<p>I took 3 summers of Kaplan, a TOTAL waste of time. I was averaging around 1800 on their practice tests. I finally just got their 2012 SAT book and studied the week before the SAT. Just took the SAT for the first time this May… 2380 
anything is possible !</p>
<p>When my daughter was in high school ('08) she took the SAT and then we enrolled her into an SAT prep class, one-on-one. She took the SAT a second time and her score was lower, so the prep class didn’t help.</p>
<p>Self-study is better than classes. I pulled my score up from 2050 to 2350 with a few weeks of studying on my own - really disassemble the practice tests and see what questions they’re asking.</p>
<p>HateBeinSober: “You could probably do a lot less on each individual day if you started earlier, but I’d rather be miserable for a week than be moderately unhappy for a month.”</p>
<p>+1, you made my day.</p>
<p>Too add to what everyone else is saying. If you are a bad test taker and are not self motivated (i.e. cannot set aside time each day to prep for the SAT), then you’d benefit from a prep class. Considering you seem like a pretty smart person, you could probably save $$$ and just study your weak areas and take some practice tests on your own.</p>
<p>I feel that a lot of what has been discussed can be summed up into:[ul]
[<em>]Prep classes are only useful if you benefit from a classroom setting, whether you are just more comfortable that way or you need the rigid structure to actually be able to study
[</em>]Xiggi’s words on the first page of this thread.
[/ul]</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I thought that the material the Kaplan class my mom made me take was more useful than the class itself. You can find said materials on Ebay, Amazon, and many other sites (I think some people sell theirs on Craigslist). Honest self-studying paid off the most for me.</p>
<p>Prep classes are probably helpful if you’re around ~1500, but they lose their value the higher you score.</p>
<p>i think if you have discipline, you can do it but it’s prolly best to take the classes if you’re not!</p>
<p>The main thing is that prep classes can only get you so far. In order to get a really high or near perfect score, it will be all about self improvement and dedication. Even if the class may be really individualized for you, only YOU truly know how to be your best tutor. They can only guess.</p>
<p>I wouldnt think so to be honest</p>
<p>Tbh most people who get really good scores do so because they’re self-motivated and study for the test on their own time. Practice sometimes makes perfect.</p>
<p>As cliched as this sounds, it’s all about how much effort you put in when it comes down to improving your scores. I know some people who self-studied and others who went to prep classes. At the end of the day, I observed that it really doesn’t matter how you study.</p>
<p>From experience, I started with a 2170 on the first cold pre-test I took, then went up 110 points to a 2280 after the 40 hour one-on-one prep course (Huntington Learning Center) I took, then went up to a 2380 after self-studying with a few books (especially the “Perfect 800: SAT Math: Advanced Strategies for Top Students” book by Dan Celenti).</p>
<p>I thought the prep course was somewhat helpful, but it was mostly aimed at “average” students - I’m sure it would do a great job of getting someone from a 1500 to an 1800, but it was only really helpful for me in a couple of areas (particularly on the writing multiple choice, getting me from a ~670 to an easy 800, and on the math, getting me from a ~690 to a 780), and a lot of the time I felt like I was just going through the motions and sort of wasting my time and money since we’d go over basic stuff that I didn’t really need help with because we had to go through the whole Huntington Learning Center official book for each section.</p>
<p>Knowing how the test works, timing, etc is really important. This can be just as or more important that what you know. Way back then (30 yrs ago) we took the test once, no study, no practice.</p>
<p>My son took the PACT Sophomore Year (24). For Junior year, the teachers came in and told the kids what they did “wrong” in how they approached the test. Simple things, what to expect, timing for each section, how not to overthink a question, how to skip but never leave blank (for the ACT) a question…</p>
<p>Junior Year ACT 33 / Early Senior Year ACT 34 = good enough probably not going to get any better.</p>
<p>SAT Subject Tests are very similar, though studying the subject is probably more significant. Knowing the timing type of material that you get nailed for a wrong answer thus do not “guess” if you do not know </p>
<p>Physics Subject Test Round I = mid 600’s
Physics Subject Test Round II = 780</p>
<p>He never took the SAT so cannot comment but would think the same approach applies. If you know the timing (when they say time is up), how to pace yourself, practice taking tests so your nerves are calm when you get there - </p>
<p>All are VERY important</p>
<p>There is always one kid that just walks in and aces the test first go round.</p>
<p>Many improve scores drastically as they feel more comfortable with the test</p>
<p>You do reach a point where after a few go rounds, you won’t improve much more</p>
<p>P/S: All of this applies to everything you do in your life, public speaking, selling your ideas, knowing how to approach problems, etc. Knowing what to expect and practice makes you be the best you can be at that moment in time.</p>
<p>Good Luck !</p>
<p>My opinion is that it completely depends on the individual person, the subject/section that needs improvement, and the quality of the test prep course. I took an SAT practice test at the end of freshmen year at an actual test center with no studying and got around a 1600. I then took a prep course and in a month or so it took me from a 1600 to around an 1850. Afterwards I took another prep course (different place), and it took me from around a 1850 to around the 1900s. </p>
<p>I personally think that the prep course was especially helpful for starting out and helping me learn my grammar rules for writing and getting a lot of problems for practicing the math section. I will say though that other than maybe learning some vocabulary words, I don’t think SAT prep was really that helpful for the reading section, which is a shame because it was and still is my weakest section.</p>
<p>Personally I think if your below an 1800, SAT prep can be helpful (but again depends on which specific place to you), but if you’re already at or above 1800, self-study is the way to go. After getting the 1900 range, getting it to go into the 2000/2100 range was all self-study. Almost everyone I know that received a 2150 or above self-studied.</p>
<p>I know several students who self studied and scored impressively.These were mostly driven by self motivation to prove themselves.You can but you have to work real hard for it</p>
<p>See I experienced both. I took my first sat prepping on my own free of any prep class. I did well but I knew I could improve. i think that the stat of students doing better self-studying than in class is rare at best. From my experience and with my friends across highschools around the country and with everyone in my school, the people who took the classes saw the best improvement. I hated kaplan. And from what I understand princeton review does the same thing that i hated about kaplan. Once upon a time these companies probably did a great job but they grew and lost their attention to the individual. corporate kinda took over. frankly i felt that i was paying money i deserved to be an actual person rather than just a payment source. i took advice and checked out revolution prep. im normally the biggest cynic when it comes to this but they actually make you feel like a human being. they match up instructors based on things ur interested in so when you work with your person he/she and you actually develop a relationship. they become invested and interested in your success. </p>
<p>im a junior in college but my sis is at the point where she is going to start going through the same prep process i went through years ago and i know she will go with revolution prep. they work with you and your budget to make it work. they gave a damn and to see that was so refreshing. your score will improve with them hands down. at the least give em a call and talk to em.</p>
<p>i think its super worthwhile to take a class. mine enabled me to produce impressive results. more than a 130 point increase in my score.</p>
<p>best.</p>