We’re in the thick of another SAT season, with students scrambling to get the edge on preparation for test day—while simultaneously studying for AP classes, participating in dance or theater, and/or keeping track of thosedemanding & constantly-changing spring athletic schedules. It’s dizzying to be college bound in 2011. I’m reluctant to admit this because it means I’m sort of old, but when I was a junior, I took one lone SAT prep class: it was held for a few hours on a Sunday and led by my AP English teacher. Oh, and I do recall sitting down with my math professor father, who attempted to distill semesters of Algebra & Geometry review into a few brief tutorials that invariably culminated in yelling. I was—am—impatient, and didn’t have the stomach to revisit subjects I’d already cast aside once. Thus, I pretty much went into the SAT cold and thankfully did well enough on the verbal portion to mitigate my thoroughly unimpressive math score. It just wasn’t a huge deal back then. Not the way it is these days, with colleges requiring ever-higher scores, more competitive GPAs, and personal statements that some of our great American novelists couldn’t themselves have penned. I feel your pain. I guarantee that if I were an 11th grader in 2011, I would own stacks of books and devise an obsessive study regimen that included taking breaks only to indulge my panic attacks. But I’m here to tell you that in these few days leading up to March 12, it really does pay to take a deep breath. Try, at least on that morning, to adopt a “no big deal” attitude. Studies show that getting a full night’s sleep, eating a nutritious breakfast, and making a point of relaxing can really make a difference—surely more so than memorizing the word “byzantine” five seconds before entering the test center. Think of it this way: if you blew off the preparation you now realize you should have done, you still have more chances ahead. And if you studied hard, chances are it will pay off. Even if you don’t receive the score you think you “need,” remember that the SAT is only one part of a complex admissions process.
Danielle DeRise, Executive Director
The May and June SAT dates are quickly approaching. Some of the questions we’re asked most frequently deal with how to effectively apply test-taking strategies. To help merge content preparation with strategy, Champion is offering two classes in March. Each three-hour session will provide a solid foundation upon which students can build when studying either independently or with a tutor. Students who sign up for either or both sessions will earn a 10% savings on a package of four one-on-one sessions of SAT prep.
Space for both of these classes is limited.
