Exam Prep 8: The Secret Step to BCA Prep Success

4 Ways Exam Prep 8 Skyrockets your BCA Test Scores

It’s no secret that in Bergen County, there are amazing high schools that 8th grade students and their parents are anxious to gain admission to.

None so more than Bergen County Academies (BCA), a prestigious magnet school that is top-ranked both state- and nationwide.

Admission into BCA grows more competitive every year. Plus, it requires an incredibly difficult admissions test for students.

At MEK Review, we’ve gained a serious reputation for helping thousands of students get accepted into this challenging school. This fall, 1 in 6 new, incoming freshmen for Bergen County Academies are alumni from our unique BCA Prep program.

Want to know one of the key secrets to our prep success?

Our Summer Exam Prep 8 course for incoming 8th graders!

Here are 4 reasons why our Exam Prep 8 course transforms students and their readiness for BCA admissions.

#1: Starting on time for BCA prep is key.

One of the biggest mistakes parents and students make is not starting preparations for high school admissions test early enough. This is a giant factor we can’t stress enough. For instance, parents often wait until late fall to begin test prep for BCA’s January test.

Considering the difficulty level of the test, its non-standardized and unfamiliar content, and the number of additional tasks students need to complete in the fall, this is not a good idea.

One of the biggest advantages you can give your child when it comes to prep is time. By starting preparation in the summer, you give your child a sufficient head start to learn the necessary content, become familiar with the format, and master test-taking strategies.

Additionally, during the summer, students are free from the distractions of school and other application requirements.

In the fall, they will have to juggle many responsibilities. Students – and parents! – often become overwhelmed at the laundry list of “to-do’s” they must complete for high school applications. By starting prep in the summer, students are much more confident and prepared for the whirlwind of the fall.

Preparing to ace a test is all about timing. Summer is the perfect time for students to begin.

#2: Building BCA test skills needs specialized guidance.

Once a student begins prep, it’s also important that they have the right materials and the right instruction.

Again, the BCA admission test is not a standardized test. There is no Kaplan, McGraw-Hill, or Barron’s test prep book you can order from Amazon that explores the BCA admissions test in detail. Furthermore, BCA does not repeat their test from year to year, and often make changes to their test content.

So in Exam Prep 8, MEK Reviews uses our years of experience to teach students the foundational knowledge and skills they will need to master the test.

For instance, our students:

• Boost their overall reading comprehension and vocabulary bank
• Grow familiar with analyzing nuanced fiction and non-fiction texts
• Learn to solve varied and complex word problems accurately and efficiently
• Improve their overall calculation skills and understanding of key pre-Algebra concepts

Furthermore, we teach students essential study habits.

Most 8th graders haven’t really needed to study before. Perhaps they review the night before a big test, but proper note-taking and study habits are likely new skills.

However, for students to ace the BCA admissions test, they will need to learn how to study over a longer period of time. Boosting vocabulary, reading comprehension, and problem-solving skills requires solid study habits. During Exam Prep 8, we show students how to review independently, so they can retain new information and continue to practice test strategies throughout the fall.

By introducing, practicing, and improving these key skills during the summer, students are much more prepared for rigorous test prep in the fall. They have the necessary foundation to tackle whatever the BCA test throws at them.

#3: The high-pressure BCA test requires top training and performance.

In addition to learning the content and strategies they need for the BCA test, students in our Exam Prep 8 class learn to become great test-takers.

For most 8th graders, this is their first experience with a truly high pressure test. To perform well, students will need to practice test-taking techniques, build mental endurance, and stay highly motivated.

In Exam Prep 8, our students:

• Take timed, full-length practice tests
• Are in friendly competition with their classmates
• Learn mindset strategies

While more intense test training comes in the fall, students still take several full-length tests in the summer to mark their progress, build up mental endurance, and work on time management.

What’s more, the group setting allows students to get an idea of where they stand in relation to their fellow classmates. While all students have different starting points and different peaks, the mix of camaraderie and competition keeps students engaged and motivated.

Finally, our expert teachers teach students how to develop a strong mindset.

In other words, they teach students how to tackle difficult problems or passages, save time and mental energy during a test, and stay focused and positive throughout.

#4: Focusing on the foundation covers all the bases for major HS admissions tests.

Come fall, many students will be taking more than one high school admission test. They may be applying to BCA but also private schools that require the SSAT or ISEE.

This can make the fall even more busy for students and their parents, and without a proper plan, way more stressful.

That’s why Exam Prep 8 is designed to take advantage of the commonalities among these 4 tests, so students have the core knowledge and skills they need to master all of them.

Thus, when students switch to more rigorous test training in the fall, they are ready and able to ace multiple tests.

The key to getting into BCA

MEK Review is so proud of the BCA Prep program we have built over the years and the thousands of our students who have earned admission to BCA. Gaining entrance into this top Bergen County high school requires dedication, persistence and hard work, but is well worth the effort.

However, we can’t help but notice a significant pattern in the results.

Our students who start in Exam Prep 8 statistically gain more acceptances to BCA, as well as to other outstanding high schools such as Bergen County Technical High School, Academies at Englewood, and prestigious private schools.

That’s why it’s the secret step to success in BCA Prep!

Register for our Summer Exam Prep 8 program today before our registration deadline.

To get started, sign your child up for an MEK Learning Circles Evaluation or High School Admissions Evaluation Test!

We can’t wait to hear from you!