SAT Results from September 13th, 2025
Dear MJTP Families,
I’m excited to share some wonderful news from the September 13th SAT results, which were released yesterday morning. This was one of the best SATs across the board for our group, with an average Reading and Writing score increase of about 73 points from students’ previous baseline scores. My colleague, Abigail Connick, also saw impressive gains with her math students this cohort.
A Personal Note
I apologize for the delay in sending this update. This season has been incredibly busy—morning sessions at 7 a.m., teaching through the day until 5:30, and evening tutoring until 9 p.m., plus Sundays. My wife jokes that I might as well move into my office! Thank you all for your patience as I do my best to work everyone in during this especially packed stretch between the August, September, and October SATs.
Student Highlights
Simon raised his score another 10 points, bringing his total improvement to +100 points since his original 670 before the summer.
G.B. took her first official SAT and jumped more than 100 points above her summer practice tests.
A.M. had been plateaued at 610 on multiple tests with multiple previous tutors, but achieved a 70 point jump to 680 in September!
Here is some of the feedback I received yesterday:
Hi John,
The test went really well! Thank you for the help — you got me to where I am and I can’t wait to work with you for the PSAT!
Didn't raise my total for this retake, only increased the English score by 10. So in the time I spent as your student, I raised my English by 100 points! I also now have a superscore of 1550, which I feel good enough about not to take it again in October.
Across the board, students put in their best effort, remained consistent, and showed what’s possible when solid strategies meet effort. I could not be prouder.
A Family Effort
While I bring the tips, tricks, and strategies, true results come from the family effort each of you puts into supporting your students. These wins are the product of consistency and teamwork. As the old saying goes, "it takes a village," and that could not be truer for SAT prep. So, THANK YOU, families, for your dedication and support for the students.
Results From the Past Year
In an effort to track student progress, I've begun compiling scores dating back one year from this month. It is encouraging to see how many families I've worked with in the last 12 months and the progress made towards college readiness. My goal is to post this on a new "results" page on my website soon.
September 2025
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| GM | 800 RW, 1590 | +60 |
| SB | 770 RW, 1550 | +100 |
| JW | 730 RW, 1520 | +10 |
| AM | 680 RW | +70 |
| GB | 670 RW | +120 |
| RK | 560 RW | +80 |
| JL | 610 | -- |
August 2025
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| AM | 760 RW, 1550 | +60 |
| IL | 750 RW, 1510 | +40 |
| CD | 730 Math, 1470 | +70 (+140 total) |
| AN | 700 RW | +110 |
| EL | 700 RW | +60 |
| RK | 530 RW | +50 |
| NA | 650 RW | +30 |
| SJ | 690 RW | +10 |
| JG | 640 RW | -- |
| KG | 660 RW | -- |
June 2025
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| MC | 760 RW, 1540 | +10 |
| RK | 740 RW, 1520 | +140 |
| KN | 730 RW, 1520 | +40 |
| ML | 720 RW | +60 |
| DM | 730 RW | -10 |
May 2025
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| RK | 690 RW | +90 |
April 2025
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| EH | 760 RW, 1500 | +30 |
March 2025
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| CD | 740 RW | +70 |
December 2024
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| HL | 800 RW, 1600 | +60 |
| SP | 670 RW, 630 Math | +310 total |
| IQ | 730 RW | +70 |
| AV | 710 RW | +90 |
November 2024
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| MR | 800 RW, 1600 | +90 |
| NC | 720 RW | +50 |
| SP | 640 RW | +160 |
October 2024
| Student | Score | Increase |
|---|---|---|
| LA | 750 RW | +70 |
Looking Ahead – October 4th SAT
The next test date is right around the corner. This week, we’ll be reinforcing strategies and focusing on execution under pressure.
I'd like to share an example (no names mentioned😉) from an encouraging "process" learning experience this week:
One of my students had been struggling with nearly every transition question on homework practice drills. In our session, we slowed things down and drew a simple T-chart—writing the relationship on the left side and right side of the transition. Once the student applied this step-by-step process, the student answered 15 straight transition questions correctly.
Here's an example:
T-Chart for the Transition Question
| Left Side (Before) | Right Side (After) |
|---|---|
| Sleep debt makes it harder for the body to function properly. | If you consistently sleep less than the recommended number of hours, you’ll face increasing fatigue. |
Correct Transition:
➡️ In other words,
This works because the right side restates and clarifies the left side in simpler terms.
This anecdote illustrates a key point: success comes from following the process we practice together, not letting test-day anxiety affect our good habits.
Reading Section Strategies to Remember
- Ignore answer choices at first.
- Search for textual clues with intent.
- Envision your own answer before elimination.
- Eliminate by applying the PROVE-IT framework:
- Partial truths, Reverse meaning, Out of context, Verify location, Extreme wording, Interpretations, Twisted data/logic.
Grammar Section:
- Start with the answer choices—work backwards.
- Confirm clause structures with punctuation (periods, semicolons).
- Watch for subject-verb patterns (plural vs. singular).
- Investigate like detectives: dashes, lists, verb forms, etc.
These strategies are not just techniques—they’re habits that build test-day confidence.
Consistency Is Key
Remember: the SAT is like a performance sport. If you skip practice for six days and then cram, you lose the sharpness of our techniques. That’s why I ask you to save annotated screenshots and organize them in your Google Docs. Even 15 minutes a day—just five questions—helps keep everything fresh.
College Essays & Upcoming Availability
I know many of you are also working on college essays. I’ve been reviewing drafts with some students, and the progress looks fantastic. If you’d like additional support, let me know.
After the October 4th SAT, I expect to have more availability for November and December SAT prep, as well as for the PSAT. Please reach out if you or someone you know would like to secure a spot.
New August and September Vocabulary Quizzes!
As you may have seen in my previous newsletter, I've compiled the August and September official SAT vocab surveys from r/SAT reports from the real exams. Notice that many of these words overlap with previous tests, so they are worth studying!
Thank you for being such a dedicated community. Your commitment inspires me every day, and I’m thrilled to celebrate these achievements with you. Let’s keep building momentum into October and beyond!
With gratitude and excitement,
Mr. John
