Prufrock's New Gifted Education Catalog

If it hasn't already arrived, Prufrock Press' gifted education catalog will be in your mailbox soon. My staff has been working long hours getting this season's newest releases ready. Prufrock is offering 14 new titles in our Fall 2006 Catalog!

If you aren't already on our catalog mailing list, simply fill out our online catalog request form and receive a free catalog.

Exciting, New Gifted Education Books

From innovative teaching materials like Philosophy for Teens and Super Smart Math, to great professional resources like Best Practices in Gifted Education and Strategies for Differentiating Instruction, I believe that this is one of Prufrock strongest seasons for quality, research-based books supporting the education of gifted children.

I'll be blogging about these exciting new books in the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can check out all of Prufrock's most recent releases in the "New Releases" section of our Web site.

Scholarships for Gifted Students on the Rise

In its August 21, 2006, issue, Time magazine ran a story titled, "Free Tuition for Smart Kids," addressing recent increases in merit based scholarships to universities nationwide. In just 10 years, the percentage of state-college grants awarded on the basis of merit have risen from just 10% to more than 25% (the remaining 75% going to needs-based grants).

According to the article, "The schools are simply following the times: these days even public colleges are obsessed with improving their rankings, which can be done in part by attracting high-scoring students with offers of an all-expenses-paid education."

Increased Opportunities for Gifted Kids From Lower-Income Communities

The article suggests that the trend will have a positive impact on gifted students from lower-income communities. Given both merit and need, such students will have many new opportunities open to them at the nations' best schools such as Harvard (where tuition is now more than $30,000 a year). The article explains, "lower-income communities are finding that their gifted kids can gain entry to the most expensive schools, perhaps helping pry open the austere gates of Harvard Yard a little wider in the process."

Inexpensive SAT and ACT Test Preparation

Guest Post by: Lacy Elwood

About This Blog Entry's Guest Author Lacy Elwood is one of Prufrock Press' editors. Lacy is the editor of Creative Kids Magazine and acts at the primary editor for many of Prufrock's parenting and education related books.

 

Preparing for College Entrance Exams

With the start of the fall semester swiftly approaching, college-bound students across the nation are gearing up to take the SAT and ACT college entrance exams. In 2005, 1.47 million students took the SAT. Another 2.1 million ACT tests were administered that year. Preparing for these exams has become the norm in the lives of many gifted high school students.

Reflecting these trends, several companies have popped up to offer preparatory programs for the tests. Whether students go to a local learning center, take the prep courses via the Internet, or simply opt to purchase a study guide from a local bookstore, preparing for the SAT or ACT test has become a must. However, choosing and selecting the right preparatory program is mostly a matter of taste and expense.

One option is to take a specific test prep course at a local learning center, college, or even through a school district. Kaplan and the Princeton Review are reputable companies for this type of service. Kaplan’s SAT Classroom Courses and the Princeton Review’s ACT Classroom Courses and SAT Classroom Courses are good options to check out. Courses can be costly, but the classroom atmosphere often helps some students concentrate on the task at hand.

Inexpensive Test Preparation Materials

Students and parents looking to save some money on preparatory programs should check out the Victory Sports Group Agency’s collaboration with eKnowledge LLC. In this program, NFL, NFL Europe, AFL, and CFL athletes have donated several million dollars worth of SAT and ACT preparatory programs. Students can receive the $200 DVD or CD-ROM courses free, by checking out http://sat.eknowledge.com/nation.asp (click "Order" on the left side of the Web site and enter sponsorship code "31585F21A6"). Parents must pay the cost of shipping and handling ($9.95), but it’s a cost that pales in comparison to some of the other programs available.

A great option for the busy student is to consider taking online courses or utilizing the various companies Web sites for review. Both the College Board and American College Testing, Inc. offer resources via their Web sites for students. The College Board’s SAT Preparation Center provides students with practice questions, test-taking tips, and a free tour of its online courses, and the ACT’s ACT Student Web page gives students test tips, sample tests, and links to its preparatory programs.

The Princeton Review’s Web site also offers a great resource: a checklist for figuring out which type of test prep course is best for each individual student. Whatever your students’ preferences, there’s an option out there ready to help them prepare for the college entrance exam.