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The Princeton ReviewBetter Scores Mean Better SchoolsEach year, college entrance exams cause nightmares for countless students. It's no mystery why: an inadequate score almost ensures that an application will wind up in the slush pile, if not the garbage outright. Yet these feared exams are arguably the most controllable part of the college application process. Proper preparation techniques, coupled with hard work, invariably lead to higher scores -- and a wider range of college choices. Fortunately, help is close at hand for students in the Baton Rouge area. Since 1982, The Princeton Review has been dedicated to preparing students for standardized exams, including the SAT, PSAT, ACT, GMAT, GRE, MCAT and the LSAT. "Our primary goal," says Princeton Review Outreach Director Adriann Wolfe, "is to help our students excel on standardized tests. Our strategies and techniques are time-tested and student-tested; if they didn't work, we wouldn't be in business. Our instructors are genuinely concerned about their students' success." According to Adriann, schools rarely offer their students adequate standardized test preparation. The Princeton Review fills this study gap. "We dissect the actual test, analyzing both content and strategy. Our techniques include the process of elimination, mastering the test, and how to think like the test maker. Understanding the psychology of these tests is important, because industrial psychologists are paid to create tricky test questions."
Prospective students are encouraged to stop by to take a free practice test. "Everyone should take one," says Adriann. "It will let you know what your strengths and weaknesses are and whether you need prep. Taking the real test for practice is not a good idea." "The practice tests are also a great way to gauge our enrolled students' needs," adds Roberto. "These tests allow our teachers to adjust their lessons accordingly." To help provide personalized attention, class size at The Princeton Review is kept small. For example, SAT and ACT classes are restricted to 12 students; GRE and GMAT classes are capped off at eight students. Students are also encouraged to seek extra help after class. "That's part of the course fee," says Roberto. "Some of our customers prefer the one-to-one attention. But you have to ask for the help. We won't help you without your permission." The Princeton Review is a great asset to the Tuition Opportunity Program Scholarship -- or TOPS, as it is commonly known. In TOPS, any high school student who achieves a score of at least 20 on the ACT or 920 on the SAT, and who also has earned a grade point average of 2.8 or higher in the required high school curricula, is awarded free tuition to a Louisiana school by the State of Louisiana. "Basically, that saves parents thousands of dollars in tuition," says Adriann. "TOPS is tremendous, a way of opening doors for someone who might not otherwise be able to attend college." The higher the ACT or SAT score, the more TOPS pays. Spending under $1,000 for proper test preparation now can save many thousands of dollars over the course of four years, not to mention the stress associated with taking out student loans. All things considered, a buck spent at The Princeton Review is a buck wisely spent. Roberto says The Princeton Review has spent millions of dollars studying the controversial new ACT and SAT tests, which include an anti-creative essay graded by two humans. The money-saving idea is to judge a student's writing ability in two minutes or less. "We're ready to teach you everything you need to know about the new ACT and SAT," says Roberto. Colon, himself a brilliant test-taker who has submitted to the same rigorous training as his staff, emphasizes the accessibility of The Princeton Review. "We have faith in our principles," he says. "That gives us the confidence to handle students' problems in a forthcoming and timely fashion." The Princeton Review is located on Burbank right off of Nicholson Drive. Reach them at (225) 767-1304.
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"We offer a satisfaction guarantee," says Roberto Colon, Executive Director of The Princeton Review (pictured at left). "If you are not happy with your score, we will continue to work with you for up to one year, provided you go to class and do the work required. We often see a 100 to 200 point improvement on the SAT, seven to 10 points on the LSAT, and 2 to 6 points on the ACT."
