The Method
After five years of teaching the SAT with some of the most successful private test prep companies, I've determined that the most efficient and effective method for improving one's score on the SAT is as follows:
1. Assess the student's strengths and weaknesses through a properly administered diagnostic test.
2. Administer a complete or partial SAT every week, under realistic test-taking conditions, only using tests created by the College Board.
3. Review the test with the student no more than one day after test, preferably the same day.
4. Administer targeted lessons and homework that aim at the student's greatest area of weakness.
I aim towards maximum efficiency: No paid session time is wasted on activity that my students could easily do on their own, such as taking and grading tests, or studying vocabulary. 100% of class time is devoted to actual instruction. If the student shows mastery in a particular area, no time will be wasted reviewing that area. One of the great downsides of set lesson plans is that students waste much time going over material that they are fully competent in.
For example, it is my experience that around fifty percent of SAT students come in with a firm grasp of subject-verb agreement, yet every SAT class must spend at least one lesson covering this important topic. That alone is one or two hours simply wasted for half of all students, on average!