Episode 11 – Robert Brundage on Digital SAT Strategy, Adaptive Scoring, and Desmos

In this episode of the SupportED Learning Podcast, Dr. Joe Sebestyen sits down with SAT coach and digital prep expert Robert Brundage, founder of Penguin Test Prep, to break down what truly drives score gains on the digital SAT. Robert explains why adaptive scoring is widely misunderstood, how students get capped when they try to game the first module, and why the modern SAT rewards test mechanics, logic, and time management as much as content knowledge.

Dr. Joe Sebestyen and Robert Brundage explore how the test-optional era shifted reported score expectations and why many students now feel pressure to hit 1500-plus. They also unpack the two biggest changes in the digital format: smarter Desmos usage in math and the shift from long passages to short reading snippets with highly specific question types. Robert shares how high-achieving students lose points to distractor answers, why strategy beats memorization when time is limited, and what he would remove from most SAT prep plans.

This conversation also offers a clear-eyed look at AI tools in test prep, including when tools like ChatGPT can support foundational learning and when they create confusion at higher score ranges. The episode closes with rapid-fire advice on what students overthink, what they underthink, and where to earn the easiest points on test day, making it a practical listen for students and families preparing for upcoming SAT dates.

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