<p>Another issue: How much can test-prep courses raise scores?</p>
<p>Actual answer: I have no idea.</p>
<p>Supplemental comments: I think several of the test-prep programs offer money-back guarantees (or free repeats), if the score does not go up by a certain number of points. If they're offering money back, by the (Ferengi) First Law of Acquisition, I'd surmise that 98% of the participants see a score increase at least that high. If they're just offering a free session, I'd guess that about 90% of the students see that score increase. I'd also guess that the score increases are clustered fairly near to the guaranteed level, with double the guaranteed increase (or more) being pretty rare. And I think there is a cut-off pre-test score, above which the guarantee doesn't apply. I'd be interested to know whether a student who pre-tests, takes the prep course, achieves the guaranteed increase, and then again signs up for test-prep receives a guarantee of a further increase, or not.</p>
<p>Side comment: I note that there are some programs (which I consider completely over-the-top) that might have dramatic effects for over-the-top applicants. For example, I saw a Korean web site suggesting 35,000 English vocabulary words to memorize in preparation for the GRE. The sheer grit displayed by anyone who learned 35,000 new words for the GRE is way outside of my range of experience!</p>
<p>Just a few quick comments on the correlation between SAT and family income, from the College Board National Report--the link provided by tokenadult. The data show a strong association, with the mean scores rising almost monotonically with family income. But I have two reservations about this:</p>
<p>a) The table stops early, in my opinion, with the last two levels being $80,000-$100,000 and "more than $100,000." In my home state, a child of two employed teachers would fit in the top income category. This family would be comfortable, but--really!--would you consider them wealthy? CB might show that family income does not "purchase" test scores if they extended the range of the income data--or they might truly rile people, if the average score on each section rises to 684 (made-up number) in households with incomes of $500,000-$600,000. Which do you suppose it is?</p>
<p>b) More than half a million test-takers did not answer this question (maybe about 40% of the group). I suspect that some sample bias may lurk behind this fact.</p>
<p>PS: Not on the thread topic, but isn't it amusing that the average math grade for both males and females, as listed in the CB National Report (linked by tokenadult), equals pi to three digits?</p>
<p>I am having a hard time understanding this debate. SAT scores matter a lot, sometimes more than grades. Why wouldn't you do whatever you can to raise your score?</p>
<p>
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Why wouldn't you do whatever you can to raise your score?
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</p>
<p>My question is whether there is any proven effectiveness in taking a high-priced test prep course. College Board publishes figures about what happens when students retake the SAT </p>
<p>and in general a student's scores will go up on each section as the student becomes more experienced in taking the SAT (which happens while the student is also becoming older). It's not clear that there is any added value at all to paying for an SAT course over just becoming older, reading more, learning more math, and noticing more English grammar rules. </p>
<p>An SAT test-prep program director recently told me that he doesn't even feel he is in competition with other companies in that business. In some parts of the country, parents sign up their kids for ALL available SAT prep courses, because of their desire to get an edge. But maybe those parents are just wasting their money. (By the way, who has any figures about what the typical scoring level is of a young person who is just starting a test-prep course? Do the courses mostly get students who start out scoring in the 300s per section, or in the 600s?)</p>
<p>I have three college age children, all of whom are at top 25 schools. They all took prep courses, and all went up 200-300 points. They would not have gotten into these schools without the top SAT scores, period. People do take the test multiple times, but taking it in April and then in June is not really giving them a chance to "get older". If you are not comfortable taking a prep class, don't take one. It is, however, no more cheating than hiring a tutor or any other service that you pay for. Can you study by yourself and improve your scores? Sure, but most students don't have the time or discipline unless it is a regular part of their busy schedule. The SAT classes provide the students with structure and guidance. So much depends on where your scores are when you start and where you would like to go to college.</p>
<p>ugh. i think taking the classes just means you don't have disciplkine</p>
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It is, however, no more cheating than hiring a tutor or any other service that you pay for.
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they're all considered the same. you can call them all cheating, or not, but still it's "paying" for the points</p>
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Can you study by yourself and improve your scores? Sure, but most students don't have the time or discipline unless it is a regular part of their busy schedule.
<p>Tokenadult,
My guess is that the kids who sign up for the classes are the 600 scorers who are trying to ratchet up to a better school/merit money, not the 300 scorers. I don't know any of DS's friends who have taken a prep class for the SAT, but he's not in the typical HS situation.</p>
<p>Not at all, zero. Would never ever take one of those things at the expense of watching my favorite TV shows or eating dinner with my family or walking the dog.</p>
<p>Actually, most students really don't study at all. Many schools across the country actually have SAT prep classes built in to their school schedules. Why? Because higher SAT scores drive up property values, so schools want their students to do well. I suppose it depends on which part of the country you live in. Here in the suburbs of NYC, most competitive students do take some type of a prep class.</p>
<p>i originally felt like not writing here, but all this bad propaganda is getting out of hand... do you really NOT believe in prep classes?...</p>
<p>think of it this way... taking an SAT prep course to get higher SAT scores is like going to schoool... sure, some people could probably pick up a book and naturally absorb calculus, but some of us not-1000-point-IQ people would like to have a teacher... a guide to explain exactly how it is that derivatives work... same with the SAT... if you can study for it on your own, then good for you... in fact, i would like us all to take a second to get up and congradulate these people right now <em>APPLAUSE</em>... however, some of us have doubts and aren't sure exactly how the SAT works... and thats what the prep is there for... sheesh... next you'll be looking down upon college professors cuz YOU can learn organic chemistry on your own...</p>
<p>in the end, we DID have to learn it all... its not like we paid for a chip to be implanted in our brain that would magically increase our score... we had to work at it and learn... so i find that whole "you paid for the extra points" philosophy extremely ignorant and bordering on insulting.</p>
<p>and yes... here is one thing i totally agree with you all on... it does put people who cant pay for the courses at a disadvantage... however, that is already seen to in the college acceptance phase... you seem to <em>coughconvenientlycough</em> forget the advantage that socio-economically disadvantaged kids get in college apps... just like they know that some kids cant pay for an expensive summer session, they also know that some kids cant pay for SAT prep... so it evens out in the end...</p>
<p>It makes you feel insulted when people look down upon your bought scores? That's exactly what they are. </p>
<p>SAT is supposed to be a test of ability - you shouldn't need to "study" for it, because it should reflect your natural ability. If you improve greatly with prep courses, it means you were underperforming and underachieving, which is nothing to be proud of. </p>
<p>ability to do what? take a test?... you DO study for tests right?... </p>
<p>and you DO know that self-studying (something that has been all-around praised here) is a form of studying...</p>
<p>besides... i dont know about you, but my "natural abilities" were saying "googoo gaga," crying, and pooping... the rest I got from teachers, parents, and hmm, lets see... STUDYING...</p>
<p>and as for "prep courses dont work," ...????????????
yah they do... ask around and most of the people who took them will say it raised their score by like 200-300 points... it raised mine by 400... </p>
<p>and you know what, since I know that you have something to say to this (cuz yall just HAVE to feel smarter than everyone else for your not-studied-for 2400) i vow this to be my final post on this thread... good nite...</p>