BELFAST — Preparation for the Scholastic Aptitude Test will be the focus of an online SAT prep course offered through the University of Maine Hutchinson Center in August.
SAT Prep Matters is designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who plan to take the SAT this year. The course will be offered from 6–7:30 p.m. ET on four consecutive Mondays, Aug. 1–22. The cost is $250 per session. More information is available on the Hutchinson Center website.
The redesigned SAT has a total score made up of two parts — verbal skills and math. The average SAT score for students in Maine is 1031 total (College Board report, graduating class of 2018 all Maine schools). According to the College Board, to attain at least a C in a nonremedial college math class, a student must score 530 out of 800 on the math section of the SAT. However, only about 40 percent of high school students can do so.
Course instructor Mary Smyth says that students need to understand the concepts, not just cram at the last minute to pass a test. For 15 years, Smyth has tutored students for the ACTs, AP Calculus, SATs and SAT subject tests. Under her tutelage, and through their own hard work, most of Smyth’s students have improved their SAT scores by 100–200 points.
Smyth has been teaching algebra through calculus at Watershed School in Camden for over a decade and has coached SAT prep for 15 years. She is a retired pediatrician and is a local expert on college admission testing.
According to a parent of one of Smyth’s students, “Mary is the ultimate SAT coach –– intelligent, patient, funny and, most importantly, she knows the SAT inside and out. Thanks to Mary’s coaching, my daughter’s score dramatically improved from the PSAT to the SAT and she now understands concepts that were confusing to her before. I highly recommend Mary Smyth to anyone looking to improve their SAT score.”
A limited number of scholarships are available. More information about upcoming UMaine professional development programs, registration and need-based scholarship applications are online.
For more information or to request an accommodation contact [email protected] or 207-338-8002.
