Does Saxon prepare a student for the SAT?

[NewIma]

Hello!

 

My dd10 is in 5th grade. We are currently doing MIF, but with tween attitude we need a math curriculum she can do more on her own. I am looking at Saxon for hopefully more independence and the fact that it can be used through high school. As I was researching the DIVE dvds I saw that the maker of DIVE says that the SAT and PSAT have been rewritten since the high school Saxon books were published 20 years ago and that Saxon doesn't properly prepare students for those tests. He is selling a different curriculum that he says offers better preparation. What do you think?

 

Plus, any other ideas for more independent math curriculums that can be used through high school? 

 

Thanks so much!

[NewIma]

Here is the link!

 

https://www.diveintomath.com/saxon-math/

[CAJinBE]

We are using the DIVE DVDs with Saxon Advanced Math. My daughter is taking the SAT Saturday for the first time. She was also doing the Khan Academy SAT practice last year. So I guess we will see. I hope it worked. I like the DIVE products. 

[LinRTX]

Well we used Saxon. We had finished Advanced Math by the time she took the SAT for the first time. Her math score was a 780/800. She did do a SAT math practice book to get used to test taking and the Khan Academy practice. It was about the same score her brother made 14 years earlier using the same math books (no Khan Academy at that time though). So I really don't see much difference.

[NewIma]

That is what I would have thought! I used it as a kid and thought it was a good curriculum. Maybe he is just trying to sell his new product? 

[FriedClams]

Well we used Saxon. We had finished Advanced Math by the time she took the SAT for the first time. Her math score was a 780/800. She did do a SAT math practice book to get used to test taking and the Khan Academy practice. It was about the same score her brother made 14 years earlier using the same math books (no Khan Academy at that time though). So I really don't see much difference.

This is very similar to our experience. DD is also taking precal at the local uni as her first DE/classroom experience and is acing it. She could have easily gone right into calculus (I was nervous about scope, first college experience, etc...) I feel 100% confident with Saxon.

[Penelope]

I don't know how much the resdesign changed the math portions of the exam, but the math on the PSAT and SAT is not and never has been very advanced. I have always thought that how well one does on the SAT is more about the student than about the high school math program used, as long as all the standard topics are taught with practice of an appropriate difficulty level.

 

I'd love to be proven wrong, though.

[wapiti]

I agree with Penelope that the math on the SAT - even the new, Redesigned SAT - is not known for its mathematical difficulty and that much depends on the particular student.  Where the math section may be difficult is in the wording of the questions.  The New SAT is known for being overly language-heavy in the math section.

 

Choosing a math program for SAT performance would be a low bar.  Personally, I'd choose a math program that is a good fit for a particular student for learning math.  Separately, regardless of math program used, I would plan on doing some specific test prep/practice for the SAT when the time comes.