About the "New" SAT
How the Class of 2009 and 2010 should approach the New SAT
The New SAT has 2400 as a top score, whereas 1600 was the top SAT I score through January 2005. The 800 "new" points are really the addition of a one-hour "Writing" test (the former SAT II Writing) onto the New SAT. The SAT II Writing was dropped after the January 2005 test. The new "Writing" aspect is three sections of a ten-section SAT:
- a 25-minute essay, evaluated by two humans
- a 25-minute multiple choice section testing error recognition, sentence improvement, and paragraph improvement
- a 10-minute multiple choice section testing more sentence improvement
Not all students need to prep for the Writing. The University of California Schools, and about 50 of the colleges that formerly required SAT II Writing will scrutinize the SAT I Writing scores for this year's applicants. This set of colleges is limited to the most competitive "top 100" universities (as ranked by US News, about 50-60 National Universities, and 50-60 liberal arts colleges). Many college admissions committees do not trust how the SAT Writing is evaluated. Some say that having humans grade the essay is too subjective; others say that this is not subjective enough. Other college admissions committees think their current evaluation system, including well-crafted essays and letters of recommendation, is a better gauge of an applicant's ability than a "canned", "artificial" one-hour test.
Thus our general suggestion regarding prep for the Writing depends on your situation. There are exceptions to all rules, but with a lot of experience behind us, and fairly current knowledge of college admission requirements, here is a general layout for students with the following expectations:
- Class of 2009 seeking a Top Tier liberal arts college: prep for the Writing unless your PSAT score is 75+ ; plan on taking two additional SAT IIs in subjects of your choice.
- Class of 2009 seeking a Top Tier math / science program: prep for the Writing unless your PSAT score is 75+ ; take SAT Subject Test in Math Level 2 and at least one science.
- Class of 2009 with the time / commitment to do everything possible to assure the best admissions / scholarship opportunities: prep for the Writing irrespective of your PSAT score; plan on taking three additional SAT IIs. Take as many AP tests as you can prep for.
- Class of 2009 NOT currently seeking a Top Tier college: Don't bother with Writing prep unless one of your target colleges says it is scrutinizing the SAT Writing scores. Put that time and effort into maximizing your Math and Verbal (and AP) scores. Be prepared to prep for Writing and take the New SAT in the fall if your target colleges change or if the same colleges alter their standards for the class of 2009. Take SAT Subject Tests or AP tests in the subjects where you are strongest.
- Class of 2010 seeking a top tier college: prep for SAT Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. Especially if you have a busy academic-year schedule, consider starting this summer so as to be ready for the October PSAT, and the November, December, or January SAT.
- Class of 2010 seeking an athletic scholarship: prep for SAT Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. Start this summer so as to be ready for the October PSAT, and the November, December, or January SAT.
- Class of 2010 seeking a 4-year college but otherwise undecided: prep for SAT Math, Critical Reading, and perhaps Writing. Prep when you have the most time; consider 3 weeks in the summer as a "part time job" doing SAT Prep.
How Ivy Bound Prepares its Students
For SAT, Ivy Bound Test Prep offers private tutoring, semi-private tutoring, and classes. All students receive binders of strategies and practice materials; all receive practice tests licensed from The College Board, and all are invited to group "Test-and-Review" sessions at no charge.
Classes for Math and Critical Reading ("CR") generally run 35 hours over 11 - 14 weeks. Tutoring for Math and CR generally runs 20 - 25 hours, more if starting PSAT scores are below 1000 and less if starting PSAT scores are 1200 or above. Students should plan to begin 3 - 5 months prior to their target SAT date, and know there is nothing wrong with starting earlier, so long as the student has had a semester each of Algebra and Geometry.
Ivy Bound's Writing prep is 10 hours of class (6 - 9 hours is the likely time commitment if doing private tutoring), and includes Ivy Bound instructors evaluating six essays submitted by the student. While Ivy Bound focuses on ACT and SAT test prep, many students find that a byproduct of the Writing prep is improved essay and grammar skills for their English classes.
Ivy Bound instructors happen to like the section as an academic exercise. Writing remains the most "coachable" of the sections. Ivy Bound's students tend to make dramatic gains in a short time. The fast-paced single essay is the element of standardized testing most replicated in colleges at exam time. Unfortunately, the majority of colleges have not embraced it, and to our knowledge none has used the writing section for what it does best: capture a student's creativity, thoughtfulness, and expression devoid of adult help, which polished application essays don't do. Because some students do not need Writing prep, Ivy Bound keeps the courses separate, and charges less if only doing Math and CR. Students who wish to add ACT prep receive an additional book and binder for the ACT "Science Reasoning" , the one section that is unlike any SAT test.
Ivy Bound's success rate is very high (last year's Math & CR score increases averaged 123.7 points) and we look forward to more members of the Class of 2009 joining in that success.