The SAT Quick Fix Approach: Better Than Nothing But Careful For False Confidence

“I had her do the SAT problem of the day.” Mrs. Barry said about her daughter Julia, a junior at Daniel Hand High School in Madison. “I’m really surprised that she did so poorly.”

Let me clear: doing the SAT problem of the day is better than doing nothing. Indeed, starting with something small is often a great way to get a reluctant SAT or ACT test-taker to begin the process. Nonetheless, it tends to create false confidence in both parents and students who are looking for a quick-fix to a big challenge.

In teaching test prep to Connecticut students through the last fifteen years, I can tell you that doing the SAT problem of the day – and nothing else – is equivalent to learning a few Spanish words each day in the expectation that this will be an effective way to learn the language. It is better than nothing but you need a more comprehensive approach.