SmartPrep's Susan Testani and Jennifer Kloss, Doylestown-based SAT test- prep experts, were assiduously working through the SAT I test and dutifully filling in their answer sheets with the crowd of students taking the test at Central Bucks East in Doylestown April 5.

They listed their reactions to the latest administration of the SAT.

-Generally speaking, the April test was composed of questions that were slightly more challenging in the Sentence Completion area of the verbal sections and the problem solving component of the math sections than those of the December and January administrations.

-Variations occur from test to test, and are figured into the scoring of the test. The test is scored against a scaling chart that adjusts for any disparity in the level of difficulty of the test, so a more difficult test will have a slightly friendlier curve to bridge the gap.

-On the math side of the test, the test-makers went heavy on the algebra tor the Aoril SAT. This meant that

 

 

five out of every 12 questions could be solved by either working backwards through the problem, or for variable- type problems, inserting a ran- dom value and checking your answer against the answer- choices given.

-Two of the most difficult math problems involved ratios, which is untypical for the SAT I. The trickiest geometry prob- lem tested knowledge of slope, a recent trend we've been observing. And if students remembered that crazy sym- bols like upside-down arrows and triangles are testing you on functions, they probably fared pretty well with the four ques- tions of this kind.

-The Critical Reading pas- sages were more readable than many we've seen in the past, though for hard-core science types, the traditional serious science passage was absent.

Each administration has its idiosyncrasies, even though it follows a fairly regular struc- ture, and it's useful to review the differences and similarities across SATs to identify trends that can give students an extra edge.

Testani and Kloss, co-own- ers of the Doylestown-based SAT prep company, take the SAT with area students during the seven administrations of the SAT throughout the aca- demic year. The next tests are scheduled for May and June.