Episode 238 | David Lord - Part 2 | Hamilton Education | The Knowledge Entrepreneurs Show

Key Topics Covered

• The Practice Test Deception: How College Board's released materials show 120-word passages while actual tests contain 250-300 word passages, forcing tutors to create harder prep materials than official resources
• The 200-Point Score Ceiling: Why missing the 70% cutoff in module one caps students at 600 points even with perfect performance in easier modules, and how the adaptive system creates dramatic score jumps
• The Desmos Programming Revolution: Advanced calculator techniques from a former programmer that turn complex problems into simple button presses, saving 5-10 minutes per test while competitors struggle with time management
• The ACT Perfect Score Paradox: Why 97% of perfect scores at his company come from ACT despite California's 3% ACT participation rate, and the geographical preferences that limit student opportunities
• The Enhanced ACT Calculator Crisis: Why ACT's custom digital calculator is so poorly designed that a former AP Computer Science student could have built something better, and the reverse operation interface that confuses students

Conclusion

This conversation exposes the hidden inconsistencies in standardized testing while revealing advanced strategies that most tutors never discover. David's programming background provides unique insights into digital tools that can transform test performance, from Desmos calculator mastery to understanding why practice materials systematically under-prepare students for actual test difficulty.

The most striking revelations center on the disconnect between test preparation resources and reality. College Board's practice materials consistently underestimate passage length and complexity, while the adaptive scoring system creates invisible barriers that trap students at specific score levels. Meanwhile, geographical preferences continue limiting student choices despite clear performance advantages.

What specific Desmos programming techniques can save 10 minutes per math section? How do you identify when practice materials don't match real test difficulty? Which score thresholds determine access to higher-level questions in adaptive testing?

Listen to the complete episode to discover David's exact calculator programming methods, the specific diagnostic techniques he uses to recommend SAT versus ACT, and his predictions about how Enhanced ACT's rollout will challenge regional testing preferences. The full conversation reveals technical strategies that bridge programming expertise with test preparation mastery.

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