<p>How do they compare with the real thing are they harder than the SAT? Here's why I'm asking. Son got a 1920 on his SAT I (700M, 630V and 590W). He has been working with a private tutor from rev prep who seems very good and knowledgeable but we have not had good results on practice tests. He has taken 3 of them and gotten scores of 1940, 1760, and 1850 (in that order). The 1940 was inaccurate because the CR was artificially inflated. It is not important why - </p>
<p>Son is very discouraged and so are the parents (and the tutor for that matter). Son says he is trying, but this is not a test condition.</p>
<p>I’m familiar with both the Revolution Prep tests (5 of them) and the BB sample tests (12 of them). They seem comparable to me.</p>
<p>The one variable that’s hard to compare is the essay, since the grading by the Revolution Prep tutor may not match that done by the College Board graders. The grading difference can easily translate to 50 points on the writing portion of the SAT. And since writing is your son’s weakest area that may explain the variations.</p>
<p>Since the tutor is also surprised by your son’s lack of progress it’s possible that the issue is not whether the tests are an accurate reflection of the SAT but how well your son is assimilating the Revolution Prep advice and test taking methodology. My sense is that taking sample tests without adjusting one’s test taking strategy based on the results often translates into similar scores test after test. It’s essential to review the test results, and to “deeply” understand the reason for the correct answer and the incorrect choice on each guess and wrong answer. It is also important to apply the elimination strategy, essay writing strategy, trial and error strategy, ime management etc. that the tutor is no doubt advising. Lots of hard work! I encourage you to review your son’s work and test taking approach to see how well he’s absorbing the training and applying the methodology.</p>
<p>The good news is that writing, your son’s weakest score, is the one area where once things “click” strong progress is rapid.</p>
<p>Yes, its 1st prep test is intentionally hard so that they can get away with their “Money back guarantee”:
“If you have not taken an official SAT/ACT test six months or less before the start of your SAT/ACT, your Baseline Score will be the result of your first Revolution Prep practice test.”</p>
<p>They are bunch of scumbags. My son took his 1st SAT exactly 6 months before the class. He got worse score when he took the 2nd time 3 months after the class. He said the instructor was pretty bad, but yet his prep test scores “improved” during the class. Their prep tests were part of their scam.</p>
<p>The lesson (primarily for the parents) is: test scores are not reliable indicators of actual SAT scores unless the tests are actual SATs. Readily available examples of the latter include the first three tests of the 2nd edition Blue Book and the three tests available for download from the College Board web site, as well as some of the tests offered in the CB online course.</p>
<p>Be skeptical, or at least suspicious, of all other prep test scores!</p>
<p>Nothing will give you an accurate indicator of performance on the SAT besides taking it legitimately. Even though you can get released exams from Collegeboard, it is impossible to mimic the actual test day conditions and the feelings you have when you are sitting down in the classroom taking the exam.</p>
<p>I can’t agree. Yes, the test day stress etc. will be missing but in my experience the resources I mentioned are very reliable when taken under reasonable conditions (timed, no interruptions, etc.). By reliable I mean that the average prep test scores match the actual SAT score within the uncertainty of the SAT score itself (± 30 points on each section).</p>