Tuesday, February 1, 2011

How Choose the Right Tutoring Service for SAT Prep

Overall the right tutoring service should be local, affordable, and personalized in their approach to tutoring students. They should be able to show a track record of raising student scores as well as having satisfied students and parents. Likewise those who do it right, tutor students individually, perfecting strategies that really work because they care about the student's success.

Here are the 5 major points to consider when looking for a SAT Test Prep company:
They Have Expert Instructors - Some test prep companies offer a variety of test prep programs look for one that specializes in SAT Prep. Make sure the instructors are trained and certified in SAT Prep by a reputable company and preferably by the tutoring service itself.

They Use Proven Strategies - Be assured that the test taking and score-raising strategies have been developed from actual SATs which make the training the most accurate that is available. The best companies offering SAT test prep use tried, tested, and proven formulas that work and succeed in raising student's scores by hundreds of points on average. Be leery if there is no guarantee of raising your student's score.
They Only Provide 1-on-1 Tutoring - Private, personalized, one-on-one tutoring is what works the best. The distractions of larger classrooms or student settings are eliminated with one-on-one private tutoring and provide the most individualized student learning environment possible.

They Offer Flexible Hours for Tutoring - The program should offer a range of hours with a minimum of 12 hrs. as a requirement and up to a maximum of 18 hrs. total so that all areas of the test can be thoroughly covered over a 4 to 5 week timeframe. Math and Verbal should be the major focus of the sessions taking approximately 9 to 15 hrs. while the minor focus on Writing could be accomplished in about 3 hrs. of instruction as this is the way the actual exam is graded.

They Have Low Prices - A price range of somewhere between $500 - $800 depending on the hours specifically chosen or needed for your tutoring, is a reasonably priced program. Some are much higher simply because you are paying for the Name of the Company rather than their expertise in SAT Test Prep. In the end look for the program that provides the most personalized instruction at a reasonable cost to you.
As always, when comparing, work with the tutoring company that has the best quality, service, and cost.