Education Industry Association"s, EDVentures Summit, Orlando, 2015. Kevin Organisciak, Presenter

1. KEVIN ORGANISCIAK
KEVIN@TESTPREPPROFESSIONALS.COM
Positioning for the New SAT

2. Aptitude adjustment: testing trends
The last significant change to the SAT created a patter n of
consumer behavior that is likely to reoccur with the 2015 revision.

3. Aptitude adjustment:
traditional ACT vs. SAT states

4. Aptitude adjustment: student options
Graduating classes will have the following decisions:
 Freshmen (class of 2018) along a traditional timeline, will likely
choose the rSAT, the ACT, or both.
 Sophomores (class of 2017) along a traditional timeline, will likely
choose between the rSAT, or the ACT. This group will see the rPSAT
in October of 2015. But, many of these students are calling now to
prep for the current SAT.
 Juniors (class of 2016) along a traditional timeline, would choose
(have chosen) the current SAT, the ACT, or could conceivably take the
rSAT in March 2016.
 Seniors (class of 2015) will take (have taken) the current SAT or ACT.

5. Aptitude adjustment: consumer groups coalesce; three groups
with whom we are concerned
 Freshman & Sophomores (rising Sophomores, rising Juniors) opting to take the current SAT
 Had planned to take the current SAT before the CB announced Redesigned SAT (r SAT)
 Taking the current test because it is a known quantity regardless of the atypical timeline
 Favor critical test taking skills over learned content
 Believe the SAT to the be the standard for college admissions
 Taking the ACT
 Switching from SAT to ACT due to relative familiarity…the test is not changing dramatically etc.
 Had always planned to take the test (ACT state)
 Have a proclivity toward the test
 Favor shorter test based on learned skills from high school content
 Taking a combination of two (or three) tests
 Groups could conceivably take all three tests to determine best option
 Guidance counselor directed at times
 Leveraging score choice/super-scoring (NY Times reports most students take both SAT & ACT)
 Sometimes opposite ends of the spectrum (gunners & procrastinators)
 Taking no tests/ test optional
*Regardless of which test or tests students opt to take, the number of total test takers is increasing

6. Aptitude adjustment: strategic positioning
Given the different groups and the different options for testing, messaging can become complex. Prevailing
messages, in the ideal, should be student focused yet often revolve around hyper competitive market positioning.
Typical value propositions include:
 Prep and score your best before the change. Appeals to Freshman & Sophomores opting to take the current
SAT. The message leverages fear and urgency and some truth.
 Appeals to student who had planned to take the current SAT before the CB made the change
 Taking the test because it is known or because of proclivity
 Still think that the SAT is the blue ribbon test
 New SAT is in the process of being normed
 Take the ACT because it is___________. Appeals to the ACT states, students that want a shorter, more
direct test.
 Switchers taking the test because it is known
 Had always planned to take the test (ACT state)
 Have a proclivity for the test
 Have been swayed by some sort of messaging
 Take them both…there is no penalty. Appeals to game-theorist approach.
 Sophomores can take all three (Freshman can technically as well)
 Guidance counselor directed at times
 Leveraging score choice/super-scoring
 May appeal to “gunners” as well as “procrastinators.”

7. Aptitude adjustment: strategic opportunity
Regardless of one’s standardized test religion, there are some common elements worth reviewing:
 There is likely to be an increase in test takers in 2015 as a result of the impending changes to the SAT. This
is likely to be buoyed by an increase in Sophomores and Freshmen sitting for the test in advance of their
normal testing cycle.
 Opportunity: increased demand for SAT products
 Action: consider segmenting SAT products to accommodate consumer groups (classroom, remote, live
tutoring)
 There is likely to be an increase in ACT test takers in 2015 also as a result of the impending changes to the
SAT and ACT.
 Opportunity: influx of ACT test takers which may have been a marginal part of business mix in the past
 Action: score qualify and train teachers and tutors, identify curricula, offer scores practice tests
 There will be a higher demand for Math tutoring—particularly Algebra II , Trig, Geometry.
 Action: Recruit, retain, train staff in advance of the demand
 Opportunity: implement Math ACT/SAT or subject based Math programs and messaging
 There will be a demand for information about any (all tests) due to the test change environment, national
media etc.
 Opportunity: hold events & practice tests, triage leads, work into sales funnel
 AP Testing. AP test results are highly correlated to college student success . More so than standardized
test scores.

8. Aptitude adjustment: approach
 Freshman & Sophomores opting to take the current SAT
 Stress GPA and course rigor as critical elements of the college selection process
 Stress the need to strengthen Math skills
 Offer diagnostic testing
 Taking the ACT because it is a known quantity
 Stress GPA and course rigor as critical elements of the college selection process
 Stress the need for Algebra I, II, Trig exposure
 Offer diagnostic testing
 Taking a combination of two (or three) tests
 Stress GPA and course rigor as critical elements of the college selection process
 Survey the student on how she or he came to the conclusion
 Question the preference the target school has expressed
 Be prepared to discuss super scoring & score choice
 Create a realistic plan and timeline

9. Aptitude adjustment: What
about Khan?
Khan Academy has begun providing free SAT Test Prep through a
partnership with the College Board. What does this mean for Test Prep &
Tutoring companies?
“The representatives of test prep companies I spoke with were unanimous in their praise of College Board’s
partnering with Khan Academy. Alagappan said, “We fully support the College Board’s decision to partner with
Khan Academy to deliver free preparation resources.” What is notable from a historical perspective about this
partnership is that, after decades of disputing test prep’s effectiveness, College Board has reversed its position,
which Ellinger noted could actually be a boon for the business. “The free resources supplied by Sal Kahn (a
former Princeton Review teacher), may actually expand the market now that students know that test prep
works and is necessary for them to perform best on the SAT.”
The main reason test prep isn’t going anywhere is that, as long as a superficial, high stakes test remains an
important aspect of competitive college admissions, there will be no shortage of people looking for some
advantage. Admissions anxiety is not fomented by test prep companies. They do not need to make students and
parent anxious. The SAT has taken care of that for them. ”--The Atlantic, March 2014

10. Q & A
Aptitude adjustment

11. Ghost track: The Test Prep and Tutoring Environment
 22% of US parents with children 11-16 now pay for tutoring services --The Economist
 The growth in households now paying for tutoring services averages 4% per year--The
Economist
 Worldwide tutoring is projected to surpass $100 Billion in revenue by 2015-Global
Industry Analysts
 Number of tutors being hired up 18% --NY Times
 US Test Prep Tutoring Revenue and supplemental education tutoring services is projected
to be between $10-$12 Billion--Global Industry Analysts
 6% of revenue currently attributable to Online Tutoring in US market--Asia Times

12. KEVIN ORGANISCIAK
TEST PREP PROFESSIONALS
KEVIN@TESTPREPPROFESSIONALS.COM
W W W . T E S T P R E P R O F E S S I O N A L S . C O M
617.285.4036
Test Prep & Tutoring
Professionals Free Knowledge

13. Q & A
Thank you from Test Prep
Professionals!