Syllabus for SAT Preparation Class
Sister Mary Murihy
mmurrihy@casciahall.org
The purpose of this course is to prepare students to take national
standardized tests and score successfully on the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests.
To this end, the course emphasizes the following three areas:
1). Critical reading--drawing inferences
--synthesizing information
--distinguishing between main and supporting ideas
--understanding vocabulary in context
2). Mathematics--problem-solving questions with arithmetic operations
--Algebraic functions
--Geometry and measurements
--data analysis
--probability
3). Writing skills--identifying appropriate expressions in standard English
--detecting faults in usage, structure, and grammar
--choosing effective revisions to sentences and paragraphs
--recognizing and utilizing appropriate writing conventions
Student Assessment
1). Students study 10 vocabulary words nightly, building a body of 500
vocabulary words over which they are tested.
2). Students practice close reading and test-taking techniques on past
PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests.
3). Students complete grammar and usage exercises similar to
those elements required on standardized tests.
4). Students analyze sample essays scored 6,5,4,3,2,1 by national
graders.
5). Students develop a personalized analysisi of their areas of
weakness along with specific suggestions for improvement of skills
derived from student performance across test questions and learn to
convert their scores on every test.
