Top Score Jamaica’s method is grounded in the best science about how to improve SAT scores. Decades of research shows two things clearly.
- There are noticeable (but small) gains from spending 10-20 hours practicing before taking the exam. These gains average about 10 points in the Mathematics section and 5 points on critical reading and writing sections* and are a result of increased comfort with exam question types. A typical test prep center will deliver gains that are marginally better—Math gains of 20 points and Critical Reading & Writing gains of 10 points for an expected total of 40 points. Note the words average & typical.
- Average implies that some people will see greater gains, others may see no gains at all. For most people, an additional 40 points on the SAT will not significantly impact their chances of admission.**
- Typical refers to large North American test prep organisations. If you are satisfied with typical results, please download the College Board’s sample test for free here and consider purchasing their other study material.
- Gains of 80 points or more (40 points on the mathematics section and 20 points on the verbal sections) come from, on average, 100 hours of quality studying.
Top Score Jamaica‘s program is designed to ensure that students get as many as 200 hours of preparation. We aim to make each of these hours count by taking advantage of the best thinking in skills acquisition.
- Deliberate Practice: Real improvement in any endeavor is not merely a consequence of time spent but rather time spent consciously working to improve areas of greatest opportunity.
- Spaced Repetition: People forget things over time and most do so in a regular way. Spaced repetition significantly improves retention by ensuring you review material at the moment you are most likely to forget it.
- Community involvement: Summer is filled with distractions. Creating an atmosphere in which students recognize that they are best served by encouraging each other when they would rather do anything but practice for the SAT helps to ensure consistent progress.
With our guidance, incorporating these insights into what drives top performances will help you get your top score.
* The writing section is relatively new and not well researched but can be presumed to respond in the same way as the critical reading section. We presume that coaching impacts are similar to the critical reading section as they both test verbal-linguistic aptitude.
** These small differences likely have an impact for the small number of otherwise highly attractive students who are on the margins of a college’s stated minimum scores. A fairly common (especially in Jamaica) example of this is a recruited athletes on the cusp of the NCAA’s minimum eligibility standards. If you are such an athlete, contact me about options for subsidized coaching.