One Day Academy

Purpose:

This academic-year course is designed to help students maximize their scores on the SAT and/or PSAT. It is most appropriate for sophomores (who will take the PSAT in the fall of their junior year) and juniors (who will take the SAT for college admissions and scholarships in the summer preceding or fall of their senior year). However, the course can be helpful for seniors, too – many colleges with automatic, score-based scholarships will allow students to increase their scholarship level by submitting higher scores up until the end of their senior year!

Process:

Students will start by learning about the purpose and importance of these tests, and strategies that can help in all test-taking situations. They will then work to improve their skills in the areas measured by the tests: reading, grammar, and math. They will also take several official practice tests during the year to increase confidence and measure progress. At the end of the course, students will be taught a plan for review during the weeks immediately preceding their test date.

The course will require an average of 1-2 hours of homework each week. It is not meant to replace English or math courses, but will be a valuable supplement to them. (Keep in mind that all reading and all high-quality courses – such as those offered by ODA – contribute to a higher SAT score!)

Purpose: Prepare students for the SAT college assessment test

Formally CATP Course

Our reboot of the SAT/PSAT courses are a result of thoughtful consideration of academic development and required skills. A few years ago, the College Board revised their test and gained substantial alignment with the ACT. We responded to provide the best-in-class solution with the College Assessment Test Prep (CATP) Course. We literally built a ‘Three-in-One’, but a major change to the course is in order. The overwhelming factor driving the change is feedback from students and parents that the three-in-one is too heavy a course-load and takes too much dedicated time. Simply, the scope of CATP was too big.

Announcement: The CATP course has reverted to the SAT Prep course as we strip the PSAT and ACT materials from the syllabus.

The SAT has by far the greatest demand for a “year-long”, intense preparatory test program and One Day Academy is a tremendous environment for such a program. The PSAT is unique as a summer program because it’s foundational and it has proximity to the October test for 8th-11th graders. Once again, One Day Academy is a welcome platform for this course.

The opportunity to attack the ACT is still available through private Tutorial Sessions either "on-site" or "online". This fosters flexibility based upon need but will no longer overwhelm our core course. The ACT is a wonderful, standardized test and students taking the SAT still have gain insights and scholarship in manner that prepares them to take both tests. However, we felt we could best serve our

students and families through a more focused approach to the SAT.

Students will review scholarly subject matter, be exposed to different question types, learn test taking strategies, and master the SAT. The course is brimming with test-prep materials from College Board, Princeton Review, Kaplan, Barron's & Ivy Global.

By attacking the material methodically over the course of the entire school year, students will be well-grounded in the subject matter covered by each test section! It is common for our students to increase their overall score significantly. In the past five years, an average of 8 of our students per year become NMSQT scholars. It is important to note that  students' scores increase in proportion to their participation

in the course.

The stratagem used for this course has always been to “teach what the test covers, not to teach the test”. Many study groups only teach tips, hacks, and strategies in a vain attempt to “beat the test”. We also delight in sharing tips, tricks, and strategies, but we feel it would serve the student best to review the academic precepts as well. Preparing student thoroughly for the SAT warrants greater effort for our students’ sake.

We use the academic “year-long” course and the thorough study guides to review Reading, Writing and Math concepts. That advantage is best evidenced as we use the SAT questions to advance students’ academic growth. By the time a student finishes our course, they will have been taught grammar, rhetoric, writing, math, vocabulary, and critical reading skills all the while becoming comfortable with the College Board style, the time limits it imposes, and the techniques it employs in its tests.

Students can expect up to 3 hours of homework per week and they can earn 1 credit for English / Language Arts and 1 credit for Math. The course is rigorous! 

Viv Lynn is uncommonly blessed as a teacher to have taught Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Logic, Critical Reading, Math, and Science. This talent along with her 20+ years of experience makes her a formidable tool with insight

into what your students need to master the SAT.

Students will learn:

1. The difference between the PSAT and SAT and ACT

2. Test-Taking Strategies such as "Plugging in" and "Back-solving"

3. Arithmetic shortcuts for fractions, percents, exponents, averages, ratios

4. Algebra strategies for word problems and functions

5. Geometry, Trigonometry and Data analysis overviews and development

6. Critical Reading – learn a strategic, time-tested approach

7. Vocabulary– students learn the words they will need using fun, powerful techniques

8. Personal pace – students learn where to spend their energy to maximize their score and avoid wasting time

9. Students will take three practice tests

Additional Benefits from Standard of Excellence’s SATP course (PSAT/ SAT Preparatory Course)

1. Students will also learn how the test is structured and scored

2. Students become comfortable with real testing conditions and accurate scores

3. Comprehensive 28 page-individualized test reports highlighting strengths and weaknesses

4. Detailed test reviews to improve subject knowledge

5. Students will learn how to maximize their scores through analysis of their errors.

We have a blast!