PSAT / SAT / ACT Prep

Why Students Come to Us

Students arrive at our PSAT/SAT/ACT prep with very different needs and timelines. Some want an intensive summer course. Some are preparing for their first attempt. Some come in after receiving a score that surprised them — and not in a good way. Some are aiming squarely at the PSAT in 10th or 11th grade — often with a National Merit Scholarship in their sights — and use that prep as the foundation for the SAT later. Others want a year-long steady approach, building competency gradually alongside their coursework. We've even had a student begin continuous ACT/SAT prep starting in 9th grade.

We don't judge any of these paths. What we do is counsel each student — after a discussion and a sample diagnostic test — on the approach that works best for them. Some students need three focused months. Others need six to eight months. A few need a longer runway. The right answer depends on the student's starting point, target score, and how much time they can realistically commit.

Ultimately, it is up to the student and their parents to choose the course format and timeline that meets their needs. Our job is to lay out the options honestly, based on data, not wishful thinking.

One thing is consistent across nearly every student: the combined weight of Reading, Writing, English, and Math preparation is substantial. These aren't isolated skills — they form a heavy load that most students need structured support to carry. That's what we provide.

Our Method

We start with a plan. After the initial diagnostic, we help each student craft a preparation plan that includes target dates for a first attempt — and, if needed, a second. We advise students to plan for at most two attempts. More than that typically yields diminishing returns and increasing stress.

Ownership is everything. We emphasize that the student owns the plan and its execution — and parents too, to the extent they're involved. We are here to teach, guide, structure, and support. But outcomes depend squarely on the work the student puts in. There are no shortcuts, and we're upfront about that.

We respect high school realities. Due to the nature of high school schedules — extracurriculars, AP classes, sports, jobs — we don't insist on turning in homework. Students at this level are responsible for their own preparation. We set expectations, provide resources, and track progress, but we don't chase.

Summer intensive courses require real commitment. For 3-month courses, especially over summer, students need to plan for at least 4–5 hours per day of focused work, including Saturdays and Sundays. This is not casual review — it's sustained, deliberate practice across all tested areas. Students who commit to this schedule see the strongest results.

What the SAT (and PSAT) Covers

PSAT students: the PSAT shares nearly the entire SAT syllabus, so the breakdown below applies almost without exception to your prep — see the dedicated PSAT section further down for what's different (timing, scoring, strategy).

The SAT is structured around two main sections: Reading and Writing and Math.

Reading and Writing — Tests comprehension, analysis, and command of the English language. Students encounter passages from literature, history, science, and social studies and answer questions on main ideas, evidence interpretation, vocabulary in context, and rhetorical analysis. The writing portion tests grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, and effective language use. Questions are passage-based — meaning students must read carefully and reason from text, not rely on memorized rules alone.

Math — Covers four major areas: Algebra (linear equations, systems, inequalities), Problem Solving & Data Analysis (ratios, percentages, data interpretation), Advanced Math (quadratics, polynomials, exponential functions), and Additional Topics (geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers). Approximately 75% of the math section allows a calculator. Questions range from straightforward computation to multi-step word problems that require setting up equations from context.

Question types include multiple choice and student-produced responses (grid-ins) in the math section. The digital SAT is adaptive — performance on the first module determines the difficulty of the second. Timing is tight, making pacing strategy essential.

What the ACT Covers

The ACT has four scored sections — English, Math, Reading, and Science — plus an optional Writing section.

English — 75 questions in 45 minutes covering grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills (organization, style, strategy). Questions are passage-based, requiring students to identify errors and improve writing in context.

Math — 60 questions in 60 minutes spanning pre-algebra, elementary algebra, intermediate algebra, coordinate geometry, plane geometry, and trigonometry. The ACT typically features a broader range of advanced math topics than the SAT, including matrices, logarithms, and more complex trigonometry. A calculator is allowed for the entire section.

Reading — 40 questions in 35 minutes across four passages: prose fiction/literary narrative, social science, humanities, and natural science. Speed is the primary challenge — students must read quickly and accurately, then answer comprehension and inference questions.

Science — 40 questions in 35 minutes testing data interpretation, research summaries, and conflicting viewpoints. This section does not require prior science knowledge — it tests the ability to read graphs, tables, and experimental descriptions and draw logical conclusions.

Question types are entirely multiple choice (except the optional essay). Pacing is critical across all sections, particularly Reading and Science where time per question is very limited.

SAT vs. ACT — How We Help Students Choose

We recommend students take a diagnostic of both tests early in their preparation. Some students naturally perform better on one than the other — the SAT rewards deep algebraic reasoning, while the ACT rewards speed and breadth. Once we see the diagnostic results, we counsel students on which test to focus on, or whether to prepare for both. For students taking the PSAT in 10th or 11th grade, the PSAT itself often serves as the natural diagnostic — see the PSAT section below.

PSAT

Preparation for the PSAT follows the same approach and covers nearly the same syllabus as the SAT. We recommend that all students take the PSAT — most schools offer it for free — for two important reasons.

First, it serves as a real checkpoint. Students get an official College Board score report that shows exactly where they stand, broken down by skill area. This data is invaluable for targeting preparation.

Second, for students aiming for a National Merit Scholarship, the PSAT is the qualifying exam — and there is only one shot at it. Our prep program is designed so that students preparing for the PSAT are simultaneously preparing for the SAT (and to a large extent, the ACT). One focused effort serves multiple goals.

We encourage students to take the PSAT in 10th or 11th grade. Students on accelerated tracks may benefit from taking it in 10th grade as a baseline, with the qualifying attempt in 11th grade.

Building on Our Math Program

Students who have come through our 5th-through-12th grade math program arrive at ACT/SAT prep with a significant advantage. The concept tree they've been building — from fractions in 5th grade through functions in Algebra 2 and Pre-Calculus — maps directly onto the math sections of both tests. The verification habits, the problem visualization skills, the comfort with Desmos — all of it pays off here.

For the Reading and Writing sections, the language arts work we've been integrating into our middle school sessions (and expanding in Spring/Summer 2026) provides a foundation, though most students benefit from dedicated test-specific practice in these areas.

How a Typical Session Runs

Sessions are structured around the student's preparation plan and target test date. We typically alternate between concept review and timed practice — so students build both knowledge and test-taking stamina.

During concept review, we focus on the highest-impact areas identified by diagnostics and practice test results. During timed practice, students work through official or high-quality practice sets under realistic time constraints, followed by detailed review of mistakes — not just what went wrong, but why and how to avoid it next time.

We periodically administer full-length practice tests to track progress, recalibrate the preparation plan, and give students experience with the endurance required for a 3+ hour exam.

Schedule & Format

We offer ACT/SAT prep in multiple formats: 3-month intensive courses (ideal for summer), semester-long courses, and year-long steady preparation. New batches start every 3 months.

For intensive courses, sessions are longer and more frequent. For longer-format preparation, sessions follow the 2-hour weekly format used in our high school math courses.

We make full use of summer holidays while accommodating family vacation plans. We typically take long weekends off, along with a week off in summer and a week off in winter.

Visit teenedgeacademy.org to enroll, or SMS/WhatsApp 612-787-5320 for questions on enrollment.