Michelle Lee
Mission San Jose High 2240
  Michelle   Before my junior year began, I enrolled in a SAT I class at ThinkTank Learning. I knew that the SAT I was a vital part of getting into a good college, so I researched and signed up at a SAT preparation center with good reviews. The first time I took a practice SAT test at ThinkTank, I wasnˇt too sure what to expect. Aside from the PSAT, I had never actually taken a full-length SAT I test. When I got my practice test back, I noted my weaknesses and strengths. I received a score near 2000, which wasnˇt too bad for my first practice test. However, I wanted to score higher, so I set a personal goal to get at least 2200. The week after the practice test, I stepped into ThinkTank ready to learn.
The learning environment was perfect; it was clean, spacious, and not too noisy. Going to class was a pleasant experience, because my instructors encouraged us and made class time enjoyable. We all received binders filled with practice questions and information. During both English and math sessions, my instructors turned drills and practice questions into opportunities to play games. We formed teams and competed against each other, earning food, treats, and points. This learning method helped me retain all that I learned in class, and speeded up how quickly I could answer questions. At that time, all three of my writing, critical reading, and math scores could be improved. My math and critical reading scores were around 600-700, but writing was my weakest section. I had scored below 600, but I was determined to raise it.
I have to admit that I donˇt enjoy English as much as I enjoy math, so I was elated that the English sessions greatly boosted my writing score. My instructor, Ms. Peevyhouse, taught us the basic rules of grammar, and helped us understand drills and practice questions in our binder. She made the class enjoyable and made English more interesting to us. Looking over my first practice test, I was shocked to see that I had made so many mistakes. Remembering all that I learned from class, I understood what I did wrong. We also frequently wrote 25 minute essays, which prepared us for the writing section of the SAT. I previously had no idea what College Board looked for in essays, but ThinkTank taught me all I needed to know about writing them.
One of my favorite things about ThinkTankˇs SAT I class was the math sessions. We covered many drills and learned tricks to answer questions that typically appeared on the test. Everyone loved our instructor, Mr. Kohara, because he used friendly competition to raise enthusiasm and effort. Those math sessions aided me greatly on the actual SAT. I used those tricks and methods to answer difficult questions.
When I took the SAT I in October, I walked into the testing center feeling confident, ready, and excited. The moment I sat down and began taking the test, I still felt good about how much I had prepared and learned. I finished the SAT I with a smile upon my face. After weeks of waiting, I eagerly checked my score and saw that I received over 2200. I was ecstatic to see that I had reached an 800 in math and a 790 in writing. Critical reading was the hardest to improve for me, but taking classes still helped me score relatively high. I have no regrets about taking this course, because it improved my overall score by about 200 points. I had a great experience at ThinkTank. Not only were the instructors were patient and helpful, but also the information we learned was of great use on the test. I believe with hard work and determination, ThinkTankˇs SAT I class can improve anyoneˇs score.
Mission San Jose High ----- 2240
Michelle Lee