Dublin High Schools: SAT Math
Dublin Coffman, Dublin Scioto, and Dublin Jerome Students - How do your High School Math Courses prep you for the SAT?
As a Dublin Scioto grad, I can tell you that’s a fair question to ask. Unfortunately, the answer isn’t quite clear cut. In High School, you pick up math knowledge in your courses. There’s no question that much of what you do helps build your foundational knowledge for the SAT. You will learn concepts and build math skills that will be critical for the SAT Math.
With that said, the SAT is more than what you learn. At the same time, it’s a lot less than what you learn in your classes. For example, if you have Calculus in HS, that’s fantastic - but it won’t really help you on the SAT. If you took Algebra, Statistics, Precalculus, and Geometry, then you’ve probably learned a lot of the fundamentals you need to know. But the SAT is still different. The SAT Math test will ask you questions in ways you’ve never seen in your math classes. So while your courses will help, you will still need to study SAT Math, a subject on its own.
For this post, I’m going to look at the courses that are offered at the Dublin High Schools.
Algebra I: In this course, you’ll build upon prior knowledge of linear functions to extend algebraic problem solving to quadratic and exponential relationships. Students will engage in methods for analyzing, solving, and modeling with these functions. Students will graph and interpret characteristics of functions and solve both algebraically and graphically. Students will reason with equations and inequalities, with a focus on modeling. In addition, the course description details that students will study descriptive statistics. This course is extremely valuable for foundational knowledge for the SAT Math. It will cover three of the four major areas of the SAT Math test (Heart of Algebra, Data Analysis, and Additional Topics).
Geometry: In this course, students develop their understanding and use of proof, both formal and informal. Students focus learning in trigonometry, circles, and connecting coordinates to both algebra and geometry concepts. Students further develop concepts in probability, expanding their ability to compute and interpret theoretical and experimental probabilities. While you won’t have proofs on the SAT, everything else listed here is relevant for the SAT Math exam. This course will primarily be important for the Additional Topics section of the SAT Math exam. However, it will also cover some areas of Heart of Algebra and Data Analysis.
Algebra II: This course is designed for students to extend their knowledge of polynomial, rational, radical, logarithmic, and trigonometric functions and transformations of each of these. Students will be expected to work closely with the expressions that define the functions, and continue to expand and hone their abilities to model situations and to solve equations, including solving quadratic equations over the set of complex numbers and solving exponential equations using logarithms. This is where students really learn topics that are far “too advanced” for the SAT Math test. The course is still highly relevant for the Passport to Advanced Math portion of the exam. It will also cover some areas of Additional Topics (e.g., Complex Numbers).
Advanced Integrated Mathematics: This course is generally taken by 11th-12th graders. The course will include advanced math topics such as matrix algebra, statistics & probability, trigonometry & vectors, and logic with graph theory. This course contains portions that are relevant for the SAT in the areas of Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics. However, this course also contains a lot of topics that do not show up on the SAT Math Exam such as vectors and matrix algebra.
Precalculus: This is an interesting course for the SAT. It’s highly relevant, and, at the same time, contains a lot of topics not tested on the exam. The course is intended to integrate portions of Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry - all relevant for the SAT. It is also aligned to standards of Ohio’s Math Learning Standard. Students will explore radical, exponential, logarithmic, and trigonometric equations and functions. Some areas that students will learn in the course that are not relevant for the SAT include vectors, conic sections, sequences / series, and application of matrices.
Calculus / AP Calculus AB / AP Calculus BC: This course is far too “advanced” for SAT Math topics. It will cover polynomials in detail which do appear on the SAT but the SAT tests it at a much more basic level than what is taught in this course.
AP Statistics: This course will hit some of the areas students will be expected to know for Data Analysis. However, like AP Calculus, it will go far in-depth to what you would expect to see on the SAT.
For a detailed look at all the different topics you can expect on the exam, check out the WP approach to SAT Math.
So now what to do you with this knowledge? Learn the concepts taught in class. The better you do in your classes, the more prepared you’ll be for the SAT. It sounds obvious but it’s important to understand that your classes are an important first step in your SAT prep.
Also, don’t equate “not relevant to the SAT” to “should not take.” Colleges and Universities look closely at the courses you take and that plays a big part in your admissions process. Don’t skip AP Calculus or AP Statistics because they’re not as relevant for the SAT Math.
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