Online SAT Prep Matters and SAT Boot Camp are new courses designed by Dr Mary Smyth, a long-time SAT coach in the Midcoast. College-bound high school juniors who plan to take the SAT test will benefit from learning about the new format and updated content of the new SAT.
“I am actually a fan of the new SAT,” says Dr. Smyth. She explained the test is shorter (2 hours 15 minutes total) and questions are individualized to each student. The digital approach allows the test to “react” to the student’s prior answers and change the difficulty level. The reading passages are shorter and there is a combined section with both reading and grammar questions included. The test also has a visible built-in timer and a calculator and graphing program available for all the math questions.
The new test will require a whole new approach to studying and practicing. While there are free resources available on Khan Academy, most students will need guidance in understanding how to approach the test. For instance, students can attempt a math problem by using any of several techniques: graph the problem, write out the algebra steps, or try the answers to see which one fits. Knowing how to navigate between those options will give students more strategies and can increase their scores.
“With this new SAT format, I am amazed how much teaching I can do to help students solidify knowledge they have been exposed to in high school, “ says Smyth. “Students have to be able to use what they have learned to solve problems. That is the name of the game in the SAT.”
Dr. Mary Smyth’s SAT Boot Camp has been used successfully to prepare students to take the SAT for many years. Students attend class every day during a school vacation week and practice taking short sections of the test. Students are relaxed and well-rested, so they are able to absorb the lessons and practice at their best.
