What are the Best Types of Test Prep?
There are a variety of ways to prep, including one-on-one tutoring, instructor-led classes, self-guided courses, and self-study. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, but most important is whether the method of prep works for you.
1) Independant self-study
Independent self-study puts major responsibility on the student. Students not only need to determine and commit to a regular study schedule, but also make the important decisions of what to study and how to study. Self-study is best for highly-motivated students who already have fairly high starting scores, or for students using it to supplement other types of prep.
Examples:
Preparing with Khan Academy
Preparing with a Kaplan book
2) Self-guided courses
Self-guided courses are a form of self-study, but with the support of some sort of software or online portal to help structure the prep. These packages take some of the guesswork out of how to organize your studying. However, success with these types of courses require the student to take responsibility for logging on regularly, completing all the work, and using the course the way it’s meant to be used.
Examples:
Prep Scholar
Testive
3) Instructor-led classes
Instructor-led classes provide access to an experienced teacher and the benefit of a regular class schedule to create structure and accountability. These can be highly effective for students at the right level, but note that they may move too quickly for students with lower starting scores or too slowly for students with higher starting scores.
Examples:
Franklin Yard Masterclasses
Manhattan Review Classes
4) One-on-one tutoring
One-on-one tutoring is the gold standard for prep. The best companies will start with a score or skills assessment and then implement a flexible, tailored curriculum to help you make the strongest score gains at the most efficient pace. Make sure you do your research on both the tutoring company and especially their approach to tutoring (which might be great for some students but a poor fit for you).
Examples:
Franklin Yard
Princeton Review