MATH HELL - Ideas on how to get out

Applying to College
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<p>Does anyone have a suggestion for a great diagnostic tool to uncover specific math weaknesses? Where do you go if you have lost a lot of time learning math over the past five years, and have a little less than a year to catch up for the SATs? Skills are also lacking which will allow a good performance in the last two years of slightly advanced high school math. I would love to find a thorough, long test which could zero in on specific math skills which are lacking. Any ideas?</p>

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<p>try finding someone who tests for learning disabilities, my Ds friend was tested a few years ago, and it was very thorough</p>

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<p>Bump Bump Bump</p>

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<p>don’t practice SAT/ACT tests kind of do this? if you get the breakdown of your score?</p>

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<p>I agree that practice tests will give you a good indication on your strengths and weaknesses. If you have been learning math for the last five years, you will find much of the SAT content very basic. The SAT seeks to test your logic and reasoning rather than you memorizing a bunch of equations.</p>

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<p>go to <a href=“http://www.aleks.com%5B/url%5D”>www.aleks.com</a> and sign up – $20.00 per month, which is a steal. They offer all levels of math from 5th grade level up through college calc. When you enroll in a class, the first thing you do is take a diagnostic test and then it only has you learn what you don’t know. So – you could start with Middle School Math 1 (essentially 5th grade math) and take the diagnostic test. Whatever you don’t know (hopefully not much) you will learn (this can be done in an hour or so) and then on to the next class – Middle School math II. Do another test – learn what you don’t know – and move on. This is probably the best, easiest, cheapest and most accessible way to fill in gaps in math knowledge caused by poor math teachers or poor math curriculum. They offer a free 3-day trial – so give it a shot.</p>

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<p>Is that Aleks site really that good? I’ve been thinking about using it but I looked around a bit and it seemed a little new (I didn’t see a lot of big endorsements). I’ll check it out again. Thank you for the lead.</p>

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<p>There isn’t anything magical about Aleks – it is just straightforward math. Quite a few schools actually use Aleks as their entire math curriculum (which I wouldn’t suggest) so I think you will find that it is a solid solution to fill in some missing gaps in math knowledge.</p>

<p>It isn’t going to be like prepping for the SAT or ACT – that is a different approach – but if you need some review or reteaching before you even prep for the SAT or ACT, then I think that Aleks is your easiest and fastest method.</p>

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<p>ALEKS offers UNLIMITED free, forty-eight-hour free trials, if its policy of last year is still in place. That would be my suggestion for the situation described in the original post.</p>

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<p>A local SAT prep center might offer diagnostic testing. The centre I went to did and the score report was very, very thorough. I got to keep the score report even before I told them that I would be signing up.</p>

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<p>here is a link to a free month of Aleks – <a href=“http://www.aleks.com/webform/c12[/url]”>http://www.aleks.com/webform/c12&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I’ll try Aleks - thank you!</p>

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<p>Thumbs up for Aleks here, too.</p>