The THINK TANK at the University of Arizona
SAT Prep Course
TBD
General course inquiries: prep@email.arizona.edu
http://thinktank.arizona.edu/test-prep/sat
Instructors:
Critical Reading and Writing Instructor
Lisa Carotenuto (carotenuto@email.arizona.edu)
Office hours: to be announced in class.
Math Instructor
Kenneth Mwangi (kmwangi@email.arizona.edu)
Office hours: to be announced in class.
Location:
To Be Announced
Introduction
The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can
apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high
school classrooms. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges
and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions. Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for
you — the place where you can further develop your skills and pursue your passions. But SAT scores are just one of
many factors that colleges consider when making their admission decisions. High school grades are also very important.
In fact, the combination of high school grades and SAT scores is the best predictor of your academic success in college.
(from: http://sat.collegeboard.org/about-tests/sat)
Course Description
This course is designed to give you a competitive edge in taking the SAT. You will learn key test-taking strategies to
address the verbal and quantitative sections of the exam. Our instructors will review required content knowledge in
math, reading, and writing, help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, teach you how to pace and budget your
time, and cover test-taking techniques that work. You will receive 22 ½ hours of instruction which will culminate in a
simulated full practice exam.
Practice Exams (PRE- and POST-course)
Taking an SAT practice test is a stress-free way to assess your strengths and weaknesses on the SAT. We strongly
encourage you to take the Official SAT Practice Tests before and after the course. We have scheduled two test days
which will be given to you the first and last day of the course. The results of your practice tests will better inform your
focus of study.
On the first and last day of the course, Saturday, September 21 and Saturday, October 26, you will take a Pre and Post
practice exam. These full practice exams will take approximately 5 hours to complete; this includes scheduled
breaks. Please plan on being in class from 8:00am – 1:00pm. If this time conflicts with your schedule, please email
mayelan@email.arizona.edu as soon as possible to make other arrangements.
*Both practice exams are equally important and will evaluate your pre- and post-course skills!*
Course Materials
 The Official SAT Study Guide, Second Edition, The College Board (provided on first day of class)
Course Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:
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Organize thoughts for a timed essay
Write coherent and effective sentences, paragraphs, and essays
Increase vocabulary
Use diverse vocabulary
Apply proper English grammar and usage
Demonstrate proficiency with SAT math topics and apply them effectively
Understand how to specific math concepts and skills to solve real life problems.
Identify strategies for approaching various kinds of questions (critical reading, writing, & mathematics)
Describe SAT exam structure
Course Outline
Day 1: Pre-Practice Test (8:00am – 1:00pm)
Day 2: Introduction, Course Format, the Critical Reading Section
Lesson 1:
Lesson 2:
Lesson 3:
Lesson 4:
Lesson 5:
Lesson 6:
Lesson 7:
Introducing the SAT (pages 3-8)
Approaching the SAT (pages 9-20)
About the Critical Reading Section (pages 29-30)
Sentence Completion (pages 31 – 48)
Passage-based Readings (pages 49-86)
Vocabulary-in-context and Literal Comprehension (pages 52-53)
Extended Reading Questions (pages 50 – 52)
Topics included: important facts about the SAT; skills tested; approaches to answering questions; test format;
vocabulary building; sentence structure; transitions; word roots; prefixes and suffixes; connotations; recognizing
author’s purpose; language usage; tone; making inferences.
Day 3: The Writing Section
Lesson 8: About the Writing Section (pages 99 – 102)
Lesson 9: Identifying Sentence Errors (pages 153 – 168)
Lesson 10: Improving Sentences (pages 137 – 152)
Lesson 11: Improving Paragraphs (pages 169 – 188)
Lesson 12: The Essay (pages 103 – 136)
Practice Test: Writing Section
Topics included: vocabulary building; grammar; usage; sentence structure; writing clear, effective, and accurate
sentences; developing a point of view on an issue presented in an excerpt; supporting your point of view using reasoning
and examples from your reading, studies, experience, or observations; following the conventions of standard written
English.
Day 4: Introduction, Numbers, Operations, Algebra & Functions
Lesson 13:
Lesson 14:
Lesson 15:
Lesson 15:
Lesson 15:
About the Mathematics Section (pages 217-225)
Number and Operations (pages 227-242)
Algebra and Functions (pages 243-256)
Algebra and Functions (pages 256-262)
Algebra and Functions Practice Questions
Topics included: Mathematics reference information and use of calculators; Integers; Rational Numbers; Sets and
counting techniques; Sequences and series; elementary number theory; arithmetic word problems; algebraic
expressions; exponents; algebraic word problems and arithmetic word problems; linear equations and inequalities,
quadratic equations, rational and radical equations, equations of lines, absolute values, and algebraic functions.
Day 5: Geometry, Measurements, Data Analysis, Probability and Statistics
Week 1 Review: Numbers, Algebra and Functions Practice Questions Review
Lesson 16: Geometry and Measurement (pages 263-289)
Lesson 17: Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability (pages 291-302)
Lesson 18: Multiple-Choice Questions (pages 303-342)
Lesson 19: Student-Produced Response Questions (pages 343-358)
Practice Test: Math Section
Day 6: Pre-Practice Test (8:00am – 1:00pm)
Topics included: Area and perimeter of polygons, Area and Circumference of a circle, volume, triangles, parallel and
perpendicular lines, coordinate geometry, slope, similarity, transformations, data interpretation, descriptive statistics
and probability.