<p>Hi guys, so I'm a rising junior and I'm an >3.7 GPA student, but when it comes to tests my performance is average. :-S So I wanted to know if I should take one of the following SAT classes Kaplan vs. Princeton Review vs. IvyBound (IvyPrep) vs. Premier Aptitude vs. Test takers. What have you heard about those classes? Are they worth the money? If they aren't do you have any knowledge about a class or a tutor who would be worth the money? </p>
<p>Don’t take any of the classes. Try to self-study based with guidance from the stickied threads in the SAT Preparation sub-forum. Good luck.</p>
<p>Self-studying: I find most teachers teach directly from the popular books anyways, if not their own knowledge of the subject. Additionally, you will be saving a lot of money on your part (maybe even thousands) in just purchasing your own prep books :)</p>
<p>Highly suggested prep books are to be found in this forum~</p>
<p>Classes are a great way to learn basic test taking strategies however, some classes may be too large. Try to find companies that have lower student/teacher ratio so that you are able to ask questions and have more direct answers, as well as direct help if you are confused. </p>
<p>One on one tutoring with someone who is SAT/ACT qualified will also be very beneficial because they will know the skills and techniques needed to get through the tricky, time consuming questions. It may be helpful for someone who is just starting to do some minor tutoring just to go over test taking strategies, and then continue on with self studying. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that there are a lot of prep books, but not all are great, and not all will help with test taking strategies and time management. This is often where students have the most difficulty.</p>
<p>Study hard and don’t give up!</p>
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<p>Also please keep in mind that there are a lot of tutors, but not all are great and not all will help improve your score. A much cheaper, and potentially more effective method, is to self-study using guidance provided on this forum. Its not for everyone but many people have seen dramatic increases in their scores. Its certainly worth trying unless you don’t think you can study well without the structure provided by a tutor.</p>
<p>I have no data to back this up, but I would guess that the average CC student who self-studies based on this forum’s guidance sees an improvement in their score that is higher than the average improvement of students that use tutors.</p>
<p>One last point. FWIW I get no benefit from my argument while Mr. TutorTeacher above certainly has an interest in promoting the tutoring path.</p>
<p>My advice is that you analyze your needs and make your decision based on what you need. CollegeConfidential’s usual stance of “study by yourself, don’t waste money” is solid for self-motivated students (which CC has a lot of), but it’s not for everyone.</p>
<p>First you have to know yourself. What’s your biggest problem? Is it motivation to study? Is it not knowing what to study? What level are you scoring at - below average, average, above average? Do you have a busy schedule and it’s hard to fit in prep time? How much are you or your family willing to spend? </p>
<p>If you have no motivation problems and are decently introspective, self-study is great. You need to learn from your mistakes and put in study time, but following the advice on this forum will help you a lot.</p>
<p>If your problem is motivation, then self study probably won’t work for you unless you have a track record of being able to put in study time. If you’re scoring at a low level, are willing to pay $800+, and just want to sit in a room and have info thrown at you, a class like Kaplan (<a href=“http://www.kaptest.com”>www.kaptest.com</a>), Princeton Review, Veritas, etc. is not bad. It’s not going to do you any miracles for your score, but you’ll be forced to sit in a room and at least spend some time studying and get introduced to the test. </p>
<p>Maybe you don’t have time to do an in-person class, but you still want some structure for what to study and how. Online programs are pretty good for this purpose. I personally bought PrepScholar (<a href=“http://www.prepscholar.com”>www.prepscholar.com</a>) and found it to be helpful. I used it mainly for its practice questions, but they had some motivational and scheduling features built in that my friends said they liked. YMMV. Basically this gives you structure and guidance at a lower cost.</p>
<p>If you have a really high budget, then tutoring is usually the way you can get the best results, BUT most tutors out there are actually pretty bad and don’t know how to teach. You need to find one that people agree is good.</p>
<p>This guide has good advice on thinking through what methods of prep are right for you or not:
<a href=“https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/l/compare_methods_prep”>https://www.prepscholar.com/sat/l/compare_methods_prep</a>
(Disclosure: I personally bought PrepScholar and am not necessarily trying to advertise it; I think the guide they wrote will actually be helpful to you).</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>