<p>I have a daughter who just finished her sophomore year and is planning to spend this summer to prepare for the SAT. I was thinking of a Princeton Review prep course, for which my main expectation would be for her to finish some number of practice tests and get introduced to basic test taking skills.
Reading many negative comments on prep classes, however, I started to think more about on-line courses (mainly for my D to learn basic test taking skills) and/or private tutoring, and am looking for your advice.</p>
<p>First, here is my evaluation on my D. She doesn’t seem to learn effectively in class room setting and likes to learn materials herself. But she definitely needs a direction and coaching, since I think she is not dedicated and motivated enough to analyze her weakness and next steps herself. She got close to 200 in PSAT and I hope her to get at least 2200 in the SAT.</p>
<p>Now, here are several plans and questions for you.</p>
<li>If she takes a formal prep course, is it better to do it in the summer or in the fall (or right before the test)?</li>
</ol>
<p>2 Have any of you taken on-line prep courses? How did they work? Any recommended program (PR, K, something else)?</p>
<li><p>One option seems to do an online course with self-preparation first, and then to take a private tutoring if her practice score is still not close to the target. Perhaps, she will do online+self prep during the summer and go for further coaching in the fall if needed.<br>
Money-wise, this plan would cost about the same or even more than a commercial prep course, and wonder if my plan is a wise way to go. Any advice?</p></li>
<li><p>For private tutoring, it seems not so promising to find a great tutor in our town, a small town far away from major cities. Thus, a possibility is to use an on-line tutor, perhaps for just one subject. Any experience with on-line tutors? If I hire an on-line tutor, do you have some suggestions on which part, CR versus writing and what/where to look for?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>First of all, there are thousands of students who are in the same boat. </p>
<p>Your option number 3 is probably your best bet. There are ways to make a DIY preparation more interesting and unveil the inner motivation. </p>
<p>Summer is an ideal time to start in anticipation of the official PSAT to be taken during the Junior year. Since preparing for the PSAT and the SAT require the same approach, there are no overlaps. </p>
<p>As far as online course, I would highly suggest to start with the combinations offered by the College Board and complement the online course with a source book such as Peter Edwards’ Maximum SAT for the basic rules. </p>
<p>Please remember that the ultimate motivation for teens is a bit of cash. Please consider “bribing” your daughter with a few dollars to get started. Enough to see the latest summer movie for taking a couple of sections should work miracles! Consider it an investment in your daughter’s future.</p>
<p>Our third son is a rising junior who has never taken a practice SAT or anything similar to it. By this time in our older two sons’ lives, they had both had experience with tests in elementary and middle school through CTY. I also had used the Princeton Review Cracking the SAT with each of them and both scored in the high 700’s with little effort on my part. Although they rarely practiced once in high school they ‘tolerated’ my working with them using TPR book and and the Real SATs. </p>
<p>I’ve purchased self-study materials for Son 3 but he has not cracked the books at all. I was considering TPR online with a live coach vs. the classroom-based course, primarily to get him hooked into the routine of studying. Of course, both are $$$, but I think that having him do this across the summer to be followed by taking actual tests (similar to the Xiggi method). </p>
<p>(I liked the ‘bribery’ that you mentioned… it’s not a normal practice in our household, but time’s awastin’)</p>
<p>From what you (and others) know about the online course (plus live coach) vs classroom, what would you recommend?</p>