Accelerated math and low math SAT scores

[Anonymous]

My DC has always been a straight A student so was put on an accelerated math track in MS. Algebra in 8 and geometry in 9. (Maybe that is not accelerated everywhere but it was at our school.). Now DC has taken SAT and scored 100 points lower on math than in verbal (below 600 in math). Is this common with kids who have moved on to higher level math by junior/senior year, and would private tutoring help, or maybe my kid is just not so good at math despite the good grades? Kind of regretting the math acceleration since DC is not really a math whiz, just a hard worker. Thanks for any suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I would only regret the acceleration if his grade in the class was low or he was miserable. The SAT does not test higher level math and is as much a test of the ability to take tests as it is of the substance. I can't tell what grade your DC is in. If he is going into anything lower than 12th grade (meaning he took the SAT before 11th grade) then he shouldn't have taken the exam. If he is a rising senior, or junior, he should take an SAT prep course rather than hire a tutor.

[Anonymous]

I would only regret the acceleration if his grade in the class was low or he was miserable. The SAT does not test higher level math and is as much a test of the ability to take tests as it is of the substance. I can't tell what grade your DC is in. If he is going into anything lower than 12th grade (meaning he took the SAT before 11th grade) then he shouldn't have taken the exam. If he is a rising senior, or junior, he should take an SAT prep course rather than hire a tutor.

Based on what? Law? Ethics? or your personal evaluation of the child?

Why should he take aan SAT prep course rather than hire a tutor? Will you pay the fee for the child to take an SAT course?

[Anonymous]

My DC is on the same math track (which is NOT accelerated at our school). She got over 700 on the math SAT. I don't think acceleration or not has anything to do with it - as long as they have covered geometry, algebra and some trig before taking the test. Math is not my DCs strength either. SAT prep is the key. DC did a lot of prep, with a tutor in our case, but a class or even self prep is fine too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I would only regret the acceleration if his grade in the class was low or he was miserable. The SAT does not test higher level math and is as much a test of the ability to take tests as it is of the substance. I can't tell what grade your DC is in. If he is going into anything lower than 12th grade (meaning he took the SAT before 11th grade) then he shouldn't have taken the exam. If he is a rising senior, or junior, he should take an SAT prep course rather than hire a tutor.

Based on what? Law? Ethics? or your personal evaluation of the child?

Why should he take aan SAT prep course rather than hire a tutor? Will you pay the fee for the child to take an SAT course?

I'll ignore the snark and answer your questions.

(1) When kids take the SAT at a younger age they generally -- not always -- don't do particularly well. At DC's school they advise against taking it winter of junior year for that reason. Even waiting until spring means higher scores. There's no reason to expend the stress and effort earlier than that.

(2) My point was not course versus tutor, my point was that it should be for SAT and not a general math tutor. If OP is worried about her DC's scores the best thing to do would be to learn betetr ways of taking the test.

If a tutor is cheaper than a course (and that depends) and thats the issue, hire a tutor instead.

[Anonymous]

Has he had Algebra II? I think the SAT covers through that.

[Anonymous]

On a positive note, without taking Algebra in 8th, he would not be on track to take Calculus (unless he went to summer school). Colleges these days are really looking for Physics and Calculus.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the responses. DC will be a junior taking AP calculus. He hasn't actually sat for the SAT but has taken a couple of proctored practice tests this summer in a review course and has received about the same score each time. If the course does not help him to improve, I wonder if more targeted private tutoring would make a difference, or whether this is just going to be his weak suit? His verbal and writing scores are in the ballpark for the schools he thinks he wants to apply to, but not the math scores. Maybe continued good grades in advanced math (fingers crossed) will help offset the lower math scores? Thanks again for responding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the responses. DC will be a junior taking AP calculus. He hasn't actually sat for the SAT but has taken a couple of proctored practice tests this summer in a review course and has received about the same score each time. If the course does not help him to improve, I wonder if more targeted private tutoring would make a difference, or whether this is just going to be his weak suit? His verbal and writing scores are in the ballpark for the schools he thinks he wants to apply to, but not the math scores. Maybe continued good grades in advanced math (fingers crossed) will help offset the lower math scores? Thanks again for responding.

Is he really taking an SAT prep course the summer before his junior year? And you are assuming he will have low scores a year from now?

You need to ease up. Seriously. You will make yourself and your DS crazy. let him be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the responses. DC will be a junior taking AP calculus. He hasn't actually sat for the SAT but has taken a couple of proctored practice tests this summer in a review course and has received about the same score each time. If the course does not help him to improve, I wonder if more targeted private tutoring would make a difference, or whether this is just going to be his weak suit? His verbal and writing scores are in the ballpark for the schools he thinks he wants to apply to, but not the math scores. Maybe continued good grades in advanced math (fingers crossed) will help offset the lower math scores? Thanks again for responding.

How is that possible with Alg 1 in 8th? Did he take pre-calc and Alg 2 at the same time or one over the summer? Maybe the acceleration IS a problem and he's not getting the basics?

What does the college counselor advise on the math scores? My DCs scores are above 700 and the counselor advised taking them again to bring up the scores to the 750 level.

[Anonymous]

You are probably right, pp, he must have taken Algebra I in 7. My mistake. And yes, we opted to do a prep course this summer to get a head start because DC doesn't like to do a lot of extra stuff during the school year. I hope it has been worthwhile to at least show him what he will need to work on before taking the test the first time. But I do hear you about lightening up!

[Anonymous]

Is your child in Md, DC or Va? As much as everyone hates the SOL's in Va, I'm going to guess DC does not go to a Va public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are probably right, pp, he must have taken Algebra I in 7. My mistake. And yes, we opted to do a prep course this summer to get a head start because DC doesn't like to do a lot of extra stuff during the school year. I hope it has been worthwhile to at least show him what he will need to work on before taking the test the first time. But I do hear you about lightening up!

I'm not the one who said to lighten up but I am starting to wonder it the acceleration has meant that your DS has missed some of the basics. My DC did much better on the SATs and is taking AP Calc as a senior so is a year behind. Maybe some focused SAT tutoring on math this fall to cover some of the basics would be very worthwhile. It depends what schools he is aiming at of course. If they are test optional then it's fine. If they are selective schools then 500's in math won't come close unless he is being recruited for sports or has some other hook.

[Anonymous]

I can only attest to what happened with my math-accelerated son, now 19. By taking pre-calculus in the summer prior to 11th grade, he was able to take calc BC his junior year and then calc 3/differential equations his senior year. He took the SAT twice during his junior year and earned 790 both times.

His twin sister struggles a bit more with math and couldn't break 600. Your son's score seems low to me, but it's the junior year PSAT that matters for National Merit qualification. He might just need a bit more time.

[Anonymous]

OP, at the risk of adding more pressure on your son, perhaps you could see how he does on the ACT? It might be interesting to see if his score on that test seems to align better with the grades and coursework he has done, and he's just one of those people for whom the SAT style of test really doesn't work. More and more colleges accept the ACT, so it probably wouldn't keep him out of most colleges he might be interested in attending.