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Winner: Kaplan
(96% satisfaction)
Kaplan
courses were the preferred choice for students because they offered the
best value per dollar. Kaplan's most popular courses were the Classroom
Course, SAT Online, and Private Tutoring. Each course gives you
ample practice and feedback.
The
Classroom course provides you with a structured and interactive
learning environment. Students gave high ratings for Kaplan's instructors.
According to one student, "my teacher was really approachable sticking
around well after class finished to see each of us individually. Back when
I was preparing for the SAT, I studied from all of the popular prep
books but couldn't get higher than 1300. I felt like needed a 1400 to
get into a top-tier school. Out of desperation I enrolled in Kaplan's
Classroom Course. The targeted practice exercises and instant feedback was
just what I needed and I was able to increase my score by 150 points. Kaplan's Classroom Course comes at a price
tag of $900,
kind of cheap relative to the cost of courses offered by other test prep
companies.
SAT Online
is an online course where you take interactive lessons using CD-ROM and
the Internet. You still get access to tons of practice tests and dynamic
instruction from Kaplan's expert teachers. There's a team of instructors
ready to answer your questions via email 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
One student says, "I like the fact that I can get help at 2 a.m. while
wearing my pyjamas." Needless to
say, for most international students this is your only option - but it's still a great
option. The best thing about the online courses is the price: SAT Online
costs $350 and ACT Online costs $300. Find more info on Online SAT Prep with Kaplan and Online ACT Prep with KAPLAN .
Runner Up: The
Princeton Review (77% satisfaction)
The Princeton Review's (TPR's) courses received
mixed ratings from students. TPR offers a Classroom Course and three
online courses: SAT Live Online, SAT Online, SAT Express Online.
The Classroom and Online
courses are similar to Kaplan's with respect to the amount of practice
available and the quality of the instructors. But there were several
complaints on the realism of the practice tests. "The tests were
deceivingly easy which led to a rude awakening when I took the actual
exam," reports one student. Also, students were in general agreement that
the Classroom Course didn't offer anything additional to TPR's books
aside from more practice. Some students who took courses from both Kaplan
and TPR believed that Kaplan offered more realistic tests and the
diagnostic tests were better at identifying weaknesses. TPR's
courses are generally in the same price range as Kaplan's although TPR's
comparable online course, SAT Live Online, is much more expensive at $600. You can get
additional info on The
Princeton Review's Courses at
review.com.
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Roadmap for Test Prep |
