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The SAT Reasoning Test is an important one.  Your whole high school career is leading to this one test that can really help make you or, if not exactly break, potentially put a cramp on your future plans.  Not every student learns the same way, and for some students, pouring over books and studying alone just isn’t going to cut it.  To you, we say, “SAT test prep.”

beautyfromashes/Rachael

We decided to ask a few test prep providers, representatives from Kaplan, Knewton, and The Princeton Review for insight about the SAT Reasoning Test – what you can expect and what you should know – hey, these people are experts on all things SAT!

After speaking and emailing back and forth repeatedly, it quickly became obvious: these people are passionate about what they do.  In fact, during a call with Ed Carroll, Executive Director of Research and Development for High School Programs at The Princeton Review, he blurted, “Hey, did anyone see the 3:4:5 triangle question on Jeopardy last night? – That’s an SAT question!”

It’s a common misconception that SAT test prep is only for wealthy or lazy students – which is so not true.  Each of these providers was quick to point out the benefit of having help preparing prior to taking the SAT.  Russell Schaffer, Senior Communications Manager with Kaplan, shared “Taking the SAT without preparation is a bit like running a marathon with no training.” You build up your endurance, create a strategy, and keep working at it.  As with any great skill – you practice (a lot) and you most likely seek the advice of others who know their stuff.  Same with the SAT!

Ed Carroll of The Princeton Review compared the SAT to a crossword puzzle, a brainteaser.  While he was quick to point out that it isn’t exactly the same thing: we think it holds pretty true.  Sure, you usually aren’t timed on a crossword and that Sudoku puzzle won’t facilitate where you spend the next four years of your life, but, like Mr. Carroll pointed out: “the more you see it, the fewer surprises there are.”  — and he should know, he’s only taken just about every version of the SAT for over a decade (and you thought once or twice was bad enough!)

mat.teo/Matteo

Marathon or Crossword: they all agree that just knowing what to expect on the SAT Reasoning Test is half the battle.  Josh Anish, the Senior Editor at Knewton, stated, “the course also features individualized practice sessions, in which Knewton tells you how you’re doing on specific test concepts and what to focus on in order to improve.”    Part of the mission for these companies is to teach you how to approach the test and how to go about solving a problem in the shortest amount of time necessary.

The SAT was built to test you on your problem solving skills – you can’t fake your way through not knowing a vocabulary word and working out how to solve that math problem will severely slow you down.  There’s a lot of questions to answer in a short time frame.  Hey, it’s called a “reasoning test” for a reason!

SAT Test Prep providers believe that having the expertise and availability of a teacher, either online, private tutoring, or in an actual classroom type of setting, can help you increase your SAT score results.  Plus – if you do really, really well – you can snag a fat scholarship to your college of choice!