Which Is Right for My Child?

One of the most common questions parents ask me is whether their child would be better off taking an SAT prep course or working individually with a tutor.

The answer depends on the student.

After more than twenty years of teaching SAT preparation, I've found that some students thrive in a structured small-group course, and others find individual instruction is better. Still others do best with a combination of the two.

Before deciding, parents should consider a student's schedule and learning style.

When Is an SAT Prep Course the Better Choice?

For most students, a good SAT prep course is the best place to start.

A comprehensive course provides structure. Most people, kids and adults, need structure to learn and need an instructor who knows what they have to learn and how they have to learn it. Instead of trying to figure out what to study and when, students work through the major areas tested on the SAT in an organized way.

Courses can be particularly effective for students who:

• Need preparation across all areas: math, reading, and writing

• Have not done much SAT preparation before

• Benefit from a regular schedule and accountability

• Need to learn SAT strategies as well as content

• Want comprehensive preparation rather than help with one specific weakness

A small-group course is more time and cost efficient, and for many students, this will get them to their goals in the easiest manner.

A small-group course also has an advantage that parents sometimes overlook: students learn from one another. A student may ask a question another student hadn't thought to ask. Students can also see different ways of approaching the same problem. 

Class size matters, however. In a very large class, it can be difficult for an instructor to determine whether individual students really understand the material. I never want a student to get lost in shuffle of a big class and potentially not get everything out of the course that's there. That's why I believe small-group instruction offers a particularly good balance. Students receive the structure and interaction of a course while still getting individual attention from the instructor.

When Is Private SAT Tutoring the Better Choice?

Private tutoring becomes more valuable when a student's needs are highly specific.

The biggest need for private tutoring is usually scheduling. Some students' schedules are so tight that they cannot fit a structured course into it. My tutoring is flexible for those students. 

Another reason for tutoring is that a student might already have an excellent English score but need significant help in math. Another student may understand the material but struggle with pacing. A high-scoring student may be trying to gain the last fifty points needed to reach a particularly ambitious goal.

Private tutoring may be the better choice for students who:

 

• Have a schedule that makes attending a regular course difficult

• Need instruction at a different pace

• Have one or two clearly defined weaknesses

• Need significant individual attention

• Have already completed substantial SAT preparation

• Are pursuing a particularly high target score

The major advantage of tutoring is flexibility. 

Is Private Tutoring Always Better?

No.

Parents sometimes assume that because private tutoring costs more, it must automatically produce better results.

That's not necessarily true.

If a student needs comprehensive SAT preparation, working through the entire test individually with a tutor can be unnecessarily expensive. A well-taught small-group course covers the material just as effectively while providing more structure and costing considerably less.

Private instruction is most valuable when there is a reason for the instruction to be private. 

What About a Combination of a Course and Tutoring?

For some students, this is the best solution.

A student can use a comprehensive SAT course to learn how to approach the test. Then individual tutoring sessions after the course can then target specific weaknesses that emerge.

For example, a student might complete a course and discover that algebra is no longer a problem but certain advanced math questions continue to cause difficulty. Or a student may understand reading and writing concepts but repeatedly miss a particular type of question.

The best way to approach SAT prep for many students, then, is to learn how to take the test in a small-group course, take the SAT for the first time, and then, after looking at the results, do one-on-one tutoring to target weaknesses before taking a subsequent test. It combines the cost and time efficiency of the course with the individualized instruction students can benefit from. When my sons were preparing for the SAT, that's exactly what I had them do. 

Consider Your Child's Personality, Too

Two students with identical SAT scores may need completely different approaches.

Some students enjoy the energy of a small class. They participate, ask questions, and benefit from hearing other students work through problems.

Others are reluctant to speak in a group or need substantially more explanation before they feel comfortable with a concept. Those students may respond better to individual instruction.

The best SAT preparation isn't simply the program with the most hours. (There's a saturation point for most students. Hours upon hours is usually worse than better.) It's the program that fits the student who will actually be doing the work.

Ask Before You Buy

Before enrolling your child in either a course or tutoring, talk with the instructor.

Explain your child's scores, goals, timeline, previous preparation, and any particular concerns you have.

Then ask what the instructor recommends and why.

I don't believe every student needs private tutoring. I also don't believe every student belongs in a course. The recommendation should be based on what the student needs, not simply on which program costs more.

So Which Should You Choose?

As a general rule, consider small-group SAT prep course first for a student who needs comprehensive preparation.

I would lean toward private tutoring when the student has unusual scheduling needs, requires significant individual attention, or is already performing at a high level and wants targeted improvement.

And I would consider a combination of the two when a student needs comprehensive preparation but would also benefit from additional attention in particular areas.

At HASSSAT SAT Prep, I teach both small-group SAT courses and private tutoring, as well as programs that combine the two. Because I personally teach every course and tutoring session, I can help families determine which approach makes the most sense for the individual student.

I've taught SAT preparation for more than twenty years and am the author of Barron's SAT Express. I work with students throughout South Jersey and the Philadelphia area, as well as students online across the country.

The goal shouldn't be to purchase the most SAT preparation possible. It should be to choose the right kind of preparation for your child.