Ethan, a happy-to-lucky junior with a B average and so-so extracurriculars, had a tendency to . . . coast. If he wanted to get into his chosen colleges — and qualify for much-needed merit-based financial aid along the way — he needed to do well on the SAT.
So I embarked on “the perfect-score project” — motivating my son by mastering the test myself. This was a lofty goal; in 2007, there were only 273 perfect scores out of 1.5 million seniors taking the test.
I took the SAT seven times, and vowed to share with my son everything I learned — the best and worst test preps, picking great tutors, how to avoid stupid mistakes, even the snacks to bring to the exam — and hopefully prove to him that if mom could improve through hard work, so could he.
Ethan took his SAT exactly one year after I took my first test. With everything I learned, I increased my score by 330 points, achieving a final “superscore” of 2130, out of possible 2400. My son improved his score over time by 590 points. The average gain after test prep, according to the College Board, is only five to 20 points.
Here’s a small sampling of what I learned:
First and foremost, teaching to the test doesn’t work. I immersed myself in the best math test prep to be had, I was highly motivated, and I loved it. Yet my math score barely moved. My verbal scores, however, rocketed upward in response to great test prep. As a veteran of the publishing industry, I had a solid foundation in reading and writing.
The SAT cannot be crammed for.
That said, there are many tactics that helped. Taking full, timed practice SATs is essential for SAT success. Most experts recommend 10 to 15 practice exams.
But keep in mind that not all sample tests are created equal. The Blue Book (aka “The Official SAT Study Guide”) should be treated as a sacred text — squeeze every drop of value from it. But re-taking the same practice tests won’t help you. You need fresh material. Once you run out Blue Book tests, head for the College Board’s website, which offers free tests, and then try the SAT Online Course, which has 10 official practice tests.
In terms of prep courses, make sure they use official material. Go for College Board Test Prep options, like the Official SAT Online Course, before signing on for Princeton Review or Kaplan. In fact, after studying with Kaplan for a month, my practice score dropped by 30%.
After that disappointment, I frantically tweeted for help. Luckily, a wise stranger responded with, “Let’s get you moving on the right track.”
His name was Mike McClenathan, a Bronx tutor and Brown grad who scored a perfect 2400 and runs a free website (pwnthesat.com) where he answers questions and posts advice. He also wrote two prep books, one for math and one for the essay. Some kids are good at sports; PWN is good at standardized tests.
He had me practice writing timed practice essays every day. His advice was helpful and concise:
- Answer the question directly. Yes or no — pick a side.
- Pretend you’re on the debate team and convince the reader.
- Don’t waffle. Stick to your argument.
After working with PWN, I scored a 10 out of 12 on the essay of my next SAT. A few months later, I landed a perfect writing score.
I consulted experts on the problem of guessing. The SAT awards one point for each right answer, and deducts a quarter point for each wrong answer. There’s no deduction for questions you skip.
The consensus: Don’t guess. Your score will be higher if you leave the hard problems blank, work more slowly and get 100% of the problems you can do right.
Be sure to choose the right test center. Don’t be impressed by “fancy schools.” (I tried them all, from private schools in Manhattan to public schools in The Bronx).
Classrooms provide the best settings (not cafeterias or gyms), and make sure that they have full-sized desk and chairs, a visible clock and a board that displays the end time. You can confirm these amenities by calling the school and speaking to the test supervisor.
Get yourself mentally prepared the night before. Don’t answer the phone, look at Facebook or Twitter, make videos or blog posts — in fact, keep the gadgets turned off.
Bring snacks! After sampling everything from Red Bull to peanut butter, I found that dark chocolate (with 70% cocoa or higher), sliced red apple, Listerine strips and water are best for a little test pick-me-up.
To avoid “bubbling” errors, follow the advice of Seattle tutor Stacey Howe-Lott: Mark your answer in the test booklet, draw a circle around your answer, write the letter of your answer choice in large print to the left of the question, and only when you’re turning a page do you actually fill in the bubbles.
In the end, I didn’t anticipate how sweet the best part of the project would be. It changed my son. He grew into a motivated young man who is now halfway through his freshman year at his top-choice college, Loyola University Maryland. And as he mastered the SAT, we managed to eke out more than a bit of joy along the way. In fact, I overheard him telling a girl one night that “the SAT was fun.”
Trust me, if I managed to motivate my son, anyone can do it.