Why do SAT prep?
Even now that many colleges are test-optional, most are not test blind.
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 increased merit money from schools or scholarship money from outside organizations.
I do test prep in all of the subjects: Reading/Writing and Math.
How it works
I have your child take real, released SAT tests on their own time. They will take a section in one sitting, simulating a true testing environment as much as possible. I will look over the results of their test and prepare a lesson to address only the problems they missed. This one-on-one, customized approach is more effective than group classes where students are taught a general course that might cover things the student already knows but not address the specific questions he or she missed.
The SAT is not a straightforward assessment of what they have learned in high school. It is tricky, and I have had many students lament 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.
When to do SAT prep
The more practice tests they can take after learning the tips for each section, the better. We address every question they missed, so they can learn from their mistakes. Their scores generally improve with each attempt. The number of sessions is up to you, but I highly recommend spending time doing multiple prep sessions if you can afford it. We typically can cover two sections (reading and writing or the two math sections) per 90-minute session, but it varies with each student. This is why I don’t sell packages. I would recommend at least 8 sessions in order to see improvements, 12 or more gives more time for increased growth.
I recommend students take the SAT in the spring/early summer of their Junior year and again in the late summer/early fall of their Senior year. 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 students every-other-week. 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
