SAT Prep Matters

pencil on a standardized testProgram Description

Online SAT Prep Matters and SAT Boot Camp are new courses designed by Dr Mary Smyth, a long-time SAT coach in the Midcoast. College-bound high school juniors who plan to take the SAT test will benefit from learning about the new format and updated content of the new SAT. 

“I am actually a fan of the new SAT,” says Dr. Smyth. She explained the test is shorter (2 hours 15 minutes total) and questions are individualized to each student. The digital approach allows the test to “react” to the student’s prior answers and change the difficulty level. The reading passages are shorter and there is a combined section with both reading and grammar questions included. The test also has a visible built-in timer and a calculator and graphing program available for all the math questions. 

The new test will require a whole new approach to studying and practicing. While there are free resources available on Khan Academy, most students will need guidance in understanding how to approach the test. For instance, students can attempt a math problem by using any of several techniques: graph the problem, write out the algebra steps, or try the answers to see which one fits. Knowing how to navigate between those options will give students more strategies and can increase their scores. 

“With this new SAT format, I am amazed how much teaching I can do to help students solidify knowledge they have been exposed to in high school, “ says Smyth. “Students have to be able to use what they have learned to solve problems. That is the name of the game in the SAT.” 

Dr. Mary Smyth’s SAT Boot Camp has been used successfully to prepare students to take the SAT for many years. Students attend class every day during a school vacation week and practice taking short sections of the test. Students are relaxed and well-rested, so they are able to absorb the lessons and practice at their best. 

Dates and Times

May Session
May 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2024
6–7:30 p.m. ET

July/August Session
July 29 and 31, Aug. 7 and 21, 2024
6–7:30 p.m. ET

Register Online

Modality

This dynamic program will be offered synchronously via Zoom—you’ll need access to a stable internet connection. There will be assignments between classes.

Program Benefits

Using lessons that she writes herself, Smyth has helped many students through their own hard work improve their SAT scores by 100-200 points.

Who Should Enroll

College-bound high school juniors who plan to take the SAT test.

Instructor

photo of Mary SmythDr. Mary Smyth

Education:
A.B. Biochemistry, Smith College M.D. University of Pennsylvania

Work History:
Watershed School Math Instructor
Middle School Math Team Coach
Gifted and Talented Math Instructor, SAD 5
Tutor, SAD 28 and CSD High School
Private tutoring, SAT and PSAT, ACT, IB Math, AP Calculus, GRE and GMAT prep, and individual support for school classwork grades 2-12
Health and parenting newsletter editor, writer
Private practice – pediatrician

Program Fee

$300

Click here to apply for a need-based scholarship.

Class Capacity

8 participants

Accommodations

For more information or to request an accommodation contact um.continuinged@maine.edu, 207.581.3113.