Review: SAT and College Preparation Course for the Christian Student

    SAT and College Preparation Course for the Christian Student by James P. Stobaugh is a complete high school course to prepare students for the SAT.  Included in this text are:  Helps in building disciplined study skills, Development of an extensive vocabulary, Encouragement in the development of writing skills, Opportunities for writing practice essays, Advanced reading selections to enhance critical thinking skills for both verbal and math problems, and Answers to general questions about the PSAT, SAT, and NMSQT tests.  Rather than being a "cram" crash-course, this book will lead students through a year or more of SAT preparation with a focus on building Godly character. 

   The recommended way to use this text is to incorporate the 150 lessons into a three-year high school course of SAT preparation beginning in ninth grade, but the course can also be used for a two- (beginning in 10th grade) or even one-year course (for juniors.)  Each lesson involves a daily devotion, reading and vocabulary exercises, math and verbal exercises, and test taking strategies.  Students will keep a reading journal, create vocabulary cards, practice test-taking techniques, keep a devotional journal, and write 300-400 word essays.  Although SAT and College Preparation Course for the Christian Student is a literature based program, there is enough math and critical thinking included to make this a truly comprehensive SAT preparation course. 

   The appendix includes a suggested book list for high school students, test-taking tips, resources for developing critical thinking skills, tips for writing (and samples of) college admission essays, and sample home education high school transcripts. 

   As the homeschool mom to an 8th-grader this year, this book has already proved to be a great resource for me in beginning to plan his high school course work.  The author has done a thorough job with this book, and I appreciate all the extras it has to offer.  I will cater my son's reading list to include many of the suggested resources mentioned in this book, and as the author also explains the value in learning a classical language in high school, we will be looking into options for studying Latin.  I will use this book with my son beginning in ninth grade for an elective course and following the suggested three year schedule. 

Highly recommended!

{The publisher has provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.}