PNC Offers SAT Prep Programs

PNCThe Purdue University North Central Office of Graduate and Extended Learning, in partnership with the PNC Mathematics/Statistics/Physics Department and Department of English and Modern Languages, will offer SAT preparation programs at its Westville campus.

The math program will meet on Mondays and Wednesday from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m., from Nov. 3 through Nov. 19. The instructor, Jerry DeGroot, has been a PNC continuing lecturer of Mathematics for 12 years and has more than 20 years of experience teaching mathematics. The math program fee is $149 and includes a textbook, and all materials. The registration deadline for the math program is Oct. 22 by 4 p.m. CT.

Students will learn the most common math topics on the SAT, including operations, algebra, functions, geometry and measurement, data analysis, statistics and probability. They will also learn test-taking skills such as how to read and interpret math questions on the exam, how to avoid the most common careless mistakes, how and when to make educated guesses, how to use the reference information provided on the exam and how to use a calculator effectively while taking the SAT. During the sessions, DeGroot will present practice problems and practice examinations that will look and feel similar to the actual SAT. This allows students to familiarize themselves with test and question formatting, the pace at which they will need to answer questions and the techniques they will need to use in order to earn a high score on the math portion of the exam.

The English program will meet on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon from Nov 8 through Nov. 22. Instructor Tamara O’Hearn, has taught college English for 20 years and college preparatory school English for nine years. O’Hearn has experience working for Pearson Education, where she evaluated test takers’ essay responses on the SAT. The English program cost is $139 and includes a textbook, as well as all other materials. The registration deadline for the English section is Oct. 27 by 4 p.m. CT.

Students taking the English program will learn about and practice critical reading, sentence completion, proper grammar and word usage. Students’ vocabularies, grammar skills, reading comprehension and writing abilities will be challenged and expanded through in-class and take-home activities, timed recall tests and graded essays. Students will become familiar with the format of the exam, learning the types of questions on the English portion of the exam and the amount of time allotted for each. They will be coached on successful test taking strategies and taught effective techniques for writing high-scoring essays while under pressure. Time will be devoted to practice problems similar to those on the SAT. This program will prepare students for both the reading and writing portions of the exam.

For more information, to register for the workshop, or to receive information on other programs and courses, call the Office of Graduate and Extended Learning at (219) 785-5343, or toll free at (800) 872-1231, ext. 5343 (inside Indiana), or visit http://www.pnc.edu/gel.

Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Cassandra Boehlke, coordinator of Graduate and Extended Learning, at (219) 785-5748.