High schools including GOA should offer optional SAT preparation classes available to all students.
For the majority of colleges, SAT scores can influence admission decisions and are a highly significant factor in which schools a student might get into.
Despite this importance, earning a competitive score is often difficult for students who struggle with resources, time or finances. While many students use free online courses, the school curriculum generally does not accommodate the commitment necessary to the SAT.
Sophomore Emily Himber said, “Schools need to offer more opportunities for SAT programs. If we have so many electives, there should be one dedicated to the SAT.”
According to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital at the University of Michigan Health, over 80% of high schoolers participate in extracurriculars. With sports, clubs and other activities, students lead busy lives that often cannot include studying for the SAT.
Additionally, students are often overwhelmed by demanding homework loads. This further contributes to stress and an ongoing lack of time.
“Most of our SAT preparation is outside of school, which consumes time from extracurriculars and other classes. At school, I try to finish my homework so I have more time for extracurriculars afterward, so it would help to use school time for SAT preparation classes,” said sophomore Logan Gladstone.
Many students experience stress while preparing for the test and struggle to balance their time.
Junior Alma Adiel says, “There’s a lot of pressure to earn a strong score and that often requires extensive, structured practice. It feels impossible to fit consistent preparation into my schedule. Self-studying takes a huge amount of discipline and time that’s difficult to manage. Having an SAT class would provide structure and support, helping students feel more confident and prepared.”
Throughout America, many adolescents struggle with financial insecurity. Only a small percentage of students are able to hire private, personalized tutors in order to study.
Private tutors provide a significant advantage, creating a system in which wealthier students often perform better simply because of their access to resources.
The Hope Center for Student Basic Needs conducted a 2023-2024 survey with 74,000 participants and found that 59% of students experienced at least one form of food or housing insecurity. With such struggles, students cannot reasonably be expected to dedicate their attention solely to SAT preparation.
Requiring SAT classes could discredit students who do not plan to take the test.
GOA Learning Specialist Mrs. Spielman said, “With many colleges now test optional and not all students pursuing four-year college pathways, required SAT preparation would be misaligned for many learners. While the class would not be universally applicable, to maximize equity, it should be presented as an optional elective.”
SAT participation has increased rapidly in recent years. College Board wrote that Class of 2025 was the first to surpass more than 2 million SAT takers since COVID-19.
The SAT is a standardized test that is widely used for college admission in the United States, assessing students on math, reading and writing. It is graded on a scale from 400-1600 with the average being around 1050, according to College Board, a non-profit connecting students to higher education.
GOA does not offer SAT/ACT preparation, despite its many elective opportunities. Although students could create a club dedicated to SAT preparation, it likely would not be adequate support.
A structured and school-supported class would provide equal and fair access to resources, reduce stress, and allow students to continue their extracurriculars, ultimately leading to higher scores and stronger college applications.
