SAT Boot Camp

Students enrolled in ThinkTank Learning’s SAT Boot Camp will see the result of months of hard work. Utilizing the skills and insight of our own long-time SAT instructors, we have improved the testing, teaching, and practice aspects of all three subjects.

The biggest change is the number of complete practice tests: 5, in contrast to the 3 tests in our previous program. The first class is still a diagnostic test to set the student’s target score. The difference is that every fourth class after this is another test, to monitor the students’ progress. Students will have one Reading, one Writing, and one Math class between tests, giving them a clear path to success. The goal of the program is still to add 250 points to a student’s overall score over the course of 8-weeks.

Additionally, each class has been stretched by 30 minutes, to 4.5 hours each. This decision did not come easily, but we ultimately determined that it was necessary to ensure adequate time to review the relevant material on the previous test. One of the most frequent complaints from students, teachers, and parents was that there wasn’t enough time to review each test and make sure that the students really understood the question. We know how taxing a long class can be for the students and teachers alike, and have carefully rearranged the syllabus to provide breaks, activities, and discussions throughout the class.

If the primary complaint was that we didn’t spend enough time reviewing questions, the second most common complaint was that there weren’t enough practice drills. We have responded by changing our approach to in-class drills and homework. Students who attend every class and complete every homework assignment will see the equivalent of 8 additional SAT tests – on top of the 5 practice tests already discussed. Furthermore, every student will have access to 9 more tests through the class materials, and are encouraged to continue practicing on their own (or with one of our tutors, if they prefer). For those keeping track, that’s 22 complete, unique tests with 170 questions each – over 3,700 questions!

These are just a few of the changes we’ve made, all of which were carefully designed by experienced teachers to address problems that may or may not have been visible to the customer. The result is a much more logical, coherent approach to the SAT, with an updated mix of activities and a renewed focus on the reason behind the questions, not just the answers. We hope to expand the lessons and homework onto our TTD website in the near future, further improving the flexibility and effectiveness of the program.