Tongue-Twisters: An Essai Guide to the TOEFL & IELTS Exams

If you are planning to study abroad in an English-speaking country for your Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree, you will most likely have to submit either an IELTS or TOEFL score. The TOEFL and IELTS are two of the most widely-accepted tests to certify your English proficiency, which determine your English level by assessing your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. 

So, what exactly is the IELTS?

IELTS is an abbreviation for International English Language Testing System. The test is available in two formats: ‘IELTS Academic’, for those planning to study at a higher education level abroad; and ‘IELTS General Training’, which focuses on social skills and workplace contexts. In this piece, we will focus on IELTS Academic.

The IELTS test uses British English and consists of four parts: reading, listening, writing and speaking. It takes two hours and 45 minutes to complete, including transfer time from one section to the next. In India, the IELTS exam is offered by two institutions: the British Council and an Australian organization known as the IDP. At essai, we prefer to use the services of IDP, as they offer both a paper-based IELTS exam in addition to the computer-based IELTS exam. Additionally, the design of the IDP tests allows you to send all of your scores through an online portal. In contrast, if you take the exam administered by the British Council, you have to physically send your documents and a demand draft signed by your bank to the British Council office in Gurgaon in order to send your scores.

And what about the TOEFL?

TOEFL is an acronym for Test of English as a Foreign Language. It is an English proficiency test, developed by an American company, ETS, to measure an individual’s reading, speaking, writing, and listening proficiency in American English. There are two methods of taking this test; it can be taken as a Paper-Based Test (TOEFL PBT) or an Internet-Based Test (TOEFL IBT); TOEFL IBT, however, is more popular. The test takes four hours to complete. 

Comparing IELTS and TOEFL

For the UK, you can submit a TOEFL score for your application; however, only the IELTS UKVI, is accepted to support the UK Visa and Immigration application. But for Canada and the US, both the TOEFL or IELTS will work across all universities. For admissions purposes, both have equal weightage — however, if you are determined to attend a UK university, you’re better off with IELTS.

But do you really need to take these exams?

Kind of. Most colleges require you to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores if you do not hold a degree from a U.S. institution or from one of the English speaking countries (India doesn’t count). This might seem odd to you, as English has probably been the primary medium of instruction at school throughout our academic journey. Along with this, you’ve probably also taken the ACT or SAT examinations (which already test your skills in English). It is important to note therefore, that while the system is flawed, there are some ways in which you can get around these requirements.   

It is possible for you to request a waiver for these English language proficiency exams — but first, you are expected to satisfy different conditions by different universities. Sometimes you can be automatically exempted, based on ACT/SAT score; sometimes, you have to send in an English Proficiency Certificate; sometimes, you have to write and request a waiver; and sometimes, you simply have to take the TOEFL/IELTS.

Depending on the the university requirements, you may be required to specify the particulars if not already covered as an automatic exemption. In such cases, the admissions committees will most likely evaluate the validity of the waiver request on a case by case basis. Here’s a list that covers the TOEFL/IELTS waiver policy of different universities:

College Name	Score Exemption Policy	Form / Admissions Email
Babson	SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing: 650 or higher ACT English: 27 or higher	ugradadmission@babson.edu
Bentley	Earned a score of 650 or higher on the SAT Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section. Earned an ACT reading and English score of 29 or higher.	ugadmission@bentley.edu
Boston College	You score 650 or above on the SAT EBRW or 29 or better on the ACT English section.	bclawadm@bc.edu.
Boston Uni	Waiver requests must be received by the application deadline and must accompany a complete application (no specific exemption policy)	admissions@bu.edu
Brown	Brown does not require a test of English proficiency, but our most competitive applicants whose main language of instruction throughout high school is not English will submit the IELTS/TOEFL.	admission@brown.edu
Boston Uni	Waiver requests must be received by the application deadline and must accompany a complete application (no specific exemption policy)	admissions@bu.edu
Chapman	600 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. 24 on both the ACT English and Reading sections (studying in English schools makes them automatically review you for a waiver)	admit@chapman.edu
Claremont Mckenna	A waiver can be granted for students whose primary language of instruction throughout high school was English.	admission@claremontmckenna.edu
CMU	No Waiver	admission@andrew.cmu.edu
Cornell	A score of at least 35 on the SAT Reading Test OR a score of 30 or higher on both the ACT Reading and English Sections.	admissions@cornell.edu
Dartmouth	If you currently attend a secondary or post-secondary academic program conducted in English, then this testing requirement is waived.	admissions.reply@dartmouth.edu
Emory	SAT Evidence Based Reading and Writing: 700+ ACT English: 30+ 4 years in English school	admission@emory.edu
GWU	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing or Critical Reasoning: 650+ ACT English: 29+	gwadm@gwu.edu
University of Indiana	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing - 560 ACT English section - 21
Northwestern	English-medium school will qualify kids for waiver	admission@northwestern.edu
Notre Dame	SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 650+ ACT English or Reading: 26+	admissions@nd.edu
NYU	Your education has been completed entirely in schools/colleges/universities where the language of instruction is English.	admissions.ops@nyu.edu
Santa Clara	ACT Reading: 27 and ACT English: 27 SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 630	admission@scu.edu
UMass Amherst	Entire secondary education (four years) is at a school where English is the primary language of instruction and the British or American curriculum is followed	mail@admissions.umass.edu
UNC-Chapel Hill	Waiver granted on case-by-case basis	unchelp@admissions.unc.edu
UPenn	No Waiver	info@admissions.upenn.edu
USC	650 on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing exam (redesigned SAT) OR 27 on the ACT English exam	admissions@usc.edu admitusc@usc.edu

The Colon

Everyone knows how to use a colon, right? Or maybe not.

The most common misconception is that colons are just about lists, but that’s being unfair to the colon: it can do a lot more than just list things.

Unsurprisingly, the colon is quite similar to a semicolon. Remember, with a semicolon, there must be an independent clause (subject and conjugated verb) on either side of the semicolon. In other words, the semicolon is interchangeable with a full stop.

FORMULA: IC ; IC. = S + CV ; S + CV.

The colon is a little bit different, however. Just like a semicolon, a colon must have an IC before the colon. But unlike the semicolon, you can have pretty much anything you want after a colon: an IC, a phrase, a list, even just one word. While the semicolon is wedded to independent clauses, the colon is a bit more willing to play the field.

FORMULA: IC : Anything. = S + CV : Anything.

Even if there is a bit more wiggle room with the colon, you still need to be careful how you use it. It must be preceded by an independent clause, but that independent clause must also be a complete thought. Have a look at the example below:

EXAMPLE: They passed by villages and cities, such as: Mirzapur, Sirsa, and Allahabad.

This is an incorrect use of a colon. We do have a subject (They) and conjugated verb (passed) before the colon, but we do not have a complete thought. Why? Well because you can’t finish a clause with such as because it leaves you with an incomplete thought –you’re expecting something else to happen.

Another way of putting it is to say that what is before the colon must be able to stand on its own. Ignoring what comes after the colon, imagine putting a full stop instead of the colon: if that makes sense, you could use a colon; if not, then you can’t use a colon.

Let’s have a look at some examples of correct colon usage:

IC : IC
They walked to the river bank: the boatman’s vessel lay nestled among the reeds.
S + CV : S +   CV

On the boat, Tanvi and Ganesh hid under a blanket: Horatio might be searching for them.
S +       CV                   : S + CV

IC : Phrase
The boatman, Dilip, heaved off slowly from the bank: the beginning of their river journey.
S             + CV                                           : Phrase

IC : List
Flocks of birds flew overhead in the dawn light: storks, cranes, and a few stray flamingos.
S       + CV                                    : List

IC : Word
Dilip started the boat engine, overwhelming the boat with one smell: diesel.
S +   CV                                                                                                : Word

Patience is a virtue, Virtue is a grace, Grace is a little girl who smashed her ACT

But I did so badly…
Some variant on this phrase is the most common thing we hear at essai when students come to do an ACT or SAT diagnostic test. And it’s entirely understandable – most students who come to us are doing well at school, with good grades, and they assume that standardised testing will be no different. If I’m getting 90% at school, why did I not get a 32 or a 1450 on my diagnostic?

A Misunderstanding
The central misconception that students (and parents!) have is that these tests are basically IQ tests: if you’re smart, then you can waltz in and ace them. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work that way; both the ACT and College Board explicitly say that these tests are tests of college readiness, not about how smart you are. Being college ready is not the same thing as doing well in school exams – being college ready involves a wide range of skills, from reading comprehension to English grammar, that you probably don’t get taught much at school.

More than that, students who come to essai for diagnostics do not “do so badly”. The essai average diagnostic score for the ACT is 22. Compare this with the fact that the US average ACT score is 21. So (essai) Indian students are already up on their US peers before they even start the course.

An average ACT diagnostic report.

… and I want to do so well.
Not only do students arrive expecting their diagnostic scores to be much higher than they are, but also they assume that a few short weeks of work will get them their 36 or 1600. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work that way. Take the ACT. Going from a diagnostic of 20 to a real ACT score of 30 is like going from a 55% student to an 85% student. You wouldn’t expect that to happen overnight at school, so why expect these tests to be any different?

So how do I get a 36?
Getting a high score on these tests is not like memorising a textbook: it’s more like learning an instrument. At the moment, you know how to play a few scratchy notes on the violin, but do you know how to read the music and play the tune? Probably not. These tests are about learning skills, not knowledge. What’s more, you’ve probably picked up some bad habits along the way. Memorising material for tests at school can help hide those bad habits, but standardised tests expose the cracks; we have to break down those bad habits before we can build up the skills essential to getting the ACT or SAT score that you want and deserve.

The Honest Truth: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
What’s an appositive? How do I find the equation of an hyperbola? How do I identify a scientist’s assumptions? These are questions (and answers to them!) that won’t even cross your mind at school. But these are all things you need to know if you want that high ACT or SAT score. And learning these things takes time: a lot of time.

Yes, it takes a while
Essai’s test prep programmes, whether for the ACT or the SAT, recognise that students want and expect to do well. That is precisely why our programmes generally last six to nine months. We know that sounds like a scarily long time – but we also know you need that much time to build up the skills necessary to ace these tests. It requires a wholesale change in mindset.

You might have heard of kids who say they got a 34 in the ACT after a week’s worth of prep. And yes, those students do exist, but most often they will have started with a very high diagnostic, or they won’t admit how much prep they really put in. We all want to make our own lives look easy, but the reality is that, for most of us, it takes time. That’s where essai steps in to help; we give you the time and attention you need to reach your desired score. And that’s why almost every student who comes to us with a diagnostic of 22 or higher leaves with a real ACT score of 30 or more.

Show Me the Money! Essai's Guide to Merit Scholarships

Applying to university in the US can be an expensive affair — not just tuition costs, but accommodation, meal plans, stationery, and flights. Only 5 universities (MIT, Princeton, Yale, Harvard, and Amherst) are need-blind towards international students, and, needless to say, these colleges are not easy to get into. 

Nonetheless, a number of other top-ranked universities make merit-based scholarships available to international undergraduate applicants. Some of these are internal, and do not require additional essays; some are internal, and require extra essays (and have different deadlines); some are external, and awarded by independent bodies.

Here’s essai’s guide to making that US undergraduate degree within your reach:

The Robertson Scholars Leadership Program
If you choose to apply to Duke University or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, you can apply for the Robertson Scholarship which covers full tuition, board, lodge, and other mandatory college fees. With a deadline of November 15, you need to submit three 500-word essays about your intellectual interests and leadership style.

Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt’s three big scholarships — the Ingrams Scholarship Program, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, and the Chancellor’s Scholarship — reward commitment to service, academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership. While the Ingrams Scholarship requires three 500-word essays, Cornelius and Chancellor’s require only one 500-word answer each. Each of these scholarships has a December 1 deadline, and decision notifications are usually out by mid-March.

Wake Forest University
From the Stamps Scholarship to the Guy T. Carswell Scholarships, Wake Forest offers a number of merit-based scholarships that do not require an external application. All you need to do is submit a completed application before December 1. Additionally, it is recommended that you complete the optional interview that is part of the regular application process.

What’s more exciting is that Wake Forest also offers a talent-based scholarship — the Presidential Scholarship for Distinguished Achievement. If you’re a visual artist, dancer, musician, debater, or theatre practitioner, you should complete this application with a recommendation from someone familiar with your talent, a portfolio of your work, and preferably, the admissions interview. To increase your chances of earning this scholarship, you should apply by November 15. 

University of Southern California
USC offers a range of scholarships of varying amounts, with the Mork Family Scholarship covering full tuition as well as providing a stipend. With about 6 other scholarships — including the Trustee and Presidential Scholarships, and the International Freshman Academic award — open to international undergraduate applicants, opportunities are plenty. You’re automatically considered for all of these, so get ready to submit a completed application to USC by their December 1 deadline!

Tulane University
Apply to Tulane EA or — with additional scholarship essays — to be considered for the Paul Tulane or Deans’ Honor Scholarship. An extremely competitive application process, scholarship recipients from the past 3 years have had ACT scores of over 31 or SAT scores higher than 1400.

If you apply to either of the above scholarships, you’re automatically considered for the Stamps Scholarship as well, and the Global Scholarship has no additional application at all!

Tata Scholarship
The Tata Scholarship, while externally-instituted, is available only to students who have received an offer of admission from Cornell for any undergraduate program. This scholarship, however, is based on demonstrated need; it also requires you to be an Indian citizen with a sufficiently high TOEFL or IELTS score.

Next Genius
Next Genius rewards meritorious students who are currently in Grade 12 or on a gap year. Open only to Indian citizens, this award is given out even before the college application process begins. Being a Next Genius means that you will be supported as you apply to any of their partner universities in the US, and if accepted, Next Genius covers your tuition fee, either partially or completely.

No GMAT? No Problem!

With a large number of management degrees in the UK, it can get overwhelming to select the best one for you. Add to that the stress of giving the GRE or GMAT? Forget about it.

Here’s essai’s list of the top 5 GMAT-optional business degrees in the UK to make selecting your Master’s degree radically easier than before.

MSc in Management – University College London
UCL’s one-year Master’s degree is highly competitive. Depending on whether you’ve studied business before, you can choose to pursue one of two pathways -- Finance and Corporate. Through a series of taught modules and a substantive research project, you can expect to develop a robust understanding of managerial issues from practical perspectives grounded in contemporary theoretical debates in the sectors.

MSc in Management – CASS Business School, City, University of London
This scholastically rigorous academic programme will equip you with the skill set you need for rapid personal and professional development. Through some exciting electives, you will gain practical experience beyond the walls of the classroom. For 12 months, you will have the opportunity to enhance technical skills in analysing problems, thinking critically, and strategizing businesses alongside soft skills in working effectively with teams, and leading and managing people. Essentially, this programme is designed to help you emerge as a global business leader.

MSc in Management – Imperial College Business School
This year-long degree in Management will prepare you for a wide array of careers in fields ranging from management consulting to professional services. Imperial’s management programme is consistently ranked amongst the best in the world, and this phenomenal reputation (combined with strong relationships with employers from leading international organisations) will further grant you access to prestigious professional experiences. With a very impressive placement rate, Imperial is committed to delivering skilled managers for greater social good.

MSc in International Management – King’s College London
Perfect for graduates with less than two years of work experience, King’s College London’s MSc in International Management is open for students from a wide range of academic backgrounds, with a preference for candidates with prior leadership experience in high school and university. A highly demanding (and consequently rewarding) programme which culminates in a dissertation, this MSc will help you acquire a deep understanding of the complex socio-political, economic, and cultural environments within which modern businesses function.

MSc in Business Analytics – Imperial College Business School
Imperial’s MSc in Business Analytics leverages contemporary industry’s heavy reliance on big data to arrive at evidence-based decisions. Needless to say, the programme content is grounded in intensive quantitative and technical training; however, you will also have the chance to apply these skills in sector-focused electives and projects. With core modules in econometrics, database technologies, and artificial intelligence, this course represents the perfect convergence of technology and business for effective decision-making.

ACT English: The Semicolon

https://www.montreuxriviera.com/en/P976/freddie-mercury-statue

In the ACT, two independent clauses can be joined together using a semicolon. This is the only way in which we can use a semicolon in the ACT.

The formula is: IC ; IC.

(Refresher: an Independent Clause = Subject + Conjugated Verb)

In high school, you are often taught that a semicolon is used to connect any two things that are related, whether they are phrases or clauses. This is NOT correct. A semicolon can ONLY be used to join two independent clauses. In the ACT, the relationship between the clauses does not matter. All that matters is that there must be an independent clause on each side of a semicolon.

Look at the examples below:

Tanvi avoided the question; Ganesh gratefully accepted the food.
S + CV ; S + CV

The man asked where they were going; Tanvi said they needed to get back to Delhi.
S + CV ; S + CV

The man said he had a boat; he could take them up the Ganges.
S + CV ; S + CV

Tanvi jumped at the opportunity; Ganesh grumbled that he wanted to sleep first.
S + CV ; S + CV

In the ACT, if you are not sure whether it is an IC; IC sentence construction, there is an easy way to check. Before the semicolon, there should be a subject (S) and a conjugated verb (CV); after the semicolon, there should be a subject and a conjugated verb.

IC ; IC = S + CV ; S + CV

Have a go at the questions below to see if you’ve got the hang of it. Answers to be revealed tomorrow.

The most famous statue of Freddy Mercury is situated in the beautiful Swiss town of Montreux; placed [1] on the edge of the lake at the end of the Place du Marché. Freddy never got to see the statue himself, however, he spent many peaceful years of his life in Montreux, gazing out at the tranquil waters of Lac Léman.

1. A. NO CHANGE
   B. Montreux placed
   C. Montreux, placed
   D. Montreux: placed

2. A. NO CHANGE
   B. himself however he
   C. himself; though he
   D. himself; however, he

ACTing English: Non-Essential Appositives

An appositive is a word or phrase that comes after the primary noun of a sentence: it is a-positioned next to it. It is important to know when the appositive is essential or non-essential: determining this will determine the presence or absence of commas (something the ACT cares a lot about!). Detecting this is also important as it ensures that you don’t add a single, lonely comma as a pause after the primary noun. 

Let’s look at the sentence below and our flowchart that helps you determine whether an appositive is non-essential. 

Claudius, the old man,  gave Tanvi and Ganesh his address.
↓
Appositive (following the primary noun, Claudius)
↓ (Look to the left of the appositive and answer the following question:)
Is the subject (Claudius) of the sentence a specific detail?
↓
Yes (in the context, there’s only one Claudius).
↓
Would we still know who gave Tanvi and Ganesh his address if we got rid of the appositive?
↓
Yes.
↓
Therefore, the old man is a non-essential appositive.

The appositive is non-essential in nature. We know that Claudius gave Tanvi and Ganesh his address.  Any other information about him will be additional information and not necessarily required for the sentence to make sense. Accordingly, the appositive (like any non-essential information) is bracketed off by commas.

Now it’s your turn! Comment with your answer choice and we’ll reveal the answer tomorrow:

Once upon a time, King Arthur the famous British knight [1] drew a sword, Excalibur [2] from a stone.

1. A. NO CHANGE
   B. time King Arthur the famous British knight,
   C. time, King Arthur, the famous British knight,
   D. time, King Arthur, the famous British knight

2. A. NO CHANGE
   B. sword Excalibur
   C. sword Excalibur,
   D. sword, Excalibur,

December ACT Results

The Essai Olympiad the night before the December ACT: brownie (literally!) points to the winners!

A very happy new year to you all! We have an exciting year ahead of us here at essai, with lots of students taking tests in the next few months, and our 12th graders on tenter-hooks waiting to hear back from colleges.

But first we wanted to take you back to December last year: yet again, essai’s students performed brilliantly in the December ACT. We had a total of 30 students taking the December test, our largest cohort yet.

Overall, our students scores went up 7 points from their diagnostic scores, with almost 40% of students improving by 8 points or more. And a big shout out to two students in particular, who achieved a whopping 12 point improvement from their diagnostics.

Starting from an average diagnostic score of 24, our students scored an average of 31 in the December ACT. While essai aims to focus on score improvement, we were delighted to see over 60% of our students score 30 or more. Even more impressively, over 25% scored 34+, and two students scored a perfect 36.

Here at essai, we pride ourselves on our English programme (we’re currently finalising a textbook, so watch this space!). In December, students improved their English scores by 11 points, from an average of 22 to an average of 33. One student even scooped a huge 20 point improvement! And over half of our students scored 35 or more in English.

The other sections of the test also went very well for our students. 65% scored 30 or more in Math, and 3 students scored a 36 in Math and Reading. In Science, almost half of our students scored a 30 or more, with seven achieving a 36.

All in all, a huge congratulations to all our students. For many of you, December marked the end of your ACT journey with essai – enjoy the feeling of being done! For some of you, another attempt still looms ahead, and we look forward to helping you to get there. And for those pondering taking the ACT, we encourage you to come down to essai and check it out! You can find more about our ACT programme here.

October ACT Results

A large group of students from essai took on the ACT on October 12th: most of them for the first time. A big congratulations to all of them: essai’s October results were our best yet. 

As we’re sure most of you are aware, the ACT is scored out of 36. Students receive sectional scores in English, Math, Reading, and Science, which combine to give the students a composite score.

At essai, we always look first and foremost to score improvement. Overall, our students improved their composite scores by 8 points (a 35% improvement), from an average diagnostic score of 22 to an average score of 30 in the ACT. 6 students improved by 10 points or more (averaging a 55% score increase), including three students taking the ACT for the first time.

That is not to say we’re not interested in the actual composite scores as well! 70% of our students scored 30 or more, and 4 students achieved scores of 33 and above, with our top scorer getting a 35.

Our students’ English scores were a particular highlight, with an average improvement in English of 13 points. 70% of students scored 34 or above in English, which was fantastic; one student even managed a 36.

While English was particularly strong, our students also performed well across the board: over half achieved above 30 in Math. In Reading and Science, several students reached scores of 34 or above.

All in all, we’re very proud of all of our students.

I Don’t Take Science In School: Can I Still Score Highly In The ACT?

http://www.clker.com/clipart-11312.html

The short answer to this commonly-asked question is YES.

The ‘Science’ section of the ACT actually tests students’ data interpretation skills rather than their knowledge of scientific concepts. It’s true that a basic knowledge of foundational chemistry, physics, and biology is assumed, but any student who has taken science up to a Grade 10 level should have covered the topics in school. At essai, we go back over all of the essential science knowledge in just a few hours of class.

The key to succeeding in the Science section lies in developing an understanding of how to quickly interpret data, learning how to read tables and graphs, and becoming confident with  scientific methodology and experimental design.

Let’s look at an extract from the official ACT practice science section to see how one might tackle the questions WITHOUT using specific scientific factual knowledge:

Paper chromatography can be used to identify metal ions in wastewater. A drop of sample solution is placed on filter paper. The bottom of the paper is set in a solvent that travels up the paper (see Figure 1).

Figure 1

The solvent carries the ions up the paper. Some ions move faster, and therefore farther than others, resulting in a separation as they move up the paper. The paper is dried, then stained, causing the ions to appear as colored spots. Rf values are calculated for each spot:

Table 1 shows Rf values for 5 ions. Table 2 shows Rf values from 3 samples of wastewater. The same solvent was used for all ions and samples.

Table 1 adapted from Thomas McCullough, CSC, and Marissa Curlee, “Qualitative Analysis of Cations Using Paper Chromatography.” ©1993 by the American Chemical Society.

Note: Samples contain only the metal ions listed in Table 1.

Question 1: The information in Tables 1 and 2 supports the conclusion that Sample 3 contains:

1. Cu2+ and Cd2+ only.

2. Co2+ and Hg2+ only.

3. Ni2+, Co2+, and Cd2+ only.

4. Ni2+, Cd2+, and Hg2+ only

Answer Explanation: When the drop of wastewater Sample 3 is put on the filter paper and the filter paper is placed in the solvent solution, the ions from the sample travel up the filter paper with Rf values of 0.08, 0.78, and 0.95 (we can see this from the third row of Table 2).
If we cross-reference this information with the Rf of known ions in Table 1 then we can see that the sample must contain Nickel, Cadmium, and Mercury ions. Therefore the correct answer is D.

Question 2: Based on the information in Table 1, which of the following lists the metal ions in order from the fastest to slowest speed with which they moved up the paper?

1. Hg2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2

2. Cd2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Ni2+

3. Ni2+, Hg2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Cd2+

4. Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Cd2+, Hg2+

Answer Explanation: We know that the metal ion which travels the farthest distance in the set period of time in which the filter paper is placed in the solvent solution is the one which must also be travelling the fastest (remember the Math formula Speed= Distance/Time). To answer this question we look at Table 2, which happens to be ordered in increasing speed of ion travel. We just reverse the order of the table to find the correct answer (which is A).

Question 3:  Based on the information in Table 1, to best identify a metal ion using paper chromatography, one should know the:

1. spot color for the ion only.

2. distance the solvent traveled only.

3. Rf value and spot color for the ion only.

4. distance the solvent traveled and spot color of the ion only.

Answer Explanation: We start by looking at the data in Table 1 and eliminating options. The answer cannot be A, because some of the ions share the same spot color, therefore we cannot use this feature to differentiate between ions. The answer cannot be B, because the solvent would travel the same distance in all trials. It cannot be D, because that is a combination of the wrong answers A and B, and even having both sets of information would still not enable us to differentiate between ions. Therefore the correct answer must be C. Knowing the Rf value is the crucial piece of information, as it differs for each ion.

Passage and questions taken from: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/science-practice-test-questions.html?page=0&chapter=4#

Special Accommodations for Testing

http://montgomeryparents.com/index.php/2018/04/15/college-years-special-accommodations-act/

It’s an accepted fact that each student’s brain works in a different way. And it’s an accepted fact that ‘Standardised Testing’ is designed to test the ‘standard’ student.  So why isn’t it an accepted fact that some students require special accommodations to be able to fulfil their potential in the ACT or SAT?

At essai, we’ve found that there is a real lack of knowledge surrounding the process of applying for and testing with special accommodations. There also seems to be a great deal of unfounded prejudice and rumour being spread amongst students and parents. To counter this, we’ve put together a myth-busting cheatsheet to clarify the process.

Note: This guide is ACT specific – get in touch if you’d like to know more about SAT testing accommodations.

1. Why might a student need special accommodations?

   • They have significant problems concentrating for even a short period of time

   • They struggle to read or comprehend text

   • Their reading or comprehension speed is very slow

   • They have a medical condition which impacts on their test-taking

   • They have a speech and language processing difficulty

   • Their teachers or tutors have expressed concern in the past

   • They have a visual impairment

   • To see a comprehensive list of the eligibility criteria, see this document published by the ACT, go to: https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/6368-ACT-Policy-for-Documentation-Web.pdf
     

2. But what if the student has never received extra time or support at school before?

   • If there is any suggestion that a student might benefit from special testing accommodations, it's essential to undergo an assessment sooner rather than later.

   • Don’t leave it until the last minute; sometimes reports can take a while to produce

   • Simply contact a professional (we recommend the specialists at the London Learning Centre in Vasant Vihar) who will conduct an assessment on the student
     

3. How does a student apply for special accommodations?

   1. Apply as early as possible to ensure that the appropriate arrangements can be made

   2. The student must be able to prove their need for accommodations (see the link to the ACT guideline above for a detailed description of the required documentation)

   3. When registering online for the test, the student must select the ‘Testing with Accommodations’ option

   4. Then it will be possible to specify which accommodations are required (different depending on the student’s assessment report). Select "Center-Based Testing" if you the student can take the ACT with 50% extended time in one session via computer-based testing, or select "Special Testing" if the student needs accommodations other than 50% extended time in one session and/or need to take the ACT with paper and pencil

   5. When the registration has been completed, the student will receive an email with information about how to work with their school to arrange the special testing requirements. Be sure to forward this to the appropriate staff member, along with a completed ‘Consent to Release Information to ACT’ form.

   6. The school staff member will have to complete the rest of the application and organisation process. You should receive confirmation of the allowances granted within one month of submitting the request. Be sure to stay in close contact with the school staff member to ensure that everything is running smoothly, and that the deadlines are met.

4. What does special accommodation actually entail?

   • Rather than taking the test on the official test date, there is a three-week window in which a student with Special Accommodations can arrange to take the test.

   • A student may be given 50% or more extra time, and may have the option to take the test over multiple days

   • If taking the test over one day, the student will have a 15 minute break after the Math test, and a 5 minute break before starting the written section.

   • The student may be allowed to take a pen-and-paper version of the test

   • The student may be authorised to use highlighter pens or other testing aids
     

5. But it’s a really long test already, won’t I get too tired if I have extra time?

   • You don’t have to use all your extra time; you can choose to move on early if you are testing in a private setting

   • If you put in enough practice then your stamina will vastly increase

   • You can work slowly and steadily to prevent fatigue

   • IT’S WORTH IT!  It may feel tough at the time, but it can really make a difference to your score (and your future)
     

6. Won’t colleges be reluctant to accept students who need special accommodations?

   • None of the colleges will know unless you choose to inform them!

   • All the information you supply to the ACT is strictly confidential
     

According to the ACT, around 5% of test-takers are provided with some sort of special accommodation. That’s 1 in 20! It DOES NOT mean that there is anything ‘wrong’ with the student, or that they are less intelligent than their peers. It makes no sense at all not to seek assistance if you suspect it might be required. It’s not ‘cheating’: it’s adapting the test remove the invisible hurdles and to make it fair for each student.

What exactly is a Radian?

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VLbUiUZcqng/WC1cJacMdeI/AAAAAAAA_-4/lqd2dC3pVLIwji72iWjriJ89jfvpufVoQCLcB/s0/Image%2B%2528178%2529.jpg

Ever wondered why we go through all that trouble to convert degrees or radians and vice versa? And what exactly does it mean when we say 1 radian and how did we get there?

Well, a Radian, simply put, is a unit of measure for angles that is based on the radius of a circle. What this means is that if we imagine taking the length of the radius and wrapping it around a circle, the angle that is formed at the centre of the circle by this arc is equal to 1 Radian.

Now most of us are used to using the conversion formula for degrees to radians and vice versa but ever wondered how it came about? It's actually fairly simple. The circumference of a circle is 2 times π times r which means that there are approximately 6.28 Radians in a full circle.

Another way of thinking about this is to imagine you are standing in a circular park and you go for a walk around the outside of the park. You can either calculate this as walking the circumference of the park (which is 6.28 Radians) or walking 360 Degrees around it which in a way is the exact same thing

It is from this relationship that we say 2*π*r = 360 Degrees or that 1 Radian = 180/π Degrees and 1 Degree = π/180 Radians.

Welcome to the CUCUverse...

Get ready readers, on December 20th, CUCU- a brand new app developed by members of the essai team- is launching. 

This is the next stage in reading’s evolution: the “Reavolution” 

CUCU is coming

The claim that reading is dying, on its deathbed, breathing its last is no great insight. That might be an exaggeration, but the truth is a stone’s throw away. To search for scapegoats such as the world, change, children, and Instagram is easy and might even be correct (or at least part of the story). But what if it’s not the whole story? What if reading is to blame? What if we were to blame for not innovating in the field of reading? For not ‘renovating’!  Bad humor aside, this is our view. This is the view of a team of educators who has conjured up CUCU from the classroom and put it into your phone, into your hands, and now hopefully in your mind.

Our experience in the classroom has taught us a few things. Firstly, that reading ought to be interactive. When our students encountered a reading which their teacher peppered with questions, contextualising facts and vignettes, they not only paid more attention but also became more curious- surely a holy grail of education.

Another thing we have learnt is that 'reading' is not a monolith. Rather, it is a diverse skillset, involving your working memory, vocabulary, critical thinking, ability to contextualise, and speed. If we accept this, then there is no such thing as being a 'bad reader'- you could simply be weak in one of the foundational skills causing the whole castle to collapse! Unfortunately, large class sizes and a lack of diagnostic tools make it impossible for a teacher to figure out the precise stumbling block for each student.

This is a sad situation. When a person falls out of love with reading, it's often because he believes that he is 'not good' at it, or because he is simply not inspired by his reading material. Unfortunately, teachers and parents have stumbled upon the wrong solution: read more. But the CUCU team believes that reading is like a sport- one which can only be enjoyed if you have received the right instruction. If you just keep failing you’re bound to quit. Anyone who has played golf, or yoga for that matter, will empathise with this analogy.

So yes, reading can be understood as a sport. And this is the road that lead us to CUCU. And like all sports, CUCU has an element of competition- a recognition of how cool it is to be a good reader. The CUCU team gets jealous when they meet someone who reads fast, comprehends, remembers, and lets the words and thoughts from a book merge with the words and thoughts of his life. The CUCU leaderboard is intended to reward careful and regular practice - an incentive NOT just to read more, but to read well.

Alright. You get the bigger picture. Onwards. How does CUCU work? Simple. Just choose one of the articles from the cucutheque to get started. The texts, which have been selected to expand your knowledge as well as model top-quality writing, converse with you. In each interaction you will be scored according to your accuracy in answering questions, as well as for your reading pace (yes the clock is ticking- up there in the right corner). You can flip back, but CUCU keeps track of that too, and it will harm your total score.

Although the classic CUCU question is multiple-choice, there’s a variety of forms to keep you on your toes. Furthermore, the questions fall into different categories, and you’ll get a score for each at the end. The Vocabulary questions will test you on the meanings of words in or out of their context, whilst Critical Thinking questions will test you on your general understanding of how the author links facts and arguments to make a whole.  Contextualisation questions aim to measure your general knowledge in the subject area of the article, and Focus questions are paired with your ‘flip-back’ tendency to generate a measure of your ability to immediately recall stuff that you just read (i.e. your “working memory”). Your Speed score comes from how quickly you complete the CUCU, as well as your answers to the questions following the speed reading section that displays only chunks of words at a time, forcing you to really get in the game.

That's it! You're fully prepared to download the app on December 20th and find out what CUCU thinks of your reading skills. Have fun, play safe, and CUCU on!

THE WORLD HISTORY TEST: A NECESSITY

The Subject Test. Yet another way for universities to gain a more complete image of who you are as an applicant.

Here are the subjects the tests are offered in followed by a few words of wisdom (all the bolded ones are actual options):  

Literature- if you thought the ACT reading was hard, think again…
US History- a curriculum barely touched in Indian schools
World History- a very good option for all non-science students
Math I- pointless (you did this math on the ACT)
Math II- everyone needs to take this
Chemistry- great, if Chemistry is one of your subjects
Biology- great, if Biology is one of your subjects (or you can really mug up)
Physics- great, if Physics is one of your subjects
Languages- no Hindi!

As you may notice, there isn’t an economics or commerce subject test, so for all non-science students, the options become a little limited.

Lucky for you, there is the World History test- a 1-hour test, with 95 multiple choice questions. While it is a long, extensive and fast test, thankfully College Board is aware of this and even getting up to 20 questions wrong will earn you a perfect 800 (35 wrong will get you a 700)! The test covers all historical themes (political and diplomatic, intellectual and cultural, social and economic) from prehistoric times to the present.

The content is not only interesting, but the knowledge is something that transcends beyond just the test and can truly build on your critical reading and comprehension skills. The New York Times just did a study explaining that while comprehension does require a broad vocabulary, equally important is the role of factual knowledge. In addition to being great dinner party conversation (you will surely impress all the Auntie’s), this factual knowledge builds context allowing for comprehension to be much easier!

While the facts may seem daunting (and too many), you should know that this is not only a test of memorisation, but also a test of your ability to think historically and reasonably deduce answers- a key tool for many economists or business leaders.

If Physics, Bio and Chemistry are not your thing, just remember that the World History test is the perfect, and necessary, answer to your SAT Subject Test woes. And it’s an added plus that we teach it here at essai!  

Get in touch for more information on the World History test! 

The Philosophy of the ACT

“I just don’t understand WHY we’re forced to sit through such a challenging test! Can’t the colleges just look at our school grades and reports?”

This was exclaimed just last week by an Essai student in a fit of despair brought on by a particularly fiendish math problem, and it’s a question which is often voiced by teachers and students alike. In order to find some sort of answer, we must delve deep into the ACT’s ‘technical manual’, which contains a detailed justification for the structure and content of the test.

College faculty members were asked which knowledge and skill areas were most important to success in college courses, and also asked to identify which of these areas students should have mastered before embarking on their college careers. The content of the test is the product of this consultation, and the four subjects – English, Math, Reading and Science (which is predominantly data interpretation and analysis) – were chosen because a grasp of their fundamentals is essential for any college-bound student, regardless of their intended programme of study.

The manual states that the underlying principle behind the ACT test is “the belief that student’s preparation for college and the workplace is best assessed by measuring, as directly as possible, the academic skills that they will need to perform college-level work”.

The paper itself is purported to “measure what students are able to do with what they have learned in school”. This means that rather than assessing abstract qualities such as ‘intelligence’ or testing students on their memorisation of specific syllabus content, it aims to facilitate the integration of knowledge and skills from major curriculum areas with information provided in the test. Thus, the focus is placed on determining whether a student is capable of solving problems, grasping implied meanings, draw inferences, and evaluate ideas.

This well-founded rational should certainly provide reassurance to ACT candidates – especially the emphasis that high test scores are not simply a matter of innate ability, but reflect a level of achievement earned through dedicated practice and consistent effort.

3 Books to READ this Diwali Break!

Yes, students, reading can happen over breaks. And yes, it will help your ACT scores and college applications (by increasing your vocabulary, improving your information retention, and sharpening comprehension)!

What more could you want?

Don’t believe us? Read this : https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/2014/06/02/enhance-summer-sat-act-prep-with-reading-you-enjoy

However, for those of you who do believe us, take a look at these three books that we highly recommend:

1. Moonwalking with Einstein : The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer
The book follows a year long journey of Joshua Foer training for the US Memory Championships. Under the guidance of the top "mental athletes", Foer masters ancient techniques to memorise entire speeches and books in a matter of minutes and hours, rather than days.  It draws on cutting-edge research, explaining the tricks of the trade, allowing us to better understand the techniques between human remembering and how we can all improve our own memory! 

Can't remember that last science concept for the ACT? Learn from Josua Foer!

2. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
At the age of thirty-six, Paul Kalanithi a neurosurgeon, was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. The book chronicles Kalanithi's journey from a young, ambitious medical student, into a neurosurgeon at Stanford, to a patient and finally, a new father confronting his own mortality. The author battles questions regarding the challenge of facing death, and what life can mean in such a situation. 

For any of you Atul Gawande fans, the forward is written by him! Read it now! 

3. The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
The book follows the two-worlds of Starr Carter- the poor neighbourhood she was born and raised in and the fancy suburban school she currently attends. When Starr is the sole witness to the shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil, at the hands of a police officer, her world is turned upside down.Khalil’s death becomes a national headline, with people calling him a thug or drug dealer. Protests begin in the community, and local cops begin to intimidate Starr and her family. All everyone wants to know is: what really happened that night? 

Order it here! 

Get your books today, and celebrate Diwali with pages instead of patakas (haha)! 

(FUN)ctions Part Two- Transformations

Welcome back to our series on functions! In Part Two we're all about transformations...

A transformed function is one which has been altered in a specific way, resulting in a different appearance on the x/y coordinate grid. This could mean being shifted up, down, to the right or left. Functions can also be reflected in the x axis or the y axis. 

 Look at this example- a visual representation ofwhat happens when you alter a function according to the rules above.

 ACT Practice

What is relationship between f(x) and g(x) ? 

A. g(x)= f(x+5)
B. g(x)= f(x+3)-5
C. g(x) = f(x-3)-5
D. f(x)= g(x+7)+3 

•  

 Answer: To transform f(x) into g(x), the parabola needs to move 3 units to the left, and 5 units down (be careful when reading the axes numbering). So the answer is B.

A Joyfully, Selfish Profile : The Squash Guy

The Squash Guy was a strong science student (low 80s in PCM-CS) at a school with major US student outflow. He was part of his school’s highly selective Computer Science club and had a very strong ACT score (34). The Squash Guy had another important feather in his cap: he was a top-15 ranked Indian squash player with major tournament experience and a glowing recommendation from his coach (who had worked with other US-bound student-athletes from India).

He is a memorable example of pragmatic profile-building through joyful selfishness. He came to us when he was in the middle of Grade 11, wondering if he should leave squash and prioritize his academics. However, the Squash Guy hadn’t participated in any major academic projects, hadn’t attended any summer schools, hadn’t researched with any professors – in short, he didn’t really have any academic profile to build on. We advised the Squash Guy to remember Rule #3: never start from scratch.

We came up with a plan for him to aggressively pursue squash (at the time his ranking was hovering in the mid-20s), and it worked: he played tournaments, improved his ranking, and eventually caught the eye of two serious college programs. The Squash Guy is the perfect example of the practical benefits of simply doing what you love, and doing it as often and as well as you can. This is the best kind of college admissions: at virtually no other time in life will you be pragmatically rewarded for pursuing your passion single-mindedly. The Squash Guy took a risk in electing to follow his love of squash, and he ended up being recruited by Columbia. However, even at other non-sporting colleges his squash still served as an ‘amplifier’ for his school grades (evidenced by his admission to Carnegie Mellon’s highly selective School of Computer Science).

The moral of the story?

Colleges will take it a little easier on you grade-wise if you can prove you’re a Student-plus.

Notes from a Lexicomane: why extending your vocabulary is amongst the best ACT preparation you can do.

If there’s one thing that teachers can agree on, it’s that the majority of high school students do not have a sufficiently broad knowledge of English vocabulary.  Although some blame the ‘dumbing down’ of TV shows and popular media, whilst others lament the decline in reading as a pastime, the fact remains that eloquence is an increasingly rare trait. 

Lack of linguistic breadth is a major hurdle which must be overcome by students hoping to score well in their ACT Reading and English tests. This is owing to the frequency of unfamiliar words which the tests are designed to expose students to, as well as the specific ‘vocabulary-in-context’ questions. 

Here’s an example of the sort of question you are likely to encounter:

“Your index finger is one of the most sensitive regions of the human body, owing to the fact that a large number of nerves are concentrated at the tip”. 

As used in this sentence, the word concentrated most nearly means:
A: extracted
B: paid attention to
C: gathered together
D: directed to one topic

The vey best advice which you can take when it comes to building vocabulary is simply to READ MORE! This may sound simple, and it is, but you need to be sure to read a wide variety of different texts in order to maximise your progress. This means that your reading needs to span genres, cultures and historical periods. Yet you needn’t only focus on reading books- reading journal articles, news items and well-written blogs can be just as beneficial if you are being exposed to new words. 

It is important to ensure that you are not skipping over the words you don’t understand- look them up and write them down! There are numerous dictionary apps which enable quick discovery of definitions and synonyms, as well as allowing you to build up personalised word lists. Many even offer a ‘word of the day’ feature, which may prove invaluable if you want to impress your friends with your magniloquence. If you’re looking for a shortcut to boost your linguistic talents, try downloading the free app ‘vocabulary.com’, which claims to “combines the world’s smartest dictionary with an adaptive learning game that will have you mastering new words in no time.”

Have you got a favourite word? What are your top tips for improving your vocabulary? Comment below to join the discussion…

answer = C
Lexicomane= a person who loves words
Magniloquence= use of impressive vocabulary

(FUN)ction Graphs

Calling all Math students…Could you answer this simple question on function graphs?  

Correct answer, C.  See the end of this post for the explanation. 

If you got the answer straight away, well done! You’ve clearly given the sine, cosine and tangent functions the attention they deserve. But don’t panic if you got it wrong- you are not alone. The majority of ACT Math students really struggle when faced with this type of question, and this blog post has been created to help you out.  

Learning what the linear graphs of sin, cos and tan look like on the x/y plane is ESSENTIAL.

I repeat- ESSENTIAL.

It’s only once you are secure in this knowledge that you can learn how to transform them (coincidently, our blog topic for next week)! 

Lets start from the beginning…

f(θ)=sin(θ) is known as the sine function: 
 

The wave repeats every 2π radians, or every 360° (i.e. it has a period of 360°). It’s maximum y value is 1, and minimum is -1. It crosses the y axis at (0,0).

f(θ)= cos (θ) is the cosine function:

Just like the sine function, the wave has a period of 360°. It’s maximum y value is 1, and minimum is -1. However, the cosine function crosses the y axis at (0,1). See how it ‘follows’ the sine wave at 90° behind?

 f(θ)= tan(θ) is the tangent function:  

It is not a rising and falling wave like the other two- it’s y values range from negative infinity to positive infinity, and it crosses the y axes once every π radians, or 180°. However, it does pass through the origin, point (0,0), like the sine wave. 

Notice how every 180° there is an x value for which there is no apparent corresponding y value? This is because tan(90°), tan(270°), etc (and tan( π/2), tan(3π/2)) is equal to either positive or negative infinity- meaning that it is is officially undefined.

Undeniably, it is easiest and fastest just to remember what each function looks like (i.e. the maximum and minimum y values, y-axis intercept, period etc.).
However,  if you forget what any of these functions look like, it is possible to quickly check using your calculator to create a table like the one below. You can then sketch a rough diagram to jolt your memory or clear up any confusion. 

So now let’s go back to the first question and see how we can use our new knowledge to solve it easily.

If we look at the sine wave and the cosine wave plotted onto the same x/y plane, we can see that the x value for their first intersection in the POSITIVE x quadrant is 45°. Therefore our answer must be C !