<p>My kids have no problems with the verbal but get stuck in the mid 600's to low 700s on the math. Where we live, everyone thinks their scores are great but from CC land we know that those scores aren't competitive. How do you suggest looking for a tutor? I guess we could go with a service but I wonder if they are any good.</p>
<p>To be honest, there is no SAT math tutor who is worth the cost. At a minimum of, lets say, $30 an hour and assuming you plan on getting at least 10 hours of study in that’s at least $300 down the drain. </p>
<p>It’s remarkably easy to just grab a few dozen practice tests from various sources. Do them as often as possible, and get your kids to review ALL their wrong answers from each test. They’ll be getting to mid-high 700s in no time at all. SAT math is not fundamentally difficult, just tricky. A tutor is a waste of money.</p>
<p>I could do it for free if you want, but online, just contact me.</p>
<p>From the standpoint of a part-time mathematics tutor, it’s very rarely worth hiring an SAT tutor (unless it’s free or low-cost). It’s not worth spending $400-500 to improve 100 points, usually at selective colleges where the SAT is not the critical factor.</p>
<p>Hiring a math tutor to improve a few grade levels in math, for example, is a different story and is probably worth the money.</p>
<p>I would like to beg to differ. Having a private tutor can help hit your weakest areas in math. Although learning from a book might be less expensive, have a person walk through ways to solve a math problem can be very beneficial.</p>
<p>Here is an edited version of an article I wrote titled “Should You Take a Prep Course for SAT Math?” I hope you find it useful.</p>
<p>In this article we are going to help you decide if you should sign up for an SAT math prep course, or if you should continue preparing on your own. Taking a course can be quite costly, so it’s best to be as informed as possible before making a decision.</p>
<p>The main reason to sign up for a course is for motivation. A prep course can keep you focused and on the correct path. If you are a student that can motivate yourself successfully, then there is no need to take an expensive course. </p>
<p>Now I don’t want to give the impression that I am against SAT prep courses. I think that they can be great. In fact, I’ve been running them for over twelve years.</p>
<p>If you do decide to take a course, here are some things that you should find out about the person or company that you will be dealing with.</p>
<p>Their results: what is the average score increase that students get from their PSAT to their SAT after taking this course? Would you really want to pay for a service that doesn’t produce results?</p>
<p>Group size: I always prefer groups of about 3 to 5 students. This is small enough to give individualized attention, and large enough to have a nice group dynamic.</p>
<p>Grouping method: Do they group students by their PSAT scores? If you scored a 650 in math on your PSAT, you do not want to be in the same group as someone who scored a 400. You will most likely be wasting time practicing problems that you don’t need help with, and the 400 student will be struggling with problems that he or she will not even get up to on the actual exam.</p>
<p>Hiring practices: Does the company or person you may deal with hire people just based upon their SAT scores, or do they make sure that they have exceptional teachers? Do they have separate instructors for Verbal and Math? What are the credentials of these instructors?</p>
<p>Instructor salaries: In general, you get what you pay for, and in the case of a prep course, you get what the company is paying for. Make sure that their tutors are paid well.</p>
<p>Feedback: What are other people saying about them? Remember, the best recommendation is from friends who have already used them and have gotten an exceptional result. If you can’t get this kind of recommendation, it is EVEN MORE important that you check credentials using the other suggestions mentioned in this list.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that there are often local tutors that do a much better job than some of the big name companies, and are less expensive. Local companies and tutors don’t generally have many expenses, so they can pass these savings on to you. And there are many exceptional ones out there. Ask students that you know who have already taken the SAT where they went for preparation. Find out their results and if they were happy with the course.</p>
<p>To summarize, first you should decide if you have the motivation to prepare for the SAT on your own. If so, make sure you stick to a study plan using the suggestions in this video on preparing for the SAT. If you decide you would like to sign up for a course, make sure you get the appropriate information before deciding whom to use.</p>
<p>I have had good experiences,overall, in using tutors for my children for SAT and ACT. It does take time to find the right tutors that fit your children needs, but it is worth it for sure. I have found some good organizations in the DC area.</p>
<p>As to whether a tutor can be helpful…the biggest question is does the student know how to DO the math in question? Do they understand their mistakes when they make them? Do they know how to correct the error AND learn how to avoid them in the future? If the answer to any of these is no, a tutor can be a great help. 90% of my students have weaknesses in their math skills, not in their ability to take the math SAT. In this sense, tutoring offers benefits that go well beyond test day.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if your kids can self-correct their errors, then a lot of self-analysis and practice can do the trick. You can always hire a tutor for an hour or two to answer specific questions as needed. Good luck.</p>
<p>That is a very insightful post, Dr.Steve. Thanks.</p>