<p>Just wondering how much an SAT prep class or tutoring really helps. </p>
<p>My child has refused, so far, to study much for the SATs, has scored in the high 700s on M and W, but cannot pull his CR score above 690, even though he took the SATs twice, and even though his PSAT CR score was signficantly higher. </p>
<p>He has realized that his stubbornness has backfired, and has agreed to get some form of tutoring for the CR section, but I am wondering if it's worth it, and if these programs actually work and can raise one's scores. (His other stats are good, such as GPA, class rank, 800s on SAT IIs, ECs.) </p>
<p>If you think the prep class will encourage him to do more practice tests, then it will be helpful. Some may disagree…but…the only real way to improve CR, if you child has been a lifelong reader, is to do and review practice tests.</p>
<p>If there’s any chance he would do the practice tests on his own…then…tutoring isn’t necessary.</p>
<p>Thanks for your thoughts. So it sounds like you’re saying that the practice tests are the most important part, and that tutoring itself is not that important. Is that right?</p>
<p>Yes. See Xiggi method in SAT section. Parents and students on this site swear by it, and it makes sense.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids took prep classes. One took a couple of practice tests, and was one and done. Was historically good at standardized tests, anyway. The other was a reluctant practice test taker…but…I didn’t think the tutoring or test prep would encourage much more prep…so didn’t want to spend the $$$.</p>
<p>Currently we are working on the writing section and I found the course very helpful. But we haven’t started working on the CR section yet .
However , untill now they gave me Two practice tests and my reading score increased by 80 points , and I believe when we start working on the CR section the score will increase even more ( I hope ) .
What I mean is , practice tests are very important to increase the CR score , so if your son can take them alone don’t enroll him in a prep course . But if he doesn’t practice alot by himself then enroll him in a course , it will be useful.</p>
<p>Unless the two practice tests given in the course were official SAT tests, the changes in scores mean little to nothing. Many outfits like to offer a preliminary test that is harder than the norm and a final test that is relatively easier. This helps their statistics and their guarantees of increased scores. </p>
<p>The real story can only be told by relying on official tests.</p>
<p>Is your son satisfied with his CR score? If so I’d let it rest. 690 is a good score. If you/he are not content with that, I’d suggest private tutor vs. a course. The private tutor can give your son strategies for the types of questions that he is missing and/or advice on when/whether to skip a question. This type of targeted advice is more useful, imo, than a “prep course.” Also - vocab is a big part of the CR score and that is hard to improve unless he is willing to put substantial effort into learning more of that ridiculously obscure SAT vocab.</p>
<p>I only have anecdotal evidence–my S had a 202 on the PSAT and then took a “boot camp” style review course. It was the two weekends before the March SAT, twelve hours both weekends and three tests taken that were immediately scored, returned, and analyzed. He ended up with a 790M, 780CR, and 640 W (2240) for his first try. We are debating whether to retake to try to raise the W score but are obviously very pleased with his other scores. The reason not to retake is his top two schools both require all SATs be sent and he is afraid to go down. If he retakes, we will definitely follow Xiggi’s method and probably get some Writing tutoring as well. He is weak in science so the ACT scares us a little but maybe he will take that instead. I think the tutoring was worth it, if nothing more than to force “real time” practice tests with immediate feedback.</p>
<p>wordworld–a lot of colleges “superscore”: take the best scores for each section across multiple test administrations. You could check your colleges’ websites to see if they will do that before deciding to retake or not. Also, the science section of the ACT is not that bad. Take a look at a practice book–it tests more the ability to read and interpret stuff like graphs and data tables, not so much facts/figures. But, some kids do better on the SAT, others on the ACT. FWIW, my son (history/humanities nerd) did the best on the science section of the ACT.</p>
<p>maggiedog–I concur with most of the other posters. The major advantage of taking an SAT prep course is that you take lots of practice tests and get feedback on them. Since your kid does great on the other sections, I would consider just getting a tutor if you feel he needs to take it again, to focus on the CR (and get strategies for dealing with the questions). But, I would also consider letting it rest. His scores are certainly within the 25-75 percentile range for most colleges, and it might be better to focus on other aspects of the application (like the essays!).</p>
<p>I never took any SAT prep nor looked at review books, and my scores improved the second time around, I think just from being a little more familiar with the test. Most of my friends have said that SAT classes didn’t help them too much, but then again, I can’t imagine a little extra prep would hurt.</p>
<p>The CR section has a lot to do with vocabulary - based on your child’s previous experience taking the test, with what did he feel least comfortable? It might be good to get one of those SAT vocab books or lists and try to study from that. If it’s a time management issue and he finds himself rushing towards the end, practice tests and more practice tests might be the best option. Those passages get harder as they go along, so having to rush through the last, most difficult one isn’t a good combination.</p>
<p>So many helpful responses! Thanks, all of you. The general sense I get is that he would probably benefit the most from a tutor to help with CR, and to work on practice tests. The breakdown from the SATs was that he had the most problem with reading comprehension, not vocab, so he might benefit from test-taking and comprehension strategies.</p>
<p>Interestingly, we had him take the ACT and he got a composite score of 34. The only section that he struggled with was the Reading section - so, again, reading comprehension. One thought we had was to send only his ACT scores to colleges instead of SATs; however, a lot of schools want the SAT subject tests, and since he did so well on those, it is a shame to “waste” them. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, that is not 100 percent accurate. The questions only get harder in the Math sections. The CR sections do not follow the same pattern. In addition, while a good vocabulary is an asset for the SAT, it is not as important as some believe. Reading lists of words is an exercise in futility; spending some time reading books that present words within their context is a bit better but hardly necessary. One could accomplish just as much by merely READING past exams and looking up words when needed.</p>
<p>A good score on the CR sections depends a lot more on using the correct techniques and maintaining concentration than on possessing an extended vocabulary.</p>
<p>I am surprised no one had mentioned. Go buy the blue collegeboard book and see if he is wililng to do some practice CR on his own. It take less than 20 min a section. Addtionally, 1/3 of the score is the essay. So if he can boost his essay he may pick up points there. There is a great guide in the SAT section on how to write an SAT essay in the stickied area and I would say it is better than anything else in print and may be better than what a tutor can offer. The writer writes about a basic template, pre researching several classic examples for themes eg the scarlet letter. It is really an excellent guide.</p>
<p>To the OP: I have previously taken a Kaplan SAT prep course, but the actual class was not as useful as just taking practice tests in the actual time constraints with the feeling of adrenaline and pressure while taking the test. I recommend just taking practice tests from College Board (the blue book) and reviewing the questions instead of paying for a tutor or prep course. I started with a 203 PSAT (60 CR, 80 M, 63 W), scored a 2240 on my last Kaplan prep test (680 CR, 800 M, 760 W), then scored a 2360 on the real October 9 SAT (800 CR, 800 M, 760 W). Just a side note, the Kaplan tests I took seemed to be more generous than actual College Board curves so my 760 in Writing on that Kaplan test should have been closer to a 710, and the same with the CR score for Kaplan. After I took the prep course, I just used the College Board’s Official SAT Study Guide and practiced, improving to a 2360 on the real test. So the official practice tests are the most important thing.</p>
<p>Not at all. In fact the scores they gave on their essays bore no resemblance to any score he ever got on an actual SAT. It was a Kaplan class and I didn’t waste my money on the second kid.</p>
<p>Also Kaplan definitely scores kids low on the first practice test they give and then surprise higher on the next ones.</p>
<p>I think the people who do best on the CR section are those who have read extensively from childhood. (25-50 books a year) They read fast and they get the big ideas easily, and they have great vocabularies. But you can’t pick up all those skills a year before the test, though you can learn to test smarter.</p>
<p>Agree with the above post, which is why both our kids did well on CR. D did find it helpful to take a review course to learn the math she hadn’t yet covered in class that was going to be on the test and get familiar in general with the subject matter. That doesn’t sound like your child’s issues. Not sure how you’d cram to make up for CR if your child hasn’t been such a lifelong reader, tho can improve ability to understand question formats & strategies on doing reading comp with better pacing. Tutoring might be better for that, including some analysis of what As were wrong & why.</p>
<p>I agree that being a reader is essential to one’s reading score. My son was an avid reader until he hit adolescence, and then got distracted That is why I am wondering if a math/science type kid can even bother improving a CR score very much. It sounds like from some of the feedback that he could possibly improve a little with either some tutoring or with taking the practice tests over and over. I would agree that taking the full prep course would be a waste, especially since he would not need it in math.</p>
<p>For whatever reason, my daughter did much better on the ACT than the SAT, so she ended up just sending schools her ACT and SAT2 scores, and mostly ignoring her SAT1 scores. So the lovely SAT2 scores aren’t wasted.</p>
<p>I am aware that some schools require sending all of the SAT scores. I am assuming that means that you cannot send SAT IIs without also including SAT I scores. Is that correct?</p>
<p>Also, do you think a school would question why one would send ACT scores and SAT IIs, and avoid sending SAT I scores? In other words, does it look like you’re trying to hide a bad SAT I score?</p>
That is why I am wondering if a math/science type kid can even bother improving a CR score very much. It sounds like from some of the feedback that he could possibly improve a little with either some tutoring or with taking the practice tests over and over. I would agree that taking the full prep course would be a waste, especially since he would not need it in math.</p>