Dates for the 2009-2010 SAT Programs in Bucks County:

My name is Brian Rutledge and I am writing to the families of the Solebury School to inform you of an opportunity currently available through the Rutledge Learning Academy. I will be providing a fourteen-session course designed to maximize your child?s SAT scores. This course has been proven successful by frequently improving the scores of repeat test takers and by allowing first time test takers to perform well above normal expectations.

Perhaps the biggest reason for your child to prepare to take the SAT is that the SAT changed formats in March of 2005. The new format of the SAT now incorporates grammar skills, concepts of algebra two, and essay writing. The design of the course that will be made available at the Solebury School will allow students to learn the strategies and review the skills necessary to earn the highest possible scores on this new format of the test.

One of the key components that allowed me to earn a full academic scholarship upon graduation from high school was my combined SAT score. For this reason, I truly understand the importance of this test for your child?s collegiate application. Over the course of my fourteen years in the field of education, I have seen numerous students who have excellent grade point averages struggle to score well on the SAT due to a lack of appropriate preparation specific to this test. Enrolling your child in one of my courses will allow them to take the test prepared to succeed.

My philosophy for SAT preparation is that kids should ideally complete any SAT class work that they wish to pursue prior to the start of their junior year, or at the latest, at least a month before they intend to take the SAT for the first time. With that in place, they will be in position to take the PSAT in October of their junior year, and then they can gear up to take the SAT twice as an 11th grader, ideally in March and June. Given that planning, if there is still a portion of the test that the student would want to strengthen, they can work on that area alone in the summer between 11th and 12th grade, and take the test one final time in October of 12th grade. The ultimate hope here is that the student would get a good enough score to not need to take the SAT again in their senior year. I do, however, have several seniors improve their score on the November test by taking the course in the fall of their senior year.

The biggest part of any standardized test preparation program is the practice that the student does with the skills and strategies that are taught. I really recommend completing the test prep in a timely manner that will allow the student to complete several practice tests after the course is completed, but before taking the actual test. I have had students increase their scores, or have a good showing on the first time taking the SAT by sitting for one of my courses that ends within days of taking the SAT, but the best results of those who have prepared for the SAT are usually by the students who leave some time to take the practice tests independently prior to taking the SAT. This is why I recommend at least a month after the conclusion of the course before the student takes the SAT for the first time.

If the timing of the courses available during the school year does not work for your schedule due to extra curricular commitments, please remember that the course will also be available as part of my 2008 summer offerings. This two-week (five days each week) program is held each year in New Hope, PA in August. The August 2008 program is scheduled for the 4th to the 15th. As always, I will also offer my summer math preparation courses to gets kids ready for any math class they are entering, from pre-algebra through pre-calculus.

The entire fourteen-session SAT course will be available eight times during the 2008-2009 school year at the Solebury School. The fee for this course is $799, which will include all materials. Students are encouraged to bring the calculator to class with them that they plan to use on the day of the SAT.

I am very pleased that Mr. Brown, Mr. Buteux, and Mr. France have given me the opportunity to make this program available for you at the Solebury School this year. The courses will be held in the Abbey classrooms. In the event that a class needs to be cancelled due to inclement weather, or instructor illness, it will be rescheduled in a timely manner.

If I can provide any additional information, please call me at 215-343-9642, or e-mail me at info@rutledgelearningacademy.com, and I will be sure to answer any of your questions personally. Registration information is available on the site, but please call if you will be registering your student onsite on the first day of class so I can bring appropriate materials and determine if space is still available.