Review by Polly Conway, Common Sense Education | Updated July 2013
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SAT

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Trustworthy, practical SAT prep from the makers of the test

Subjects & skills
Subjects
  • English Language Arts
  • Math
Skills
  • College & Career Prep
  • Critical Thinking
Grades This grade range is a recommendation by Common Sense Education and not the developer/publisher.
8–12
Common Sense says (See details)
Teachers say (3 Reviews)
Price:  Free, Paid Online practice questions, study tips, and a practice test are available for free on the site. Students can also purchase the "Official SAT Online Course" for $69.95 or choose from several study DVDs and books for $21.99-$31.99.
Platforms:  Website

Take a look inside

5 images
Colorful, clean home page puts students at ease.
Students can get their scores online.
Free tools like SAT Skills Insight help kids improve their weaknesses.
There's lots of educator support here to help kids succeed.
Cool, kooky graphics draw kids in.

Pros: Who knows about the SAT more than the folks who make the test?

Cons: The free stuff on the site can be run through pretty quickly; then, paid content is your only option.

Bottom Line: Kid will gain confidence as they review practice tests, videos, and SAT advice.

How Can I Teach with This Tool?

Kids should be encouraged to complete the sample tests and quizzes, either on their own time or as part of an in-class review process. Areas where the student scored poorly could be earmarked for one-on-one or small-group tutorials. Teachers could play the test-taking how-to videos to the class and lead a discussion afterward where kids can share any concerns or anxieties about the test and collectively brainstorm the best strategies for test day.

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Standards:

This is where students and teachers can find all things SAT; kids can study, register, or get scores for the most important college admission test. It's from the College Board (the folks who make the test), so it's a trustworthy source for SAT needs. Kids will create an account by entering personal and school info, and once logged in they can do a number of things. Free practice tests and study questions are available on the site, as well as lots of study guides that can be purchased. Each site user has access to My Organizer, where they can collect and save info about preferred colleges, financial aid, and other school-related stuff. More free tools include SAT Skills Insight, a program that helps kids systematically discover how to improve scores.

With the materials available here, kids can learn enhanced study skills as well as reinforce the content they're hoping to master: vocabulary, reading comprehension, and math concepts. Thinking critically under pressure, students can learn to make decisions quickly and deduce the correct answer through a process of elimination. Kids will learn by following directions, both on the website's tests as well as on test day. They'll take practice tests, which should alleviate stress, and watch videos that share insight into how SAT questions are formulated and best answered.

On the downside, the free stuff on the site can be run through pretty quickly, and then paid content is your only option. Also, it would be nice if the site included more resources for kids with test-taking difficulties or different learning styles.

Overall Rating
Engagement Is the product stimulating, entertaining, and engrossing? Will kids want to return?

No matter what they do, the SAT will never be officially fun. But this site looks fantastic, with teen-friendly images and style, and it's engaging enough, especially to kids who are ready to do some serious study. 

Pedagogy Is learning content seamlessly baked-in, and do kids build conceptual understanding? Is the product adaptable and empowering? Will skills transfer?

What kids learn here can transfer to future test-taking experiences, as well as classroom study skills. As kids work to get their highest scores, they'll feel empowered on the big day.

Support Does the product take into account learners of varying abilities, skill levels, and learning styles? Does it address both struggling and advanced students?

There's not much advice for kids who have testing difficulties or different learning styles, but a multitude of study options are available here and on College Board's network of sister sites.

Common Sense Reviewer
Polly Conway Classroom teacher
About our ratings and privacy evaluation.

Key Standards Supported

Congruence

  • HSG.CO.9

    Prove theorems about lines and angles. Theorems include: vertical angles are congruent; when a transversal crosses parallel lines, alternate interior angles are congruent and corresponding angles are congruent; points on a perpendicular bisector of a line segment are exactly those equidistant from the segment’s endpoints.

Geometry

  • 8.G.9

    Know the formulas for the volumes of cones, cylinders, and spheres and use them to solve real-world and mathematical problems.

Reasoning With Equations And Inequalities

  • HSA.REI.7

    Solve a simple system consisting of a linear equation and a quadratic equation in two variables algebraically and graphically. For example, find the points of intersection between the line y = –3x and the circle x2 + y2 = 3.

Using Probability To Make Decisions

  • HSS.MD.5.a

    Find the expected payoff for a game of chance. For example, find the expected winnings from a state lottery ticket or a game at a fast- food restaurant.

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Key Standards Supported

Language

  • L.8.4a

    Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

  • L.8.4d

    Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

  • L.9-10.4a

    Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

  • L.9-10.4d

    Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

  • L.11-12.4a

    Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence, paragraph, or text; a word’s position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.

  • L.11-12.4d

    Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase (e.g., by checking the inferred meaning in context or in a dictionary).

Reading Informational Text

  • RI.8.8

    Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; recognize when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

  • RI.9-10.8

    Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence is relevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning.

  • RI.11-12.8

    Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

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Teacher Reviews

(See all 3 reviews) (3 reviews) Write a review
Featured review by
Michelle B. , Classroom teacher
Classroom teacher
Cabell County Career Technology Center
Huntington, United States
Great website for stimulating students to form thinking processes that automatically put their brains in test mode.
I am really excited about this site and cannot wait to incorporate it into my lesson plans. After an initial lesson and daily review for about a week, I will probably use the "problem of the day" as a sort of bell ringer or open discussion for first few minutes of class. I believe that if they are exposed to testing materials often, it will help them think better when they actually take college entrance exams. For those not planning on college, it will still develop skills that will open their minds to a new way of thinking.
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