PrepScholar SAT Review
PrepScholar offers a 160-point SAT score improvement guarantee. Read on to see what its SAT course includes and what it costs.
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SAT Prep Course
The Only 160+ Point Guarantee
Is PrepScholar SAT prep worth the money?
Many students who have completed the SAT prep course would answer ABSOLUTELY! Even though you’ll pay a little more than Magoosh and won’t get the name brand recognition of The Princeton Review, you will get a personalized course focused on your needs, skills, and schedule. You can take their SAT prep course using their Online Prep program or via their engaging online classroom. Their tutoring program is tailored to you, with packages of 4, 10, 18, or 32 hours of private tutoring. You can test-drive the online course risk-free for five days.
They also promise a 160-point improvement over your previous SAT score, or a refund of the online prep cost if you qualify.
About PrepScholar, Inc.
Harvard grads Allen Cheng and Fred Zhang founded PrepScholar in 2013. Both earned perfect SAT scores, according to PrepScholar’s Who We Are page, and their tutors scored in the 99th percentile.
The program motivates you with weekly reports, progress trackers, and customized feedback. It is built to find your strengths and weaknesses and tailor the course to your skills.
Pros
- 160-Point Score Improvement Money-Back Guarantee
- Personalized Course
- Online Classroom and Tutoring Options
- Expert Instructors
Cons
- Expensive Tutoring Options
- No Mobile App
Things to consider before buying
If you want a course that uses only expert instructors and the option to complete the course either on your own time or in an online classroom, then you should put PrepScholar in the mix. You’ll get, personalized study sessions, high-definition videos, plenty of practice tests, and access to world-class private tutors. Check out what a sample lesson looks like to see for yourself!
Keep in mind that the SAT is now digital and adaptive, with two sections (Reading and Writing, and Math) and no science section, per the College Board SAT structure page.
Here are some things you should ask yourself before signing up for the PrepScholar SAT prep course:
- Do you want access to instructors who aced the SAT?
- Do you learn best in a classroom, even if it’s virtual?
- Do you want access to a private tutor?
- Do you want to try the course for free to see if you like it?
- Do you want a guarantee that you’ll improve your SAT score by at least 160 points?
If you answered yes to these questions, then PrepScholar is the perfect fit for you. Read on to check out the top features and benefits of enrolling in one of the best SAT test prep programs on the market! We’ve done all the research, all you have to do is decide if PrepScholar is right for you.
Features and Benefits
Choice of high-quality programs
The Complete SAT Online Prep course ($397) is a personalized online program that focuses on your needs, skills, and schedule. It gives you 12 months of access to 90+ skill lessons, 4,000+ practice questions, and 8 official College Board practice SATs, per the PrepScholar SAT prep page. Their most popular version adds an AI learning assistant for $495.
Live Instructor-Led Classes ($895) include the Complete Online Prep with the AI assistant plus live online classes with an expert teacher. If you have a question, just raise your hand, and your teacher will respond live. You get up to 36 hours of classes in groups of no more than nine students.
Their 1-on-1 Online Tutoring program is tailored just for you. You can choose 4, 10, 18, or 32 hours of one-on-one tutoring, and the tutors tailor their lessons to your goals and progress. Tutoring starts at $995 and includes the Complete SAT Online course.
Innovative online classes and tailored homework
After taking their SAT diagnostic exam, you’ll start receiving individualized homework assignments and lessons. Once you start working through the lessons, you’ll get focused feedback, based on your progress. Set your own schedule, and PrepScholar will adjust to fit your progress. Your classroom will have instructor-led lessons complete with voice, video, and a shared whiteboard. Have a question? Just ask questions and get answers from your teacher. The small classes mean you get personal, one-on-one help. Between classes, you’ll get homework assignments that are tailored to your skills and progress. As you move through the course, you’ll take timed, full-length practice exams with an SAT score and feedback on areas you need to review.
Programs customized just for you
PrepScholar’s course software will figure out your skill level and design a study plan tailored to your learning level. If you have a strong grasp of reading and writing, you’ll get more difficult problems there. If you’re weak in math, you’ll get easier problems at first, until your skills improve. PrepScholar will challenge you and provide you with efficient study sessions. Their customization technology makes sure that you’re always spending time on the areas where you’ll get the biggest gains.
PrepScholar motivates you to learn
The best way to stay motivated is to see your progress. PrepScholar encourages you to study by sending you weekly email reports showing you (and your parents) which lessons you have completed and how long you have worked on your lessons. This info keeps everyone up-to-date on your progress and holds you accountable for your learning. Kudos are sent for a job well done, and a word of caution for taking your foot off the gas. Positive motivation keeps you engaged and ensures you are putting in the effort needed to crush the SAT.
They stay with you all the way to test day
You’ll never feel like you’re left on your own to figure out how and what to study. You’ll get detailed directions on which lessons to take and when. They advise you when you should be reading lessons, answering questions, or reviewing your mistakes. You’re still free to choose what to work on based on your mood. If you’re not feeling up to a math lesson, take a reading and writing lesson instead.
Your study “Dashboard” will display your weekly study assignments (based on your strengths and weaknesses) and contains strategy lessons, quizzes, and practice tests. You can see what’s important to work on every time you sign in. If a practice test is coming up, lessons will target what you’ll need to review the week before the test.
They track your progress
On any journey, it’s important to know where you are and how far you have to go to reach your goals. PrepScholar has a set of tools at your disposal to track your progress. The time tracker shows you how much time you’re studying. The skill charts show you how you’re making progress over time. The log documents all of your past work. Seeing your progress will motivate you, giving you the confidence you need to master the SAT.
40 hours to success
To get the most from the Complete SAT Online Prep, you’ll need to commit to a minimum of 40 hours to the program. For example, if you are taking the test in 60 days, you’ll spend under an hour a day going through the program. To do your best, go beyond the minimum, since the course has far more lessons and questions than 40 hours can cover.
PrepScholar walks you through the course, step by step, so you won’t get overwhelmed or stressed out:
- First 10 Minutes: Sign up and prepare
- First Hour: Take their Smart Diagnostic
- Hours 2-10: Get “skilled-up” with eight one-hour lessons (20 min. teach/20 min. quiz/20 min. review)
- Hours 11-14: Take a full-length practice test (get your score right away)
- Hours 15+: Continue your customized prep (program evolves as you improve)
- Final Step: Ace the SAT
A world-class tutoring program
The best way to help you increase learning and motivate you to continue studying is through one-on-one tutoring. The Complete+ Tutoring package will let you choose from four options, depending on how much tutoring you need. You’ll get 4, 10, 18, or 32 hours of tutoring integrated into your Complete Prep experience. You’ll get the best of both worlds: access to their online or virtual classroom programs and a live one-on-one tutor. They’ll even customize a study plan based on your strengths and weaknesses.
We all have busy lives! The tutoring program is designed to fit into your schedule and is extremely flexible. Take your pick! From weekend or weekday to morning, afternoon, or night, they’ll tailor your tutoring sessions to accommodate you.
All your tutoring is held online with a live one-on-one PrepScholar tutor. You’ll get the most out of every session using face-to-face video and a problem-solving whiteboard. Live online tutoring eliminates a commute to the tutoring center or the hassle of fitting a prescheduled session into your life. You set the time and day.
A 5-day risk-free trial
If you’re not completely happy within the first five days of the online SAT prep course, just email them, and you’ll get your money back, no questions asked. The 5-day period starts when you submit the diagnostic test, and it ends no later than 7 days after you enter payment details.
Just a word of caution. Unlike other SAT prep trial offers, you’ll have to give them a credit card number to sign up. They place a pending charge, which is collected if you don’t cancel before the trial ends.
A 160-point score improvement money-back guarantee
If your starting score is under 1370 and you don’t improve by at least 160 points, or you start at 1370+ and don’t reach 1530, PrepScholar refunds the Complete Online Prep cost.
To qualify, you must finish all assigned lessons and practice tests, take an official SAT within 60 days of finishing, and have the College Board send your score report to PrepScholar. One refund per household.
Is PrepScholar any good?
One of the best ways to see if a test prep course is worthy is to see what students and parents say about the program. Here are just a few endorsements from users who praise the merits of PrepScholar’s SAT course:
In a hurry? Check out our deal here
SAT Prep Course
The Only 160+ Point Guarantee
Conclusion
PrepScholar seems to offer it all: an impressive online prep program, innovative live online classes, and one of the best tutoring programs in the country. Your SAT test-prep experience is personalized to focus on your needs, talents, and busy schedule. You’ll also get their promise of a 160-point test score improvement and plenty of practice to make sure that you are ready to crush the SAT.
Even though PrepScholar is a bit more expensive than other SAT prep courses out there, the guarantee and free trial lower the risk. Try it out for yourself by signing up for their 5-day risk-free offer and decide if PrepScholar can help you crush the SAT! See also our Best SAT Prep Courses here.
Sources
- Online SAT Prep, PrepScholar
- Who We Are, PrepScholar
- SAT Structure, College Board