Who This Page Is For
The 500-650 student
You know most of the math but you're running out of time, missing easy questions, or freezing on word problems. The biggest score gains live in your mistake patterns.
The 650-750 student
You're close to a great score and the last 100 points are about consistency, advanced topics, and finishing the section with time to check. We sharpen the edges.
The student starting from scratch
You haven't done much prep yet and you need a plan. We diagnose your starting score, build a topic priority list, and pace it to your test date.
What We Cover
Heart of Algebra
- Linear equations and inequalities
- Systems of equations
- Slope, intercepts, parallel/perpendicular
- Linear functions, word problems
- Absolute value equations
Problem Solving & Data Analysis
- Ratios, proportions, units
- Percentages, percent change
- Mean, median, mode, range, std dev
- Scatterplots and trend lines
- Two-way tables and probability
- Reading graphs and charts
Passport to Advanced Math
- Quadratics (factor, complete square, formula)
- Polynomials and zeros
- Exponents and radicals
- Rational expressions and equations
- Function notation and transformations
- Exponential growth/decay
Geometry & Trig
- Angles, lines, triangles
- Pythagorean theorem, special triangles
- Circles, arcs, sectors
- Right-triangle trig (SOH-CAH-TOA)
- Area and volume formulas
- Coordinate geometry
Test-Taking Strategy
- The 60-Second Rule for pacing
- When to skip, mark, and return
- Plugging in numbers & back-solving
- Calculator vs. no-calc thinking
- Process of elimination tricks
- Spotting "trap" answer choices
The Real Score-Killers
- Sign errors and arithmetic slips
- Misreading the question
- Bad time management
- Anxiety-driven freezing
- Skipping the "easy" sanity check
The 60-Second Rule (My Favorite SAT Pacing Trick)
This is one rule that students see immediate score jumps from. It's about protecting points, not racing.
- Why this works. The SAT is mostly mid-difficulty questions. Burning 3 minutes on one hard problem means you might not even see 3 easier ones at the end — and they're worth the same points.
- What "knowing how to solve it" means. You don't have to be done — you just have to see the path. If at 60 seconds you can say "OK, I'll factor and then plug in," keep going. If you're still asking "what topic is this?" — skip it.
- The mental shift. Skipping isn't giving up. It's strategic. Every problem you skip is one extra easy one you'll bank later.
- How to practice it. Set a stopwatch. Every question gets 60 seconds before a decision: solve or skip. It feels uncomfortable for the first week, then becomes second nature.
- The come-back pass. After your first sweep, you'll have 5-10 minutes left. Now you can deeply think about the hard ones — without the panic.
Where SAT Students Usually Get Stuck
"I run out of time before I finish"
Almost always a pacing problem, not a knowledge problem. We fix it with the 60-Second Rule and timed-section practice.
"I keep making silly mistakes I know I shouldn't"
Careless mistakes have patterns. We log each one by cause and run targeted drills until the pattern breaks.
"I freeze on word problems"
Word problems are translation problems. We practice converting English to math sentence-by-sentence until it's automatic.
"My score keeps bouncing around"
Score volatility means inconsistent process. We build a repeatable test-day routine — pre-test, per-question, end-of-section — that levels the score out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you tutor the Digital SAT?
Yes — the Digital SAT is the current format and what we prep for. It's shorter, computer-adaptive, and rewards pacing strategy as much as content knowledge.
How much can a student realistically improve?
It depends on starting score and time available, but 50 to 150 points in the math section is a common range with 8 to 16 focused sessions, especially when timing and careless-mistake patterns are the bottleneck.
How long before the test should I start?
Ideally 8 to 12 weeks. With less time we can still help — but we'll focus on the highest-leverage techniques rather than full content review.
Do you use real SAT practice or third-party material?
Real College Board material is the gold standard and what we use for most practice. Third-party resources fill in for topics that need extra repetition.
What if my problem is careless mistakes, not content?
Careless mistakes are the easiest score leak to fix once we identify the pattern. We tag each mistake by cause and build short drills to break the habit.