Kaplan or Princeton Review for SAT prep?

<p>For Princeton
SAT Fundamentals - 18-hour Course - $600
SAT Ultimate 30-hour Small Group Course - $1600
SAT Ultimate 30-hour Course - $1000
OR
Kaplan SAT Classroom for $700
I can get above 650 on math but I struggle on reading and writing (both under 550)
Currently in 11th grade</p>

<p>Do not sign up for either. Look for Xiggi’s Method and Silverturtle’s Guide on sub-forums. Basically, you can teach yourself by doing old SAT tests, thoroughly reviewing every answer when you finish, figuring out where you need some extra work, doing the extra work and then taking more practice tests. More efficient and less expensive.</p>

<p>Can you give me what I need? I also do better with classes, I don’t study SAT well myself because I feel like I don’t need to do it until it’s too late.</p>

<p>I really wanna take SAT classes…so…</p>

<p>None of them; they do not help. The SAT is very easily self-studiable, but it does require significant self-discipline. And if you’re really keen on getting lessons, the only lessons that are worth your money would be private lessons with a private Tutor. They’ll be very expensive, much more so than the Kaplan and Princeton Review courses, but only those lessons will actually be useful.</p>

<p>The problem is idk where to look for a private tutor…I have the blue book but I guess I should just time myself and take those tests? I’m not sure if I would improve. And when should I start studying? I take SATs in April next year.
Can someone link me to the guides in the subforums?</p>

<p>My son took ACT and PSAT classroom and online courses from Kaplan this past summer. It was helpful mainly because of the extra practice exams and the online homework. He said the classroom lessons didn’t really teach him anything new. But it was nice that he could ask the instructor questions instead of figuring out answers on his own. If money is not a problem for your parents AND you are dedicated to do all the homework, then give it a try. If not, plenty of good prep books out there will do just fine.</p>

<p>Yea I don’t really want extra homework but if that motivates me and forces me to study I would do it. Can anyone answer my questions on my previous post?</p>

<p>I think you are self-motivated enough to study by yourself, but it might be a good idea to get a private tutor (just ask around in high school maybe…?) first to help you for a month so you get the general ideas and tips and tricks of the SAT.</p>

<p>Buy the Blue Book, do the practice tests, check your answers, make sure you know WHY you got it wrong. For the math and writing sections, you can find most of the explanations for the answers in CC (just type word for word the problem) </p>

<p>set up a schedule for yourself if you are the type of person that needs that homework for motivation. What I used to do was do 1 full math/CR test everyday which are 1 hour long, and if I have a lot of schoolwork then I’ll do 1 Writing test instead since the writing sections excluding essay is like 35 minutes.</p>

<p>You should definitely start studying now in your junior year if you are going to take aiming for April.</p>

<p>You just time yourself and do the tests, nothing really magical about the process. I actually didn’t time myself on the first few tests as you will naturally improve in terms of time the more practice tests you do.</p>

<p>here are the guide links</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/955109-silverturtles-guide-sat-admissions-success.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/955109-silverturtles-guide-sat-admissions-success.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/68210-xiggis-sat-prep-advice.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/68210-xiggis-sat-prep-advice.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>good luck on your sat :)</p>

<p>Thank you! I’ll find time to look through that, my problem is that my mom think I’m not studying if I don’t go to an actual classroom, which is not totally true lol. So I have the blue book already and I need to work on Reading and Writing specifically, is that the book I only need? And how’s taking 1 test a week beginning in November until I take the SAT? I wanna get at least 600 in both reading and writing and get a 700 in math (which I can achieve without studying most likely)
I also have to take subject tests, I’m taking 1 in November and I’m taking possibly 2 more, and I also take AP Biology which is the only AP class in my school, my teacher makes up take notes on PAGES and PAGES of info so it’s really hard to study for SATs.</p>

<p>Self-Study can be as intensive, if not more, than actual classrooms. Just make sure you have a good study environment that you feel comfortable in/ not a lot of distractions. I think 1 test a day is a pretty good amount to do. I know a tutor who adamantly refuses to use anything other than Blue book + previously released tests but I found princeton review, McGrawhill, and Kaplan all helpful also ( couldn’t REALLY tell the diff. between blue book vs others, but that’s a personal opinion). Make sure to do vocabs also along the way if you are missing a lot of them. The vocab books I personally suggest is word smart I and word smart II, memorizing both completely will guarantee that you will in most cases get one or no vocab wrong on the whole test. Knowing vocab also helps with the passage sections too as a better vocabulary generally leads to a higher understanding of the passage. </p>

<p>For subject tests, I would recommend you take Math II right after you finish your pre-calculus/Trig course in high school, and for the Bio if you plan to take it, take it in June as your memory will still be fresh from studying for the AP exams.</p>

<p>Well 1 test a day? I can’t do that, I’m taking an ap test in 2 weeks and I’m taking ap bio class in school…I can do 1-2 tests a week max. What if I take Prince Review/Kaplan and self-study?</p>