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Student Recommendations
The following
are excerpts from letters testifying to the benefit of the SAT/PSAT
Prep Class.
I felt very prepared - especially in math which was previously my worst subject -
thanks! - Caitlyn
Your class helped me so much on this years' PSAT test. I used all of your
strategies and had many opportunities to do so. Thanks for all your help! -
Jessica
I can't imagine going into one of those tests without your prep class - thank you
very much! - Megan
I felt really well prepared for the test. - Brad
I knew how to do all the math! - Halley
I was helped greatly by all of the time saving strategies. - Jonathan
I saw several problem, ratios, different roots that we had done in class. I felt
more confident with the test after the class. - Brad
I think the materials you gave us for the writing section were wonderful! -
Bonnie
Thank you for teaching me - it helped alot! - Meredith
Thanks for the great review! - Matt
Thanks so much for the class. Your class helped me in so many ways! - Melanie
Your class was very helpful...quite challenging and I enjoyed that! - Charis
Thanks for providing such a wonderful course! - Jeremy
It helped me having to do those practice SAT's every week. I was not nervous when
I saw the real test because I knew what to expect. The SAT classes helped me so
much and I am so thankful that I took the course. - Kelsey
Dear high
school students and parents,
My name is
Ginger Lane, and I am a senior in high school. Last May I took
the SAT for only the second time ever and made a 1600, a perfect
score. Without a doubt, the one thing that helped me make that
perfect score is the SAT prep course I took from Mary Hamilton.
I took Mary
Hamilton's course for the first time as a sophomore. I learned
quite a bit that year; in addition to the new vocabulary words,
though, the most important thing she taught me was geometry. You
see, as a sophomore I was only beginning geometry, and Mrs. Hamilton's
class made sure I learned the geometry I needed to know for the
test. As a result, I was quite familiar with the basic theorems
of geometry before I ever learned them in my textbook.
The next year
I took the course as preparation for my all-important junior PSAT.
That year truly solidified everything I had already learned, as
well as intensively reviewing the all-important strategies and
vocabulary. That year, I made 238 on the PSAT out of a possible
240, missing three questions on the entire test. As a result of
that score, I am now a National Merit Semifinalist.
I also recently
learned that I am a candidate in the Presidential Scholars competition,
one of twenty girls in the entire state of Texas and one of 2,600
students nationwide. This selection was based solely upon my perfect
SAT score, which I would never have made without Mrs. Hamilton's
SAT prep classes.
For me, taking
a prep course has certainly paid off. For any of you, it could
mean the difference between zero and thousands of dollars in scholarship
money. The majority of the students taking the SAT or PSAT will
have been through a prep course at least once, and in order to
compete, homeschool students need to follow. From my own experience
I know the value of a good prep course, and the results-in both
scores and in scholarships-can be simply amazing. I am,
-Ginger Lane
Dear Students,
My name is
Brad Norcross. I am a high school graduate, and this fall I will
be going to Baylor University with over $80,000 worth of scholarships.
I can say with confidence that Mrs. Hamilton's SAT/PSAT Prep Course
was instrumental in these scholarships, which have allowed me
to go to a university I probably could not have gone to otherwise.
Thanks to
Mrs. Hamilton's class, and all the work that came as part of that
class, I was able to score highly on both the SAT and the PSAT.
I scored a 221 on the PSAT and went on to become a National Merit
Finalist; by this I was also able to receive a full-tuition scholarship
from Baylor (not to mention the many other schools that offered
me similar or better scholarships). In addition to this, I have
been granted $1500 annually in other scholarships, this also from
my PSAT score. My SAT score was raised to a 1450 after Mrs. Hamilton's
class, a score which made me eligible for acceptance to most universities
as well as extra scholarships, up to full tuition at some universities.
Now, I can't
really take credit for these scores myself. God blessed me with
those scholarships using Mrs. Hamilton's class. Without her class,
I do not think I would have been able to handle the SAT and PSAT
as I did. Her class covers many subjects which must be mastered
in order to score well on these tests. Through her class, I learned
strategies for working faster and solving problems more accurately,
and on timed tests like the SAT and PSAT, these skills are very
important.
I would recommend
Mrs. Hamilton's class to all high school students, and I would
urge you students to truly put effort into this class and to apply
your mind to what you study. You never know what you could be
capable of through investing time in this class. I wish you all
the best!
-Brad Norcross
Dear students,
My name is
Megan Ross, and I am a high school senior. I took Mary Hamilton's
SAT/PSAT prep course in both my sophomore and junior years of
high school. After completing my first year of preparation in
her class, I took the SAT and made a 1440, a 150 point improvement
over my score before her class. It is plain to me that such dramatic
improvement came as a direct result of Mrs. Hamilton's instruction.
The following
year, I repeated the course in order to sharpen and condition
my mind in preparation for taking the PSAT, which also serves
as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. I made a 220
out of a possible 240 points. I am currently awaiting confirmation
as a National Merit Semifinalist. This distinction typically earns
thousands of dollars of scholarship at the bearer's choice of
school.
I can assure
you that I would not be in my current position had in not been
for the thorough and broad instruction I received in Mrs. Hamilton's
prep class. She incorporates vocabulary, geometry, algebra, and
critical thinking into her class in order to produce success.
Standardized
testing is not a measure of your overall knowledge or academic
ability; it simply gauges your ability to take the test. Because
of this, it would be tempting to teach only to the test, but Mrs.
Hamilton's instruction is just as valuable in the classroom as
it is on the SAT or PSAT.
I am convinced
that anyone who applies himself can have tremendous success on
the SAT or PSAT. As Proverbs 14:23 says, "In all labor there
is profit…" With proper instruction and diligence, success
is always attainable. Mary Hamilton provides the instruction necessary,
and if you are willing to work and study hard, you will succeed.
-Megan Ross
I have been
taking math classes from Mary Hamilton for the past six years
and consider her more than qualified in this field. I completed
her SAT Preparation class my sophomore, junior and senior years
of high school, and am obligated to attribute a great deal of
my success on the SAT and PSAT to her.
Upon completion
of my first year of the course, my scores increased well over
a hundred points in each section, making my average math score
a 760 and verbal score a 700. This brought my overall score up
250 points and into noticeable range for several scholarships
from Baylor University.
My math score
was very reasonable already when I started taking practice SATs.
This was only true, though, because Mrs. Hamilton had been my
math teacher for the past six years.
The verbal
area is slightly different from math in that with math you can
memorize enough equations to make it through and use simple logic
to fill in the rest, whereas in verbal section there are many
words and phrases that you will have no clues to help figure them
out. The course addresses this problem. Mrs. Hamilton ingrains
into the brains of her students many Greek and Latin roots as
well as a "common words" list to tackle the vocabulary
sections. And for the critical reading sections, she teaches many
tricks to aid you in figuring out the correct answer, even if
you haven't the foggiest idea of what the College Board is actually
asking. Very handy.
If you've
taken this course once, I strongly encourage you to take it a
second time. Why? Repetition is the mother of learning. Also,
the course is designed to get you into an SAT mindset the first
year and make you an SAT connoisseur the second.
The PSAT (a
critical test for scholarships) is only administered once a year.
Therefore, it's a good idea to take it in the tenth and eleventh
grade so that you have some with the test before you actually
take it.
All in all,
the course is very rigorous and causes the students to want to
pull their hair, but it is VERY rewarding. Like any good thing,
one must work toward it, and a sure way of improving one's score,
even if it's good now, is by taking an SAT Prep Class. I strongly
recommend Mary Hamilton's math classes, but even more so her preparation
class for the SAT.
-Brandon Dixon
Dear Student,
My name is
Nick Norcross, and I took Mrs. Hamilton's SAT/PSAT Prep Course
the last two years, and was very pleased with the results. With
the help of good preparation, I have become a National Merit Scholar,
have an SAT score of 1590, and plan to attend Ouachita Baptist
University this fall on a full academic scholarship. I would encourage
any home schooled student of high school age to take Mrs. Hamilton's
course, because not only can it aid in getting you into college,
but it could also earn you thousands of dollars towards your future
education.
In my case,
I took Mrs. Hamilton's class during my junior year, raising my
SAT score 60 points and scoring in the 99th percentile on the
PSAT. The following year I took Mrs. Hamilton's class again, and
raised my SAT score 200 points, receiving a 1590 in October of
my senior year. I can assure you that colleges became much more
interested in me at this point. Because of my standing as a National
Merit Scholar, full scholarships from schools such as Texas Tech,
Baylor, UTA, and of course Ouachita Baptist, became available,
and my SAT score placed me in the highest scholarship bracket
at every other school.
Now I say
this not because I want to prove my mental abilities to everyone,
but because many of you have the ability to do the same thing.
From the education that you have received at home, and the things
you will learn in Mrs. Hamilton's class, you could not only be
ranked among the top students in the nation, but you may also
save thousands of dollars (around $76,000 in my case), and be
able to study at a school of your choice.
Mrs. Hamilton's
Prep Course equips students with a large vocabulary (which is
of great value in both the SAT and PSAT tests), a wide variety
of Greek and Latin roots, studies in basic mathematical principles
including Algebra and Geometry (also very important, especially
if you have not taken a Geometry course), test-taking tips, and
practice tests. I would strongly encourage every home-schooled
high school student to take Mrs. Hamilton's class, and I wish
you all the best of luck in continuing your education.
-Nick Norcross
The following
are excerpts from letters testifying to the benefit of Mrs. Hamilton's math classes.
I’ve taken Mrs. Hamilton’s Algebra 2, Advanced Math I, and Advanced Math II. Growing up I loved math. I was self taught up to Algebra 2, then I started having trouble. I enrolled in the Algebra 2 class the next year, through her teaching and guidance I earned a 99% grade average. I continued on into Advanced Math I and received the same grade. Now in Advanced Math II, I am doing fairly well. I believe that Mrs. Hamilton’s classes, all of her extra work, and the way she taught it, will help me succeed in West Point’s math courses. I would recommend Mrs. Hamilton’s math and SAT Prep classes to anyone having trouble with math, and anyone not having trouble with math, as well as anyone trying to score high on the SAT.
-Joshua Daniel Knight
Mrs. Hamilton’s comprehensive math class is an excellent class for those who have difficulty with math. I know. I was one of them. Once I came to my first class with Mrs. Hamilton, math was never the same. Instead of viewing math as a mysterious evil invented by Adolph Hitler to torture poor, innocent children, I finally understood that math was pure logic. I never regret taking three years of math in her class. On top of it all I enjoy the Christ centered way Mrs. Hamilton teaches her classes. My life will never be the same because of her testimony and impact in my life.
-Stephen Johns
Mrs. Hamilton’s math classes were some of the best classes I have ever taken. Mrs. Hamilton’s classes have improved my ability to critically analyze math questions, has driven me to work my hardest, has drastically improved my ability to answer math questions correctly, and has given me a bedrock foundation to advance into Calculus. If you are thinking that Mrs. Hamilton’s classes are going to be challenging classes, you are correct. But Mrs. Hamilton shows a Christian attitude of love, encouragement, and diligence that uplifts her students to succeed.
-Eric Johns
Mrs. Hamilton,
I never had
the chance to properly thank you for all the patience and kindness
you extended to me for the last two years. I learned an unfathomable
amount in both SAT prep. and Adv. Math. I truly enjoyed every
class.
I have now
completed nearly three weeks here at Dallas Baptist University,
and I love it. I am currently taking Calculus (which I secretly
like); I am also working as a math tutor in the University Math
Lab. I will always remember fondly the days I spent at your house.
I hope all
of your classes are starting off well. Please whip my brother
into shape! May the Lord bless and keep your entire house.
-Tommy
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