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Effects of Coaching on SAT I : Reasoning Scores SAT

Author(s):
Powers, Donald E.; Rock, Donald A.
Publication Year:
1998
Report Number:
RR-98-35
Source:
ETS Research Report
Document Type:
Report
Subject/Key Words:
SAT, College Entrance Examinations, Test Coaching, National Surveys, Test Preparation, Multiple Choice Tests

Abstract

A College Board-sponsored survey of a nationally representative sample of 1995-96 SAT takers yielded a data base for more than 4,000 examinees, about 500 of whom had attended formal coaching programs outside their schools. Several alternative analytical methods were used to estimate the effects of coaching on SAT I: Reasoning scores. The various analyses produced somewhat different estimates. All of the estimates, however, suggested that the effects of coaching are far less than is claimed by major commercial test preparation companies. The revised SAT I does not appear to be any more coachable than its predecessor.

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