice for the SAT – there are plenty of sweet scholarships that can
02:02
be nabbed by scoring through the roof on the PSAT.
02:06
Earning scholarships can lessen the financial burden for them and their families, as well
02:11
as make them appear much more attractive to colleges who are seeking the best and brightest.
02:15
Then there is test prep for the SAT - or ACT prep for those of you also want to
02:19
show off their mad science skills.
02:21
These tests can demonstrate to prospective colleges their willingness to study, which is sometimes
02:27
more important to them than someone having a naturally brilliant noodle.
02:32
These standardized tests assess more than just the ability to memorize facts.
02:35
They can also tell a lot about a test-taker’s versatility, analytical skills and writing style.
02:40
Might even help discover the next Kurt Vonnegut or the next Jackson Pollock.
02:48
Shmoop offers extensive AP Exam prep as well
02:51
so your students can start racking up college credit early.
02:54
Taking APs is a must if they have any designs on attending an Ivy League school like Harvard.
02:59
A top school will want to see that an incoming student has taken just about every AP under
03:03
the sun – probably even Studio Art. On Shmoop, a student has access to topic reviews,
03:10
practice drills and exams, test-taking tips and step-by-step guides.
03:14
And of course we at Shmoop recognize that we are now in a digital world and there's no turning back.
03:18
Not that we'd want to. We offer College 101 tools
03:21
so that a student can take steps to get into the college that best fits them.
03:26
They can check out our college profile section
03:28
which will breakdown everything from average SAT scores to the hottest hangout spots on campus
03:32
and our college majors section which will prepare them for the particular kind of classes
03:36
they'll be expected to take depending on which path they choose.
03:40
Our College 101 tool will also teach students to do more than just tweet,
03:44
update their Facebook status and pin their favorite new mac n’ cheese
03:47
recipe on Pinterest. They will learn how to protect their information,
03:53
how to properly cite sources when writing a paper, and how to evaluate a website.
03:57
We don’t currently offer a guide on how to hack into national security systems, but
04:02
it may be coming in a future version.
04:06
Your students want to do more than just eke their way into college.
04:09
They want to be equipped with the tools to tear it up once they get there.
04:12
The demands of the world have changed, and it’s up to you to hand your students the new playbook.
04:16
So...they're ready coach. Send them on in.
Full Transcript