So much about test prep keeps changing every year: There’s a new SAT and now a new ACT, colleges constantly change their rules about whether testing is required, and there are so many new types of test prep formats to choose from. It can feel too overwhelming to even dip your toe in, let alone make these big choices.
We’re going to outline exactly how to pick the right test prep for you so you can feel confident about your college admissions future.
1. Check your test prep timeline
Do you have time and energy every week to do lots of at-home practice? If not, start early! Then try signing up with a tutor who can meet every-other-week in order to spread out the work load.
Is your availability consistent? If your schedule is unpredictable, with new activities popping up on different days and times of the week or travels to different time zones, maybe a class that meets every Tuesday at 6pm isn’t for you. Try taking a self-paced, online course that can accommodate you.
On the other hand, if you’re only available from 5 to 6pm every Thursday, there’s probably a course out there at that time that could fit right in!
2. Look at your test prep budget
Low Budget: Both the SAT and ACT have free resources, and there are lots of books available for $50 or less. (However, those books are probably marketing materials designed to confuse you so you sign up for a course… so be careful.)
Medium Budget: Self-paced courses are at-most $500, but usually less, and big classes with a teacher can run anywhere from $100 to $800
High Budget: Private tutoring prices tend to be similar to the hourly rate for a therapist or a lawyer in your area, averaging about $100/hr nationwide. If it’s too much more than twice that, they’re probably just trying to take as much money from you as possible.
3. Take a practice test
The only way to know what you actually need to study is by taking the test itself. There are six practice tests for the SAT and two for the PSAT available on the Bluebook app, and there are two free ACT practice tests that you get when you download various free things on their website, as well as a series of practice passages in each subject.
As you’re taking the test, pay attention to how it feels, which questions you think you got right or wrong, what you found easy or hard, etc. Then compare your experience to your results to see how well you align with that particular test and how much help you need.
If you think you need a lot of help, or if you’re stuck on a particular topic, or if you’re super close to the score you want but you just can’t get there, learning from a human being is definitely necessary. If you just want more practice to secure the learning you already have, and maybe review some math concepts, then automated practice questions should do the trick.
4. Diagnose your testing hang-ups
Based on your test results, figure out what you actually need help with so you can choose test prep that will actually help with that problem!
If you need to review certain concepts or freshen up on only one subject, try a more focused course that reviews the concepts you’re missing.
If you need to boost all subjects just a few more points, try a more comprehensive self-paced course that helps you understand the test better to improve all around.
If you are super stuck and need specialized help that is tailored to you, or if you need support for a disability, then a tutor is likely your best bet.
Read more here on how to target certain difficulties in test prep.
To hear the truth about testing myths and learn more about choosing test prep, listen to our podcast episode with Eric Rath from Rath Tutoring:
