Help Your Child Successfully Prepare for the SAT Math Component

The SAT math section looms large in our high-school student's lives! Why should this 3-hour test matter so much?

The main reason for its college admissions significance is that grade inflation and widely different course expectations have made a student's high school record, at worst almost meaningless, and at least unclear and ambiguous.

But, the good old SAT is objective, and the assessment is universal. So, complain as some do about it, the SAT score does matter for college.

What should your high schooler do to achieve a good score without driving himself crazy or spending too much of Mom and Dad's money on test preparation?

By far, the best preparation is simply to be a good student in school.

It is also good to help your child develop a strong power of concentration, so she will have the mental stamina to take the test.

Beyond these initial steps, here are some other ways your high school student can prepare for the SATs.

Math Topics to Master
Your child should know the following topics, to mastery, in order to do well on the exam.

• Basic Arithmetic, which children learn through fifth grade in elementary school.



• Middle School Math Topics such as percents, proportions, using graphs and more.



• Facility with the key operations in Algebra 1 and Geometry. There is a bit on Algebra 2, and nothing more advanced.




• About six months before the exam, buy a test-prep book with at least six practice tests in it. I like The College Board's Official SAT Study Guide because it's written by the test-makers and has many previous test questions in it. There are many other comparable publications you can choose from, as well.

Begin Preparation!
To start off, have your child take a real practice test, in simulated test-taking conditions, (timed!) with no possiblity for interruptions.

Taking several of these practice tests can really help to improve confidence and timing. It helps the student get a feel for the flow of the test, and anticipate the style of the questions.

For many students, a couple of practice tests is all that will make a difference. Others might try some of the following preparatory strategies:

1. Get a practice software program. I like the Kaplan Software, but there really isn't much difference between all the programs. Know your child! Some students will find test-prep on the computer more enjoyable or approachable than book-work. If you suspect this is the case with your student, then definitely invest in a software prep package.



2. Take a course. I think every course I know of has a benefit, but at the same time, is in general an excessive investment of time and money. I think many families spend far too much time and money on SAT preparation. Sometimes expectations are unrealistic. If in all the years of in-school standardized tests your child has taken, Terra Novas and Standards and CTP IVS and so on, your child generally was around the 600th percentile, for example, is it reasonable to expect a very different percentile on the SAT? Is it reasonable to think a course will provide this because it costs $1500?

Tips for Achieving Well on the Mathematical Component
Students who have been engaged in math, in school and out, who have worked through developmentally appropriate and substantial courses since childhood -- these are the kids that achieve well in the math sections.

What can you, the parents, do now to improve your child's SAT prospects? Hopefully we have more than a few days before the test.

1. Don't take the test too early. Brain development and emotional maturity help! I suggest taking the test in May of the Junior year. You've got another chance to take the test in September of the Senior year if you're not satisfied with the scores.



2. Starting 12 years or so before the test (or at least 12 months before) encourage your child to take his math courses seriously. A student should do all the assigned homework to the best of his or her ability every day.



3. If you think the school curriculum or teacher is inadequate, supplement it using math enrichment books, software, games, manipulatives, and more around the home.

A Note About the Verbal Component
Studies have shown that students who performed well in the verbal test had these things in common:

1. The students took their English courses seriously, from Elementary school onward. These courses had curricula in which they read and wrote a lot.



2. These students were read to as children.



3. These students read outside of school, regularly (I mean real books not "manga" or People Magazine).

Students who do all of the above do well on the verbal SAT. No test preparation course or strategy will pull a non-reader to the level of a reader on the verbal sections.

Your "Take Away" Ideas
In summary, taking school seriously, and supplementing the curriculum as needed, is the way to go. A couple of practice tests will be useful, too. Beyond that... try not to drive your child too crazy.