November 2009

Study: Test prep courses hardly raise scores

by Nadin Naumann

certain amount of gain in points.

“...Anyone will increase the score just by taking it again, so

“We guarantee that your child will

Parents and students may be paying big

the question is what effect does coaching really have apart

achieve a score increase of 200 points or

bucks for college and post-graduate test-

more on the SAT or 4 points on the ACT or

from second chance effect?”

prep courses that yield results no better than

we will offer two free refresher lessons,”

--Derek Briggs, study author

taking the test twice. A recent study con-

the company claims, though it adds the

ducted by the National Association for

“small print” that certain limitations apply.

College Admission Counseling states that

that comes in test prep courses will still on

data to back them up. Kaplan’s promise

But even a small increase in scores can

despite the claims that test scores will

average improve their scores just by retak-

states,

“If for any reason you don’t raise

help a student’s chances of admission, the

increase by 100 points by these expensive

ing the test, according to the report.

your overall score, you can study with us

report authors admitted.

test-prep programs, the average gain is clos-

“Anybody will increase the score by tak-

again for free or get your money back.”

“As it has been found that even small test

er to 20 to 30 points.

ing the exam a second time,” said Derek

But a Kaplan representative shied away

score increases may increase a student’s

Test prep companies like Kaplan and

Briggs, chairman of the research and

from any improved-score promises.

chances of admission at selective institu-

Princeton Review typically charge about

methodology department at the University

“Giving an average score increase is a bit

tions. If money and time are no object, com-

$1,100 for the class and $100 to $200 an

of Colorado in Boulder and author of the

like a weight loss program giving an aver-

mercial coaching or private tutoring may

hour for individual tutoring, the NACAC

report.

“What companies promise is that

age pounds lost when in reality everyone

well be worth the cost,” said report author

report stated. In total, about two million stu-

you’ll increase over what you did before;

comes to the program with different body

Briggs. “However, this will primarily be

dents (and their parents) spend $2.5 billion

but anyone will increase the score just by

types, commitment levels, and goals,” said

true for students with above average admis-

a year on test preparation and tutoring for

taking it again, so the question is what

Kaplan Communications Executive

sion test scores in the first place.”

tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test,

effect does coaching really have apart from

Director Carina Wong. “Our focus isn’t on

The report also identified as a problem

Law School Admission Test and ACT (orig-

second chance effect?”

specific point gains, which can be mislead-

the use of mock SAT tests because they can

inally the abbreviation for American

The report also criticizes the marketing

ing, but rather on students’ individual goals,

College Testing).

practices used by the test prep industry that

which can vary.”

Students that do not receive the coaching

see Test prep , pg. 11

promise big score gains yet with no hard

Other companies like Ivy West claim a

Child Access Center first year garners praise from parents

by Natalie Ferrigno

exchange the girls at the CAC.

Ashley said she was nervous about the

This October marked the one-year

first exchange. The center was brand new,

anniversary of the Child Access Center,

making Ashley, her daughters, and their

created in response to the 2007 shooting at

father among the first of what are now 17

the Mill Hall Sheetz when 35-year old

families using the center.

Benjamin Barone killed his ex-wife Jodi

“The first exchange was him bringing

Barone and then himself. The two were

the girls for me to pick them up and I was

exchanging their then 3-year-old daughter.

very leery about that just because they

The center, located in Bellefonte, pro-

know me better,” she explained. “I was

vides a place for parents involved in high

worried about them having to separate

conflict custody situations to exchange

from their dad to go to strangers.” The

their children in a safe and civil manner.

exchange went without a hitch and the

When the CAC opened in October

girls quickly grew to enjoy going to the

2008, Ashley and her children were some

CAC thanks to the ample supply of toys

of the first to use it.

and friendly volunteers, Ashley said.

Ashley, whose last name is withheld by

In fact, the girls have come to enjoy

request, is a 26-year-old pastry chef from

going so much it’s sometimes difficult to

Spring Mills. She and her former fiancé

get them to leave, but the volunteers are

split in 2006. After a two-year court battle,

good with kids and know how to get them

Ashley won full custody of her two young

to cooperate, even if mom or dad can’t.

daughters, aged 3 and 4. Their father is

“I haven’t met a volunteer that hasn’t

allowed to visit them on certain weekends.

Photo by Katie Bennett

However, due to a protection order, the

The play area at the Child Access Center in Bellefonte gives children a place to occupy themselves while

see Center , pg. 11

court required Ashley and their father to

waiting the 15 minutes between when one parent drops them off and the other picks them up.

November 2009

where the two parents would rather avoid

“I haven’t met a volunteer that hasn’t been anything but

each other.

from Center , pg. 10

outstanding.”

“I think it’s kind of sad that it took a

been anything but outstanding,” Ashley

death to realize that,” said Ashley, about

--Ashley,

said.

Jodi Barone’s death, adding that some-

a parent who uses the center

The center has become a place the chil-

times the worst has to happen before

dren look forward to seeing, plus, it seems

something gets done. However, she still

to make her ex-fiancé happier since they

ience, they signed an agreement with the

nitely rather use that,” she said. “I am the

sees the CAC as a positive.

can avoid seeing one another, Ashley said.

courts allowing them to exchange their

primary parent. I’m the one who provides

“I can definitely see where it calms

But the CAC does not yet do exchanges

children on their own.

for them 99.9 percent of what they need

down the tension from having to see your

on holidays and has a restricted, three-

Communication between parents can be

and what they do. [It is] an inconvenience

ex,” Ashley said. She also pointed out that

evening schedule, so the parents still have

a challenge as well, she said, considering

for me to have to drive the whole way

it makes life easier for the children, espe-

to exchange on their own sometimes.

they are still trying to raise their children

[there].”

cially if they are older and aware of why

Having only one location makes things

as a team. Letting the other parent know a

In the meantime, though, Ashley will

their parents have to use a child exchange

more difficult as well.

child is sick or behaving a certain way can

still use the center.

center.

“The location could be better just

get complicated or, at the very least,

“My daughters enjoy it and that’s all

The Child Access Center is a joint proj-

because of how big this county is,” said

delayed.

that I care about. They don’t cry when we

ect of Centre County Government, Centre

Ashley. The Child Access Center is cur-

“Unless you are writing notes, you have

have to go there,” she said. “Whenever [I]

County United Way, Centre County

rently the only center of its kind in Centre

to wait to have it in an email or a text mes-

say we have to go to the exchange center,

Women’s Resource Center, and Bellefonte

County.

sage,” said Ashley, who added that she

they’re excited to play with the toys.”

Area School District. It is located at 310

She knows a couple that lived 30 min-

supports the center and wishes there were

Plus, it’s helpful in more intense situa-

North Allegheny Street in Bellefonte. To

utes from the CAC, but five minutes away

more like it.

tions, especially those with dramatic ver-

become a volunteer, call the center at

from one another. Due to the inconven-

“If there was one closer, I would defi-

bal fighting, physical violence, or in cases

(814) 548-0034.

Heimark, who came from an academical-

from Test prep , pg. 10

ly competitive high school, explained that

she needed to take the course in order to

be formulated to inflate score gains when

compete against the other students.

students take the actual SAT.

“Everyone took a course in high school,”

Test prep companies respond that some

she said.

students see substantial gains in their scores

Her parents were very willing to pay the

as a result of coaching, even if studies show

$800 for the course. To them, it was an

that average test score improvements are

investment, she said.

limited.

“If I did really well on the test, they

Jacqueline Young is one student who

believed that I could receive scholarship

benefited from the courses. Young, who just

money and in the end they would actually

finished taking an LSAT course at the

be saving money,” said Heimark.

Kaplan center in downtown State College,

But not every student who takes a test

said her time was well spent.

prep course benefits from it. Claire

“I had studied over the summer under my

Jacobelli is a student whose parents paid for

own supervision with a Princeton Review

an SAT course.

book and could not comprehend what the

“My parents knew that I needed help and

authors of the book were attempting to

they were willing to pay for something that

describe and teach me,” said Young. “When

they didn’t fully trust,” said Jacobelli. “It

I took Kaplan, having a real live person

put them at ease.”

explain step by step what to do and answer

After going through the course, though,

my ‘but why’ questions helped me grasp the

her scores didn’t improve significantly.

information more easily.”

The report states that it is important to

Young hasn’t received her LSAT scores

distinguish between the effect of coaching

but said her practice test scores significant-

and the claim that students who prepare for

ly improved from the first exam that Kaplan

a test a certain way have high score gains.

administered to the last one.

“The question of interest would not be

Paige Heimark, a freshman at Penn State,

whether students increase their scores from

said that her SAT scores went up by 400

one testing to the next, but whether such an

points after she took the Kaplan course.

increase can be validly attributed to the

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at the material,” said Heimark.

the report.

November 2009

Why I came to State College: For the money

by Joel Solkoff

Now, I am on

In my last column, I promised to pro-

medical leave from

vide you with my personal financial infor-

From

I came to State College for the money.

the Rehabilitation

mation. Last year (2008), I earned a total

In March

2002, I was sitting in the

C o u n s e l i n g

income of

$21,256.80. All my income

Where I Sit

Office of Professor Elias Mpofu, program

Program.

came through my monthly Social Security

head for Penn State’s Rehabilitation

health has not been

check. Out of a monthly check of

accessible. Being able to walk is job criti-

Counseling Program, a program I was just

good, but not as

$1,688.00, Medicare, my only health

cal. With a single stroke of the pen, I had

invited to join.

bad as it sounds.

insurance (helpful during the period when

signed up for a grant from the government

Professor Mpofu asked, “Why did you

Last year, I was in

I was in the hospital last month) deducts

to make me the moral equivalent of able-

decide to come to Penn State?”

the hospital three

$210 off the top. Rent and electricity costs

bodied when the government had deter-

“For the money,” I said. “No one would

times, once for dia-

$830 and $145 for phone and high speed

mined just two years earlier (at great gov-

give me more money than Penn State.”

betes that nearly killed me; second for

computer (I have daughters in two differ-

ernmental expense) that I am permanently

Professor Mpofu gave me a look of deep

treating difficult pneumonia, and the third

ent states).

disabled.

understanding. We spent the rest of the

time to evaluate a badly damaged right

I have hopes of economic redemption

The attraction for me of being an OVR

visit discussing Professor Mpofu’s spe-

shoulder that requires a shoulder replace-

through…

counselor is best described in the recollec-

cialty; primitive African beliefs on illness

ment operation where the technology has

I want out of poverty. And I want a job

tions of Abraham Nemeth, a scientist who

and disability. Professor Mpofu published

not kept up with shoulders. The medical

that will earn me a way out of poverty.

is blind and who has become a mentor to

a well-received paper about a Tanganyika

field has made great progress with knees

[Insert Sylvester Stallone Rocky Theme

the still-trendy summer camps specializ-

ritual where the magic powers help a dis-

and hips, but not with replacing an entire

Song here.]

ing in teaching science to low-vision stu-

abled person use secret forces to be liber-

shoulder. The result, no shoulder surgery

—Joel Solkoff, author of The Politics of

dents. Nemeth’s biographer Carol

ated from the disability. (Yes, I did ask

for at least 25 years and periods of pain.

Food. Contact him at jsolkoff@gmail.com

Castellano writes, “Dr. Nemeth says that

Professor Mpofu to perform the ritual on

he was discouraged from making mathe-

me and he is taking a long time getting

matics his undergraduate major by voca-

back to me.)

tional counselors because of his blindness

By accepting Professor Mpofus’ aca-

and the lack of Braille materials. He

demic offer I was agreeing to a career path

acquiesced and switched to psychology

ending in my becoming an Occupational

instead. But take a look at the courses he

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Vocational

Rehabilitation

(OVR)

chose for his electives at college—analyt-

Counselor for the Commonwealth of

ical geometry and differential and integral

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Pennsylvania. My job as an OVR coun-

calculus....”

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selor would be to help people with disabil-

I wanted to be a successful vocational

ities get jobs. Walking was part of the job

rehabilitation counselor. I believe I have a

description for the job Penn State was

special calling based on my disability

training me. I do not walk.

experiences to transform my experiences

Therefore, no matter how well trained I

with assistive technology to make it easier

am there’s no way I can become an OVR

for people with disabilities to use new

counselor without being able to walk to

technical equipment to get higher paying

people’s homes where the home is not

jobs leading to a career.

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November 2009

New store lets parents connect while children play

by Jordan Toronto

“A lot of moms are going

“Regina and I used to meet for coffee

through the same things as

every Friday morning with our kids,”

you. Other people’s kids fight

explained Lisa Strickland, co-owner of

them about homework.

Spela Children’s Store and mother of three.

Other kids won’t let their

“We would make it about 10 minutes before

parents brush their hair.

the kids would start screaming and climbing

out of their high chairs,” Strickland said.

--Regina Brannen

“We thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to go to a

place where the kids could play, and we

could sit and drink coffee?’”

another over their coffee, tea and muffins,

It was that question that sparked the idea

while keeping an eye on their busy and,

for SPELA, a children’s retail store, café

most importantly, contained children.

and play area. “We wanted to create a place

“The other thing that is important to us is

where caregivers could get at least 20 min-

to be a place where moms and caregivers

utes to relax, and the kids could be enter-

can get practical things they need every-

tained and play,” said Regina Brannen,

day,” Brannen said. The retail side of the

Spela’s other co-owner.

store is filled with unique merchandise that

The store’s name is actually the Swedish

is not easily found in chain stores.

“ W e

word for “play.” Strickland’s mother is from

carry the kind of items that we were always

Sweden, so the name is a tribute to her her-

looking for and couldn’t find in State

itage.

College, like certain brands of strollers, for

Photos by Jordan Toronto

Spela is set up as a retail store on one side

example,” said Strickland.

Spela co-owner Regina Brannen, pictured above and left, encourages her young customers to join in

and a café/play area on the other side. With

Brannen and Strickland are committed to

as others watch on during a recent Spela sing along.

an L-shape of long tables enclosing the play

selling merchandise that is environmentally

space, adults are able to socialize with one

friendly and safe for their customers such as

both State College natives. In fact,

pened to be the day of Spela’s grand open-

organic spa products that are not tested on

Strickland’s father attended State High.

ing. We stopped by that day, and immedi-

animals.

“My absolute favorite thing about the

ately got hooked. We love it there.”

They carry safe sunscreen, soap and

store - and the most rewarding part - is

Spela’s grand opening was not long after

sippy cups. They even use “spudware” in

connecting with other moms,” Brannen

they first came up with the idea. “It hap-

the café (utensils made out of potatoes). All

said. “I’m sad when people don’t come in,

pened really fast, faster than we expected,”

their café and packaging items, including

not because they’re not buying stuff, but

said Brannen. “It took on a life of its own.”

cups, straws, shopping bags and tissue

because I just love talking to them, and

The idea for the store came in the spring of

paper, are either biodegradable or made of

hearing them swap stories as well.”

2008, they started it as a Web site in the fall,

100 percent recycled material. Wherever

Moms particularly flock to Spela on

and opened the store in March of 2009.

possible, they choose the “greenest” option,

Friday mornings at 10:30 for the store’s

In less than a year, Spela seems to have

they said.

weekly “Sing Along.” The Sing Along is led

found its niche. Brannen hopes her store

Much of Spela’s merchandise comes

by either Brannen, a singer who, even with

will inspire moms to understand the impor-

from local artists. For example, moms can

four kids, still frequently performs around

tant message: “You’re not alone.”

find stained glass angels and jewelry made

town or Kristina Whitaker, Strickland’s sis-

“A lot of moms are going through the

by local designer, Heidi Urbanski and her

ter, who was a musical theatre major in col-

same things as you,” said Brannen. “Other

company Everyday Angels. They can also

lege and has recorded two CDs with her

people’s kids fight them about homework.

find accessories made by Jen Young

husband Gary. Gary and Brannen’s husband

Other kids won’t let their parents brush

through her company DCBaby.

Patrick, who also performs frequently in

their hair. Potty training does not always

Spela carries everything from bottles to

community theatre accompany their wives

happen perfectly, between the ages of 18

slings to onesies, to help moms care for

on the guitar. The Sing-Along includes chil-

months and 2 years old.”

their kids safely and with style. “If you need

dren’s favorites and is always a big hit with

“These are things I’ve figured out from

a really cool paci-clip or an organic burp

the kids and parents too.

dealing with my own kids,” Brannen said.

cloth, we’re here for ya!” Brannen said.

“We’ve been to Sing Along many times,”

“I’m just so happy that Spela is a place

It is not just Spela’s merchandise that rep-

said Miriam Powell, a mom of two young

where moms can find camaraderie and the

resents local businesses. The artwork on the

boys.

“I actually found out about Spela

assurance of knowing that what we all

walls is by local photographer, A.R.

from Karen Askey, who made a sling for my

experience as parents is normal and shared

Monko. Even the owners themselves are

second baby. The day I picked it up hap-

by so many others.”