Advice on  How to Improve SAT scores often focus on:

• Getting and using accommodations, especially extra time and read aloud option
• Learn how to use the calculator
• Practicing SAT tests, especially under timed conditions
• Get the right SAT Tutor  

We believe it is incredibly important to focus on where your child’s is at and what their goals are:

Let’s take three cases:

• A student who had 1000 on their SATs and a 2.8 GPA going into his senior year.  He wanted to qualify for the Gold Medallion Bright Futures Scholarship – a Florida scholarship that could be worth $20,000 if he went to either a public or private school in Florida.  That means he has to improve his GPA his senior year to a 3.6 and to score a 1210 on the SATs.  

Note, this student was a visual neurodivergent learner — who needed to both understand the benefits of working hard and a more visual approach.  He was considered unmotivated and was not operating anywhere near his potential.

On the present Digital SAT, that would mean he had to go from 61 questions right out of 98 questions to 76 questions.  We discussed that he could earn the scholarship or work 2000 hours at $10 an hour.  This student put a $20,000 check above his desk made out to him and worked hard.  The results:

• • • A 3.7 GPA his senior year
    • 1230 on his SATS
    • Earning his $20,000 scholarship

• Another student had a 4.2 GPA that was high enough to earn the academic scholarship worth $30,000.  He was at 1100 on the SATs.  On the new Digital SAT, that would be equivalent to increasing the number of questions right from 67 to 82.  He also got advice that the higher SAT score would allow him to get into the University of Florida.  We helped him to improve his SAT scores to 1370.

 

• International College Counselors help students to target a stretch school and to have a clear vision of what is needed to get into their dream schools.  The student wanted to get into the University of Michigan, where the lowest quartile got a 1350, the average SAT was a 1435 and the upper quartile averaged an SAT Score of 1530.  The student set a goal to get an SAT score and achieved it with help and hard work.

At 3D Learner, we agree with all these recommendations and believe it helps to set goals and to improve foundational skills including:

• Attention, as many students lose focus during the test
• Reading speed.  While the read aloud option on the SAT helps, we know that many students read slowly.  
• Visual processing — many students skip words and lines when reading and make too many mistakes in math problems as they miss signs and small words
• Vocabulary.
• Inference skills
• Reading comprehension
• Understanding key math concepts used in the SAT
• Developing what we call a Hawk like skill, to identify the trick that is required to either understand the question or to solve it quickly

Improving reading fluency and reading comprehension can really help.  One student could not get accommodations, because, while he read slowly, he did not have a qualifying condition.  While his comprehension was at the 12th grade level, he read at only 125 words per minute.  We were able to improve his reading speed from 125 to 300 words per minute, while improving his comprehension 2 grade levels.  

 

The Right SAT Practice Works Best

Many students take multiple SAT tests, but do not make significant gains.   The 3D Learner approach is to help the students in their practice to:

• Start with clear goals and plot their progress – the goals may come from advice from others on what is needed to get into the college of their choice.
• Better understand the math concepts and the formulas to use.
• How to draw out questions – so they can see the answer
• How to check their work
• How to understand questions – for punctuation, grammar and inference questions, this are often skills they have not mastered
• Adjust their approach if they are not making progress
• Be over prepared

 

Three Steps on How to Improve SAT Scores

1- Understand your child’s present leve of performance and how many more questions they need to get right to achieve their goal.  The right college admissions counselor is best suited to know what is needed to get into specific colleges or universities.

Website for calculating SAT Scores

2- Get help from the right SAT Tutor who can help your child achieve their goals – which may include both improving foundational skills and SAT Scores — which can also improve your child’s GPA.

3- Put in the time on task and learn new skills

If you would like to discuss How to Improve SAT Scores for your child, you can reach us at 561-361-7495 or give us a call to have a “How to Improve SAT Scores” for your child