Want to enroll for an upcoming course?  Here’s an enrollment form you can complete and mail in.  And, if you prefer, you can now pay for Maine Prep courses and tutoring using Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express.

“I’ll definitely pass your information on to as many people as I can!  I meant to tell you this a while ago, but my SAT score went from a 1730 to a 1970 after taking your class.  Clearly, it was an extremely beneficial prep class and I want to say thank you again for all of your help!  I ended up receiving the Presidential Scholarship from Gettysburg College, a scholarship that is highly based on SAT scores.  This was all thanks to your help! –Katie Lang, Kennebunk

“Our son’s experience with Jack Mahoney couldn’t have been better. Jack helped Will to raise his SAT scores by almost 200 points, and he taught him how to think critically in the meantime!”–Kathleen and Ken Pierce, Cape Elizabeth

LAST CALL for these once per week classes:

Bangor Sundays (begins February 28)

Brunswick Sundays (begins February 28)

Cape Elizabeth Tuesdays (begins March 2)

Falmouth Wednesdays (begins March 3)

Kennebunkport Mondays (begins March 1)

Kents Hill Sundays (begins February 7)

Lewiston Sundays (begins February 28)

Portland (Deering) Thursdays (begins March 4)

Twice per week classes:

Brunswick Mondays and Thursdays (begins March 25)

Cape Mondays and Thursdays (begins March 25)

May 1 (March 25); Maine public school juniors are automatically registered for this test

June 5 (April 23)

For more information on dates, fees, and testing locations, visit The College Board’s registration page.

Summer courses (each of these courses ends before Labor Day):

Bangor:  Wednesday evening course beginning June 30

Brunswick:  Tuesday and Friday evening course beginning July 27

Brunswick:  Monday and Thursday evening course beginning August 2

Kennebunkport:  Monday and Thursday evening course beginning August 2

Lewiston:  Sunday and Thursday evening course beginning August 1

Courses that end just before the October tests:

Bangor:  Sunday evening course beginning August 8

Brunswick:  Saturday mid-day course beginning August 7

Falmouth:  Wednesday evening course beginning August 18

Kennebunkport:  Monday and Thursday evening course beginning September 2

Cape Elizabeth:  Monday and Thursday evening course beginning September 2

Moreover, SAT subject tests, which are required by many of the top colleges, are given on the same days and times as the SAT, so test takers cannot sit for both the SAT and the subject tests on the same day.  Therefore, if a junior who needs to take subject tests sits for his or her initial SAT in May, he or she may have only the June and October SAT administrations to retake the SAT (as nearly everyone does) and attempt to upgrade subject test scores.

We suggest that juniors sit for the SAT at the January or March administration, planning to take the SAT a second time in May and the subject tests in June.  Then, the October date in senior year can be used to retake subject tests, take the SAT a third time (more on this below), or just relax.  Since 2007, when we started recommending that our juniors begin SAT testing in January or March, many of our students who have done so have put up impressive numbers.

An objection we field again and again is that juniors “haven’t had the math yet.”  The fact is that the math on the SAT is 95% arithmetic, simple algebra, and simple geometry; those areas have all been covered by the end of tenth grade.

Another parent concern revolves around how colleges look at multiple SAT scores.  The most common practice (remember that each college establishes its own procedure) is to “mix and match” the best “split” scores from various tests.  So, for example, if Cathy’s scores on the March SAT are Math 640, Reading 570, and Writing 590, and her scores in May are Math 610, Reading 670, and Writing 660, any college to which she submits her scores is likely to combine the Math 640 from the January test with the Reading 670 and Writing 660 from the May SAT, making her composite score 1970.   It’s important to understand why colleges follow this procedure.  It’s not to be nice, but rather because colleges submit the score range of admitted students to publications like U.S. News & World Report and Fiske College Guide.  USN&WR uses the submitted numbers as part of its college rankings.  So, it’s in the college’s best interests to compile each applicant’s best SAT scores.  As for any bias against students who sit for the SAT multiple times, we have detected none.  In fact, several years ago, one of our students who compiled a 380-point score increase did so by sitting for the SAT four times.  She will graduate soon from Williams College.

Please comment or feel free to call us or email if any of this is unclear.  The bottom line is that, in our opinion, many students who are planning to apply EA or ED to competitive colleges are at a disadvantage if they wait until May to start their SAT testing.

First, anything you’ve read or heard about the SAT testing “aptitude” and the ACT testing “curricular learning” is not noticeably true to those of us who actually work with these tests on a daily basis.

Second, most colleges eagerly use the highest scores (SAT or ACT) to evaluatean applicant’s transcript because once the year’s admissions process is over each college submits its admitted students’ testing numbers to U.S. News & World Report, which then crunches those numbers (including SAT or ACT scores) to produce its list of  “Best Colleges and Universities.”

Thirty years ago the ACT was the required standardized test only for those applying to colleges in the western half of the country.  When I applied to college in 1966, I needed SAT scores to complete applications to Notre Dame and MIT and ACT scores to complete the application to Arizona State.  Today, nearly all competitive colleges that require standardized test scores will accept ACT scores in lieu of not only SAT but also SAT subject test scores.   So, if you’re concerned about the subject tests, this might be an alternate solution.

Next, how do you go about signing up for the ACT and then making sure you’re ready to take the test?  In 2010, the ACT will be given in Maine on  April 10, June 12, and October 23.  Here is a search page that will help you find a local test site, and here is the link to our 12-hour course to prepare for the April 10 ACT.

The ACT web site contains the following prep materials:  (1) a full-length practice ACT (why guess what’s on the ACT?); (2) other prep materials such as practice questions from each of the four ACT sections; (3) sample essay practice questions; and (4) information about which calculators are and are not permitted (if you use a TI-89, you will want to review these rules).

In addition, the ACT publishes a book that contains three real ACT tests.

For students who are committed to doing their best on the ACT, Maine Prep offers private tutoring in addition to its upcoming course.  Give us a no obligation call if you’d like to discuss.