Student Center A-Z Learning Alternatives

What’s new about the new SAT?

It is 45 minutes longer and includes a whole new section on writing. This writing section consists of multiple choice questions and a 25 minute essay. The old “Verbal Section” is now called “Critical Reading”; analogies have been dropped, but there are more questions related to reading passages. The math section no longer asks quantitative comparison questions, but does cover some new, tougher topics.

If I took the PSAT, can I estimate what I could get on the SAT?

Your score report should give you projected SAT scores. PSAT does not include an essay; therefore, that score cannot be readily predicted.

How long does your A-Z SAT course take?

We schedule meetings with each student based on the timing of the test and the student’s schedule and workload. To have the greatest impact we would need at least 6 weeks.

How much time will this add to my teen’s busy schedule?

We generally meet once a week (meetings can last from 1 to 2 hours). Homework can take 30-45 minutes a day for 5 days a week. For extremely busy students who plan ahead far enough, we can schedule meetings every other week and thus give them more time for the homework.  Obviously this would mean beginning at least 3 months before the test.

How is your SAT course different from the other prep courses?

    * More fun (puzzles, cartoons, games)
      – keeps students interested
    * Lively multi-sensory presentation
      designed for all learning styles     
    * Clear structure - makes it easier to plan
      time and organize work
    * Lots of practice – online plus paper and
      pencil – produces better learning
    * Regular monitoring of student’s efforts
      – ensures your child is on target and is getting
      the help he or she needs
    * Critical reading and writing hints
      unavailable elsewhere

How much will my SAT scores improve?

This will depend on several factors:

1) Your current score

The lower the score, the more dramatic the improvement.        
Current SAT Score               Reasonable Goal
for Each Section                  for Improvement

300-400                                  +100
450                                          +90
500                                          +80
550                                          +70
600                                          +60
650                                          +50
700                                          +40
750                                          +30

Other factors to consider in setting goals for improvement:

2) How prepared you were for the test originally.  

    * How familiar with the test format were you?
    * Were you reasonably healthy and well-rested?
    * Had you prepared in terms of content and strategies?

3) How hard are you willing to work?

    * Are you going to put in the time and effort consistently?
    * Are you willing to keep an open mind about strategies and techniques?

Our students who do the work consistently and use the techniques and strategies improve far more than the national average (50 points total) for students who retake the test*. Our seniors have been averaging around 200 points better than their previous scores.

* This is the figure given by the College Board for seniors who took the test as juniors and then again in the fall of their senior year. This number doubtless includes students who took a course or prepared in some other way between tests; however, there is no reliable data on how much this “prepping” subgroup improved.

How relevant are SAT scores in terms of college performance?

Over 2,000,000 students take this test each year.  According to the College Entrance Examination Board (the people who develop the test), “the critical thinking skills that underlie the SAT overlap with those identified in research done for the American Association of Universities.”  The College Board is actually a venerable institution that has been around for more than 100 years; today it is an association of more than 4,500 colleges and other schools.

 

Group versus Individual Help

We offer only very small (2-4 students) group courses because that is the only way to assure that each student is getting adequate assistance. A student  can get a buddy or three to sign up with him/her and set up a schedule that works for all the families involved. Our competitive pricing allows students to get the highest quality instruction and materials for less than the franchise companies charge for much larger classes. Virtual make-up classes allow students to make up missed classes (because life is messy and sometimes unpredictable).

Sometimes the best option is individual help. Dr.Clair's individual clients include top-ranked students in AP classes, students with school anxieties (math anxiety, test anxiety, writing anxiety), and teens diagnosed with ADD.