“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  – Benjamin Franklin

Improve your performance and attain top scores on standardized tests with Arcanum’s foolproof testing strategies.

Standardized testing is the gatekeeper of many worthwhile academic and professional pursuits. Unfortunately, the Canadian educational system fails to arm students with the tools necessary to be successful on standardized tests.

Students never learn to work under time constrains, and cover large swaths of material on a single test. Many suffer from the misconception that the multiple-choice format of standardized tests is straightforward and simple. In reality, guessing your way through a standardized test will statistically result in a grade of only 25%. Students must also account for the rigid time limitations placed upon them during a standardized test. Often students get less than a minute for each question. But the biggest challenges are the frequent changes and modifications to format and content pursued by standardized testing institutions.

The solution: a solid, time-tested, proven strategy on how to hack the test. 

Arcanum Academy provides students with a comprehensive prep program especially designed to demystify the standardized testing process. Students receive training on: decoding instructions, time management, logical deduction and, of course, academic content.

Arcanum Academy provides support on a variety of popular standardized tests, including:

TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language® aims to measure the ability of non-native speakers to understand and use the English language in a university setting. The test determines student aptitude in academic level reading, listening, speaking and writing.

• Master academic and informal reading comprehension
• Improve listening/note taking skills
• Practice speaking on academic topics
• Learn to plan and draft five paragraph essays
• Perfect syntax, spelling and grammar on written tasks

IELTS – The International English Language Testing System® verifies the proficiency of non-native speakers in the English language. The test measures abilities in reading, listening, speaking and writing. It is used not only in academic settings but also in the Canadian immigration process.

• Become a better, faster reader.
• Learn strategies for decoding unfamiliar words/terms.
• Improve listening abilities.
• Perfect pronunciation and intonation.
• Improve written communication, and organization of ideas.

SSAT – The Secondary School Admission Test® is used across Canada and the US to select students for enrollment in competitive elementary and secondary school programs. The test is divided into four sections: Quantitative, Reading Comprehension, Verbal and Writing Sample.

• Build a strong mathematical foundation with proven arithmetic, algebra and geometry drills.
• Improve abilities for reading comprehension and literary analysis.
• Discover tools for easily identifying synonyms, antonyms and analogies.
• Learn strategies to boost verbal reasoning and problem solving skills.
• Perfect written communication and increase vocabulary.

 EQAO Test – The Education Quality and Accountability Office conducts testing for all Ontario elementary and high school students to measure performance and adherence to provincial quality standards. The tests are conducted in Grades 3, 6 and 9 testing both language and mathematical skills.

• Understand the curriculum covered on each test and fill knowledge gaps.
• Consolidate content for the exhibition of cumulative knowledge.
• Learn to decode and adhere to strict test instructions.
• Build a strong mathematical foundation with proven arithmetic, algebra and geometry drills.
• Practice composing full and detailed short answers and long responses.

 OSSLT – The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test is a mandatory requirement for earning the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. All grade 10 students in Ontario high schools write the test. The OSSLT determines level of literacy by examining the capacity of students to follow instructions, understand informal and academic texts, and communicate in a variety of written formats.

• Understand the curriculum covered on the OSSLT.
• Learn to decode and adhere to strict test instructions.
• Practice composing full and detailed short answers and long responses.
• Master multiple written response formats including: the persuasive essay and the news report.

SAT – Previously known as the Scholastic Assessment Test, the SAT is used widely in the United States to rank students for college admissions. The test is composed of sections on: Reading, Writing and Language, and Mathematics (with and without a calculator). In addition, the College Board also conducts SAT subject tests in liberal arts, social sciences, natural sciences, languages, mathematics and more.

• Master time management strategies to boost performance.
• Learn tricks and hacks to arrive at answers by ways of deduction and elimination.
• Improve logical reasoning and problem solving skills.
• Perfect mathematical fluency and mental math abilities.
• Develop written communication with tools for organizing ideas, increasing vocabulary and improving syntax.

ACT – The American College Testing (ACT) is used in the United States as the basis for screening students for college and university admissions. The test includes four main sections: English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning, as well as an optional direct writing test. Unlike the SAT, ACT tests are arranged in order of increasing difficulty and allow students to combine the results of different sections from independent testing attempts.

• Master time management strategies to boost performance.
• Learn tricks and hacks to arrive at answers by ways of deduction and elimination.
• Improve logical reasoning and problem solving skills.
• Perfect mathematical fluency and mental math abilities.
• Understand techniques for scientific reasoning regarding unfamiliar content.
• Develop written communication with tools for organizing ideas, increasing vocabulary and improving syntax.

GED – The General Educational Development examination is a group of four subject tests that allow students in the US and Canada to earn an equivalency certificate to the Secondary School Diploma. The test is aimed to assess proficiency in mathematics, social studies, science, reading and writing.

• Learn key curriculum covered on the test.
• Master tricks and hacks to boost performance.
• Understand techniques to approach unfamiliar concepts through logical reasoning.
• Acquire scientific literacy to grasp complex concepts in the natural sciences.
• Improve mathematical fluency and mental math abilities.
• Perfect written communication skills.

GRE – The Graduate Record Examinations serves as an admission requirement for the majority of graduate programs in Canada and the US. The test measures the cumulative abilities of students in verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing and critical thinking.

• Master tricks and hacks to boost performance.
• Understand techniques to approach unfamiliar concepts through logical reasoning.
• Improve mathematical fluency and grasp of concepts in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.
• Perfect written communication skills.

GMAT – The Graduate Management Admission Test is required for admission into many graduate programs in business and management, such as an MBA. The test is composed of four sections: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning.

• Master tricks and hacks to boost performance.
• Learn time management strategies to improve pacing.
• Improve mathematical fluency and mental math abilities.
• Perfect written communication skills.

LSAT – The Law School Admission Test is an international examination designed to screen students applying into Law schools. There are five sections on the test including: Logical reasoning, Reading comprehension, Logic games, Unscored Variable section and a Writing Sample.

• Master tricks and hacks to boost performance.
• Learn time management strategies to improve pacing.
• Perfect written communication skills.
• Improve logical reasoning and problem solving skills.

MCAT –  The Medical College Admission Test is a comprehensive examination for prospective medical school students in the US, Canada, Australia and the Caribbean Islands. The test is comprised of four sections: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills, Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, Psychological, Social and Biological Functions of Behavior, and Scientific Inquiry and Reasoning Skills.

• Master tricks and hacks to boost performance.
• Discover time management strategies to improve pacing.
• Understand techniques to approach unfamiliar concepts through logical reasoning.
• Learn key scientific curriculum covered on the test.
• Acquire scientific literacy to grasp complex concepts in the natural sciences.