The SAT now holds greater value than it did in the past four years, as many colleges have reinstated it. From Ivy League institutions, such as Brown University and Dartmouth College, to elite schools, like MIT and Georgetown University, numerous colleges have brought back the SAT, citing its effectiveness as “a good tool to measure college readiness.” As a result, high school seniors and juniors in the U.S. are now more stressed than ever, given its renewed importance in college admissions.
Students at Thomas Edison High School have access to an online SAT practice platform, but many are dissatisfied with it. In fact, many students are unaware that the school provides access to an SAT practice platform. The platform, called “Method Learning,” requires students to use a code that was emailed to them. However, it has been underutilized, and the school’s average SAT score remains at a modest 1064. Therefore, instead of relying on an online SAT platform that most students are unaware of, the school should implement an in-person SAT class after school. This would likely engage students more effectively and generate greater interest.
Tahirah Siddique, a senior at Thomas A. Edison C.T.E. High school shared that she mostly used Khan Academy and Method Learning when preparing for the SAT. She mentioned that she also used the Kaplan SAT book to prepare.
“I like Method Learning because I have seen similar questions appear on the actual SAT. I like how Method Learning would give you alternate ways of solving problems such as algebraic methods and the other being where you utilize the calculator, Desmos,” Siddique said
While Method Learning is a good SAT prep tool, many don’t know about it yet.
Jessica Weng, a senior at Thomas A. Edison shared how she didn’t know about this program that our school offers. She said she prepared for the SAT by enrolling in a SAT Tutorial Academy located in Brooklyn.
“I think the school should have had after- school SAT prep sessions or Saturday sessions for SAT preparation. Also the school could have been creative in organizing seniors who have already taken the SAT to tutor students who will be taking it in the future,” Weng said.
Method Learning may be still unknown to many students. But that is not the only issue. Students that have difficulty with practicing online by themselves prefer in-person sessions.
Rihanna Qiu, a junior at Thomas A. Edison said that she not only didn’t know about the program but she also would prefer if the school had an in-person SAT prep.
“I think they should provide in person resources such as tutoring for free for students who want to prepare but struggle to self study,” Qiu said.
With the SAT now playing a role in college admissions, the juniors and seniors are more anxious than ever. They believe that doing well on the SAT might be a step closer to getting into their dream college. With college admissions looming over their heads, SAT prep should be made more accessible and more accommodating.
