SAT

Methodology

For most high school students, the SAT seems like a herculean task with enormous stakes. This perception is in part true and in part not true. It is true that the SAT matters quite a bit for college admissions. It is not true that the SAT is insurmountable. Start by looking up "herculean" and "insurmountable." Now, you know those two words. Two down. The point is that the SAT is something you can prepare for—and eventually vanquish. (Look up that one too.) The best way to prepare for the SAT is through systematic study with a tutor who understands your strengths and weaknesses.

To get your feet wet, you can try this 30-minute SAT diagnostic that our good friends at MIT recently developed. It predicts your score three times faster than a regular-length SAT. It's a great way to find out where you are and jumpstart your study process.

Please view a sample syllabus that describes our 16 session comprehensive program for the SAT. While each syllabus is different, this document provides a detailed example of what our program entails.

There are significant advantages to working with Cambridge Coaching on the SAT:

1. 1Cool Teachers

   For most students, taking the SAT is a critically important part of the college process. This intimidating process can be significantly demystified by a cool, supremely qualified tutor. Cambridge Coaching SAT tutors understand the central importance of the SAT in their students' lives. They are strategically minded interpreters of testing data and effective teachers. They are also experts at managing high school students' attention spans, moods, needs, schedules - and sense of cool. They emphasize a highly structured and systematic study process as the best path to a higher score.

2. 2The Highest Compensation

   Unlike other companies, we place a tremendous emphasis on tutors' pay and professional development as teachers. As far as we are aware, our tutors earn the highest compensation—and the greatest share of company revenue—of any tutors in the industry. Although it seems like common sense that tutors are the most important part of a tutoring organization, most companies shortchange their tutors in order to reap greater profits. We consider our tutors to be our most important investment, and we have found that caring about our tutors allows us to hire and retain the very best.

3. 3Official Practice Material

   Our primary materials consist of the official exams released by the College Board (the company that writes the exam). Unlike other companies who write their own "simulated questions," our materials prepare you for what you will see on test day. We supplement official material with an evolving list of the secondary sources that we view to be the best means of mastering particular methodologies. Because we are not invested in selling proprietary materials, we prefer to cherry-pick the best materials from as many sources as possible.

4. 4Customized Curricula

   National companies develop general curricula aimed at a broad population, the so called "average students." They do not tailor their curricula based on individual student need because customization is expensive and time-consuming. We believe that a tailored program is a basic prerequisite for any effective tutoring relationship, particularly for high school students navigating the SAT. We build each tutoring relationship around each unique student. Before you even meet with a tutor, you will take an official exam and based on the results, your tutor will create a customized syllabus.

5. 5Tracking Progress

   We typically meet with students once or twice per week for 90 minutes each time. The sessions correspond to your customized syllabus, which includes homework, practice exams, and in-session methodological drills. Each syllabus is based on the individual student and his or her specific weaknesses, not the weaknesses of an average student. Between each 90 minute session, we scrutinize student progress section-by-section and problem-by-problem. Every single problem that you complete is categorized and tracked. Consequently, your preparation is adjusted based on a growing base of knowledge about your strengths and weaknesses.

   Our programs are intensive, but we have found that they actually minimize the stress of taking the SAT. During the course of a Comprehensive Package, our students see between 1400 and 1600 questions, take 6 to 10 practice exams, and study between 60 and 90 hours. We make sure that our students have raised their scores and maintained them before taking the official SAT. It isn't a coincidence that our students consistently achieve outstanding results.

Our SAT Tutors

Cambridge Coaching SAT tutors are dynamic teachers who think strategically about raising their students' scores. As a prerequisite, we only hire tutors who have scored in the highest percentiles of the test. But, the scores are a minimum requirement. We also ask that our tutors be effective communicators, savvy interpreters of testing data, and cool people. High school is busy. Your SAT tutoring should be as efficient, effective, and fun as possible. With an eye towards this goal, we employ a diverse group of exceptional tutors to meet the needs of every kind of student. All of our tutors are phenomenal SAT scorers and strategic teachers of the test. But, they are also interesting people who can turn a potentially grueling study process into a rewarding educational journey, one that builds confidence and raises scores.

Our SAT tutors are doctoral candidates in top graduate programs at Harvard, MIT, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, and Princeton. Some of our tutors are pursuing professional paths as teachers of high school students, either through Columbia Teachers College or Harvard's Graduate School of Education, while others are top college graduates who have shown themselves to be outstanding teachers of the SAT. For the SAT, we place a special premium on tutors' ability to serve as role models. Some tutors guide their students from the SAT all the way through the college application process.

Our SAT tutors are grouped into four categories based on their level of teaching experience, qualitative feedback from students and parents, volume of referrals, and historical (quantitative) client score improvement. Only tutors who have success raising scores and receive consistently outstanding feedback are promoted. You can view all our SAT tutors here.

Standard Tutors

Gifted tutors who stand out for their extraordinary test scores, academic accomplishments and interpersonal facility. Of the exceptional population that applies to teach for Cambridge Coaching, these dynamic tutors strike us with their ability to engage students and help them improve their test scores. Many of our Standard tutors move on to the Senior and Guru levels.

Senior Tutors

Experienced tutors who have strong track records of score improvement. Senior tutors are experts at identifying weaknesses and raising scores. They are also wonderful role models for their students: doctoral candidates, educators, and ambitious college graduates who show their students why learning is awesome. Senior tutors receive consistently high praise from students and parents.

Guru Tutors

Highly experienced tutors with exceptional track records of score improvement. Guru tutors are a good match for students who are working within compressed time frames, who have found group classes to be ineffective, or who could benefit from the attention of a veteran tutor. Like our Senior tutors, they are distinguished for their ability to serve as role models and they receive the highest praise from students and parents.

Master Tutors

Seasoned veterans: our most experienced, successful, and sought-after tutors. This small group never ceases to amaze. They have seen everything. They are able to turn around scores and squeeze out those extra points. They can help the procrastinator get to work and the most impressive students go the final mile. The most accomplished SAT tutors available anywhere.

Pricing and Packages

The packages listed below are based on 90 minute sessions. The frequency and length of sessions are flexible, though most students find one or two 90 minute sessions per week to be ideal. We require a first-time minimum purchase of three 90 minute sessions (the First Time Package) due to the significant amount of preparation that tutors perform in advance of the first few sessions. Although we have found the options listed below to be well aligned with our students' needs, we are happy to develop customized packages.

The Process

1. 1Determine when you need to take the test and plan your preparation schedule

   The SAT is administered several times annually and most students take the exam during the spring of their junior year or in the fall of their senior year. It's wise to start studying in the fall or winter of your junior year. Achieving your best score on the SAT takes time and it's nice to have the test out of the way by the time your college application process is in full swing. In addition, while the vast majority of our students are satisfied with their scores after taking the test for the first time, it is good to give yourself another opportunity in case you are unhappy with your first score.

   Accordingly, starting your preparation earlier is obviously better. The SAT is highly coachable, patterned, and predictable. It is a well-known fact that familiarity through repetition leads to dramatically superior outcomes on the SAT. We recommend a minimum of 16 sessions to cover the entirety of the test. Most of our students space these sessions out over the course of two to four months during a Comprehensive Package.

   Students who have more time or feel that they would benefit from additional preparation often choose the Planning Ahead Package which includes 20 sessions. The Planning Ahead Package allows for additional focus on one or two sections and more extended coaching on practice exams.

2. 2Familiarize yourself with the format of the exam

   The College Board provides this summary of the SAT format.

   In addition to familiarizing yourself with the content and timing requirements, we recommend that you complete the sample questions provided on the SAT website.

3. 3Establish a baseline on a previously administered practice test

   Establishing a baseline score is an important first step in the process of studying for the SAT. We highly recommend taking a full-length official practice exam as your diagnostic.

   Take your diagnostic exam under timed conditions and complete it in one sitting. Sustained focus over time a long stretch of time can be one of the primary challenges associated with the SAT. Give yourself about three hours and forty-five minutes to complete the test, including two 10-minute breaks. Follow the scoring instructions to see how you did.

   Your score on this diagnostic exam is not particularly important. Your correct and incorrect answers serve as a starting point for your tutor, allowing him or her to build a syllabus aimed at addressing your weaknesses.

4. 4Contact us at info@cambridgecoaching.com

   Once you have a score from your diagnostic exam, we can advise you on what kind of preparation program makes sense. The more information you provide the better. If possible, please summarize your performance on each section of the exam, your goals, your schedule, and any specific concerns you have about your preparation. One of our tutors would be happy to discuss a preparation schedule and budget that suits your needs.