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Story and photo by Holly Freeman
Ramstein High School
stresses of applying and going to college before students begin their individual work on the College Board SAT prep class online.
Are you scheduled to take the SAT in the near future or possibly interested in improving upon your existing SAT scores? If so, there are two SAT preparation opportunities at Ramstein High School.
Michelle Walker, Landstuhl Youth Center’s academic program manager, is offering a unique opportunity at RHS for students to receive small group SAT preparation for free. Initially, Walker offered the SAT preparation courses at the Landstuhl Youth Center on a one-on-one or small group basis, but later, she decided to partner with the school and offer the class on Mondays during lunch in an effort to make participation more convenient for the students.
Walker is already teaching the second round of her eight-week course and getting lots of affirmative feedback. Sophomore Michaela Unpingco, one of the 10 to 15 students who normally attend the lunch session, said she took the class because she wanted to prepare.
“I wanted to prepare myself for the SAT and ACT and not be so freaked out before I actually took the test,” she said.
Walker has also received a lot of positive comments on the benefits of the math tips and techniques afforded during the lessons.
The class is structured around Kaplan’s SAT preparation program; however, installation of this software on school computers is awaiting approval and so, while awaiting authorization, Walker has taken the initiative to compile the Kaplan information into mini lessons.
Each week, students review SAT preparation information via PowerPoint slides, which Walker created. Following the presentations, students are given the opportunity to practice their skills by using worksheets that Walker has also generated.
In addition to attending the SAT brush up classes with Walker, Ramstein English teacher Jennifer Stewart also teaches a college entrance preparation course. Currently, Stewart teaches two classes of approximately 40 students.
A typical class involves reading or learning about topics relevant to applying and attending college, such as academic stress and study skills. Stewart has also incorporated many AVID reading strategies into her curriculum.
Another main focus of Stewart’s course is preparation for the SAT and ACT. Stewart utilizes the College Board’s software, which is the only official SAT online course.
“One of the primary benefits of the College Board SAT preparation is that students receive individual feedback that explains where they need to spend time practicing so they can work smarter and not harder,” Stewart said.
While Stewart recommends the course for juniors and fall seniors, anyone at RHS is eligible to access the College Board prep course online. Interested students simply need to contact the front office to obtain the necessary login information.
Sophomore Kristiana Jones recommends the class.
“It really prepares you for college and gives you the chance to get an idea about what you want to do career-wise,” she said. Senior Jackie John-Morton agreed.
“I like having a block of time to prepare for the SAT and college because normally, you don’t have enough time to do this when you are studying for all your other classes,” she said.
Further information about these programs can be obtained by contacting the school.
