Advertising Disclosure: Many or all of the companies featured provide compensation to us. These commissions are how we maintain our free service for consumers. Compensation, along with hours of in-depth research, determines where & how companies appear on our site.
Advertising Disclosure
Many or all of the companies featured provide compensation to us. These commissions are how we maintain our free service for consumers. Compensation, along with hours of in-depth research, determines where & how companies appear on our site.
Pros
- Free five-day trial
- Customized plans based on each student
- Offers guaranteed results for score improvement
- Tons of practice questions and video lessons
Cons
- Some programs/plans are expensive
- Doesn't have as much experience as similar companies do
- Only offers online help
- Some students move through the programs quickly
Bottomline
As a parent, you likely worry about how well your child will do on those exams because you want him or her to get into a good school. While several companies offer test prep classes, one of the best is PrepScholar. Not only does it offer prep classes for the SAT and ACT, but you can also sign up for GRE courses if you want to attend graduate school. The company also offers college admissions tutoring for those who need help writing an essay or completing their college applications. Whether you need to take a standardized test or have a future college student who needs to take one, you’ll find our PrepScholar review helpful.
What is PrepScholar?
PrepScholar is an online company designed to help students prepare for college and the tests that they need for graduate school. The options that you can choose from include:
- ACT prep
- SAT prep
- PSAT prep
- SAT subject test prep
- GRE prep
- GMAT prep
- TOEFL prep
- College admissions
Thanks to the PrepScholar guarantee, you receive a promise that your score will improve. This guarantee promises that scores on the SAT will improve by 160 points and that you can increase your ACT score by four points or more. The Wall Street Journal and MSNBC are just some of the publications and websites that featured the company in the past.
The science behind the program looks at the student’s strengths and weaknesses. It uses those strengths to help the student focus on the parts of the exam where he or she will do the best and shows them how they can spend more time on those sections. Students also learn useful tips that they can use when taking the test to make sure that they maximize their time and energy. Those who completed one of the prep programs noticed a significant rise in their scores when they took the exam more than once.
With PrepScholar programs, you can better prepare for the GRE if you want to study engineering and other complicated subjects in graduate schools.
How Can You Use PrepScholar?
You can use PrepScholar as a way to improve your test scores and prepare for an upcoming test. When you visit the website, you need to pick the prep course that you want to take. PrepScholar asks you to fill out a short form with your phone number to get more info, but it allows you to leave your name blank. A PrepScholar Academic Advisor will contact you and arrange for a free consultation. This allows you to learn more about the program that you chose as well as the cost before you make a final decision. You are under no obligation to pay unless you sign up for one of the programs.
Each program consists of three steps:
- Online videos
- Practice questions
- Review sessions
Before you take a single exam, you’ll watch online videos. PrepScholar also allows you to interact with an expert who took the test before and received a high score. You will then attend online practice sessions where you answer questions from previous editions of the exam. During the review sessions, you have the chance to talk with the expert about why you scored the way you did and get tips on how to better answer those questions later.
Everything that you do through PrepScholar takes place on the web.
Where Can You Use the PrepScholar?
One of the nice things about PrepScholar is that it doesn’t have a lot of technical requirements. As long as you have access to the internet and a device that you can use on the web, you can sign up and take a class. We recommend that you have a stable internet connection and a good computer though. You don’t want your WiFi to drop in the middle of a practice test or have a virus running that keeps you from answering a question. It’s often helpful to use PrepScholar at home. We also recommend that you only take classes when you’re home alone or can guarantee that your family/roommates will give you time to focus on your lessons.
PrepScholar also offers online lessons that you can take while enrolled in school. If you’re a college student who needs to take the GRE before applying to graduate school, you can watch those lessons and attend review sessions from your dorm room or off-campus apartment. You can even log in and watch video lessons if you take a vacation with your family or go on a trip with friends. PrepScholar makes it easy for you to take lessons on any type of device with an internet connection.
Though you can use a phone or tablet to take your PrepScholar lessons, we recommend using a computer.
Who’s This For?
PrepScholar is an online company that offers courses and lessons for those planning to take one of the common standardized tests. It offers options for both college and high school students who need a strong test score to get into a good school. Some of the users who would benefit from these lessons include:
- Parents who are worried that their kids aren’t preparing for college
- High school students who want to improve their test scores to get scholarships
- College students who need a high test score for graduate school
- Anyone who is in college and plans to apply to a medical or business school
- Those who speak English as a first or second language and want to take the TEOFL
This is also a good system for those who don’t do well on standardized tests. Kids can get straight As in high school but score low on the ACT or SAT. PrepScholar helps them better prepare for the test that they choose and improve their scores by more than a few points. We also recommend it for those who took a standardized test in the past and didn’t do well but hope to improve their scores before applying to college.
Colleges use standardized test scores as a way to predict how well students will do in school.
What is a Standardized Test?
A standardized test is an exam designed to test the skills and knowledge that a student has. The ACT and SAT are the most common tests for those in high school. Both exams require that you register and select a testing date at the same time that you pay for the test. The SAT consists of four sections: reading, math with a calculator, math without a calculator and language and writing. Those who take the ACT will also find four sections waiting for them: English, science, reading and math. You must arrive at the testing center by a specific time and show your ID. It takes a few hours to finish either test. The testing board will then send a copy of your official score to you and any schools that you named.
Not all colleges require a test score but many do. Those with a test-optional policy allow students to submit a score if they believe that it will help their applications. Colleges look at those scores along with the student’s grades and admissions essays when deciding who they will accept. Graduate, business and medical schools also require an official test score from students applying to their programs.
Even doctors need to take a standardized test before applying to medical school.
PrepScholar PSAT
PrepScholar PSAT is a version of the company’s program designed for high school students preparing for the PSAT. This standardized test takes place during the student’s sophomore year. Some schools also allow students to take it in their freshman years. A high score qualifies the student for a National Merit scholarship, which only goes to a small number of people every year. They can use that money to pay any of the expenses that they have in college. PrepScholar offers an extensive database of PSAT test questions, including:
- Quadratic equations
- Rational numbers
- Vocabulary
- Big picture/little picture
- Functions
When you log in, you can view all the assignments that you have for the coming week. The first assignment teaches you how to schedule your future lessons to stay on track. Both the student and the parent will receive weekly reports that show how the student did in the previous work and the areas where they still need work. You also receive progress trackers that let you set a goal of how much you want to work and updates on how much work you did. Those taking PSAT lessons can log in whenever they want too, including the middle of the night or right after school.
The PSAT PrepScholar program can help you get a scholarship to pay for the school of your dreams.
PrepScholar for SAT Prep
The SAT is one of the few standardized tests that went through some major changes over the years, including the questions asked and the scores given. You cannot compare the score that you got to the one your high schooler gets because the test is so different. PrepScholar guarantees that its SAT prep program will prepare students for the new version of that exam. Students do not need to worry about buying expensive books or finding classes that meet in their area because everything they need is available on the website. Some of the features of this program that you might find helpful include:
- Strategies that show you how to maximize your time and get through as much of the test as possible
- Daily motivation to help you get through any slumps you have and keep working on your score
- The ability to set goals in terms of how much you want to accomplish and how much you did each week
- Tips on how you can improve your SAT score by 160 points or more
- Access to more than 7,100 questions from the SAT and more than 100 hours of classes and lessons that you can complete on a schedule you set
Thanks to PrepScholar, you don’t need to deal with bulky and expensive books as you get ready for the SAT.
Using PrepScholar for the ACT
While the ACT is similar to the SAT in terms of the questions ask and how you take it, it gives you a score based on a maximum of 36 points. As of 2020, the average score on the ACT is 21 points. Many high schools use ACT scores as a way to pick those who graduate with honors. A high score can also help a student qualify for certain scholarships and get into the top colleges. PrepScholar offers a program for this test that can improve your score by four or more points. It provides full access to a database that includes more than 2,400 questions that were either used on a previous edition of the test or are similar to the questions currently used.
With the PrepScholar ACT program, you can watch videos that go over the questions that you missed. Not only do the videos do a good job of explaining why you missed those questions, but they also include strategies that help you understand what to do when you come across similar questions. This program does a good job of going over all the different types of questions found on the ACT and helping you find the best answers to those questions.
PrepScholar saves you the freedom of in-person classes with students who move at a faster or slower pace.
PrepScholar for the SAT Subject Test
The College Board offers both the SAT and SAT subject tests. Unlike the main test, these tests are much shorter and focus on a specific subject. Known as achievement tests in the past, the subject tests cover 20 different subjects, including literature, US history and chemistry. There are also foreign language tests such as Chinese and French. Students have one hour to complete the test, which consists of 20 questions. Though most students do not need to take any of these tests, some colleges require them of students majoring in related subjects.
Through the PrepScholar SAT subject test prep program, students can improve their original scores by 80 points or more. This program is similar to the SAT program because it provides access to both thousands of questions and hundreds of hours of lessons. Many of the questions include responses in the form of videos that run for 10 minutes or longer. Those videos help you understand the question and figure out why one answer was the best. PrepScholar will pair each incoming student with an expert such as someone who received a perfect score or high score on multiple subject tests. This program features weekly assignments and lesson plans too.
Getting ready for any of the SAT subject tests is easy with the PrepScholar program.
GRE Test Prep
No matter how well you do on the SAT or ACT, your score can change due to the knowledge and skills that you develop in college. That is why most graduate schools ask for a GRE score. This exam is different from other standardized tests because it doesn’t take place in a large room filled with other students. You arrive at the testing location and agree to leave everything outside. A worker will then take you to a small room with a computer that holds the test. PrepScholar offers a prep program for those taking the GRE that consists of several main parts:
- Tips for taking the GRE
- Interactive lesson plans
- Practice questions
- Customized support
When you first sign up, you’ll receive tips that help you complete the GRE faster. You only have a short period to finish the test and answering more questions can improve your score. Through the interactive lesson plans, you get help going over the questions that you might see and tips on finding the right answers. PrepScholar also provides you with practice questions to give you an idea of what you’ll see on the exam and offers customized support based on what you need to do to prepare for the GRE.
The PrepScholar GRE program can help you get a score that makes graduate schools accept you.
PrepScholar for the GMAT
If you have your heart set on business school and want to earn an MBA, you should prepare yourself for the GMAT. More than 200,000 students take this test every year, which usually takes more than three hours to complete. It consists of a writing section and three reasoning sections that include multiple essay questions. Though many business schools ask for a GMAT score, some studies found that students’ scores do not relate to how well they do in those schools. Not only can a high score guarantee that the perfect school accepts you, but it also shows that you can handle reasoning questions.
When you sign up for the online GMAT program offered by PrepScholar, you get everything that you need to get a high score on that exam from the first day that you sign up. As you answer practice questions, your tutor learns which areas you do the best in and which areas are your weakest. The tutor will then change the program to adapt to your skills and focus less on your weaknesses. The PrepScholar guarantee promises that completing this program will improve your GMAT score by at least 60 points over what you scored the last time you took it.
Anyone who wants to work in the business industry can use PrepScholar to prepare for the GMAT.
PrepScholar for TOEFL Students
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is a test designed to see how well a student understands the English language. You do not need to take this test unless you apply to a college that has it as a requirement. Most schools use this test to make sure that students from outside the United States have a strong grasp of the English language and can handle classes taught in English. It is available in an internet format and as a paper test for those who do not have access to the internet and consists of five sections, including writing and speaking.
Though you have over three hours to finish the test, you may not get as high of a score as you expected. That is when PrepScholar comes in handy. It offers a TOEFL test prep course that focuses on teaching students the skills they need to pass the test with a high score, even if English is their second or third language. The company hires the top 1% of English teachers and asks them to provide one on one help with each student. You’ll receive practice tests as well as grades to see how your score improves as you finish the program.
People from around the world can sign up for the TOEFL program offered by PrepScholar.
PrepScholar for College Admissions
PrepScholar goes beyond simply helping students improve their standardized test scores because it now offers college admissions help too. Do you worry that you’ll miss a question on the application or have no idea what to write about in your essay? PrepScholar works with people who attended and graduated from some of the nation’s top colleges. They can use their skills to help you get an acceptance letter from your dream school. With this PrepScholar program, you get help:
- Finding and drawing attention to the unique features you have that would help you in college
- Deciding on a topic for your essay and writing one that will appeal to admissions reps
- Creating a personal statement for the Common App that you can use when applying to multiple schools
- Learning stats about the schools that interest you, including their acceptance rate and the average test scores of accepted students
- Finding free advice on which schools to look at and which colleges are best for you
Thanks to PrepScholar, you get help whenever you need it. You no longer need to feel stressed or worry about the application process as you enter your senior year of high school.
PrepScholar helps you firm up your college plans long before you graduate.
Should You Buy It?
Before taking standardized tests, some students feel so nervous that they self-medicate, which makes them feel worse and reduces their chances of doing well on their exams. PrepScholar can help students calm their nerves and get over the anxious feelings that they have, but those are just a few reasons to sign up for the company’s programs. Other reasons why you should buy PrepScholar include:
- Improvement guarantee: As long as you complete and master each section, PrepScholar guarantees that you’ll improve your score from a minimum of six points on the ACT to 160 points on the SAT.
- Free trial: If you worry that the program is too basic or that it won’t meet your needs, you can take advantage o the free trial. As long as you cancel within the next five days, PrepScholar won’t charge you for one of its programs.
- Hourly study plans: PrepScholar breaks lesson plans into hourly sessions to give you an idea of what to expect during each lesson. You can spend as little as 15 hours in one of the programs or stay longer to master your skills.
- Multiple programs: We also like that PrepScholar offers many different programs. With the complete online prep program, you receive full access to all the available resources for one year, even if you finish the program in a few weeks. Other plans include two years of access to those resources.
Text anxiety is a condition that causes students to feel anxious and even uncomfortable when taking a test. Some of the signs of the condition include:
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Increased heartbeat
- Sweating
- Depression
- Low self-esteem
- Negative self-talk
One of the biggest complaints about PrepScholar is the guarantee that it offers. Several former customers lodged issues with the Better Business Bureau and claimed that their children’s scores did not improve much after finishing the program and that they couldn’t get their money back. It wasn’t until they complained online that PrepScholar gave them refunds. While the company promises that students can improve their scores by 160 points or more on the SAT, some saw an improvement of only 10 to 30 points. Instead of increasing their score by six points or more on the ACT, some students received the same scores that they originally did.
When you sign the PrepScholar contract, read the fine print carefully. It states that the student must complete all parts of the program for the company to offer its guarantee. If you or your student skips even one part of the program, you cannot request a refund. PrepScholar is also very expensive when you compare it to similar programs. While you can get a test prep book for less than $30 with shipping, PrepScholar charges nearly $400 for its basic program. The prices of similar virtual and in-person programs can cost twice as much.
- PrepScholar lacks the experience that the Princeton Review and Khan Academy have
- Some students find that they get through the program in a few days
- It doesn’t help all students improve their test scores
- PrepScholar may charge your card the full amount before your trial expires
- A few customers had problems canceling their trials
Where to Buy
You don’t need to spend a lot of time trying to find programs that prepare you for standardized tests or worry about buying expensive books and attending long classes. Today is the perfect time to sign up for PrepScholar, which you can do on the official website. You can sign up for a free trial if you need to take the ACT or SAT. This lets you see how the program works and gives you some basic help before you pay for the full program. The costs of those programs include:
- $397 for the complete SAT online test program
- $895 for PrepScholar classes that include work in small groups and one on one help
- $995 and up for both the complete package and individual tutoring
- $577 for the complete program and two years of extra support
- $597 for a plan that includes support for both the ACT and SAT
When you sign up here, you also receive a free five-day trial of the package or plan that you choose. PrepScholar will only charge you full price if you decide to enroll in one of the programs at the end of your trial. Most of the programs for other standardized tests charge similar rates.
Using PrepScholar is like having a dedicated tutor by your side.
Competition
Khan Academy
The odds are good that you heard of the Khan Academy before thanks to the ads that it runs on television and the web. You can now enroll in the Khan Academy SAT Prep Program and get help before you take this exam. One of the best features of this program is that it offers all resources for free. This includes both practice questions and test tips. The downside is that you don’t get the customized instruction that you might need. This program also uses some older questions that aren’t relevant to the current version of the test and may not help you improve your score.
The Official ACT Prep Guide 2020-2021
If you don’t want to deal with lesson plans and feel confident that you can prepare for the test on your own you might try this official guidebook. It provides questions from past editions of the ACT that are very similar to those found on the real test. You can recreate the testing environment at home and take one of the practice tests in the book to see how well you do. The back of the book includes answers to all questions and shows you how to score the test. While it does include some tips, the book lacks some of the help that you might need.
The Princeton Review SAT Prep
One of the top options for students with an unlimited budget is the SAT prep course available from The Princeton Review. Some of the videos that you can watch teach you basic tips that can help you get a score of 1,400 or higher the first time that you take the SAT and significantly improve your score the next time that you take it. As The Princeton Review offers different programs, the price that you pay will depend on which package or program you choose. While the most expensive program costs $3,000, others are available for around $100 to $1,000.
The Official Guide to the GRE General Test
Thanks to The Official Guide to the GRE General Test, you can now prepare for this graduate-level exam from the comfort of your bedroom or living room. It is available as a paperback for students who want something that they can hold in their hands and an e-book for those who want to take it outside and around the world without worrying about the pages getting dirty. Though it starts with different sections on how to take the test and tips that help you get through the test faster, it also features hundreds of sample questions and multiple sample tests.
Final Verdict
Getting ready for the ACT or SAT can fill a high school student with dread as much as taking a graduate exam can scare college students. Many people struggle with standardized tests. Though they do well at home, they forget everything they learned as soon as the test is in front of them. That is why both students and their parents look for test prep programs that offer assistance. PrepScholar is easily one of the best companies around because of the variety of options that it offers. You can pick the program that fits your needs once you complete the five-day free trial.
Not only does PrepScholar offer programs for high school students taking the ACT and SAT, but it offers a program designed for the PSAT as well as the GMAT and GRE. Students get customized help after taking practice tests that identify their strengths and weaknesses. They pick up tips on how to finish the test quickly and what to do if they come across a difficult question and can’t find an answer. Anyone who needs to take a standardized test and don’t want to worry about the score they get will benefit from a PrepScholar program.
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