<p>Hi I'm a newbie here, but I signed up for the Kaplan course and start it tomorrow. A former university professor told me it would be an excellent way to boost my SAT score, maybe even up to 200 points. The first time I took it, I got a 1720 ( 550 R 620 M 550 W) which is pretty mediocre. I started prepping really hard and took a BB test and got around a 600 R 600 M (I bombed on like 6 questions in a row) and around 600 W. I don't care too much about the writing section, but I really want to get around a 620-650 in Reading and a 670-700 in Math, and a 1900-2000 overall. Do you think the Kaplan course will get me to that level (with appropriate studying of course)? I'm pretty qualified in every other aspect when it comes to my resume, but my SAT score is my one weak point, mainly because I'm 15 and am skipping my junior year of high school.</p>
<p>I haven’t heard good things about Kaplan in general, but I have no experience with the actual course.</p>
<p>caughtintraffic, do you mean you heard bad things, or you just don’t know anything about the course lol</p>
<p>I took the Kaplan courses and scored 1800’s-1900’s consistently. I just took the Jan. SAT, and I was also aiming for 2,000. However, I didn’t get there at all. Kaplan didn’t really help me at all. The instructor that graded our essays was really soft on us. Not a very hard grader. I got 12 on my essays all the time. My essays were good, but still. I think she could’ve graded it a bit harder. Some of the Kaplan strategies are pretty bad, or in my eyes they are. I wouldn’t really quite recommend Kaplan to anyone, but it’s your call.</p>
<p>So far i understand everything in Kaplan but when it comes to doing my online homework i get 20 percent. I feel so stupid but i understand it so well! How is this??? i always get the practice problems and classwork correct.</p>
<p>My son just completed the Kaplan course for SAT. It was totally useless. I have worked with him on the SAT, and I found that he did not pick up a single thing/technique from the course. He loved the teacher, and enjoyed the classes - but the did not learn a thing. They report the mock test results after a very long delay - leaving you frustrated. Plus, they gave him the top score on his essays, even though he had obvious grammar errors - which they did not point out. In short, a total waste of time and money. What has really helped him is to attach specific sub-sections of the test, one at a time. For example, just keep doing the writing questions connected to error improvement until you have got them. Then, the next subsection and so on.</p>
<p>I just finished the kaplan course as well. It’s not useless. I dont think any practice you get for the SAT is useless. the techniques that Kaplan provides are useful, but it depends on the student. Ambitious students tend to make the most out of any and every opportunity to practice. The work load from Kaplan is agonising - they expect you to do so much in such a short amount of time, and because they’re covering all the topics in the SAT, the work tends to be rushed and you barely have time to focus on any specific topic.
I wouldnt recommend the course but the books are enlightening. At the very least they have more practice tests that you could use:] Good luck!</p>
<p>Don’t touch Kaplan if you can possibly avoid it. Their strategies are helpful if you’re starting at a low level, but if your goal is over 1800 they’re not going to get you very far. They do a poor job of helping you learn any skills you don’t have because they’re a) cramming a lot into a few sessions, b) not customizing the information to your specific needs and c) putting you in a classroom with a bunch of kids who have no interest in being there and will just distract you. You’re better off with a tutor, or just prepping on your own. Good luck!</p>
I had signed up for Kaplan SAT Pref in-class for both my son and daughter.
My daughter took it first and said it’s a waste of money. But I dind’t listen. So, I signed up again for my son and now I completely should have listened to her. IT’S A WASTE OF MONEY.
Watch out for their ‘money back guarantee’ - it’s ridiculous!