I can pretty much always help someone with 650-700 PSATs improve to 770+ math SATs and help someone with under 1800 SATs improve at least 200 points. However, I can’t usually do it in less than 10 hours of tutoring time. How do you explain this to clients? I don’t want to seem like I am trying to sell hours. Do others feel the same way?
Tell them that the SAT isn’t a test you crash for. It takes practice over time.
GPA and SAT are weighted nearly the same in some schools. Heck, some schools weigh the SAT more because unlike GPAs that vary from school to school, SAT grades can be used to judge ALL the applicants. So isn’t it logical that one should spent MUCH more than 10 hours preparing for the SATs, considering that it takes 4 years to obtain a HS GPA?
Slight off topic, but since you are talking about this, how long do you think that prep is necessary to improve on the SAT? I find that many people prep for months in advance but wouldn’t studying at more slight more accelerated pace for say 2 months be much more productive? Is there a certain amount of time a student should spend for a 200 point increase or is it just completely subjective to the student ability?
One thing I try to point out to any private client is that the more time they are willing to put in on their own, the fewer times I will need to see them. As many here at CC often say, self-study is a completely viable method. But some students need the structure that a tutor can provide. I even point them to videos that explain how to do the whole process without a tutor. But if a student wants to be taken in hand and walked through the process, 10 hours is not unreasonable.
Generally, I need 15-20 hours tutoring with the same amount of time homework to get a 200+ improvement in cumulative SATs for a student starting below 1800 or to get a student with 65-70 math PSATs to at least 770 in math SATs.
I usually mention resources for self study, depending on the situation.