Why do SAT prep?
Even though many colleges are test-optional, many actually give preference to students who submit scores.
If students can score at or above the average SAT scores for a particular college, they should submit those scores. With grade inflation, cheating, and AI for essay writing being big issues, good scores on standardized tests help admissions officers know a student has what it takes to be successful at their schools. In a test-optional school, if it comes down to two students who look the same on paper, and one submitted good test scores, they will choose the one who submitted.
Even if a student doesn’t need the score for admissions, a good score can often result in increased merit money. An investment in test prep can result in money from schools or scholarship money from outside organizations.
Scores may also be used to get into a school of study (like the college of engineering or nursing) and are used for placement in classes at some schools.
I do test prep in all of the subjects: Reading/Writing and Math.
I give your child an overview of the content on both sections of the test and teach them testing strategies. The SAT is not a straightforward assessment of what they have learned in high school. It is tricky, and I have had students comment that the test writers must not want them to go to college. I spend time teaching your child HOW to take the test, what snares to watch out for, and how to pace themselves so they don’t run out of time. I also provide students with tips for overcoming test anxiety if that is a struggle for them.
Why Choose Peak Tutoring for SAT Prep?
I am the only professional test prep tutor in the state of Colorado who is a member of the National Test Prep Association. In order to become a member, we have to go through an in-depth application, recommendation, and vetting process to make sure we are highly-effective at SAT preparation.
While I can’t guarantee certain scores since so much depends on how seriously a student takes the work, how they feel on test day, distractions during testing, anxiety, etc., my students have gained an average of 200 points after working with me. One student gained 480 points. My lowest point gain was from a foreign exchange student who only wanted to work on English and gained 100 points on that section, which was difficult as a non-native speaker.
When to do SAT Prep
I recommend students take the SAT in the spring of their Junior year and again in the summer before their Senior year. Early fall provides time for a third attempt or can be a backup in case they wake up sick or the test center cancels one of the other dates. A great time to prepare is the summer before their Junior year and again the summer before their Senior year when they aren’t having to simultaneously keep up on their school work. Weekends during the school year are also an option. During the school year, I typically meet with my one-on-one students every-other-weekend. That way, they can work on a practice test one weekend and meet with me on the following weekend.
I highly recommend the student take the test at least 2 times. Studies show that students score higher on their second attempt. Many colleges also allow for Super Scoring. This means that the student can enter their highest reading/writing score from one test date and their highest math score from another test date, and the college will put those together into a Super Score that may be higher than the total score (out of 1600 points) that they ever earned on a single test date. You can Google “does ___ super score SAT” and insert the name of any college to find out if they allow super scoring.
Please contact me if you are interested in setting up some SAT prep sessions. I’d love to help your student prepare, so they can earn their best score
