As someone who raised his first practice SAT score of 1100 to a 1600 on the real thing, I feel I have something to say about test prep courses. Although I have not taken the Princeton Review's $499 online SAT prep course, I can think of several good reasons why it might be wasted money for many students.

The Princeton Review Is Worthwhile!
First of all, I like the Princeton Review. Its $20 or so book was loaded with interesting and easy-to-read test-taking advice, as well as challenging and realistic drills. It's irreverent attitude toward the money-hungry college exam business entertained while it inspired confidence on exam day. So buy the book and take a practice test before you decide to spend a lot of money on a test prep course, because it may be all you need.

Why You Might Want to Take a Course
Of course, many people are not motivated enough to study at home out of a book - it can seem boring, tedious, and all too easy to put off until later. And it can be nice to have a live person to answer questions and provide encouragement. These are excellent reasons to take a test prep course. I took a free summer school course from my high school. Even the more expensive in-person Princeton Review courses may be a good option for some people.

But Does An Internet Course Really Make Sense?
But think about it: if you need personal interaction to motivate you to study, why do you want to take an online test-prep course? Sure "live coaches" are an important part of the Princeton Review's online course, and they give you a schedule based on your scheduled exam day, but if you don't have to actually sit in a classroom at a certain time every week you may find it hard to keep going, especially with e-mail and instant-messaging only a click or two away.

I recommend you try out other options before you spend a huge sum on a program that seems to have few advantages over more traditional learning methods. My score increased 500 points with the Princeton Review's $20 book, my school's free course (which basically used the Princeton Review as a textbook), and practice, practice, practice! I might add that the Princeton Review's website claims there will be a free "sample course" available, but for now there is only a painfully slow "Flash video" with very little information about the course.

Oh yeah, and a 1600 is not a ticket into Stanford, Harvard, or Princeton, as I found out (try Cornell...). So start working on those essays, join plenty of extracurriculars, and hope for luck!




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