For over 50 years, private high schools have used the High School Placement Test for admissions purposes, course placement, and to determine scholarship opportunities. If your child is planning on taking the HSPT, it will beneficial for them to spend some time preparing for the challenging test. There are five main sections of the HSPT. Each section focuses on a different subject and will ask your child to demonstrate their verbal, quantitative, reading, language, and math skills. Some students find the math section of the HSPT to be the most challenging, with over 60 multiple-choice questions to answer in a 45-minute time frame. Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools include the Learn by Concept resource, which can assist your child as they begin their HSPT Math review.
Learn by Concept breaks down HSPT Math review into two main categories that contain from one to three levels of subtopics each. The two main categories are content and problem solving. Algebra, arithmetic, and geometry are contained within the content category. The algebra content includes guidance on how to simplify expressions, how to solve one-step equations, and how to solve two-step equations. The arithmetic content is broken down even further, and contains detailed subtopics that review working with decimals, fractions, negative numbers, and percentages. The geometry HSPT review is divided into subtopics including working with coordinate geometry, calculating surface area, the figure of an angle, the measure of an angle, and finding the perimeter and volume of a figure.
Within each subject or subtopic, your child will find multiple-choice questions that simulate the actual test. After attempting to solve the HSPT Math example question, your child will be able to view the correct answer. The answer page includes a detailed explanation showing the process to obtain the correct answer and links to relevant concepts. The answers are placed in a different order each time your child revisits the HSPT review, so each question or set of questions within a topic can be reviewed many times. Practicing with multiple-choice questions and answers may provide your child with a leg up when it comes to taking the test, as it can help to improve their test-taking skills, too.
The Learn by Concept resource is just one of Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools for free HSPT review. Other Learning Tools available include online Flashcards, a Question of the Day exercise, and Practice Tests. The Question of the Day is designed to keep the math portion of the HSPT on your child’s mind even if they have a busy schedule, as a random HSPT Math example question is selected and presented to your child each day. The online Flashcards and Practice Tests are similar to the Learn by Concept resource, in that they also provide content-specific focus and provide a fun and interactive learning experience. The Full-Length Practice Tests simulate the actual test with comprehensive scoring assessments and access to all of the feedback, allowing your child the opportunity to engage with a variety of methods to prepare for the test.
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