A Shortcut for a Big Jump: from 1460 to 1580
My Experience with a True SAT Prep
Katie G.
Centennial HS

To be honest, I don't crave for the test, but I need to brave it.

My experience with Dr. Li’s SAT prep camp was undoubtedly a life-changer for my academic career. My summer internship made it impossible to keep up the SAT Prep that I need to ace the test. Fortunately, the Weekend Intensive Prep help me out my scheduling dilemma. The curriculum was fundamentally the same; however, the instructions were more concentrated into a shorter period of time. As someone with a packed summer daily schedule, yet desiring for a comprehensive prep, this Weekend Intensive provides a perfect solution.

As an underclassman, I always perceived the SAT test as a mysterious enigma. Perhaps, this was because my upperclassmen friends in their junior year were always discussing it--SAT prep books, SAT camp, SAT scores, the list goes on and on. My sophomore year PSAT score was 1460, which was decent but definitely had room for improvement. However, the thought of preparing for the SAT was incredibly overwhelming and shrouded by uncertainty. Because College Board had just changed the test format, I was entering untested waters.

Dr. Li’s camp didn’t just pass out a set of prep booklets, but also handed me a (metaphorical) compass and taught me how to navigate the new SAT. Although I was already familiar with the mathematical concepts the SAT tested, Dr. Li helped me look at math in a new light. Every rote problem became an opportunity to find a faster and more creative solution. Classes weren’t about monotonous lectures. Dr. Li emphasized active communication to “help me help you.” In English, I initially struggled a lot more. My essay writing and reading comprehension skills were passable, but my main problem was performance under time pressure. Under Dr. Thompson’s guidance, I delivered several essays and practiced innumerable multiple choice questions. Practice had to be completed under even more stringent time limits than what the College Board required. All this work sounds fairly rigorous and tedious, but fear not--Dr. Thompson’s teaching style piqued my interest in a way no other English teacher had done before. His humorous anecdotes and sheer expanse of knowledge of just about everything kept me both laughing and learning. His feedback and emphasis on writing technique catalyzed my growth as a reader and a writer.

Dr. Li taught me how to treat the SAT as a game to win and a code to crack. The skills I’ve learned not only benefited my SAT preparation, but also impacted my everyday academic endeavors. In November, I scored a 1580 on my first (and only) attempt. Even my junior PSAT score significantly improved, from 1460 to 1510. The successful completion of SAT testing early in the school year was definitely a weight off my shoulders, and allowed me to pursue my other interests more fully. For anyone considering this camp--it’s worth your while.