SAT Math Mastery Plan
Based on The College Panda’s SAT Math: Advanced Guide and Workbook
Goal: Near-perfect score | Pace: 40 hrs/week | Level: Advanced
Structure: Phase 1 (Weeks 1–3) = finish the entire syllabus, cover to cover. Phase 2 (Week
4 onward, until test day) = full-length practice tests — both digital (Bluebook) and printed
paper tests — plus error-pattern drilling.
How This Plan Works
At an advanced level, the ceiling isn’t “do I know this concept” — it’s “do I ever drop
points to a careless error, a sneaky wording trick, or a slow method under time
pressure.” So this plan is built around three layers, every single week:
1. Content mastery — read the chapter, do every exercise, get to 100% (not 90%)
accuracy.
2. Speed & efficiency — for every topic, learn the fastest method (Desmos tricks,
plugging in numbers, backsolving), not just “a” method.
3. Error autopsy — every missed question gets logged and re-tried a few days later.
This is the single highest-leverage habit for going from ~700 to ~800.
Set up an Error Log now
Before Week 1, create a simple spreadsheet or note with columns: Date | Chapter |
Question | Why I missed it (careless / concept gap / didn’t know trick / ran out of
time) | Fix. Review this log every Sunday. This is non-negotiable for a near-perfect score —
most of your remaining points will come from patterns in this log, not from new content.
Practice tests
This book is a content guide, not a test bank, so full-length practice tests come from
Bluebook (College Board’s official Digital SAT app) — these are the most realistic tests
available. Take these timed, in one sitting, no phone.
Week 1: Algebra Foundations
Chapters 1–9 | Pages 7–78
The goal this week is 100% fluency on the “building block” topics — these show up
embedded inside harder problems all test, so any weakness here compounds later.
Day Chapters Focus
Day 1 Ch 1: Exponents & Radicals Laws of exponents,
(p.7) simplifying radicals — drill
until instant
Day 2 Ch 2: Percent (p.15) + Ch 3: Watch for compound
Exponential vs. Linear interest & percent-of-
Growth (p.24) percent traps
Day 3 Ch 4: Proportion (p.30) + Ch Unit conversion chains — a
5: Rates (p.34) classic careless-error zone
Day 4 Ch 6: Expressions (p.42) Factoring/expansion
fluency — speed matters
here
Day 5 Ch 7: Manipulating & Master “common mistakes
Solving Equations (p.49) to avoid” section closely
Day 6 Ch 8: More Equation Solving Matching coefficients &
Strategies (p.62) + Ch 9: clearing denominators
Systems of Equations (p.67) tricks
Day 7 Review day Redo every problem you got
wrong this week from
memory. Update Error Log.
Week 2: Functions, Equations & Quadratics
Chapters 10–19 | Pages 79–167
This is the algebraic core of the test — Functions and Quadratics especially are heavily
tested and where advanced students still lose points on edge cases (undefined functions,
discriminant meaning, complex roots).
Day Chapters Focus
Day 8 Ch 10: Inequalities (p.79) Graphs of inequalities —
sign-flip traps
Day 9 Ch 11: Word Problems Translating word problems
(p.90) + Ch 12: Lines (p.99) fast; parallel/perpendicular
slope rules
Day 10 Ch 13: Interpreting Linear Composite functions &
Models (p.109) + Ch 14: undefined functions —
Functions (p.115) common miss zone
Day 11 Ch 15: Quadratics (p.126) Vertex form, discriminant,
completing the square — go
slow, this is high-yield
Day 12 Ch 16: Synthetic Division Remainder theorem tricks
Day Chapters Focus
(p.141) + Ch 17: Complex
Numbers (p.150)
Day 13 Ch 18: Absolute Value Quick topics — should go
(p.154) + Ch 19: Angles fast at your level
(p.160)
Day 14 Review day + Mini Redo missed problems. Do a
practice set 20-question mixed algebra
set timed.
Week 3: Geometry, Trig & Data Analysis
Chapters 20–27 | Pages 168–261
Geometry/trig/stats questions are fewer in number but disproportionately separate 750s
from 800s because they’re easy to rush. Slow down here even though you’re advanced.
Day Chapters Focus
Day 15 Ch 20: Triangles (p.168) Special right triangles —
memorize instantly, no
derivation time
Day 16 Ch 21: Radians + Ch 22: Arc length & sector area —
Circles (p.189, 198) radian conversions
Day 17 Ch 23: Trigonometry SOH-CAH-TOA + identities
(p.206) — know the unit circle cold
Day 18 Ch 24: Reading Data (p.215) Table/graph reading speed;
+ Ch 25: Probability (p.224) conditional probability
traps
Day 19 Ch 26: Statistics I (p.234) Mean/median/std dev —
watch for outlier-sensitivity
questions
Day 20 Ch 27: Statistics II (p.247) + Margin of error &
Ch 28: Volume confidence interval
interpretation (not
calculation) is the tricky
part
Day 21 Full review day Redo all geometry/stats
misses. Update Error Log.
Week 4: Full-Book Integration + First Practice Tests
All chapters, mixed
Content is done. Now the focus shifts entirely to speed, mixed-topic recognition, and
simulated testing conditions.
Day Focus
Day 22 Re-do the hardest 25% of exercises across
Ch 1–9 (your Error Log will tell you which)
Day 23 Re-do the hardest 25% of exercises across
Ch 10–19
Day 24 Re-do the hardest 25% of exercises across
Ch 20–28
Day 25 Bluebook Practice Test #1 (both math
modules, fully timed)
Day 26 Deep review of every miss from Practice
Test 1 — categorize each in your Error Log
Day 27 Targeted drilling on whatever categories
Practice Test 1 exposed as weak
Day 28 Bluebook Practice Test #2 (fully timed)
Week 5: Peak Performance & Taper
Test-simulation focused
The final week is about consistency and confidence, not cramming new material.
Day Focus
Day 29 Review Practice Test 2 misses; re-drill
weak categories
Day 30 Bluebook Practice Test #3 (fully timed)
Day 31 Full error-log review — look for any
recurring pattern across all 3 tests
Day 32 Light targeted practice only on remaining
soft spots (30–60 min sessions, not
marathon days)
Day 33 Bluebook Practice Test #4 (fully timed)
— this should feel calm and fast by now
Day 34 Light review of Error Log highlights only.
No new content.
Day 35 Rest / very light review. Skim
formulas/tricks list only. Sleep well.
Weekly Non-Negotiables
• ✅ Every missed question goes in the Error Log — no exceptions, even “silly”
mistakes.
• ✅ Sunday = review day, not new content day.
• ✅ Practice tests are timed, uninterrupted, and reviewed the next day (not
immediately — let your brain reset first).
• ✅ Track a running list of “traps” you fall for (sign errors, misreading “at least” vs
“more than,” unit mix-ups) — these repeat more than people expect, even at the top
score bands.
Chapter Reference (Full List)
# Chapter Page
1 Exponents & Radicals 7
2 Percent 15
3 Exponential vs. Linear 24
Growth
4 Proportion 30
5 Rates 34
6 Expressions 42
7 Manipulating & Solving 49
Equations
8 More Equation Solving 62
Strategies
9 Systems of Equations 67
10 Inequalities 79
11 Word Problems 90
12 Lines 99
13 Interpreting Linear 109
Models
14 Functions 115
15 Quadratics 126
16 Synthetic Division 141
17 Complex Numbers 150
18 Absolute Value 154
19 Angles 160
20 Triangles 168
21 Radians 189
22 Circles 198
23 Trigonometry 206
# Chapter Page
24 Reading Data 215
25 Probability 224
26 Statistics I 234
27 Statistics II 247
28 Volume 252