SAT II math level 1 and 2

[Teachin'Mine]

I know the grading is more generous on level 2. Would like to hear from anyone who has done Saxon for high school through Advanced Math. How well prepared were your dc for these tests?

[Teachin'Mine]

:toetap05:

 

 

Ignore the impatient one. Just bumping. :)

[Teachin'Mine]

:lurk5: Yup - just bumping. :)

[8filltheheart]

I think no one has answered b/c these tests depend a lot on ability vs. just straight curriculum, not to mention mastering SAT "style."

 

ETA: I though I would add that I would never select a curriculum based on test score results b/c teaching to the test is the antithesis of my personal educational philosophy. There are people that rave about certain curriculum b/c they seem to aid students in high scores. I wouldn't use those curriculum if given to me for free. I am far more concerned about mathematical understanding than test scores.

Edited May 10, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart

[Teachin'Mine]

I know that test taking is a very individual thing. I was just asking if anyone's child has completed Advanced Math and then taken either or both of these tests, and what their experience was. Not scores, but how well prepared they were for each.

 

I chose Saxon because of how much my dd enjoyed it and has learned so well from it. She's completing Advanced Math now.

 

Anyone BTDT??? :)

[8filltheheart]

I guess my pt is that Saxon may or may not prepare her. How someone else's child did is not really relevant. Saxon is a good math program, so it will cover the topics that are in alg, geo, alg 2, and trig. Whether or not it prepares a particular child is different question.

 

As far as preparing for the math 1 or 2, this post is on target:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2710322#post2710322

[mjbucks1]

As far as preparing for the math 1 or 2, this post is on target:

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forum...22#post2710322

 

I am not sure how helpful this thread is as I think the math portion of the SAT is different from the math subject tests. I know the subject tests differ in that they contain 50 multiple choice questions (whereas the SAT has multiple choice and "fill in") and the student is not penalized for guessing on the subject tests. We are using Saxon math as well, but ds is just now completing Alg II. I hope someone else can give you more insight.

 

Blessings,

Michelle

[8filltheheart]

I am not sure how helpful this thread is as I think the math portion of the SAT is different from the math subject tests. I know the subject tests differ in that they contain 50 multiple choice questions (whereas the SAT has multiple choice and "fill in") and the student is not penalized for guessing on the subject tests. We are using Saxon math as well, but ds is just now completing Alg II. I hope someone else can give you more insight.

 

Blessings,

Michelle

 

I had 2 students take the math 2 on Saturday and every prep book we had said that the score was calculated based on the number of correct answers minus 1/4 pt/wrong answer and then rounded up.

 

I'm not sure how using SAT prep books and learning the SAT strategy for understanding incorrect answers is the wrong approach. Prep books come with the math 1 and 2 tests w/in the same book and you can buy a book with 2 former real tests of each type. The questions, while different from the regular SAT math sections, still require SAT test-taking strategy.

 

I wouldn't recommend walking into the test at the end of a math course w/o prepping. My ds took one of the real former tests last week and scored a 710. He read through parts of a couple of prep sections, worked on his pacing, and scored a 770 on his 3rd practice test. My dd, otoh, studied the prep book for weeks, took practice tests, etc. and her score isn't going to even close to her brothers.

 

W/the exception of this yr, they have used the exact same math books and even did alg 1, geo, and alg 2 together. At some pt, curriculum doesn't matter, prep maxes out, and it really boils down to the individual's test taking strategies and abilities.

Edited May 10, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart

[Teachin'Mine]

I had no idea this would be a controversial topic. :001_huh:

 

I agree that while the SAT math subject tests do also take off 1/4 point for wrong answers, it is much different from the math portion of the SAT. The questions are more direct IMO. So while I agree that prep test book work is very important, I agree with Michele that the link wasn't quite what I was looking for.

 

Every test is dependent upon the individual student taking the test, but I think it's also fair to say that some texts prepare students better than others. While I don't teach to the test, until it's time to prepare for a specific test, I most definitely take the content of a particular text into account when making curricula choices. When looking at various standardized tests, there are many who post threads asking about how a specific text was in preparation for the test.

 

8FilltheHeart, thank you for sharing about your two students experiences. :)

 

Thank you Michelle - I hope someone who has used Saxon AM is able to give some input too. :)

[mjbucks1]

I had 2 students take the math 2 on Saturday and every prep book we had said that the score was calculated based on the number of correct answers minus 1/4 pt/wrong answer and then rounded up.

 

 

 

You are right. So sorry for the misinformation. I realized it was the AP exam scoring that was changing as of May this year :blushing:, not the SAT II.

[Brilliant]

I had no idea this would be a controversial topic. :001_huh:

 

 

I admire your perseverance. :D

 

I am guessing you are not getting a lot of responses simply because there aren't that many folks here who have used Saxon through advanced math, and then taken the SAT II.

[8filltheheart]

I had no idea this would be a controversial topic. :001_huh:

 

:)

 

I actually don't see it as controversial. Basically, any standard math texts should cover the material that is on the test. I think that Saxon would be as likely to prepare a student as any other program. That was my main pt.

 

My only other pt was that if I posted that X curriculum prepared a student to make almost an 800 on the SAT Math 2 and therefore I recommend X if you would like a high score or conversely, it didn't prepare my student therefore don't use it, I would be falsely representing X. I can assert that X teaches algebraic/geometric/trig concepts well or that it doesn't, but beyond that, one student's test scores or even a couple are not enough of a sampling to reflect upon a specific curriculum.

 

FWIW, the prep books are pretty decent at showing the topics covered. The main deficit my weaker student had was in statistics.

[Teachin'Mine]

I actually don't see it as controversial. Basically, any standard math texts should cover the material that is on the test. I think that Saxon would be as likely to prepare a student as any other program. That was my main pt.

 

My only other pt was that if I posted that X curriculum prepared a student to make almost an 800 on the SAT Math 2 and therefore I recommend X if you would like a high score or conversely, it didn't prepare my student therefore don't use it, I would be falsely representing X. I can assert that X teaches algebraic/geometric/trig concepts well or that it doesn't, but beyond that, one student's test scores or even a couple are not enough of a sampling to reflect upon a specific curriculum.

 

FWIW, the prep books are pretty decent at showing the topics covered. The main deficit my weaker student had was in statistics.

 

That's exactly my point on the type of information I'm looking for. I haven't asked for any scores - simply asked if it prepared them well. More specifically, if anyone is brave enough to post their experience here, I'd like to know what topics are on the test that aren't covered as thoroughly as they had hoped. For example, is the little bit of graphing calculator work at the end of the AM text sufficient, or should we look to supplement. Yes the prep books are pretty decent, I'm just looking for BTDT advice. :)

 

I admire your perseverance. :D

 

I am guessing you are not getting a lot of responses simply because there aren't that many folks here who have used Saxon through advanced math, and then taken the SAT II.

 

Thank you! It's no small feat. :lol:

 

I'm guessing that you're right. :)