In eighth grade, students take placement/entrance exams for public and private high schools. The results of these tests, along with other criteria, are used to place students into freshman courses of different levels of difficulty. This six-session course will prepare students for the mathematics portion of these tests.
For a number of reasons, many students are not prepared for the math on these tests. First, some students never received a solid foundation in the fifth- through eigth-grade topics covered on the tests: fractions, ratios, proportions, decimals, percentages, story problems, geometry, pre-algebra, etc. Second, students may need to review these topics, some of which they haven’t studied in a year or two or three. And, third, since many schools, for example New Trier and Loyola, do not allow calculators on their tests or on portions of the tests, students need to practice solving problems without a calculator. Some students today rely on their calculators so much that they would have difficulty adding two simple fractions or solving a simple percent problem without a calculator.
This course will include a review of all necessary mathematics content as well as test-taking strategies. Students will do all work without a calculator unless the particular test they will be taking in eighth grade allows calculator use. In addition to lectures, one-to-one instruction, and group work, students will be given six timed practice exams. There will also be fun games and competitions. The course will give students the knowledge and confidence they need to perform up to their potential on the entrance exam, which will ensure that they are placed in the appropriate ninth grade math course.
Course Fee:
Full Price: $625
Early Registration: $550 ($75 off) (through May 31st)
Registering with a Friend: $550 ($75 off)
Early Registration with a Friend: $475 ($150 off)
Save an additional $10 by paying with a credit card.
