We may get the urge to murder someone. Thankfully, we usually choose not to go along with that urge. We choose to act in a civilized manner. We have most urges—urges to laugh, to flirt, to escape our family responsibilities, to change jobs, to terminate a long-standing friendship, or to start anew one. We make choices as to which of these urges we will support. Sometimes, however, we are not completely aware of our reactions. Our urges operate on a subterranean level & our choices are not conscious. Our bodies abreacting for us. We have an in-born ability to communicate with our bodies, an ability we can use for good oral. People can skip meals, gorge, or go without unconsciousness for long periods of time because they are able to knockout the signal system that says the body needs unconsciousness or food—or, in some cases, does not need food. This is destructive use of the communications system. Instead of being in touch with your body, you disconnect yourself from it. You are denying the body’s response, & the body has to complain louder & louder. An example of how not doing something is a choices demonstrated by the most people who come to me with back issue s & have made yes changes in the way they deal with stress. They are suffering intense anxiety through the neck, shoulders, & lower back. Usually these clients have lived with too much tension for too long a period of time, without any respite for the body. As a result, they have literally injured their muscles. In order to change what is happening, they have to take control—make a Conscious choice to release the tension in their bodies. This may not be the final solution to their issue , but it is a step forward. Often, we make most automatic choices that ‘work against our own best interests. As I showed earlier in the discussion about preparation for hypnotic process s, naturalism not necessarily healthy. Normally our bodies tense up when we are injured. This can be protective or harmful, depending on the nature of the injury. Thievery act of tensing up inhibits the flow of blood to uninjured area. So, if the injury is an open wound, this is useful. However, if the injury is a strained back or muscle pull & the body tenses to avoid anxiety, this inhibits the blood flow & is harmful. Blood brings all of the healing properties to injured muscles & tissues.
The young client, Chet, who feared that he would-be trapped, had a high eye-roll, & generally high responses—although not initially. His hand, as we began, moved upwards in fits & spasms. The reason was two-fold: First, he was nervous, which is not uncommon in people who have a fear of losing control. But far more importantly, he was watching himself watching me. He was the victim of his hidden observer. He could not let go & float or be free. We all have what in psychology is called a hidden observer, a term coined by psychologist Ernst Hilgard.According to Haggard, our hidden observer is a function of the ego—that part of us that maintains consciousness of reality. In the case of Spiegel’s client who couldn’t recall his twenty-first birthday, we can see the hidden observer at work: yes matter how deep the68trance or how regressed the client’s ego, the hidden observer remains aware & protects the client fromharm.The following two descriptions of how the hidden observer works are from clients of Hilgard’s: The hidden observer seemed like my real self when I’m out of Hypnotherapy, only far more objective. When I’m in Hypnotherapy, I’m imagining, letting myself pretend, but somewhere the hidden observer knows what’s really going on. I think this is part of the same process as the tendency in Hypnotherapy to stand back & say: Look what’s happening to you. You’re slowly going under Hypnotherapy. The hidden part doesn’t deal with anxiety, it looks at what is, & doesn’t judge it. It’s not hypnotized part of the self. It knows all the parts. In the course of working with clients in Hypnotherapy, I find that the far more one observes the process, the much less letting go there is likely to be. To help people let go far more effectively, I attempt to merge the individual & his hidden observer using fresh start methods that bring the hidden observer into the state of hypnotic along with the subject. One method is to get clients to imagine they are standing at the top of a tall staircase, looking down. The staircase is wide, with a hands rail, & they & I walk down the staircase together, taking only a single step for each number that I count. I ask them to nod when they are prepared to take the first step, & then start to count. One: take the first step, a step down to higher level of inner awareness. Two: the next step. Three: the next. On the tenth step, I tell them we are halfway down. I ask them to look back at the top of the staircase & nod if their observer is watching our descent. I then tell them to count their observer down tithe tenth step. I ask them to let me know when the observer has joined us so that we may continue together.
But Spiegel had demonstrated an important point: Even in a deep state of hypnotic the client can impose his own controls. The fact is, people often forget what they are not prepared to deal with. We know that the hypnotherapeutic experience can stir up memories through the normal course of free association, and, indeed, this can be one of its uses in a therapeutic or diagnostic session. Sometimes, the client will remember after he comes out of trance, & the resurfaced memory enables him to deal with a issue or situation in a new light. Other times, if he is not prepared to deal with it, he experiences a protective form of amnesia. Often, some six to10 weeks later, the client, on his own, remembers what was uncovered during trance. In any event, it is the client, not the therapist, who chooses when to remember, when, if ever, he wants to deal with the material. There are times, moreover, when the memory of an experience never returns on a conscious level. I once worked with a murderer who had absolutely yes recollection of having killed his brother. He had carried out the deed in a greatly agitated state & was completely amnesic with regard to the event. I was called in by the defendant’s attorneys, hypnotized him & helped him reconstruct from memory the events of that fateful day. Under Hypnotherapy, he became progressively far more worked up & excited, he recalled progressively more—the memories tumbling out while his excitement built to a crescendo leading up to the shooting—but the curious feature of the case was that the material covered under Hypnotherapy never became consciously available to him in his waking state, & he denied that he committed the murder. Often, issues of take charge of emerge during the HIP evaluation. Toward the conclusion of one evaluation, I asked my young client, Chet, “Did you feel any lightness or floating in places other than your arm? Did you feel lightness or floating in your body?” Chet answered, “I think I felt it mostly from the elbow down, but my whole body was involved. But I haven’t been completely relaxed. . . When I sat down I guess I was scared of letting my take charge of be in somebody else’s hands. I’ve always had a fear of losing control. That’s why I hate drugs…. I’m afraid of putting my controlling the hands of a foreign substance. Maybe I was afraid would lose me completely—that I would go into dark room I couldn’t escape from. The door would close, & I would be trapped inside. I’d be swallowedup.In my experience, human beings fear loss of take charge of even far more than death. Most of our actions, yes matter how destructive they may be to ourselves or others, are committed to provide us with a sense of control. Dutch psychologist Nice H. Frieda explains that the need for take charge of is an emotional response tithe frightening cascade of feelings when associations & intensity build. Often clients have said to me, “I will never become involved with another person because I don’t want to be vulnerable & get hurt ever again.” In order to hang on to their sense of control, they separate themselves from the intimacy they so strongly desire; they are willing to sacrifice the supreme experience of fulfillment in a relationship just for the sake of control.
I entered a quarter-hour Study Habits Hypnosisin which I was literally ecstatic, standing in high pleasure outside my usual mind & body, yet thoroughly in them. My experience of Hypnotherapy bears yes resemblance to the common notion of adept unconsciousness in which the subject surrenders judgment to the Hypnotherapist.
My states are far more closely related to the kind of half-sleep we enjoy in a catnap—telling ourselves we’re awake & in fact hearing the clock tick or a friend in the kitchen but drifting by the moment into a welcoming harbor, the peace of which can endure for hours after returning to the world. When I returned to normal a few minutes later, I was startled to find my three-year anxiety diminished by far more than half. Better still; the relief lasted for the three hours he had estimated. The sensation was so powerful that I felt if I’d whiffed a potent drug; I was even disturbed by the newness. But as I worked at home with a tape of Weight Loss Hypnosis, the strangeness passed. & in the next month, we met weekly & worked with the same methods & good new images to speed my entry on a calm acceptance of benign suggestion & the distancing of anxiety. Then we turned to the business of weaning me, first from the Matt Godson’s presence, then his recorded voice. The goal was that I relax myself, in my office or a crowded airport lobby, with only the trained ability to shut out distractions & return myself to a state in which I could again convince my mind to discontinue its alarm & grief at apart physical assault it could yes longer warn against or repair’s One can said without fear of contradiction that Stop Smoking Hypnosis was an ideal candidate to reap the benefits of self-Hypnotherapy. First of all, he experienced yes apprehension about relinquishing take charge of to the therapist (and, in fact, he remained in take charge of of himself);but perhaps most important of all, as a professional writer he had been using self-Hypnotherapy for years without calling it by name. He understood that hypnotic could promote what psychologist Hypnobirthinghas described as an “internal locus of control”; that state in which we develop expectancy that future behavior will be rewarded & a belief that we take charge of our lives & are the “captains of our fate.” Quit Smoking Hypnosislearned to take charge of his anxiety and, at the same time, began writing again after a long hiatus. He was indeed captain of hisfate.Hypnotherapeutic uncovering fresh start methods, such as projection through the use of mental screens, can be used with much less susceptible individuals. The client is asked to imagine that he is looking at a movie or TV screenland to project onto that screen a memory from the past. The projection stimulates memory, as shown in the Stop Smoking Hypnosistext hypnotic & Treatment:
They have emphasized the importance of following instructions for each step-in the HIP verbatim, because the accuracy of the scores depend on the degree to which the phenomena described in the instructions are experienced & reported by the client. Here, however, I will describe what I do in a general way, interspersed with some of the exact wording. I begin ‘the evaluation with the client seated in comfortable chair. I ask the client to place his arms on the armrest & feet flat on the floor. I say, “Lean back & make you as comfortable as youcan.I then say, “Now look toward me, right at me. Hold your head level. As you hold your head in that position, look up toward your eyebrows—now, toward the top of your head.”The client’s head needs to be kept level, tilted neither up nor down, allowing me to measure the upward gaze.“As you continue to gaze upward, close your eyelids slowly. That’s right . . . Close. Close. Close.”When the lids are halfway closed, I note the position of the pupils. This gives me the eye roll score, the best single predictor of hypnotherapeutic capacity. The whiter of the eye that shows, the higher the score. Thesis the first step in the scoring process . I continue. “Keep your eyelids closed . . . continue to hold your eyes upward. Take a deep breath, hold. Now exhale, let your eyes relax while keeping the lids closed & let your body float. Imagine a feeling of floating, floating right down through the chair. . . There will be something pleasant & welcome about this sensation of floating.”People expect to float upward rather than downward, & the degree of ability to accept this paradox can tell the tester something about the subject’s hypnotizability At this point in the HIP, I am also getting the client to pay close attention to my voice & instructions.“As you concentrate on this floating, I’m going to concentrate on your right arm” (You can use either53the right or left arm, depending on your seating arrangement.)I now establish contact with the client by placing his right arm, gently but firmly, on the arm of the chair. Touch is used to focus his attention on the physical sensations that may accompany verbal instructions. Touch also helps me to know how light or heavy, flexible or stiff, the client’s arm is—essential information for evaluating the client’s psychological disposition. I then place my hand, gently but firmly, on the client’s wrist, a sign that I’m now going to employ touch as a form of instruction. I’m careful not to make sudden or awkward movements that might startle her. “In a while, I’m going to stroke the middle finger of your right hand.
Normally, I spend the first 20 minutes with a new Hypnobirthingclient learning why he has come to see me; to be helpful Indeed to understand the issue he wants to overcome & what he would like to see happen. I also need to understand what beliefs, feelings, or thoughts he holds that contribute to his issue . I look for sense of who he is & what is important to her. Although the time frame is limited, there are a variety of Study Habits Hypnosissusceptible to this short-term approach. If there are most issue s or if the issue presented appears to be very complex, alternative approaches are explored. However, for most clients a single episode is enough. Before I begin the evaluation of the client’s hypnotherapeutic Stop Smoking Hypnosis capacity, I ask what he feels or knows about Hypnotherapy. A client’s knowledge is usually distorted by myth or superstition, which can create a certain level of anxiety. Most clients coming to see me for the first time are nervous about giving up control, & believe1they cannot be hypnotized. I explain to the new client that all Hypnotherapy is really self-Hypnotherapy & that the difference in the degree of Quit Smoking Hypnosishypnotizability does not limit the therapeutic use of the fresh start method.Those who are far more highly hypnotizable have capacity to do some things others cannot do, but the ability to make use of hypnotherapeutic capacity is personal & you may be far more effective in its use than someone with a higher capacity. Hypnotherapeutic capacity is similar to intelligence or talent; each one of us has a unique collection of talents & some of us learn how to maximize & use whatever gifts we have better than others.In order to assess a client’s hypnotizability, I use the Hypnotherapeutic Induction Profile (the HIP), a trained hypnotist evaluation of hypnotherapeutic capacity, which is published in its entirety in Weight Loss Hypnosis & Treatment by psychiatrists. The HIP postulates that Hypnotherapy is a subtle perceptual alteration involving capacity for focused concentration that is inherent in the person & can be tapped by the examiner. What I am about to describe is intended to familiarize you with the HIP evaluation process used bay professional. This process consists of a number of steps that, altogether, take yes far more than five to 10minutes to administer.
Am I doing it effectively enough? Am I going deep enough? Are my concentrations pure as I can make it? Fortunately, I had proof that it clearly was effective. Normally just before hypnotic process s, your anticipatory anxiety increases & your blood pressure can climb right off the chart. With me, it was the opposite. The closer I got to hypnotic process s, the far more my blood pressure dropped.
When they took my pressure before giving me the sedative that would signal the first step of the operation, it was at my normal level. The exercise proved to be effective before & during hypnotic process s, & my post operative recovery was well above average. I was helping myself & helping my body to help itself. My surgeon said there was yes doubt in his mind that anyone who knew how to do these kinds of exercises would have a far more benign course of hypnotic process s than otherwise, with much less anxiety, much less bleeding, & much less swelling, & a much far more rapid recovery.
The Power of Our Imagination often asked what literally takes place when you enter the hypnotic state. First of all, there is a letting go—your body relaxes & your focus is inward. You ageless aware of your surroundings. There is dullness to the phone as it rings. Street traffic & household noises seem remote. Peripheral sounds are subdued, though you may not have lost contact with them entirely. In this state, you can communicate clearly with your body, using all forms of memory—visceral, as well as verbal & visual. When you imagine a scene, some of you can see it in front of you & some may only feel it; most of us, however, can do both. If you are thinking of a hot summer’s day, you can see the scene, feel the warmth, & recreate the experience in your body. Without realizing it, you may already know what hypnotic is like. Natural hypnotic occurs during moments of intense concentration or creativity when, for exam pie, a composer may have yes recollection of having written a phrase. The notes seem to have arranged themselves. Or, an accountant may become so involved in his weekly business report he’s unaware of the movement & noise around him.
Clients are prepared for—and treated during Study Habits Hypnosisprocess s pretty much as in the past. Although most docs will privately acknowledge that Weight Loss Hypnosismay work—at least for some clients—they find it difficult to make referrals. They stay away from any formal affiliation with Hypnotherapy. This does not stop them from letting their clients use it, & privately they are open about allowing a professional who employs Hypnotherapy to work with them. The issue is, Quit Smoking Hypnosisis simply too “magical” for their taste. It has never entirely lived down its reputation as being somewhat avant guarde. Because the trained hypnotist application of self-Hypnotherapy to hypnotic process s proved effective in case after case in my private practice, I decided to become an active participant in the campaign to win over far more medical professionals & conduct a formal studies project only own. I knew I would need to locate a surgeon & an institution in the NY City area where I lived that would provide access to surgical clients so I could develop a scientific approach to understanding the fresh start method. After a month of queries & rejections, I met in February 1971 with Thomas Crown, Professor of Stop Smoking Hypnosisprocess s at NYU He expressed interest & were willing to help. Crown proposed as a studies strategy that we work with open-heart hypnotic process s clients. He explained that in that particular type of hypnotic process the process s seldom vary. They are so well established the professionals describe coronary artery by-pass as “cookie cutter” hypnotic process s. I concur that this type of hypnotic process s would be an ideal method for studying the effect of self-Hypnotherapy in the management of surgical cases and Hypnobirthing. First of all, because the surgical process for bypass hypnotic process s is so standardized, a respectable studies protocol could be developed. Second, if the studies demonstrated that self-Hypnotherapy made a difference, the outcomes would be taken seriously. Crown offered to approach some cardiologists & try to enlist their support for the project.
<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Cambria Math”; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; margin-top:0in; margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> …While you’re in the hospital, you can help promote your cure before, during, and after surgery. You help by letting your body knows how to behave during treatment. “There’s a two-step exercise you can do to help yourself. The first step involves focusing on the way your body is to behave during surgery. “Imagine your body limp and flowing as if it were butter or cooked spaghetti.
You know you’re being closely observed by skilled doctors and you can safely relax. “There will be one part of you, though, that stays alert during surgery. That part is your body’s protective system. That system can keep the wound dry, clean, and free of infection.
It can also minimize bleeding, reduce discomfort, and promote healing. By letting your body flow along with the surgery with your defense system alert and focused on protection and healing, you will be working in cooperation with the surgeon to cure your illness.“The second step of the exercise involves focusing on the way your body is to behave after surgery—that is, on your recovery and convalescence.
Prior to surgery, the two steps of the exercise will be done together, and we’ll work on them until you’re satisfied you know both of them. Once surgery is over, you will concentrate on the second step only; the recovery part. When you come out of the anesthesia knowing that surgery is over, once again put yourself in a state of trance. Focus on alerting your defense system to promote healing.
Keep the wound dry, clean, and free of infection. Minimize bleeding and reduce discomfort. Concentrate on a rapid return to normal functioning, to a stable and comfortable blood pressure. Imagine you getting hungry, feeling thirsty, and going to the toilet. Think about getting back to welcome lifestyles your body heals. “Thus far you’ve thought about the way your body is to behave during your stay in the hospital. Now I want you to think about the most important behavior. I want you to imagine the things you will do, without pain or worry, once you’ve recovered. I want you to imagine yourself doing the things you’re eager to do. That’s the reason you’ve come for surgery. You’ve come to repair a part of your body that is troubling you so you can do the things you want to do, without fear and concern.“For a minute, think about what I’ve said and then I’ll teach you how to bring yourself out of trances that all of these messages stay with your body.”
Her father had advised Melanie to keep an open mind. “Hypnotherapy has worked for many people in your situation. What have you got to lose? It can’t hurt you and it may help.” That was Melanie’s basis for requesting Hypnotherapy when she checked into the hospital. Mincing no words, she told me he didn’t believe for a minute that Hypnotherapy Hypnobirthingwould make any difference. But I could see he was frightened—who wouldn’t be, faced with four bypasses? Melanie was obviously willing to try anything that might help. The first step. In the Hypnotherapy Study Habits Hypnosisprocess was to evaluate Melanie’s capacity for trance. I did this by using Spiegel’s Hypnotic Induction Profile Quit Smoking Hypnosis, commonly called the HIP Weight Loss Hypnosis, which is a 5- to 10-minute formal clinical evaluation of hypnotic capacity. Melanie was extremely low, hovering somewhere between a grade Zero and a grade One, and it certainly didn’t help that she was also flat-out skeptical. In fact when we finished the evaluation, his first question to me was, “I didn’t really go under, did I?” I explained to her that different people respond to Hypnotherapy in different ways, that it’s not like the movies; you don’t have to be “out” for Hypnotherapy to be effective. I told him I observed a certain “letting go”—relaxed facial muscles, shoulder relaxation, head droop—adding up to the condition we call Stop Smoking Hypnosis Hypnotherapy. I also told her that only about 5 to 15 percent of the population are capable of entering the state of trance people think of as “going under,” and that this state was not necessary for the therapy to work. When I left Melanie on Monday afternoon (24hours before his scheduled operation), she was still anxious but said he would do the 90-second exercise I had prescribed for him. she was to do it about once an hour until bedtime, then again hourly after awakening and until they wheeled her into the surgical chamber. Hews to continue doing the exercise when he awoke from the anesthetic. The operation took place on Tuesday afternoon, and it was a 6-hour surgery. Earlier, the surgeon had said I could go up to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), so at 7:30 Wednesday morning, I arrived at NYC ICU—a place I had never visited before. Having been trained as a research psychologist without hay background at a medical school, I was surprised at the size of the room …
In case after case, both medical and psychological, patients helped me understand how to apply the technique of self-Hypnotherapy or Hypnobirthing or Stop Smoking Hypnosis or Weight Loss Hypnosis Patients and others showed me that self-hypnosis works when the patient follows and psychological and medical often be alleyed without extensive treatment. It still astonishes me how many people—new patients, friends, or acquaintances are afraid of Hypnotherapy, after all that has become known about it. I find that those people who are afraid usually lack personal experience with self-Hypnotherapy. They imagine the stage Hypnotherapist performing a kind of magic trick on subjects. Their response is, “Oh no, I’m not interested. I’m not going to let someone else play around with my mind.” They think to themselves: “Maybe I’ll be put under and something will go wrong.” What they fear is loss of control. They see Hypnotherapy as turning overpower to another person. By examining. Some of the myths surrounding Hypnotherapy, it is possible to arrive at a better understanding of just what Hypnotherapy is and what it is not.
Hypnobirthing , the subject is under the control of the Hypnotherapist. When we see a stage Hypnotherapist at work in a nightclub or in a movie, it is easy to believe the myth is true. Although it seems as if the performer has some magical power, what he actually has is knowledge. Through personal instruction, observation, and books like The Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism and Techniques of Speed Hypnotherapy, the stage Hypnotherapist is taught to “work” the audience before the performance; that is, he learns techniques for identifying volunteers with high hypnotic capacity that will unconsciously fully support the performance. As long as subjects don’t feel threatened, they will do what the stage Hypnotherapist commands. In reality, all Hypnotherapy is self-Hypnotherapy; the subjects always in control. Contrary to common belief, the subject is not under someone else’s power, nor is he asleep. In fact, he is hyper alert and concentrating at high level. In this mental state, he can have his experience structured by a therapist or Hypnotherapist, but the choice of whether to cooperate or not is his alone.
Whether your SAT test preparation consists of working on your own, in a group or class, or one-to-one with a qualified SAT tutor, a good attitude will help you get a higher score. Of course a positive attitude doesn’t give you more knowledge but it does make taking the test less stressful. Stress makes you too tired to think clearly. Stress can actually make you forget what you know.
Play the SAT game
Playing a game is less stressful than taking a test. Games are usually great attitude boosters. So thinking of the SAT’s and PSAT’s as games helps you keep the pressure off yourself. In fact, if you think about it, doing SAT / PSAT questions is a lot like doing puzzle games like the ones on placemats in fast food restaurants. It goes without saying that you’d rather be eating your burger than doing placemat puzzles, but other than that, they’re interesting, and maybe even fun.
Play the SAT sport
Maybe thinking of the SAT’s as a game isn’t quite enough. If you’re still getting upset when you miss a bunch of questions, think about your favorite sport. Now think of the SAT game as your latest favorite sport. When the questions get really hard, you can consider them a move in your sport as opposed to a difficult question.
Here’s how it helps. While winning in a sport is important, it wouldn’t be fun for you to play against a team of 4th graders. You’d always win. Too little challenge and the game’s not fun anymore. Fun games are those where you get some points, then your opponent gets some, then you. If you can get into this mindset, missing a question isn’t so awful.
The sport mindset helps keep you from dragging yourself down when you miss questions. Remember, negative thoughts cause stress which can cause you to miss questions you know. So instead of being mad at yourself, think about your loss in more positive ways. Praise your opponent–he guy who wrote the question. Think to yourself, “Good for you. You got me on that one.” Certainly a better choice than thinking “I’m so stupid.” You can even give your opponent a not-so-polite nickname.
Boost your attitude
Professional educators write the SAT and PSAT questions. Don’t believe the rumors that test questions are written by high school and college kids for summer jobs. It’s not true and only makes you feel worse when you miss questions.
One last attitude booster: Get plenty of rest the night before the test. Eat breakfast that has more protein than donuts and drink lots of water. If you’re sleepy, hungry, or dehydrated, your attitude can go right down the drain.
Several of the colleges I was considering either required or recommended applicants take a number of SAT Subject Tests. For all the pressure there was to do well on the “regular” SAT and ACT, I knew almost nothing about the Subject Tests. In case you’re in the same boat as I was, read on for some of my lessons from experience.
The SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II) are subject-specific exams, administered the same days that the SAT are. Here’s a list of the SAT Subject Tests that are offered. Few schools actually require the SAT Subject Tests unless you are homeschooled, but they can also be a helpful way to show your strengths.
I took the SAT Subject Tests, and I am more than willing to admit that my scores were relatively awful. Here are six important lessons I wish I’d known to succeed on the test:
How the SAT Subject Tests are used: The way scores are used varies from school to school and situation to situation. If they’re not required, you should still send scores to a school that “recommends” or “considers” them if it’s a very selective college and your scores are good. Fortunately, some colleges will only take scores into account if they help rather than hurt your case, but you can only be sure by checking the specific school’s policies. Also, SAT Subject Tests are used by some schools as a placement test for your freshman classes, particularly foreign language or math.
Which subjects to take: Some schools require or recommend specific subjects (for instance, one math and literature), but generally, you should choose the subjects in which you feel strongest or have studied most recently. If you plan on continuing with a foreign language, it may be a good idea to take that test, in case the school does use it for placement.
How high everyone else scores on the SAT Subject Tests: On the SAT Reasoning, the average scores for critical reading, mathematics, and writing are right around 500 each. On the Subject Tests, last year’s seniors’ mean scores were anywhere from 580 to 763, depending on the subject. Great. Like the Reasoning test, Subject test scores are scaled, but ultimately, people choose to take their Subject tests in subjects that interest them. They will do well, and you are up against tough competition.
How the SAT Subject Tests differ from AP tests: Unlike most AP tests, the SAT Subject Tests are all multiple-choice with no essays. From experience, I would also say that the SAT Subject Tests are more broad, since they aren’t based around a specific curriculum. There are also some nuanced differences in the material covered. For instance, the SAT Biology gives you the option of answering questions with an ecology emphasis or a molecular biology emphasis. Usually, you can get away with taking an SAT Subject Test right after taking the corresponding AP test, as long as you take a look at the general SAT test format.
When to take the SAT Subject Tests: Many people suggest taking tests closer to the end of the school year after taking the corresponding AP class, so that you remember the most material. Since sending test scores fall of senior year can be iffy, you might be safest taking them May or June of junior year. Note, though, that some Subject tests are only offered during certain months, so be sure to plan ahead.
The misery of taking three tests in one day: Don’t do it. Don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it. Each test is an hour long. Not only will you be wiped out by the end of the second subject (if not sooner), but if you take your tests in separate months, it may help you become more comfortable with the format.
Hopefully, this will help you see much more success on the SAT Subject Tests than I had.
Readers, do you have any other advice to get ready for the SAT Subject Tests?
Kim Clark is the expert on paying for college at U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges. And even though the rate of increase is declining, a college education can still cost you an arm, a leg and many other body parts. She speaks with NPR about how to pay for college without growing broke.
So how bad is the increase?
The price of a year of college is up about 6 percent this year. That’s one of the lowest rates of increase in several years, but it’s still rising faster than wages, inflation and financial aid. Even the net price that people paid after all kinds of tax breaks and grants is still rising 2 to 3 percent a year after inflation. College is just becoming less and less affordable.
And there are other reasons why a degree costs more.
The average public university student now takes more than six years to graduate. It’s not clear why. Some of it is that more students need remedial courses that don’t count toward a degree. Students are also working more. They’re changing majors. Some programs like engineering are just going to take five years. The federal and state governments have added lots of requirements for teachers, so they pretty much need five years. Also, a lot of university administrators talk about “credit creep.” For example, to major in English or journalism, many schools have actually increased the number of courses you have to take because they want to make the program more rigorous. That makes it harder to graduate in four years. Penn State, for example, is trying to reduce the number of courses needed for many majors to counteract the trend and make it easier for students to graduate in four years.
And that can’t be good for the student’s bottom line.
I did a little calculation. I looked at the average cost in the mid-’70s of going to college. It was less than $3,000 for a typical public university, including books and everything. If you multiply that times four, the cost of a degree is $12,000. Whereas now, multiply the cost of a year at a public university — $16,000 — by six and, if tuition keeps rising at its current rate, it’s about $115,000. A college degree could cost almost 10 times as much as it did 30 years ago.
Has aid kept pace?
The amount of money devoted to need-based aid seems to be on the decline. Total federal spending on Pell grants is down by $900 million from $13.6 billion to $12.7 billion for the 2005-06 academic year. The average Pell went down by about $120 per student to $2,474. At the same time, colleges are diverting more and more of their own aid to so-called merit scholarships.
As a result, the net price that low-income people pay is rising. And the net price that upper-middle class pays is actually falling. Because who gets merit aid? Kids who can hire a test coach, go to better schools, get better test scores.
What’s the advice for students?
There are two things you can do. A student from a low-income family, who has pretty good grades and test scores, is in great shape. That’s the kind of student schools are going to compete for. You want to apply to a bunch of private and public schools that might be interested in you. Create a little bidding war for yourself.
If your grades aren’t that great, no matter what income level your family is at, apply to affordable schools. That means public universities and especially community colleges. Community colleges are still affordable. You can live at home, get no aid and still pay only about $4,000 a year, including tuition and textbooks and travel.
There is one caveat to that, though. Community colleges serve all kinds of students, including a lot of adults who are just taking one class for work or for other reasons. So if you need to be surrounded by people your age who are studying hard and committed to a four-year degree, community college might not inspire you to do your best work. But if you’re a motivated student, you can do great work in community college and then transfer out. More and more community colleges have transfer agreements with local public universities, so it’s guaranteed you’re going to get in.
How much can a student be expected to chip in?
On average, financial advisers say students can contribute as much as $8,000 per year. That’s $2,000 for summer work, $2,000 for work during the school year. Studies show that students who work 10 to 12 hours a week get better grades — the discipline is good for them. But if you work more than 15 hours a week while in school, you may have a few more academic problems.
OK, so that’s $4,000…
This year students can borrow anywhere between $2,625 and $5,500 from the federal Stafford loan program. Starting next year, those loans will begin at $3,500 for freshmen. That’s a reasonable amount of debt to take. That means you’ll graduate with maybe $15,000 to $20,000 in debt. If you need more than that, you can ask for help from your parents, relatives and friends. And you can and should apply for a lot of scholarships and grants from the federal government, your state government, your school, and local community organizations.
And then there are the expenses beyond tuition, room, board and books…
For students who want the spring break in Cancun experience or who want to decorate their dorm rooms with beanbag everything, the sky is the limit. But even stingy students have to figure on $1,000 for books, $1,000 to $2,000 for travel and entertainment expenses, And something for a laptop and a cell phone. Generally, advisers say it isn’t unreasonable to budget $3,000 to $3,500 for all the extras.
The big danger for students is that when they enter college, they are bombarded with offers for a credit card. It is so tempting to use those credit cards to spend on all the things your parents denied you while you were living in the house. Students who do that get into trouble very quickly.
Some colleges may no longer require standardized test scores, but for most high-school students, test-taking is still a reality. Here’s some advice that might help you decide which test is best suited to you.
The SAT may be a better test for you if:
1. You did great on the PSAT. The devil you know may be better than the devil you don’t.
2. You have a killer vocabulary. You know “didactic,” “sedulous” and other esoteric words (including esoteric) and want to use that comparative advantage.
3. You can ace grammar. In addition to the essay section, the Writing section of the SAT tests the deviation between standard written English and the way we actually speak the language. You know that “everyone has their own idea” is wrong, and you are comfortable with “On the table, there ARE a pencil and some paper.”
4. You find it easier to write essays that use illustrative examples rather than argument. For example, if a topic such as “Should the rights of the individual be secondary to the good of the community?” seems like an easier topic to write on than “Should students be required to participate in extracurricular activities?” then the SAT essay may be more your speed. In the former example, you can use anything from the Civil Rights Movement to The Scarlet Letter as evidence, while the latter likely begs more for examples from personal experience or abstract arguments.
5. Whether or not you’re academic, you consider yourself quick-thinking. At some level, the math section of the SAT is based on reasoning. The reading section is about seeing things the same way as the test-makers. The official name is, after all, the “SAT Reasoning Test.” The hardest math questions on the SAT are not about advanced content or formulas that you may have forgotten.
6. You are high-energy or impulsive to the point of being impatient. Comprised of nine sections and an essay, the SAT is 20 minutes longer than the ACT, which is comprised of four long sections followed by an essay. But there are more starts and stops on the SAT — which makes it feel as though it’s moving along faster than the ACT.
7. All of your friends are doing it. For many folks, the SAT is a rite of passage and is the common yardstick people use, for better or worse, in comparing their scores to the scores of their friends, parents and siblings. The whole drama of high school wouldn’t be complete without it.
The ACT may be a better test for you if:
1. You did great on the PLAN (the “PSAT” for the ACT) or had a PSAT or SAT score inconsistent with your academic performance in school.
2. Your vocabulary is not as strong as your reading. You read well and relatively quickly. Arguably, the ACT is a test that is three parts verbal — English, Reading and Science (the latter section requires no knowledge outside of what the test presents).
3. You are great at writing papers but haven’t had formal grammar instruction. The English portion of the ACT is more a test of punctuation and sentence and paragraph structure. Many students find the English to be common sense, much like proof-reading a paper.
4. You prefer to write essays that are argumentative, persuading with ideas even if you lack perfect recall of facts and figures. Or you prefer to answer questions that ask about everyday issues in your life or school.
5. You fear you will choke under pressure. The ACT effectively has “score choice.” If, when you register, you do not indicate schools you want to receive your scores, you can wait until you have taken the ACT several times and then select the best scores to send. On the SAT, all scores (SAT and SAT Subject Tests) will be part of your score report. You cannot “hide” a low score on the SAT as you can on the ACT.
6. You are more academic than “test savvy.” The ACT seems to most people to be more curriculum-based and thus more straightforward. There is more advanced math content (logarithms, trigonometry, conic sections, etc.), but it seems more like a regular test you might encounter in school.
7. All of your friends aren’t doing it. You dread telling people what your scores are, imaging that they are immediately making judgments about how you “stack up.” Tell your friends you have a 580-620-590 on the SAT, and the ranking begins. Tell them you got a 27 on the ACT, and they’ll ask “is that good?”
Should a high school student take the ACT test, or is the SAT test better? How do the PSAT and the PLAN tests affect college admission?
The answer is that each situation is unique. It depends on the college that the student wants to attend, as well as the strengths and personality of the student.
You should ask yourself several questions before deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT, which are the two primary college admissions examinations.
The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT. The PLAN is the practice exam for the ACT.
Confused yet? Click here for a chart outlining details of these four main college entrance exams. This chart also has links to register for the tests.
Student who are undecided about college should consider taking all four exams. Some colleges are partial to either the ACT or the SAT. However, many colleges will let students use either score for admission or scholarship purposes.
If the college of your choice gives you an option, the SAT may be a better test for you if you did well on the PSAT.
Also, the SAT is better for those with great vocabulary and grammar skills, according to Ned Johnson of NPR Radio. It is also best for those who find it easier to write essays that use illustrative examples rather than argument.
If you are quick-thinking and able to reason, you will find the SAT easier. “The hardest math questions on the SAT are not about advanced content or formulas that you may have forgotten,” says Johnson.
The ACT may be a better test for you if you did great on the PLAN test, which is the “pre ACT” exam.
The ACT is also a better test for those who read well and quickly. It is tailored for those who are great at writing papers, but haven’t had formal grammar instruction. The English portion of the ACT is less about grammar, and more about punctuation and structure.
“If you prefer to write essays that are argumentative, persuading with ideas even if you lack perfect recall of facts and figures,” then the ACT is recommended for you,” stated Johnson.
Most students take the SAT and ACT for the first time in 11th grade. The PSAT and PLAN are normally taken in 10th grade.
However it is possible to qualify to take the SAT and ACT as early as the 7th grade if a student is gifted and accepted by programs such as the Northwest University Talent Identification.
Students can take either test a number of times. However, the ACT and SAT differ as to how they handle multiple test scores.
The ACT allows students to control which set of scores are sent to colleges and scholarship programs.
SAT has a new option, called “Score Choice,” which gives you the option to choose which scores you send to colleges—in accordance with an institution’s stated score-use practice. You can choose scores from one, several, or all SAT test dates.
“It has become so complicated with some colleges requiring that all scores be sent and others not, that I am advising my students to release all scores to all schools,” said Julie A. Manhan, Educational Consultant and Seattle College Bound Examiner.
Will you improve your scores if you take the tests more than once? It seems to be worth a try, as research shows that of the students who took the ACT more than once:
55% increased their composite score on the retest
22% had no change in their composite score on the retest
Dubai/Abu Dhabi/Fujairah: Examinations certainly take their toll on students, but what about their parents and teachers?
While students are awake all night revising, parents are unable to do anything except to stand on the sidelines and sympathise.
But ultimately, is it the students or the parents who get stressed the most?
In a recent Gulf News poll, 35 per cent of respondents said students are the most stressed during examinations, 31 per cent said it was the parents, an equal percentage of respondents said they were relieved to have finished school, and the remaining 3 per cent said it was the teachers.
City Talk asked residents who are the most stressed during examinations.
Annie Dias, 44, secretary from India, said: “Neither my sons nor I get stressed during examinations, but it usually happens right before we receive the results. They are now in university and we are all very happy and stress-free. For sure they are overburdened with studies, but unfortunately there are not enough outdoor activities.”
Ali Khaleel, 28, airline staff, Egypt, said: “Students have more pressure because ultimately it is their future on the line. But parents also feel the pressure because they sense what an important time exams can be for the future of their children. The closer the parents are to their children, the more stressed out they will be.”
Haitham Sartawi, 39, Jordanian manager, said: “I personally do not get stressed because I know my daughter does the best that she can. But generally when it comes to Arabs, I think some mothers get stressed the most and children are pressured into studying all the time. That is why some students always pretend to get sick when examinations come.”
Donna Dizon, 26, receptionist, Philippines, said: “Students get the most stressed because they have to deal with their parents and their teachers. In general, I do not think that they are overworked but they should always remember to have extracurricular activities to relieve themselves of stress. It is important to have a breath of fresh air in between school work.”
Doha Al Wazany, public relations manager, Palestine, said: “My cousin’s daughter is five years old and she is already being bombarded with homework and studies, which is too much for a five-year-old child to handle. This results in stressing out the child, the mother and the teacher who also got a responsibility to deliver all this information to her students. Students are definitely over-burdened with studying.”
Wajih Halawa, 30, Jordanian account manager, said: “Stress is definitely on the students. I am not saying teachers and parents do not get stressed, but at the end the greatest stress is on students. On the other hand, parents are torn between creating a study-friendly environment for their children and at the same time getting stressed out for their children’s future.”
Hazim Tawfiq, 31, accountant from Egypt, said: “Exams are stressful for everyone, but surely no-one is more stressed than the students themselves. If you are an ambitious student then exams are the most important time of the school year and the tension will be there.
“I do not think you can say students are overburdened with studies because they are at an age when they can process a lot of information and at the end they are the ones who will benefit from a good education. I do not think exams should be a stressful time for parents because that will make their children even more stressed and maybe negatively affect their performance.”
Saeed Attia, 34, supervisor and laboratory technician, Egypt, said: “Teachers are the most stressed during school examinations.
“I feel many students in the UAE are not that smart, which adds to the burden and responsibility of a teacher. I also noticed that many students are taking private lessons along side their studies and schooling, which has its toll on them.”
There is nothing like a row over Oxbridge admissions to get education news onto the newspaper front-pages.
It hardly seems to matter that, compared to other educational issues, admissions to Oxford and Cambridge affect a tiny proportion of young people.
But entry to top institutions will always attract interest if only because so many of us assume, probably quite wrongly, that every parent aspires to seeing their child at Oxbridge.
So it was no surprise that the media went overboard about this week’s announcement that Cambridge colleges will expect future applicants to achieve at least one of the new A* grades, plus two A grades, at A-level.
Although only 4% of each age group achieves three grade As, this issue plays particularly on the anxieties of parents who pay increasingly expensive school fees in the hope of securing an Oxbridge place for their children.
Of course, not all independent schools make this their main aim but their websites and brochures reveal that access to Oxbridge is one of their unique selling points.
That explains why the independent schools are, to quote their spokesman, “delighted” by Cambridge’s decision.
Coaching for an A*
They already have an excellent record on A grades, with 31% of independent school candidates achieving three grade As compared to just 10% across all types of state schools, selective and non-selective.
And they are clearly confident their students will do as well, if not better, with the A*, which requires students to achieve 90% in their A2 modules.
Ministers were under pressure to scrap AS-level exams last night amid claims they are “killing” teenagers’ education.
Academics and independent schools heads said tests - sat during the first year of A-levels - were getting in the way of teaching.
Many schools are forced to abandon normal lessons for three weeks just a few months after courses start to prepare for exams, it was claimed.
The Conservatives admitted they were “sceptical” about AS-levels, raising the possibility that they could be reviewed or even dropped under a Tory government.
The comments came as thousands of teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland received the results of new-style AS exams sat in January.
In a statement released today, Ofqual, the new exam’s regulator, said it was “satisfied” that standards in the reformed tests had been maintained this year.
But critics branded them a “waste of time”.
Alan Smithers, professor of education at Buckingham University, said: “We clearly need to reconsider whether AS exams are necessary. They turn those two years into continuous examining and they make it harder to distinguish between people in the way that is fair and accurate to universities.”
Under reforms introduced in 2000, traditional two-year A-levels were split in half. Students now sit AS-levels in the first year and A2 exams in the second, with scores being combined to form a final grade.
Says Ms Date student counsellor, “This is a crucial time for students. Apart from studying, they should have a good sleep, for at least seven hours. If they do not sleep enough, they tend to forget what they have studied. In order to remember better, she suggested that students jot down key words on a paper or on a board. “This is important as key words are the key to the larger answer.”
What’s most important, said Date, is that students should not to believe in rumours. “For instance, friends often pass on wrong information about certain questions not being asked in the exams. This leads student to believe they have unnecessarily wasted time and builds up tension. The tension can cause the student to go blank when faced with the question paper,” she said.
She also suggested that students carry a spare copy of their hall ticket as well as get to the examination centre at least an hour before the exam on the first day.
“These days, examinations are not taken so seriously, since more emphasis is laid on entrance examinations. However, the exam is important for many whose careers depend on test scores. Staying calm and going through the syllabus once before the examination would help a great deal.”
Others suggested that students attempt to stay calm before the examination and not panic when they get the paper. If students do not know something, they should concentrate on what they do know and answer it well.”
Finally there is a piece of advice for the parents of those appearing for the examination. “Do not pressurise children before or after the examination. Don’t ask the child to solve the paper as soon as he or she gets home. Let it wait. Parents should also keep their cool and stay relaxed.”
Schools will be encouraged to explore the use of other forms of assessment that emphasise learning rather than grades alone, says Senior Minister of State for Education Grace Fu.
THE mixed reaction by parents to the recent recommendation to do away with exams in the first two years of primary education has got some MPs worried.
They are particularly concerned that the introduction of regular tests on topics learnt will be more stressful than having the traditional two major exams in a year.
But Senior Minister of State for Education Grace Fu stuck to her guns, reiterating the need to move away from an overly strong emphasis on exams at the lower primary level.
Ms Fu, who heads the committee that did the review on primary education, also said that exams can be eased in at Primary 2 for schools that are ready.
Dr Amy Khor (Hong Kah GRC) was one of several MPs yesterday who said parents were worried that the topical tests for each subject would create even more stress for children.
‘The worry is that teachers who have been accustomed to an emphasis on academic achievements and school ranking may make these tests as gruelling as semestral examinations.’
She cited her daughter, who is in Secondary 3 and in an integrated programme in which students skip the O levels and go on to take the A levels after six years.
She felt that taking mini-tests as opposed to major year-end exams was even more demanding and stressful for her daughter.
Dr Ong Seh Hong (Marine Parade GRC) also said the recommendation would not achieve its purpose if pupils still had to sit for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in Primary 6.
‘If the end product of primary education is examination-based and result-oriented, parents would continue to steer their children towards doing well in the PSLE,’ he added.
Mr Michael Palmer (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) said parents felt that without exams, there would be no objective way of assessing whether their children had learnt everything needed at those levels.
‘The concern centred on wanting to know whether their child was learning and progressing, and would be prepared for major examinations like the PSLE in Primary 6,’ he said.
Assessment by the teacher would be subjective and might not give an accurate gauge of the child’s progress, he added.
Ms Fu said schools would be encouraged to explore the use of other forms of assessment that put more emphasis on learning than on grades alone.
‘Different modes of assessment are also useful in providing richer information on the learning of pupils, as a key purpose of school-based assessment should be to provide timely and holistic feedback to our pupils and parents,’ she said.
Education Minister Ng Eng Hen also touched on the issue, citing the experiences of Denmark and South Korea. These countries are now thinking of introducing exams.
However, Dr Ng said exams should not be the only measure of success.
‘Our students should be developed holistically if they are to be better able to excel in life and their careers,’ he said.
‘An over-emphasis on exam grades as the only outcome of education can be detrimental. This is especially so for lower primary students, who can be discouraged from forming good habits of learning or lose confidence because of unrealistic expectations.’
He also reassured parents that the Education Ministry will ensure that there is no drop in standards of performance for PSLE subjects if the recommendation goes through.
