Across the U.S., thousands of high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors buy books, attend seminars and complete online tutorials in hopes of boosting their SAT scores. This year, HISD EMERGE fellows hope to boost their scores by attending an intensive SAT boot camp which provides test strategies and content-based instruction. In past years, the program has led to significant increases in scores on the critical reading, mathematics and writing sections of the SAT.

Students who attended boot camp said they found the materials and instructors helpful:

“Before attending the Emerge SAT boot camp, I really didn’t know much about the SAT, other than it was separated into three sections worth 800 points each. Now I know how the test is organized, and I know more about how the exam is scored. It is not solely knowing facts but also knowing how to best organize your time and your thoughts. The boot camp was definitely worth it, and now I feel more prepared to take the SAT later this year. Not only will I apply what I learned at boot camp to the SAT but also in my core classes this upcoming school year. My advice to those worrying about the SAT is that one can never start studying too early, and even 10 minutes a day looking over vocabulary can make a big difference.”—Brandon Tolentino, Bellaire HS

“These past few weeks have been invaluable. The teachers were knowledgeable about what they were teaching and demonstrated that they really wanted you to succeed. Because the teachers were relatively young themselves, they were relatable and made the material relatable, too, with their jokes and analogies. The one thing about boot camp I have appreciated the most is the vocabulary list that they provided us with. Vocabulary is not only useful for the SAT, but also in school. Having a better vocabulary will improve my speaking and communication skills as well as help me to improve my essays for school and for college applications.” – Oladie Sode, Carnegie Vanguard

“I was disappointed with my first SAT score. I feel like I was ill prepared and in the dark when I took the exam in April of this year. But now, after attending EMERGE’s SAT boot camp, I feel a lot more prepared, both mentally and emotionally, to take on the test once more. Through the course, I learned tips, tricks, and structures that make the test less intimidating and easier to understand. I also learned work ethic, time management, persistence, and grit. These are skills that will help me in the future, especially when dealing with college applications.” – Isis Cantu, Houston Academy for International Studies (HAIS)