The 10 Best Online SAT Prep Courses | BestColleges (2023)

FAQs

The 10 Best Online SAT Prep Courses | BestColleges? ›

Test prep can only help so much

Many of those results are overstated and promise to increase test scores by hundreds of points. The more likely outcome for improvement is closer to 30 additional points on the SAT and one to two points on the ACT. If you're on the edge of a bracket, a test prep course may be worth it.

Test prep can only help so much

Many of those results are overstated and promise to increase test scores by hundreds of points. The more likely outcome for improvement is closer to 30 additional points on the SAT and one to two points on the ACT. If you're on the edge of a bracket, a test prep course may be worth it.

Ultimately, for some students, an initial “investment” of around $1,000 for a test prep class could mean they save up to $5,000 a year through scholarships. Obviously, this is not the case for every student, but the potential for a high ROI is one of the top reasons for enrolling in prep classes.

For instance, you need at least 55 out of 58 questions correct in the Maths section, 41 out of 44 in the Writing & Language section, and 48 out of 52 in the Reading section to score a 1500+ on your SAT. This combination is just an example of the number of questions you need to answer correctly to score above 1500.

Is the Khan Academy a Good Way to Study for the SAT? Yes! Khan Academy offers personalized and interactive tools and resources for SAT study and prep. The site gives students a tailored practice plan based on their practice scores or previous scores.

Studying for the SAT in a month is possible, though it's recommended that you spend 10 to 20 hours per week over the course of two or three months prepping for the SAT.

In general, we recommend starting your SAT prep early. About three months before your test should give you enough of a buffer to try a few study approaches and get comfortable with the test content.

Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to the SAT, and spending hours prepping for the test can drastically improve your score. According to the College Board, which is the maker of the SAT, as little as 6-8 hours of personalized SAT prep can lead to an average score increase of 90 points on the test.

Why Use an SAT Prep Book? Many students who want to do well on the SAT turn to prep books to help them study and learn the strategies they need to maximize their scores. These books feature tips, questions, and practice tests aimed at students who plan to spend large amounts of time studying to increase their scores.

How much is Khan Academy SAT prep? ›

For parents

SAT practice on Khan Academy is world-class SAT prep that's effective and 100% free.

Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is world-class SAT prep that is effective, personalized to your child, and 100% free.

Despite what many private tutors and test-taking agencies say, they can't guarantee success. In the end, it's all up to you. Tutors can be a great resource for students who've already taken these tests and are struggling to improve. Tutors are also great for students who have a hard time studying on their own.

Can you prep for the SAT in one month? Absolutely. A lot of students do; most will take between one and six months to prepare. If you're aiming for a top score, however, you have a lot to cover in just one month!

There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered.

So, start answering the questions which you find easy. To get 1500 SAT, you need to get at least 48 right out of 52 in the Reading section. 41 right out of 44 in the Language section and 55 right out of 58 in the Maths section.

Because the Khan Academy tests are actually released by The College Board, they are generally regarded as official and accurate material.

The College Board works closely with Khan Academy staff at all stages of content creation to ensure that the test questions you see on the Khan Academy website are the same types of questions you will see on the actual SAT.

Absolutely! Many Khan Academy reviews will tell you just how legitimate the platform is. But you don't have to take our word for it — since its establishment in 2008, Khan Academy has provided quality education to everyone at no cost.

Two to three months of studying will put you right in the sweet spot for being well-prepared. You have just enough time to become an expert on the test and not let your grades suffer (especially if you're on summer break). But with this amount of time, it can be tough to stay focused.

What is the best age to start preparing for the SAT? ›

Junior school: The 11th grade, also known as a junior school, is the best time when a student can start the preparation for the SAT exam. This is an age perfect to comprehend things precisely and learn things at a good pace.

Three months is a great amount of time to prep for the SAT. You can spread out your studying and you'll have ample time to master the concepts tested on the SAT. It can be difficult to know where to start your SAT prep. The key is finding the right resources, staying organized, and sticking to your plan.

Myth: The March SAT is the easiest SAT test date. Fact: There's no such thing as “the easiest SAT test date.” While it's true that some versions of the SAT are easier than others, it's false that some test dates are predictably easier than others.

Even if you're already on a high score, improving your SAT scores by 200 points requires two months or even longer period of consistent studying and self-assessment. Here are some tips to improve your SAT score by 200 points: First of all, start appearing for the practice tests at least once a week.

As a rule of thumb, here is the amount of time students need to improve their SAT scores: 10+ hours of studying to maintain their score. 20+ hours of studying for a score improvement of 10-100 points. 40+ hours of studying for a score improvement of 100-150 points.

A 1300 is an admirable SAT goal and it's attainable if you're starting at an 1150. But if your initial test score is a 900, a 400-point score increase is not very realistic. Sure, it can be done, but the average student does not have 40-hours a week to invest in SAT prep for months at a time.

But in brief, when preparing alone, you should plan on an average improvement of 50 points per month. So, for example, if you need to gain 200 points, you should plan to prep for 4 months. This guide will show you how to determine exactly how much time you personally should plan to spend studying for the SAT test.

There are several steps you can take to raise your score. And, yes, you can go up 50, 100, 150, or perhaps 200 points. Even the College Board has acknowledged that students can prepare for the test. Some general advice: the quality of your studying is more important than how long you study.

Best SAT Reading Prep Book

My recommendation for best SAT Reading book is The Critical Reader: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading, Fourth Edition by Erica L. Meltzer. This book dissects the SAT Reading section by question type and skill, and does a great job teaching the core of what each question is asking.

$25 – $80 average rates per hour

The average cost for SAT tutoring is $70 per hour. Hiring a SAT tutor to help you get into college, you will likely spend between $45 and $100 per hour. The price of tutoring can vary greatly by region (and even by zip code). 20+ tutors near you & online ready to help.

Is Kaplan SAT prep book worth it? ›

Kaplan's Live Online class option is a favorite of students and parents because it offers the structure and accountability that many students need to study effectively. In addition, it covers all the material you need to know on the SAT, so it will be beneficial for many students.

NEW YORK and MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — New data show studying for the SAT^® for 20 hours on free Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy is associated with an average score gain of 115 points, nearly double the average score gain compared to students who don't use Khan Academy.

Yes, Kaplan is better than Princeton Review for SAT. Both Kaplan and Princeton Review offer some of the best SAT prep courses on the market, but the Kaplan course is better for SAT. It gives the official SAT practice tests, so students will know what to expect on test day.

The Princeton Review is undoubtedly one of the best SAT prep courses available. If you're looking for customizable, comprehensive courses with personalized support and bold score improvement guarantees, this is a great option for you.

Visit the Khan Academy Official SAT Practice website, and click the Practice Now button. If you are a new learner, the website will start by asking you a series of questions, including which test you want to practice for: the SAT or the PSAT.

Students can take the SAT as many times as they want. We recommend that they take it at least twice—in the spring of their junior year and the fall of their senior year. Most students get a higher score the second time, and most colleges consider a student's highest SAT score when making admission decisions.

Created by experts, Khan Academy's library of trusted, standards-aligned practice and lessons covers math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, AP®, SAT®, and more. It's all free for learners and teachers.

About 18 percent took a high school class on SAT prep, 11 percent took a private class, and 7 percent had a private tutor. Private classes were the most effective form of test preparation, and students who took them had an average increase in SAT score of 60 points.

If you're planning on taking the SAT more than once during your junior and senior years, it's highly recommended that you order the Student Answer Service, if not the Question and Answer Service, to prepare for your next exam.

How long does the average person study for the SAT? ›

Generally, students put in 10 to 20 hours a week while preparing for the SAT, but that amount could be larger or smaller depending on your score goals. There are a couple of factors you should take into consideration when determining how many hours you'll need to put into your prep.

Total hours per week: 2; 5-6 on weeks with full practice tests. If you're a first-time test taker, with only three months before test day, you'll likely need more time each week. Plan to spend at least an hour on general content review and then at least two hours on practice sessions and homework.

Most people recommend studying for 3 to 4 hours every day on a set schedule that allows your brain to work at its full capacity. You should avoid studying for more than five or six hours as this can lead to burnout and cause you to lose the information that you have learned.

SAT average score for Harvard University out of 1600 is 1515. Harvard University's SAT 25th percentile is 1460, indicating that less than 25% of applicants score below 1460.

Ideal ACT/SAT Scores for Ivy League School Applications

The minimum SAT score to get into an Ivy League school ranges from 690 to 730 for the reading section and from 700 to 730 for the math section. Getting 700 or 710 (or higher) on both of these sections will give you an advantage at most Ivy League universities.

The only reason to consider retaking the SAT after earning a 1300 score is if you have your sights set on a very selective or elite school, such as those in the Ivy League. The 25th percentile for these institutions hovers around 1390, which means you may fall short as a competitive candidate.

So your score for Evidence Based Reading and Writing section is 700. If you wish to get a perfect score of 1600 you cannot miss any question or mark it wrongly.

Exactly How Many Questions Can You Get Wrong or Skip and Still Get a 1600? Since the scores on the individual sections are simply added together to create your composite SAT score, you need to score 800 on the two sections (Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing) to get a score of 1600.

As you can see with the above SAT scoring chart, it's possible to get some questions wrong and still earn the max SAT score. Generally speaking, you can miss 1-2 questions on each section and still get a perfect 1600.

A 1600 SAT score makes an eligible and extremely competitive candidate at all schools, resulting in it being a good score.

Is Kaplan the best SAT prep? ›

Kaplan is one of the oldest and most popular test prep companies for a reason. They employ highly qualified and trained tutors and have a vast library of quality practice questions. Kaplan's reputation precedes them, so you'll know your child will be getting access to high quality SAT prep resources.

In online forums, students also tend to identify Test #3 as the hardest of the official practice tests, so there truly seems to be a clear consensus. It's important to remember though that a hard practice test can actually be a great resource!

Which MCAT prep course is better, Kaplan or Princeton Review? It is very close to call and we give both courses high ratings, but overall, we prefer Kaplan's MCAT prep course to Princeton Review's. Kaplan has superior video lessons, a better live class format, and their practice tests are more realistic.

Two of the biggest SAT coaching firms, the New York-based Kaplan Educational Centers and the Princeton Review, say those taking their courses score on average 120 points and 140 points higher, respectively.

Barron's SAT vs Princeton Review SAT

After thoroughly reviewing each company's seminal SAT prep book, including reading their subject reviews, working practice problems and playing with their online extras, our verdict is that we like Barron's for SAT prep.

Mark Zuckerberg.

The founder of Facebook scored the perfect 1600 on the SAT and attended Harvard University. There's no surprise there on the score or prestigious university!

Elon Musk reacts to GPT-4 scoring 93% on SAT exams.

Bill Gates has an impressive SAT score

Gates scored a 1590 out of 1600 on his SATs.

What's the biggest difference between the Princeton Review and Kaplan GRE prep courses? While both courses are extremely similar in many ways, the main difference between the Princeton Review and Kaplan GRE prep courses is that Princeton provides more practice tests and live instruction.

The comparison between Magoosh and Princeton Review is relatively easy when it comes to prep books: one course provides hardcopy books (Princeton Review) and one doesn't (Magoosh). That said, Magoosh is upfront about this matter and prides itself on being a strictly 100% digital online prep course.

Is Kaplan good for SAT practice? ›

Kaplan's SAT Channel offers students the chance to squeeze in some extra lessons. These recorded lectures take a deeper dive into particular topics that often confuse students and are heavily tested. In total, there is around 16 hours of recorded SAT Channel lessons, and they are generally excellent.

Most high school student are advised to take the SAT in spring of their junior year and the March SAT test date is a big favorite of many college counselors.

As with all college prep, the earlier the better! Try to take the SAT in August, October, or November. These three test dates should have little trouble getting your scores to colleges in time, assuming your earliest deadline is somewhere around January 1.

Which SAT® is the easiest? Myth: The March SAT is the easiest SAT test date. Fact: There's no such thing as “the easiest SAT test date.” While it's true that some versions of the SAT are easier than others, it's false that some test dates are predictably easier than others.