An Analysis of the Impact of Commercial Test Preparation Courses on SAT Scores

Abstract

The Nelson-Denny Reading Test, Form E, the Kansas State Reader Attitude Scale, and the Tennessee Self Concept Scale were completed by 168 college students. The students' American College Test (ACT) scores and self-reported high school grade-point averages (GPA's) were also obtained. Pearson product-moment correlations revealed a moderate relationship between reading achievement scores and ACT scores and a low relationship of reading achievement with GPA and reading attitude scores (r's of .54, .35, and .30 respectively). No relationship was found between reading achievement and self-concept. (6 reftCo-author Charles E . Heerman is at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Kansas State University. Psychological Reports, 1982, 51 (August) Data were obtained by the Federal Trade Commission on demographic and personal characteristics and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for 2,754 students who took the SAT for the first and/or the second time between 1974 and 1977, including 514 who attended one of two metropolitan New York coaching schools and 2,240 who received no coaching. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the impact of coaching on SAT scores. The results revealed that coaching School A but not School B was effective in increasing SAT scores. When the students' predicted Preliminary SAT (PSAT) and first SAT scores were compared to their actual scores, the students who attended School A scored significantly lower on the test taken before coaching than was predicted from their background and personal characteristics, whereas the uncoached students scored higher than expected. No significant differences between predicted and actual precoaching scores were found for the students who attended School B. These results suggest that self-selection was present at School A but not at School B. The students who were coached at School A before taking the SAT for the second time scored lower than predicted on the PSAT as well as on their first SAT, suggesting that the students' initially low scores were not due to chance but were systematic and would have continued without coaching. Data were obtained on background, career motivation, and attitudes toward professional and social issues at several points over four years for 3,146 students who began study in the fields of law, medicine, engineering, or teaching at six Australian universities in 1965. Follow-up data were obtained in 1978 for 65 percent of the original individuals. The early data revealed that the engineering and law students entered their respective fields because of interest, desire for a professional career, and financial rewards, although the law students also expressed an interest in power and influence. The medical and education students showed a strong service interest and little interest in extrinsic rewards. The students' initial motivation persisted throughout their course of study. Data from seven attitude scales indicated that the engineering COLLEGE STUDENT PERSONNEL ABSTRACTS [433

Effects of Coaching on SAT I: Reasoning Test Scores

“…This procedure was used by Stroud (1980) in a reanalysis of data from a study of the effects of commercial coaching that was sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission (Sesnowitz, Bernhardt, & Knain, 1982), and later by Powers (1985) for a study of the effects of coaching for the GRE Aptitude Test. Here, this approach entailed the prediction of SAT I scores from the variety of background data that were available, including previous test scores.…”

Coaching for the Sat: A Summary of the Summaries and an Update

“…"Based on data collected by Whitla, but not reported in Whitla (1988). 'Median when the smaller estimate from Sesnowitz et al (1982) is used. prove more than his or her uncoached counterpart about 6 times in 10 on SAT-Vand about 6-7 times in lOon SAT-M.5 On the other hand, about 4 times in 10 for SAT-V and 3-4 times in 10 for SAT-M, the typical uncoached student can be expected to exhibit larger score increases than one who has been coached.…”

“…When they have been asked to give their opinions, less than a majority of coached students have said they were satisfied with their score changes-for example, 24% of those polled by Snedecor (1989) and 43%of those surveyed by Whitla (1988). Messick (1982) Wing (1987) as reported by Smyth (1990) Snedecor (1989) Sesnowitz et al (1982) Smyth (1990) Whitla (1988 Median…”

Coaching for the SAT: A Summary of the Summaries and an Update

“…Next, DerSimonian and Laird (1983) analyzed all of the studies considered by Messick and Jungeblut (1981) as well as those reviewed in a narrative summary by Slack and Porter (1980). One of their intentions was to determine the extent to which the individual study estimates included in earlier summaries represent real variation among situations.…”