Should I take a SAT prep class?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

Hi, I’m a rising junior and I’m planning to take the October SAT and also the PSAT. So far, I’ve been practicing a little bit by doing some practice tests and strategies. I’ve scored 1480 on both practice SATs I’ve taken, with a 690 on Reading/Writing and 790 on math. Ideally, I’m aiming for the perfect 1600, but I would be satisfied with anything around 1550+. Money is not an issue for me, but I still think SAT prep classes are unnecessarily expensive, and I heard that all you do in those classes are practice tests, which I could do on my own. Would self-studying be good enough for me to reach my goal score?
Also, I want to be a National Merit Scholar Finalist for the PSAT. I took a practice PSAT last year and received a 1470, and I was wondering how I should study for the PSAT and around what score I would need in order to qualify?

Any help/advice is appreciated.

2

If you have the discipline to self study and take practice tests, that should work out fine.

3

Exactly as youcee stated, you need to have discipline. I am kind of lazy and without a prep class probably wouldn’t have done well since I thrive in a classroom environment, but if you can do it by yourself then no need to waste money. Just make sure you PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE (like one test a day for at least 2-3 weeks and make sure you understand everything you got wrong.)

4

Your best bet would be a private tutor who can identify key errors rather than a generalized course. Tutors can be more expensive on an hourly basis, but more efficient because you wont waste time going over concepts you already know.