For students
5–10 words. Then your phone.
Yes, it's a lock. We're not going to pretend otherwise. But it's a fast one, and what's behind it is SAT prep built to be as efficient as possible.
How it goes
Open your phone.
The shield is up.
Do today’s words.
About five minutes. See a word, learn it, prove it.
Done.
Your apps unlock until tonight’s cutoff. That’s it.
Why it's actually fair
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Short.
Five-ish minutes. Faster than an episode intro.
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Miss one? No big deal.
The word goes back one level, not to the start.
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Already know it?
Quiz out and skip it. We’re not going to make you grind a word you know.
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Step away and you get a new word.
No answer-hunting in another tab, and no lost progress either.
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No signal?
Still works. You can finish a session offline and get a short unlock.
Why it's worth it (even if nobody made you)
- These are the words that actually show up. The list comes from official SAT practice tests, not random “fancy words.”
- You're learning the test's tricks. Like how a colon or a pair of dashes on the SAT often means the definition is coming next. Once you see it, you can't unsee it.
- It can help on math, too. Word problems are partly a reading test, so a stronger vocabulary can make them easier to parse.
- Future you says thanks. Junior year is busy. Knocking out vocab now means one less thing later.
The five levels
Every word climbs five levels: Meet it → Recall it → Use it → Read it in context → Write it. The last one is writing your own sentence. It's the hardest part, on purpose. You can guess on multiple choice. You can't fake a sentence.
Try one
implacable (adj.)
“The coach was implacable: no excuse, however creative, could get us out of running laps.”
What does implacable mean? (Hint: look at what comes after the colon.)
Show the answer
Answer: impossible to calm or satisfy. The colon told you: no excuse could get us out of it.
Questions students ask
How long does a daily session take?
About five minutes. Each session covers 5–10 words, with reviews of words that are due coming first, then new words if there's room.
Does SATShield work without internet?
Yes. Everything needed for a session is on the phone, so students can complete a session with no signal and earn a short unlock.
What happens when a student gets a word wrong?
The word drops back one level, not to the beginning, and comes back sooner for review. A single miss after several correct answers is usually a momentary lapse, so a full reset would waste time on a word the student mostly knows.
Why do students have to write a sentence if they already got the question right?
Because writing an original sentence is the honest measure of mastery. Information you produce yourself is remembered better than information you choose from options, and you can guess on multiple choice but you can't fake a sentence.
Want in?
SATShield is coming soon for iPhone. A parent or guardian sets it up.
(You'll need to be 13 or older.)