smartguy

is the kaplan sat prep course worth the approx. $800

tokenadult

ALL SAT I prep courses are wastes of money. What you need to learn how to take SAT I tests is genuine, actual SAT I tests, published by the College Board, and some time and discipline to take the old tests as if they were "for keeps" with regular time limits. Then look over your answer choices, and THINK about why the correct answer choice is better than the other choices.

Good luck. Save your money.

P.S. If you want to boost your verbal (critical reading) score, READ, READ, READ, and READ. If you want to boost your math score, make sure you have MASTERED elementary school and junior high math, and that you read carefully. I like the online course from ALEKS as a review of basic math.

PeteSAT

No flame intended, but I have to disagree to a point with tokenadult. Prep courses are very helpful for SOME students. Definitely not all, but some. It really depends on the student. (A note here: I completely agree that diligently taking REAL SAT practice tests is the way to go.)

To figure out if a class is right for you, ask yourself is whether you are willing and able to study on your own. Do you tend to thrive in a classroom setting, working with a friend or two, or studying alone? Are you so competitive that a class would give you added incentive? Or do you tend to drift off and lose focus in a class.

If you do decide to take a class, you also have to consider the fact that some SAT prep teachers are great and others are AWFUL. Try to get recommendations for really top notch teachers from friends or other students and demand from Kaplan (or whomever) that you get placed in that excellent teacher's class.

The fact is, if you're really motivated, you CAN improve your scores yourself without taking a class or working with a tutor. But you have to be really motivated. There are a lot of free or inexpensive alternatives that can help you, and many of them are discussed in these forums.

Hope my 2 cents worth helps.

xiggi

The problem is that most students who look for SAT classes end up with inexperienced tutors, high school teachers dabbling in subjects they do not really understand, or the worst of all solutions: the generic PR, Kaplan, or Sylvan classes. Most invariably, the generic classes are taught by students who have received a training that is almost comparable to the class they are teaching. Further, they are teaching from a manual that, to the best of the combined knowledge of this forum, does not contain more than the material from their $20-30 publications. Companies that DO not use the official test published by ETS/TCB are simply to be avoided at all cost. Why endure the combination of sub-par "teachers", error-filled material, and misleading tests?

On the other hand, there are tutoring companies that take great pride in offering a superb package. Those companies tend to be privately owned and use very few hired tutors, if any. Any respectable company won't have a problem in providing an extensive list of clients, as well as a DETAILED plan of study. Make sure you call the reference!