SAT Math Prep for Summer 2023
Teacher: Mr. Alons
Email: calebscotta@gmail.com
Course Description: High school students preparing for college in the present day rarely escape the three letters SAT. Like any standardized test, success is almost always based on practicing the specific skill of standardized test-taking. The keys to unlock the structure, content, and pacing of the SAT Math tests are learnable and practicable and can be mastered swiftly. Students will receive a rigorous combination of timed-practice tests, College-Board-specific exam insights, SAT topic lectures, and interactive Q&A office hours.
Lectures will cover the most efficient methods to solve questions in any of the four SAT topics, and office hours are designed to help students polish their test-taking skills, including:
- Wading through College Board’s (often unnecessarily distracting) verbiage,
- Recognizing frequently recycled problem types to save time and increase accuracy,
- Identifying structural patterns and the problem difficulty tiers,
- Synthesizing problem-solving skills with current maths background,
- Speed-bubbling techniques to maximize time working on problems.
Every student is a different test-taker, so this course emphasizes personal discovery and experimentation to help students implement their own test-taking strategies, which extend far beyond just the SAT; students will be equipped with the tools and experience to prepare themselves for any College Board or standardized exam, including the PSAT/NMSQT, ACT, AP, and CLEP exams. Armed with customized and rigorously practiced strategies, students will leave the course fully prepared to dominate SAT Math.
NOTE: The College Board has announced that the PSAT is going digital in fall 2023, and the SAT is going digital starting in spring 2024. I have reconstructed the curriculum to accommodate for these updates to help students prepare under these big changes to the SAT’s!
Who Should Take: As this is a slightly more rigorous prep course, students will find it helpful to have taken Algebra I/II and Geometry.
Technical Requirements: Students must have Internet access and be able to view PDF files. Students should also be able to join and participate in Zoom calls for the live components of the course. Any student taking the SAT will need a calculator. Please refer to College Board’s page on calculators: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/exam-policies-guidelines/calculator-policies.
Hours of Study (Weekly): Students should prepare to spend approximately 5-6 hours a week. I do accommodate student travel plans, illnesses, and special events. Students should notify me of family summer vacation plans at least one week in advance so that proper accommodations can be made!
Course Meeting Times: Live sessions are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM EST each week. Mondays and Wednesdays are topic lectures, and Fridays are student Q&A office hours. Students should contact me if they will not be able to attend a topic lecture a week in advance.
Course Fee: $130 per student.
Length of Course: The course is 4 weeks long, from July 10 – August 6 (2023).
Academic Credits: SAT Math Prep is a preparatory, “noncredit” course. No grade will be assigned by the instructor. The goal is, of course, to help maximize a future SAT score.
Instructor Qualifications: I am a full-time student at Oral Roberts University and will be finishing my Bachelor of Science in Mathematics next year. This is my second year teaching with AP Homeschoolers, and I’m thrilled to return!
Mathematics and Teaching Experience:
- Scored on the prestigious William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition (the world’s hardest undergraduate mathematics exam) two years in a row.
- ORU Computing & Mathematics Department Teaching Assistant and Grader; curriculum developer for Calculus III Lab.
- Over 600 instructional hours with over 200 students at all levels with a special concentration in online/digital teaching.
- National Commended Scholar.
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About the Instructor: I am the middle child of a family of seven. I was adopted from South Korea and homeschooled until leaving for university. Aside from work, I have succumbed to the “Jack of All Trades” lifestyle, and my hobbies include All Things Creative (maths, multi-instrumentalist, composition, photography/videography, cooking), speedcubing, competitive birding, and petting my Golden Doodle, Roxy. But above them all, teaching is My Hobby. Teaching has always been my first love. I rehearse lectures while walking between classes or driving to work. I troubleshoot and answer student questions while waiting in lunch lines. The opportunity to share knowledge and help others grow and learn never fails to bring me immense fulfillment and satisfaction. Serving my peers and students is a privilege, and I’m beyond thrilled for this coming summer!
“The teacher is the servant of his students.” – Caleb Scott Alons