What Every Parent Should Know About the SAT:

An Expert's Opinion

By Professor Karen L. Maxwell, B.S., M.S.

Director, National Education Consultants, Inc.

Jensen Beach, Florida

772-285-6024

kmaxwell@necseminars.com

www.necseminars.com

Professor Maxwell is Director of National Education Consultants, Inc., an SAT-preparation and tutoring company based in Jensen Beach, Florida. Professor Maxwell held tenure at Miami Dade College Department of Mathematics, is a Master Teacher and Certified Cooperative Education Instructor. Throughout her 35-year career, she has taught mathematics at all levels in both public and private institutions. She holds professional teaching certification in Florida and New York.

As we put the last SAT Reasoning Test of the academic year behind us, I'd like to comment about many of the testing issues that students and parents often ask and many that they should ask. My specialty is math, so my comments relate to that area of the test.

PART 1

OVERVIEW

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a "reasoning" test, not an intelligence test. It assesses how well students analyze and solve problems in order to measure critical thinking skills needed for academic success in college. SAT scores give admissions offices some indication of the student's potential for success in a college or university atmosphere. The test is only one of a variety of factors used to determine admission; however, good entrance exam scores must accompany high GPAs or suspicion of grade inflation prevails. There are huge differences in the academic rigor and grading standards among America's high schools; the SAT is an objective leveling factor.

In 2005, the math portion of the SAT was expanded to include Algebra 2, and the entire test is now approximately 4 hours in length. Although there is a large quantity of content covered in the test, the math level is not extremely high. Any good high school student should know all of the math principles on the test. The SAT does not include questions about rarely used, obscure theorems or properties. Then, you might ask, why do some students perform poorly on the SAT compared to expectations, and what can be done to improve student scores?

One reason students find the test so challenging relates to how the questions are written. Question wording on the SAT requires a higher level of reading comprehension than homework assignments in textbooks. It can be tricky. Phrases like:

"...which of the following could be..."

"...what is the least..."

"...if x represents...pounds he will not use,...which...represents all possible values of x?"

"...which of the following must be true?"

"...then, at most, how many of the five integers could be..."

In high school math classes, students are given homework assignments at the end of each chapter consisting of numerous problems of the same type. For the most part, they solve these problems by rote, without giving much thought to theory. When they get stuck on a problem, it is easy to research the solution, since it will most likely have something to do with the topic being taught in that section of the book. On the SAT, all types of math questions are mixed together requiring higher-level critical thinking skills to figure out the correct problem solving strategy.

SAT questions require students to work through several steps before they get to the final answer. They must call upon more than one principle to solve a single problem. Oftentimes, once they find a possible solution, they must do something with it before selecting a final answer. For instance, they may have to find the slope of a line (Algebra), use this information to figure out the area of a figure (Geometry), and then do something with the area solution before selecting the final answer.

Those pesky test writers for the SAT know exactly which detractors (wrong answers) to put on the test. They list all the wrong answers that even the best of students are apt to fall for with just the slightest error in judgment. Anxious students, working under stressful conditions, are trying their best to pace themselves to work quickly and answer correctly as many questions as they can. It is all too tempting to find a matching solution in the list of possible answers without going back to check if you answered the exact question that is being asked.

GUESSING PENALTY

Another reason for less than stellar scores is the guessing penalty. This is the most frequently asked about topic in my practice and the most difficult for me to answer. Should students guess on the SAT? Every one of the myriad SAT-prep books has an expert opinion recommending some strategy. After working one-on-one with many students to improve their SAT scores, my experience on the guessing issue is: it depends upon the student. Some should never guess and some should. In general, most students should not guess, but there are some students with high-end scores that are good guessers. In order to better understand, it is helpful to learn about how the SAT is scored.

SCORING

The math portion of the SAT consists of 44 multiple choice and 10 grid-in (student produced response) questions for a total of 54 questions. The questions are taken from four areas of mathematics:

1) Algebra & Functions (19-22 questions)

2) Geometry & Measurement (14-16 questions)

3) Number & Operations (11-14 questions)

4) Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability (5-8 questions)

There are three math sections on the SAT. Two of them are 25 minutes and one is 20 minutes, for a total time of 70 minutes. 70 minutes for 54 questions averages out to 1 minute 17 seconds each. Some questions are so easy that you can find the answer quickly, while others require in-depth analysis.

All questions are worth one point each. Students earn the same amount per question for answering an easy question as they do for a hard question. There are about 9-10 hard questions on the test. 44-45 questions are easy to medium difficulty. In each of the three math sections on the SAT, the questions are given in order of increasing difficulty. Students do not have to complete the test to do well. At first, this is difficult for students to internalize. In case you're curious, it is possible for a student to skip all the hard questions and earn a 650 on the SAT.

Students may guess on any question; however if they guess incorrectly on a multiple choice-type question, there is a ¼ point penalty (rounded to the nearest whole number). This means that a student receives the same penalty if he or she gets 5 wrong or 2 wrong. There is no penalty for guessing incorrectly on grid-in questions.

Why does the SAT deduct points for wrong guesses on multiple choice-type questions? The answer is simple. They do not want to give points to anyone who happens to guess correctly. The penalty reduces the possibility of receiving points for guessing correctly at something the student does not know. The problem is that students are trained in school to try their best-even if it is not completely correct-for partial credit. On the SAT, this behavior can devastate your score. So, naturally, there is a learning process that must go on with students who are being tutored in SAT test taking strategy.

Raw scores are computed by tallying the total number of correct answers minus the guessing penalty. These scores are then converted into a scaled score-this is the score that is sent to colleges. As a general rule of thumb, a student who has a raw score of 25-26 will have a scaled score of approximately 500, 32-33 is 550, and 38-39 is 600.

There is one experimental section on the SAT where questions are being field-tested. This section is 25 minutes long and may be from any area: critical reading, math, or writing skills. Results from this section do not count toward the student's score. It is not possible to know which of the 25-minute sections is the experimental one, so students must try to do their best on all sections.

PART 2

GRID-IN QUESTIONS

Since there is no deduction for incorrect answers on grid-in questions, you might presume that a student should answer all of this type, taking a guess at those he or she is unsure of. My answer to this strategy is, once again, that it depends. Students who take loads of time answering questions that they have no chance of getting correct are better served to go back and look at the easy and medium questions, try again to answer the ones they left blank, and check the ones they answered for errors.

STRATEGY

In school, students are encouraged to show all their work on mathematics tests or risk "no credit." They are trained to go step-by-step in solving problems and are given partial credit for getting the gist of the problem, even if their final answer is wrong. We math teachers love to see student work that is neat and orderly with all the steps shown. This is the exact opposite of the best strategy for taking the SAT. Unless needed for understanding, writing down every step wastes precious time.

All the questions are worth 1 point-whether they are easy or difficult. And, the machine scores all the items without regard to whether or not you showed the steps and were almost correct. Imagine that for 12 years you have been told to do math a certain way, then the SAT comes along, and the behavior that has been hammered into your head is exactly the opposite from the strategy you need to do well on the most important test of your life. In school, if you completed 60% of a test and left the rest blank, you would practically fail. If you did 60% of the SAT correctly and left the rest blank, you would score a 550 and rank in the top third of all students who take the SAT. Interesting.

So, yes, strategy plays a big part in student success. Consider casino gambling. Wouldn't you want to know the rules of a card game before you plunked down your hard earned money to play? So, how can we expect our students to perform at their peak on a test in which they don't know the strategy? Do students know they will score higher if they leave questions they are not sure of blank? Most do not. Do students know there can be more than one correct answer...that they cannot grid-in a zero in front of the decimal point...that there may be a range of infinite answers...that decimals must be as correct as four blanks allow them to be? Maybe, or maybe not. When deciding whether to arrange for SAT-preparation, this is something to consider.

Once the student has conquered the strategy, the quest for grade improvement is not over. Now, the student must tackle the math.

SAT MATH

The old adage rings true-practice makes perfect. Take enough old SATs, and you will see the repetition in the types of problems. Even so, some students are more intrinsically motivated than others. It is widely known that students learn best when they go back to correct their own mistakes and research the ones they left blank before going forward. Does your child have the self-motivation and perseverance to do this after every practice test? Does he or she have the academic support to pull this off?

There are dozens of SAT-prep books and programs on the market. I always encourage my students to get The Official SAT Study Guide put out by the College Board. Why? Because it is written by the same people who write the test. It is closer to what students can expect on test day than anything available on the market. Most of these prep books are fairly voluminous. It can be overwhelming for a student to navigate their way through a book of this nature. That's where professional help comes in.

The good news for students is that all information given in the problem is needed to solve it. That is, there is no extraneous information to confuse the issue. Drawings are to scale, unless indicated otherwise, and the main formulas needed for success are given in the test. There are no ugly, complicated calculations required for any of the questions, and students may use a graphing calculator.

PART 3

ALGEBRA 2 TIMING

It is always best for students to test right after they complete Algebra 2. In Martin County, Florida, where block scheduling is the norm, students who take Algebra 2 during first semester are better positioned to take the SAT in either December or January, leaving enough time for them to retest again, if needed, in the spring. The SAT is offered seven times during the academic year starting in October and finishing in June.

On the other hand, juniors who take Algebra 2 during the second semester are at a timing disadvantage for taking the SAT. If they take the test too soon, they have not had the Algebra 2 exposure to do as well on the test as someone who has completed the course. If they wait until later in the academic year to test, it puts them behind other students in the competitive search for colleges and scholarships. Taking the test in May or June may conflict with student responsibilities for final exams, prom, and other end of school activities.

The timing issue is imperative for juniors who wish to use their spring break to visit colleges and make decisions about where to apply. With early decision and scholarship applications due, juniors who take Algebra 2 during second semester are at a distinct disadvantage. Further, as slots for colleges fill up early, students that wait to apply may be up against an even more competitive situation as the number of open slots at sought after colleges begins to narrow.

MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS

A student may take the SAT as many times as he or she wishes. However, all SAT results become part of the student's record and are sent to admissions offices. Students may not pick and choose which results to send. Some colleges "super score" meaning they consider the highest score for each part over all the tests.

SAT research has shown that students usually do better on the second attempt. It also shows that students who attend independent schools typically score higher than students in private, religiously affiliated schools or public schools.

I don't recommend taking an SAT without preparation just for the heck of it. I am from the old school and would not want a blemish on my record, even if it "doesn't count."

SAT II

Your child may be required by a college or university to take the SAT-Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1 and 2 to assist them in making admission and placement decisions. This test is different from the SAT Reasoning Test and is usually taken toward the end of the junior year or the start of the senior year. Math Level 1 is taken right after completing an Algebra 2 course, and Math Level 2 is taken right after completing Pre-Calculus or Trigonometry.

MAXIMUM STUDENT PERFORMANCE

With all this being said about strategy and brushing up on long-forgotten theorems, not every student is capable of a high score. A student is mentally capable of achieving a certain maximum score, and that is it. All the tutoring in the world is not going to take an average student and turn him or her into a Rhodes Scholar. There is a point where a student's score levels off. Students who repeatedly take the SAT will notice their scores tend to stay in the same range.

Yes, tutoring is essential for students to learn the strategy for the test as well as to review the math that they may have forgotten from earlier years. In the short haul, prepping in the weeks immediately preceding the SAT can improve scores. In depth preparation takes you to the peak of your game. If there is a long lag time between completion of tutoring and taking the SAT, experience shows there can be a falling off of the score. The best long-range method for students to prepare for the SAT is to take as many rigorous courses as they possibly can throughout their entire school careers.

PART 4

SAT TUTORING

Who responds best to SAT tutoring? Students that really, really want it-probably because they are trying to get into a particular school or program and are committed to do whatever it takes to get there. When parents force the issue, students merely go through the motions to keep the folks happy. These students will improve, but not at the level of those who are committed by virtue of intrinsic motivation. And nothing kicks that motivation into gear more than a few weekend visits to some great campuses to get a small taste of college life.

There are numerous organizations and individuals purporting to be SAT specialists. Some high profile companies have recognizable names. They also can be extremely expensive. Is your child's instructor considered an expert because he or she completed two weeks of company training? As in the search for any professional, buyer beware. Check around for referrals, look at credentials and experience, and do your homework. Go to someone who has proven results.

The best tutoring schedule is to start about 8 weeks before the SAT. Students come in for a pre-test that is used as a baseline score. Then, students are tutored one-on-one for about an hour a week. Prior to each lesson, the student takes a timed SAT at home-no phones, computer, TV, interruptions-as close to SAT conditions as possible. The instructor will structure weekly goals, each one a little higher than the week before. We are looking for slow and steady upward improvement.

What score improvement can be expected after tutoring? Again, that depends on the individual student. Every student is unique, and there are no guarantees. High-priced, national chain companies cannot possibly guarantee anything of this nature, although some claim to do so. There is no way to know in advance if the student will wake up feeling sick that morning. It has happened in Martin County that the air conditioning wasn't on at the testing site because it was a Saturday morning, and the students were sweltering throughout the test. Calculator batteries go bad. Students tell me the noise from other students coughing and sneezing during the test bothered them...or even the noise of calculators clacking was distracting. (Note to self: suggest bringing earplugs?)

I have had students improve by as much as 270 points on the math part of the exam. After about 3 or 4 hours of working with a student, I can usually tell what to expect. If at any point I don't see improvement, the parents are contacted. We try to determine if the student is following the parameters of the program set down specifically for him or her each week. If so, the child may have reached his or her peak performance. If not, either the student has to get with the program, or the parents are wasting their money.

TRACKING SCORE IMPROVEMENT

Typically, students in SAT tutoring see an immediate surge in their scores after they master the test-taking strategy. The hard work follows when they have to invest time in studying the math.

At first, students who enter tutoring with low baseline scores will usually see larger weekly improvement rates than students with higher baseline scores. It is easier to gain 50 points in one week, if you are starting at a 500. Why? Because, there are more easy and medium questions available for you to improve on. It is not as easy to add 50 points a week if you are already performing at a 600 level when the only questions left to improve on are the difficult ones.

Improvement rates diminish as the weeks progress. This is expected. Eventually, the improvement rate levels out. That is when I know my job as a tutor is done.

ROLE OF PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)

Time and time again, I hear stories about students taking the PSAT without any direction or instruction. Students are sometimes told that it "doesn't count" and the general importance of the test is downplayed. Guidance counselors give out the "PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin" only a week or two before the actual exam. In my opinion, this is a big mistake and is actually a detriment to the student. Ask your child's counselor for it as soon as it arrives in September.

Taking the PSAT under strict testing conditions is the most realistic SAT practice that a student can get, and it is an opportunity to learn and improve...not something to be shrugged off as unimportant. PSAT questions are like those on the SAT-but appropriate to the level of a high school junior. PSAT math content was enhanced in 2005, but Algebra 2 is not included because most first-semester juniors have not covered the material. Given in October, the PSAT runs a little over 2 hours in length. Students take the test as sophomores or juniors, but only juniors' scores are used for scholarship competitions.

The PSAT feedback from the College Board is a valuable tool in preparing for the SAT. You will receive your child's test booklet and a detailed score report. Hold on to these documents-especially the test-as they are important tools for a professional tutor to help your child improve before the SAT. My advice is don't underplay the importance of the PSAT. College entrance is serious business these days, as evidenced by the proliferation of independent professional college career counselors.

Question and Answer Service (QAS)

Some of the testing dates throughout the academic year are earmarked for "Question and Answer Service" (QAS). On these dates, for a small additional fee, you will receive a copy of the actual test, the correct answers, and your child's answers. QAS is an invaluable tool for a professional tutor to analyze exactly what happened on the test and take steps to improve your child's performance on the next SAT attempt. The QAS takes 6 to 8 weeks after the test to arrive, if ordered at the time of test registration. I highly recommend this approach before the student retests. Look on the website for test dates where QAS is available.

STUDENT ANSWER SERVICE (SAS)

The remaining test dates offer only "Student Answer Service" (SAS) for a small additional fee. This is similar to QAS except they do not send home a copy of the actual test. So, the tutor does not know what the student got wrong and cannot take appropriate action. This report can serve to show if a student guessed incorrectly and was penalized as a result. As with QAS, there is a long lead-time to receive the report, which should be taken into consideration when arranging a retesting date.

SAT TIPS

There is a wealth of information available to parents and students on the College Board's website. The College Board responds to individual questions sent by email. The official website of the SAT is: www.collegeboard.com.

Students may register for any of the tests, including QAS or SAS, from the website. Information on locations of test taking centers (usually schools) for each test date and sample test questions with answers and explanations that can be printed out or completed online are available.

Students should sign up for the College Board "Question of the Day" to get their daily jolt of SAT practice. These can be printed out and reviewed again in a few weeks time to ensure mastery.

NATIONAL EDUCATION CONSULTANTS, INC.

National Education Consultants, Inc. (NEC), Jensen Beach, Florida, conducts small group seminars in SAT preparation throughout the Treasure Coast. During the 6 to 8 weeks before each SAT date, students are given 30 hours of intensive instruction in test taking strategy, math, critical reading and writing. Parents, schools, and guidance professionals may contact Professor Karen Maxwell (math) or Professor Lisa Kilian (critical reading/writing) at NEC to arrange seminars either at school or off-campus locations. Private tutoring is also available.

Professor Karen Maxwell
Mathematics
772-285-6024
kmaxwell@NECseminars.com

Professor Lisa Kilian
Critical Reading/Writing
772-631-8239
lkilian@NECseminars.com