SAT Classes: Useful or Pointless?

Summer break is usually thought to be a time of rest and relaxation—a time in which you don’t have to think about the stress of school or learning. However, this is usually not the case for the students of AISG. Whether it be a summer program at a university or academic tuition (academy), most students are using their summer breaks to get ready for the coming school year, or groom themselves for college. The most prominent of these forms of academic preparation appears to be the SAT summer camp.

Countless students, regardless of how far away they are from taking the actual SAT, begin studying, practicing, and taking mock tests in order to prepare during the summer break. I can say that, personally, I know at least a few people whose daily schedule pretty much only revolves around going to SAT class and doing work for this class. Since I don’t do any form of academy or class, I asked others about why they do these classes.

A student going into junior year commented, “I do SAT classes because my SAT reading needs work, so I want to improve it.” When asked if she enjoys these classes, she said that “the classes are fine because the teachers are fun,” adding that “at least [it’s] not boring.” Finally, she stated that she thinks “[the classes] are worth it if [her] SAT score is good.”

Amanda DC, a senior, stated that “although [the classes are] boring, they really do end up helping you.” In specific, she comments that “you get a better sense of time organization and regular tips for reading passages efficiently.” She acknowledges that  “it is really a shame to spend 2 months locked in a classroom reviewing, but it does help so it can be good and bad.”

There may be some disagreement about whether the classes are interesting or boring, but overall, there is a consensus that they are useful and definitely improve your score. However, not all students are depending on going to these classes to study for the SAT. Alison L mentions that she uses “Khan Academy’s free online resources to work on math and do practice questions.” Using these resources is an alternative method of preparing for the SAT, which could (arguably) be just as good preparation as a class.

There are some students who, nevertheless, took the SAT without any classes or Khan Academy review. Aakaash K, a class of 2018 graduate, actually did this. He stated that he “did very little preparation, only to get an understanding of the style of questions and format of the test; however [he doesn’t] think [he] w0uld have needed any extra lessons to prepare.” He clarified that he “definitely didn’t” need classes. While this might sound risky, it is probably also important to note that he did not plan to go to university in the US and his score had much less importance for him than for most students taking it.

Regardless of if you chose to study for the SAT during the summer and if you take classes or not, hopefully, you did get some rest and are ready to get back into the school year!