The Truth About SAT Prep Schools: Are They Really Worth The Money?
Hey ya'll, happy summertime! I'm sure everyone's having an awesome time, spending your precious hours in front of the sun, swimming with your friends, shopping, relaxing at home - the good stuff, amirite?
Unless, of course, you're a rising junior in high school, like I am.
Unless, of course, you can practically see the PSAT, SAT, and ACT looming before you, less than a few months away.
Unless, of course, you have strict Asian parents that expect you to be smart and you've somehow made it this far under their noses without revealing all those failures from your past, but now the ultimate tests await to unravel those faults.
As I quote from a very intriguing youtube comment: "We are called Asians, not B-sians"
If you fit any of the descriptions mentioned above, then congratulations - you, like me, are preparing - or at least, attempting to prepare - for one of the biggest exams in the nation. For the purpose of this post, I'm focusing on the SAT.
For those of you who don't know what the SAT is, then here's a link to a PrepScholar explanation: https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-the-sat-a-complete-explanation-of-the-test
Sorry to all you ACT fanatics out there, but I honestly have no idea how the ACT is structured, nor is it my primary concern, just because I'm a little bit more familiar with the SAT. Both tests are absolutely fine, I'm sure of it, it's just that I wouldn't really know, so how could I be sure? (Yes, I'm aware that I just contradicted myself.
There are a variety of different ways that people start studying for the SAT. Most just buy or borrow some practice books, spend a few hours studying it each day, and hopefully improve over the course of time. Others may hire personal or online tutors, most often aimed at prepping for only the SAT. Still others go to elitist prep schools, where teachers hand out packets of questions every day with lessons included, and then you take an all-round SAT test at the end of every week.
All three options can vary in prices, from practice being free (from the library) or costing you thousands of dollars.
At the beginning of my sophomore year, I could only imagine preparing myself by toughening up and doing a bunch of Khan Academy practices (if you haven't heard already, College Board and Khan Academy have partnered up to provide free - yes, free - online practice questions and tests. Of course, my lazy self didn't let it happened like planned, and I was honestly okay with it. I took my first real PSAT as a sophomore, and - to be frank - I didn't score as well as I'd hoped to. I ended up with a 1240 - which honestly isn't the worse score. However, it didn't make it any less painful to go to school the next day and listen to kids ranting about their 1370s and 1440s, and how it wasn't "good enough". Suddenly, I started having the itching feelings of self-consciousness, until I suddenly wasn't satisfied with my scores anymore.
The only thing I knew that could fix this was an improvement and the only way to improve was through practice. However, I knew that it would be best to learn it from someone else rather than myself, and that's how I ended up begging to my parents to let me enroll at a nearby prep school.
Shocker, right? Which right-minded child would beg for torture over the summer? Well, apparently it was me, as I could no longer put aside the pressures brought upon by the SAT. Not to mention that SAT prep is quite expensive, so it wouldn't take anything less than persuasion to let me go there.
I'm currently stuck in the third situation, where every week we get a thick packet to focus on the lessons of the day, before taking it home and doing homework. Put that on repeat for four days, slap a full SAT practise test on every Friday and you get an average preparatory school.
Now, let's get to the good parts. Many people ask, "what is a preparatory school really like?"
For starters, it really depends on the prep school itself. But for the most part, these schools aren't full of struggling teenagers trying to get a grip on their life - instead, many I know are crazy smart, already scoring in the high 1400 and 1500. So are they in prep class? I've discovered a few explanations:
1. They've been studying at that prep school since elementary school, so it's only logical that they continue.
2. They have loaded uber-rich parents who decided that their kid should be in dayca - er, school while their parents enjoy it in the Bahamas.
3. "All my friends are going, and now so am I."
4. They were bored. (and I'm not even joking, I overheard a kid who got a perfect score saying this)
5. They are legitimately here to improve their scores.
Not all of these qualities make students bad people, but they tend to be the ones who are more likely to disrupt class and give more value to their friends than to the class itself.
As for the preparatory school itself, from my experience, I can tell you that those high prices are there for a reason. All the teachers I know that teach at my classes are pretty top-notch - most of them are either recent graduates from nearby universities or nearing graduation. For the record, every teacher I've had knows how to teach, so I don't think the knowledge you get in prep classes should be a hassle. But I must warn you, it is your job to stay awake and active during class, or you can end up missing out on large chunks of important lessons. For example, I once spent an entire hour doodling on my page instead of focusing on math concepts, and it happened to be that day that we were pop quizzed.
Now, depending on your school, there may be varying amounts of time that you spend at prep classes. For instance, my classes are five hours every weekday, except Fridays, which are around four. The course is altogether ten weeks - practically the entire summer. This is, admittedly, a lot, but it doesn't mean every school works like this. So if you plan on going into a prep school, then be wary of the amount of time commitment that will be expected from you, and be ready to put aside any plans that overlap (unless you don't mind wasting a few hundred for a four-day trip).
Every school has their own tactic to encourage students to improve their scores. For instance, mines offer a different prize for every new improvement you make - two in a row is a t-shirt, three is a Starbucks gift card, and so on. It's a pretty sweet deal if I do say so myself, and that's exactly what my prep school intends it to be. By putting a goal in front of students' eyes, they are suddenly encouraged to participate and try during class. You too should take advantage of such opportunities, as you may not only walk away with a free latte but a better score too.
Now for why you shouldn't take a prep school. The first reason's quite easy - it costs you a lot. In fact, many students that I know come from families with a double salary and a high economic standing, which didn't come to me as a surprise. It isn't hard to distinguish a rich student from one who's not - brand clothes and Airpods are enough hints for one to catch on.
A lot of people can't afford to waste thousands on going to a prep school, and honestly, you shouldn't have to. No matter what your score, there isn't any actual need to pay to study - simply go to your local library and find some prep books. These books have tons of tips, and I can confidently say that I owe half my current score to them, not my prep class. Not to mention the hundreds of youtube videos and free online lessons out there that can really help boost your score. Of course, with all of this, you must have fierce determination and allow yourself to use some of your precious time to study, but it'll all be worth it in the end.
Another reason why it may not be for you is the pressure. In prep school you're surrounded by dozens of child geniuses who you know will have it easy one way or the other. At let me tell you, these kids aren't going to hesitate to shout out their scores for anyone to hear. If you aren't fond of this, then I don't recommend going to a prep school. However, if you can learn to listen to what they have to say, you may end up gaining tons of valuable information. That's how I ended up learning about at least five big scholarships, different majors, nearby internships, and more. Sometimes, eavesdropping can be quite beneficial.
If you want to spend your summer actually doing fun stuff, then don't do prep school. I can't hold you against enjoying yourself during the summer - it is your time for freedom, so you should do what makes you happy. Why should you psych yourself out when you could be watching a movie? Go have fun in the sun. But don't end up avoiding the SAT altogether - you can't exactly soak up better scores when you're sunbathing. Even ten minutes of practice every day is sufficient - maybe one practice passage each for English and grammar, along with five math problems. Even that can make a difference with getting into your dream college or not.
If you're a teen who's planning or wishes to take an SAT prep class, then consider all the information I've given you and see what fits best for you and your (parent's) wallet. But always remember that no matter what you do, as long as you prepare, your score is guaranteed to improve!
Unless, of course, you're a rising junior in high school, like I am.
Unless, of course, you can practically see the PSAT, SAT, and ACT looming before you, less than a few months away.
Unless, of course, you have strict Asian parents that expect you to be smart and you've somehow made it this far under their noses without revealing all those failures from your past, but now the ultimate tests await to unravel those faults.
As I quote from a very intriguing youtube comment: "We are called Asians, not B-sians"
If you fit any of the descriptions mentioned above, then congratulations - you, like me, are preparing - or at least, attempting to prepare - for one of the biggest exams in the nation. For the purpose of this post, I'm focusing on the SAT.
For those of you who don't know what the SAT is, then here's a link to a PrepScholar explanation: https://blog.prepscholar.com/what-is-the-sat-a-complete-explanation-of-the-test
Sorry to all you ACT fanatics out there, but I honestly have no idea how the ACT is structured, nor is it my primary concern, just because I'm a little bit more familiar with the SAT. Both tests are absolutely fine, I'm sure of it, it's just that I wouldn't really know, so how could I be sure? (Yes, I'm aware that I just contradicted myself.
There are a variety of different ways that people start studying for the SAT. Most just buy or borrow some practice books, spend a few hours studying it each day, and hopefully improve over the course of time. Others may hire personal or online tutors, most often aimed at prepping for only the SAT. Still others go to elitist prep schools, where teachers hand out packets of questions every day with lessons included, and then you take an all-round SAT test at the end of every week.
All three options can vary in prices, from practice being free (from the library) or costing you thousands of dollars.
At the beginning of my sophomore year, I could only imagine preparing myself by toughening up and doing a bunch of Khan Academy practices (if you haven't heard already, College Board and Khan Academy have partnered up to provide free - yes, free - online practice questions and tests. Of course, my lazy self didn't let it happened like planned, and I was honestly okay with it. I took my first real PSAT as a sophomore, and - to be frank - I didn't score as well as I'd hoped to. I ended up with a 1240 - which honestly isn't the worse score. However, it didn't make it any less painful to go to school the next day and listen to kids ranting about their 1370s and 1440s, and how it wasn't "good enough". Suddenly, I started having the itching feelings of self-consciousness, until I suddenly wasn't satisfied with my scores anymore.
The only thing I knew that could fix this was an improvement and the only way to improve was through practice. However, I knew that it would be best to learn it from someone else rather than myself, and that's how I ended up begging to my parents to let me enroll at a nearby prep school.
Shocker, right? Which right-minded child would beg for torture over the summer? Well, apparently it was me, as I could no longer put aside the pressures brought upon by the SAT. Not to mention that SAT prep is quite expensive, so it wouldn't take anything less than persuasion to let me go there.
I'm currently stuck in the third situation, where every week we get a thick packet to focus on the lessons of the day, before taking it home and doing homework. Put that on repeat for four days, slap a full SAT practise test on every Friday and you get an average preparatory school.
Now, let's get to the good parts. Many people ask, "what is a preparatory school really like?"
For starters, it really depends on the prep school itself. But for the most part, these schools aren't full of struggling teenagers trying to get a grip on their life - instead, many I know are crazy smart, already scoring in the high 1400 and 1500. So are they in prep class? I've discovered a few explanations:
1. They've been studying at that prep school since elementary school, so it's only logical that they continue.
2. They have loaded uber-rich parents who decided that their kid should be in dayca - er, school while their parents enjoy it in the Bahamas.
3. "All my friends are going, and now so am I."
4. They were bored. (and I'm not even joking, I overheard a kid who got a perfect score saying this)
5. They are legitimately here to improve their scores.
Not all of these qualities make students bad people, but they tend to be the ones who are more likely to disrupt class and give more value to their friends than to the class itself.
As for the preparatory school itself, from my experience, I can tell you that those high prices are there for a reason. All the teachers I know that teach at my classes are pretty top-notch - most of them are either recent graduates from nearby universities or nearing graduation. For the record, every teacher I've had knows how to teach, so I don't think the knowledge you get in prep classes should be a hassle. But I must warn you, it is your job to stay awake and active during class, or you can end up missing out on large chunks of important lessons. For example, I once spent an entire hour doodling on my page instead of focusing on math concepts, and it happened to be that day that we were pop quizzed.
Now, depending on your school, there may be varying amounts of time that you spend at prep classes. For instance, my classes are five hours every weekday, except Fridays, which are around four. The course is altogether ten weeks - practically the entire summer. This is, admittedly, a lot, but it doesn't mean every school works like this. So if you plan on going into a prep school, then be wary of the amount of time commitment that will be expected from you, and be ready to put aside any plans that overlap (unless you don't mind wasting a few hundred for a four-day trip).
Every school has their own tactic to encourage students to improve their scores. For instance, mines offer a different prize for every new improvement you make - two in a row is a t-shirt, three is a Starbucks gift card, and so on. It's a pretty sweet deal if I do say so myself, and that's exactly what my prep school intends it to be. By putting a goal in front of students' eyes, they are suddenly encouraged to participate and try during class. You too should take advantage of such opportunities, as you may not only walk away with a free latte but a better score too.
Now for why you shouldn't take a prep school. The first reason's quite easy - it costs you a lot. In fact, many students that I know come from families with a double salary and a high economic standing, which didn't come to me as a surprise. It isn't hard to distinguish a rich student from one who's not - brand clothes and Airpods are enough hints for one to catch on.
A lot of people can't afford to waste thousands on going to a prep school, and honestly, you shouldn't have to. No matter what your score, there isn't any actual need to pay to study - simply go to your local library and find some prep books. These books have tons of tips, and I can confidently say that I owe half my current score to them, not my prep class. Not to mention the hundreds of youtube videos and free online lessons out there that can really help boost your score. Of course, with all of this, you must have fierce determination and allow yourself to use some of your precious time to study, but it'll all be worth it in the end.
Another reason why it may not be for you is the pressure. In prep school you're surrounded by dozens of child geniuses who you know will have it easy one way or the other. At let me tell you, these kids aren't going to hesitate to shout out their scores for anyone to hear. If you aren't fond of this, then I don't recommend going to a prep school. However, if you can learn to listen to what they have to say, you may end up gaining tons of valuable information. That's how I ended up learning about at least five big scholarships, different majors, nearby internships, and more. Sometimes, eavesdropping can be quite beneficial.
If you want to spend your summer actually doing fun stuff, then don't do prep school. I can't hold you against enjoying yourself during the summer - it is your time for freedom, so you should do what makes you happy. Why should you psych yourself out when you could be watching a movie? Go have fun in the sun. But don't end up avoiding the SAT altogether - you can't exactly soak up better scores when you're sunbathing. Even ten minutes of practice every day is sufficient - maybe one practice passage each for English and grammar, along with five math problems. Even that can make a difference with getting into your dream college or not.
If you're a teen who's planning or wishes to take an SAT prep class, then consider all the information I've given you and see what fits best for you and your (parent's) wallet. But always remember that no matter what you do, as long as you prepare, your score is guaranteed to improve!
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