Why Your Straight-A Student Struggles with SAT® Reading

Last week, like nearly every week, I spoke with an exasperated parent whose daughter has a 4.0 GPA in AP English but can’t seem to consistently score higher than 650 on SAT Reading & Writing.

“I just don't get it," she said with a sigh. "Emma does so well in class …”

I could hear the frustration in her voice—the same tone I've heard hundreds of times in my 10+ years as a private SAT prep tutor. That sinking feeling you get when you begin to question whether an extremely important goal may be beyond reach.

“… Her teachers love her essays," Emma's mom continued, "But put her in front of an SAT Reading passage, and her confidence sinks. She starts second-guessing every answer."

I told Emma’s mom exactly what I’ve told every other parent in her position—and it's the first of four secrets I'll be sharing with you about what separates students who struggle from elite scorers:

Secret #1: The Essential Paradigm Shift

Your child's English teachers have likely been training them to think in ways that hurt their SAT performance.

I know that sounds harsh, so let me clarify that teachers obviously are not doing this on purpose. Nonetheless, the reality is that doing well in school doesn’t automatically translate to top scores on SAT Reading & Writing, which means that the SAT must either be testing different knowledge and skills or testing them in different ways.

The answer is that it’s both. Strong grades are necessary for SAT success, but they're not sufficient. Academic achievement is just the baseline, not a guarantee.

And this is because SAT Reading & Writing tests a very specific subset of skills that aren’t always emphasized in academic settings. (And when these skills are taught in school, it may not have been recently, or in the way that works best on the SAT.)

The Reading & Writing section also tests these particular skills in unique ways. Its design is often markedly distinct from what students encounter in the classroom.

Let me show you what I mean:

In English class: "What themes do you see in this passage? Support your interpretation with evidence."

(There can be multiple “correct” answers - even when those answers contradict each other!)

On the SAT: "Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?"

(Don't be fooled by the word "best." There's only ONE objectively correct answer: the one that accurately describes the sentence.)

In English class: "Write a thoughtful analysis showing deep engagement with the text."

(There could be as many varying analyses as there are students in the class, and they could all receive high marks.)

On the SAT: "The observations made in the essay suggest that ________"

(Your personal interpretation doesn’t matter—the one correct answer turns solely on which logically valid conclusion can be drawn from the premises embedded in the passage.)

Are you starting to see the disconnect?

School often encourages students to creatively "explore" texts—to "read between the lines" and ponder the "big picture.” On the other hand, success on SAT Reading depends on quickly identifying which of several plausible-sounding claims about the text is strictly supported by direct evidence.

While both approaches can demand rigor, the former leaves room for imaginative interpretation and personally meaningful extrapolation. These are never rewarded by the SAT. It punishes such responses, withholding points for anything less than strictly logical analysis, exacting precision, and perfect accuracy.

This fundamental mismatch is one of the main reasons so many brilliant, high-achieving students feel lost on SAT Reading. They're applying the wrong framework, unaware that the questions demand a completely different approach.

Bridging the Gap

After over a decade of helping students overcome the school/SAT gap and adopt the right paradigm, I've crystallized this mindset in a system I call The Cross-Examiner's Toolbox™. Instead of fighting against your child's academic training, it teaches them when to 'switch modes' and apply the precise analytical framework that SAT questions reward.

As Ana, mother of one of my former students, put it after her son scored in the 99th percentile:

"The results speak for themselves - my son's SAT Reading & Writing score went from a 700 to 770, and I know that improving at this higher tier is not easy. I wholeheartedly recommend Dave’s services. Don't hesitate; he is the key to unlocking true understanding of SAT questions."

The breakthrough happened when her son stopped trying to be a thoughtful English student and started operating more logically, literally, and systematically.

On Tuesday, I'll share Secret #2: why knowing what to do isn't enough—and why most SAT prep fails at the execution level.

Until then, keep prepping smarter!

Dave Walker - Founder, Walker Prep

P.S. If this "school vs. SAT" disconnect explains some of your child's frustration on SAT Reading, you're not alone. It's the #1 issue I see with high-achieving students. The good news? Once they grasp the new paradigm, improvement often happens fast. Stay tuned for Tuesday's email, where I'll explain how my approach facilitates this process.