Breaking News:
Bergen County Academies / Bergen Tech Have Moved The Entrance Exam To December, One Month Earlier Than Expected.
Introducing our new Digital Exam Prep 8: A 10 week, fully online program for 8th graders to strengthen knowledge of key concepts, solidify skills, and gain invaluable digital testing experience.
Digital Exam Fast Track 8
Achieving a successful score on an exam requires more than just knowledge and mastery of concepts, it requires razor sharp test-taking skills.
The digital testing era is here, and with it comes new challenges. At MEK Review we want to ensure your child isn’t just surviving, but thriving in this ever-evolving landscape.
Digital Exam Fast Track 8 is based on our heralded Bergen County Academies / Bergen Tech curriculum, ensuring your 8th grader strengthens their knowledge of key concepts, solidifies foundational skills, and grasps core concepts in addition to gaining invaluable experience with digital test-taking.
The Shift From Paper-Based Testing to Digital Testing Presents Several Challenges, Particularly for 8th Graders:
1
Loss of Confidence & Concentration:
Prolonged periods staring at a screen can cause eye strain, headaches, and general fatigue, which can adversely affect a student’s confidence and focus which can result in poorer test performance.
2
Navigation Difficulties:
On paper, students can easily flip between pages, annotate margins, and quickly glance over all questions. Digital platforms can make this more difficult, affecting time management and overall strategy.
3
Loss of Physical Annotation:
Many students have strategies that involve underlining, circling, or making notes next to questions. While some digital platforms offer similar tools, they aren’t as intuitive or quick as a pen or pencil on paper. Your child should practice these techniques as much as possible in a digital medium.
4
Adaptation Curve:
Just the change in the environment itself can be daunting. There’s a learning curve associated with understanding new formats, buttons, or tools, which can eat into precious exam time.
5
Lack of Tangibility:
Physically crossing out choices, feeling the progress as pages turn, or gauging the thickness of the question booklet can provide subconscious feedback about the progress and pacing of the exam. Digital formats can sometimes feel abstract and disorienting in terms of progress.
Even If Your Child Understands the Core Concepts of the Material They Are Being Tested On, Their Score May Suffer Because They Have Not Yet Honed Digital Test Taking Skills.
This is Why Digital Test Taking Skills Need to Be Addressed and Strengthened.
Program Starts October 3rd.
In just 10 weeks, Digital Exam Fast Track 8 will result in:
Enhanced Focus and Attention:
Not only will your child become adept at taking digital tests, but their overall attention span also increases. Your child will develop strategies to minimize distractions, ensuring they’re locked into their task and maximize their performance.
Boosted Confidence:
Your child no longer fears or dreads digital exams. This newfound confidence spills over into other areas of their life, from speaking up in class to participating in extracurricular activities.
Digital Literacy Beyond Exams:
Your child will become savvy and confident in using various software and digital platforms, making them prepared for future academic and professional challenges in an increasingly digital world.
Long-term Academic and Professional Success:
With the foundation of digital competence, your child’s academic journey becomes smoother. They can more easily adapt to future tech advancements in academia and future job markets, which will inevitably be digitally oriented.
A Blueprint for Future Challenges:
This program gives your 8th grader child a blueprint for tackling future obstacles, fostering resilience, grit, and determination.
With Digital Exam Fast Track 8, you are not just altering the trajectory of your child’s performance for a single exam or school year; you’re shaping their future, giving them the tools and mindset to conquer challenges in the digital age and beyond.
Invest 10-Weeks to Address the Unique Challenges Your 8th Grader Faces In A Digital Exam Medium
Key Curricular Elements
- Weekly BCA/BT Simulation Test, reviewed in English and Math lectures
- Math section: 40-question multiple-choice exam
- English section: Literary analysis essay based on passage
- Lectures focused on simulation test review, with emphasis on digital exam skills (lecture schedule below)
WEEK 1
Introduction to Digital Platforms & Basic Navigation
WEEK 2
Overcoming Distractions & Building Concentration
WEEK 3
Effective Time Management & Pacing in a Digital Setting
WEEK 4
Harnessing Digital Tools for Annotation & Note-taking
WEEK 5
Building Typing Speed & Accuracy for Written Responses
WEEK 6
Tackling Screen Fatigue & Staying Energized
WEEK 7
Advanced Digital Strategies & Mock Exam Practice
WEEK 8
Addressing Anxiety & Boosting Confidence
WEEK 9
Review, Recap, and Personalized Strategy Development
WEEK 10
Course Wrap-Up and Final Exam Prep
Give your 8th grader a competitive edge for their entire academic journey. Equip them with skills that will benefit them in high school, college, and even their future careers.
Classes Start on October 3rd,
and Meet Completely Online
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the curriculum based on?
The course is based on our heralded Bergen County Academies / Bergen Tech prep program. This means your 8th grader will strengthen their knowledge of key concepts, solidify foundational skills, and grasp core concepts in addition to gaining invaluable experience with digital test-taking.
How much daily/weekly time will my child need to dedicate to this program?
The lectures will be two hours weekly (one hour for Math, and one hour for English), and students will also be taking weekly BCA/BT simulation tests for two hours weekly, for a total of 4 hours dedicated to the program itself. However, students are urged to dedicate at least two hours weekly to preparing for the tests and lectures to make the instruction as effective as possible.
Are there any prerequisites or tech requirements?
Students need to have access to a computer in a quiet setting. They also need to have their own non-school-affiliated email address.
Using this email address, we will set up students’ Canvas accounts. We use Canvas Instructure as our main learning management portal. In this portal, students will receive all materials, communicate with their teachers, and access the class itself.
How does the program accommodate different learning styles?
As the program is a live virtual class, class engagement is key. MEK teachers are heavily trained in methods to keep each student engaged in the class, accommodating each student’s unique learning style toward the singular goal of the BCA/BT Entrance Exam.
What if my child misses a week or falls behind?
Students who are absent for a session that they are registered for will be provided with a recording of the class that they missed after they submit the simulation test that the lecture is reviewing.
How will I monitor my child's progress?
Parents are able to make an account in the Canvas Learning Management Portal to observe their students’ progress. This will give parents access to the gradebook and all submitted assignments.
Once the 10-week program ends, is there any follow-up support or further resources available?
After the 10-week program, students are recommended to take our High School Honors and Core Reading & Writing courses in order to continue their digital exam training toward both school and standardized exam success.
Is the program adaptive to changes in the digital exam landscape?
The curriculum is updated every year to reflect any changes to the digital exam landscape.
How will this program help in real exam settings?
This is precisely the goal of Digital Exam Fast Track 8!
Boost Your Child's Success with These Add-On Specialized Support Modules
Essay Writing
Interview Prep
Have Questions?
Selecting the right program is easy with the help of our knowledgeable team. We’ll work with you to understand your specific goals and guide you to the right program.
