<p>Anyone have experience,good or bad, with Revolution? My oldest did Elite and not sure how much it really helped. I think my youngest needs a prep class and won't be able to self motivate herself thru using books like many suggest here.</p>
<p>Anyone with an experience?</p>
<p>Sorry, I've never heard of it before.</p>
<p>rocket review?</p>
<p>My school uses it to prep the Juniors. I'm a Sophomore, but my friend who's a Junior says it's pretty good. They use the hardest actual SAT questions in their practice tests.</p>
<p>On the other hand, despite the months of mandatory prep, my school's average SAT score is around 1020 (Math + Verbal). </p>
<p>Hooray ambivalence!</p>
<p>It's okay, the practice test they use aren't that good and are graded artificially low to artificially high, but they use the blue book as part of the course. Overall it's better than PR and Kaplan, idk about Elite, but I think testmasters is much better.</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback.</p>
<p>No Testmasters in California.</p>
<p>Isn't the Rocket Review website out of date? It seems like nothing has been updated for a couple of years.</p>
<p>At our school, the majority of kids take their first SAT in October/November/December of their junior year. Rocket Review recommends March/April/May of the junior year. What do you guys think? Our plan was to take a SAT prep class this summer(prior to junior year) and take the SAT in November or December.</p>
<p>Testmasters does have classes and tutoring in California. I have been talking to them today</p>
<p>I hate to bring this old topic up. But has anyone else had recent experience with these folks. Our son scored 200 on the PSAT in the fall and has been taking some of the old SAT tests and scoring about 1980-2050. Last week he took the Revolution Prep diagnostic test and they said he scored a 1700. His best friend who scored a 210 on the PSAT scored a 1750! Of course I was startled , yet I also know there are SAT time and testing constraints--he also did not finish his essay (proctor says to the kids "Times up for the essay--stop writing." ***? with zero warning??). This first unfinished essay received an 8.</p>
<p>My question is since these folks promise to give you your money back if you don't score 200 above the diagnostic, do you think they are weighing down the initial diagnostic with the hardest questions possible? My husband is convinced of that-- given S's testing history usually in the 96 or above percentiles.</p>
<p>Obviously we will review the answers and comments and work on time management...</p>
<p>I heard that they suck... practicewise I heard some good things about PR and maybe Elite (although many complain)... but other than those, most academies tend to overpromise and underdeliver... naaaah... I rather study alone!!! lol</p>
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My school uses it to prep the Juniors. I'm a Sophomore, but my friend who's a Junior says it's pretty good. They use the hardest actual SAT questions in their practice tests.
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</p>
<p>From firsthand experience I can now say that these people royally suck. Many of their questions are not official practice questions, and their tests are not realistic at all. Their instruction is dismally slow-paced and they fail to teach even the most basic concepts of strategy. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Our son scored 200 on the PSAT in the fall and has been taking some of the old SAT tests and scoring about 1980-2050. Last week he took the Revolution Prep diagnostic test and they said he scored a 1700.
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</p>
<p>Your son is not likely to learn a thing from this class, especially since he's already scoring in the 2000s. Provided he has the discipline he'd be much better off studying independently with prep books.</p>
<p>Additionally, using harder questions than the actual exam questions doesn't help--and in fact it hurts. Practicing with questions of abnormal difficulty mandates that you learn abnormal habits. You want to become accustomed to actual tests and learn strategies that you can actually use on the real test.</p>
<p>Rev SAT is so bad that many of my friends dropped out after one or two classes. I agree with Godfatherbob that independent study is the way to go.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I asked my son what he thinks about it. He said,"Honestly it's ridiculously slow, and they're teaching math I had in 8th and 9th grade." He said he doesn't think it will hurt and at least he is taking the SAT practice once a week and getting to practice his essays. I wont repeat the same mistake with his sister. We raised his PSAT grade from sophomore year's 175 (took it cold we did not even know it was that date) to the 200 in Junior year. This was from working each morning in the summer on vocab and practice at home!</p>
<p>Anyway, I also discovered that apparently REVPREP scores your test with a range, so say you get 6 wrong on a section and you go look up the score it is a big wide range given, unlike when we use the SAT prep books. Apparently at least from what I can glean they took the bottom number of the range for three scores thus the false deflated score. Thanks again folks. I really appreciate you guys.</p>
<p>If I get a chance I will let you know how he does subsequently and how he does on the real SAT --March 14 which will be his first time taking it.</p>
<p>Well here is the update. S got a 1900 on Revolution Prep test 2, a mere week later. And that's still based on them picking the mid low end of the score range. We bought the Blue Book to go along with the Gruber. I am pleased that he is taking the SAT 5 times. I think it helps, especially with timing. 3 hours and 45 minutes under strict circumstances differs dramatically from sitting at the dining room table and breaking up the test in pieces. The other good news is that studying the vocab words over the summer has paid off. The analysis shows him getting 100% on vocab though weak in the long passages.... good info for studying.... We'll see what Test #3 brings...</p>
<p>As for the classes, revol prep does not appear to split the kids up according to the test scores which seems nonsensical. Worse the teacher goes over the first ten or so of each test, and S seems to get none wrong in the first ten .</p>
<p>@washdcmom
I have not taken a class SAT prep class yet because of the same complaints your son has. I'm set on the math section and I am really shocked at how many students cannot get a 700+ on the math section when most of the material is taught in middle school and reviewed throughout high school, but I do understand that everybody has their own strengths. </p>
<p>I recently took a mock SAT at my HS hosted by Revolution Prep and I have to say that I did not like how it was proctored. The proctor did announce 5 minute warnings, but she would start sections IMMEDIATELY after time ended. It was annoying when time would start while I was checking the beginning of the current section. Also, I did not like their answer sheets. They were kind of confusing at first and it only added to the frustration felt from the bad timing. I can't really say anything about their questions though for I am not too familiar with CB questions yet.</p>
<p>Note that I did not take the course, just a mock SAT that they offered. With that being said, I personally would not take their course.</p>
<p>Btw, does anyone know a respected SAT/ACT prep company in MD? I would prefer that one that offers cheap deals or discounts to lower income families. Rev Prep mentioned that some of their students received their scholarships and only paid a fraction of the price. I was planning on studying independently, but it wouldn't hurt if I took a few classes for a small fee.</p>
<p>You know Driscol I am not certain that I would recommend any of them. My son's pSAT score jumped alot more with summer home study. I am glad I did not pay full price for it!! The best part is the test taking, practice on essay and the internet scoring sheets that organize things.</p>
<p>I am not certain that it's not actually intefering. S got 200 on PSAT and I don't see alot of movement upward via their class. I would like tosee a 2100 next month if not we will do our own thing in the summer! He is only a junior and this will be his 1st time taking the SAT. Good luck to you as well. I recommend the Blue Book and Gruber for Math.</p>
<p>PS The proctoring is crap,total crap. LOL. I also think they deliberately low ball the early scores.</p>
<p>PSS if you are on scholarship usually the school pays the percentage that their current scholarship pays on your tuition. And REV PREP only charges you the balance.</p>
<p>I am also in a similar situation as washdcmom. But I am in California. Am looking for an SAT prep. class for D. She is a sophomore. School has some ties with Rev. Prep. So classes are conducted at school which is a big help. </p>
<p>I am also looking for SAT prep class that are not very expensive and do a good job teaching strategies. Does anyone recommend Revelution prep?</p>
<p>I was wondering whether Revolution Prep lowballs the early scores. My S took mock SAT with them at school a couple of weeks ago, and his score (1860) dropped significantly from fall PSATs (209). And he actually studied a little bit for the mock SAT.</p>
<p>After what I have read in these threads, I don't really trust the results.</p>
<p>I am watching this play out like a hawk... SDMOMof3 and friends.</p>
<p>This is what I have noticed:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Kids who got 200 or more on the PSAT suddenly had 1700 - 1800 or so on the diagnostic</p></li>
<li><p>Scores mysteriously jumped for kids in one week only.</p></li>
<li><p>3 weeks in my kids score is at PSAT level but his BB total score is 100-125+ higher</p></li>
<li><p>All REVprep scores are scored at the bottom of the BB range at first--then they move towards the middle range when they score future tests. Also beware the writing score. That always seems to be scored at the lowest point on the range. It is not clear how they are adding in the essay. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>Anyway, I have mentioned this is S's first time taking it so we'll see.</p>