What Does Online Test Prep Look Like, Exactly?

Well, it’s just what it sounds like—an online course that aims to prepare students for standardized tests. Whether it’s the ACT or SAT, these kinds of courses cater to an individual student’s needs. Instructors not only go over material, but they also emphasize how to approach the material in the first place. Let’s say that a student gets overcome with test anxiety on a regular basis in their high school classes. They know the contents of what will be on the test, but they can’t stem their anxiety when the time actually comes to take the test. Add on stress and pressure on getting a great score to look good on college applications, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Unless you don’t. Some of the best ways to deal with test anxiety is to know how the test is formatted, what material will be on it, and to start studying early. Sounds simple enough, right?

Online test preparation makes it even simpler. When students have the option to be guided through the studying process from the comfort of their own home, the whole situation looks less like a recipe for disaster and more like an opportunity to succeed. Speaking of success...

To Prep or Not to Prep

Generally speaking, preparing for the SAT or ACT improves test scores. That makes sense, considering that any preparation is better than none. But what about online courses versus an in-person class? As it turns out, online prep is becoming increasingly popular because it’s just so convenient. Imagine the average teenager, happy to sit at the dinner table, mindlessly scrolling on their phone for hours. Does this teen seem like the type of person who would rather drive themselves to a weekly in-person class, or would they be more likely to study on their own time at their own desk in their own bedroom? If you think the former option is correct, then congratulations—the teens you know are exceptionally self-motivated! However, the vast majority of teens would most likely not want to spend the gas money or get too far from their snacks. The appeal of online test prep is that it’s flexible. Students can monitor their own progress through their personalized course without having to worry about leaving the house. Speaking of gas money…

More Bang for Your Buck

Test prep courses are notoriously expensive. This is the biggest complaint when it comes to students from different backgrounds not having access to the same resources. In-person classes come with the added requirements of having reliable transportation on top of paying for the course in the first place. When it comes to online test prep, however, there are a few different factors that determine how much you’re actually paying for the course. For example, an in-person class that a student attends for three hours a week will have a specified lump sum or an hourly rate.

That’s the typical way to think about how expensive courses can be, like Kaplan or other “brand name” in-person course. For online courses, the curriculum is self-paced. A student can go back and review material or do practice tests and questions as much as they need to or want to. Thus, if a student fully utilizes that aspect and spends many hours reviewing and using the course, the hourly cost of that online test prep is significantly cheaper than in-person instruction or seminars. With that in mind, plus the convenience of an online course, all that’s left is…

Finding the Right Fit

Not all online test prep courses are created equally. That being said, another part of their appeal is that there’s so many of them! Parents and students can compare prices, the scope of material, and general curriculum by doing some simple research and looking at reviews on each prep course’s website. Whereas traditional classroom college prep courses are often recommended by status associated to a certain name or by word of mouth, online classes can be accessed from anywhere and aren’t limited in that way. Parents can easily search their top online prep choices for their child, and then have their kid choose which one they’re most comfortable with, all within a relatively short time period.

While online test prep courses are definitely appealing, perhaps no company does it like Prep Expert. With a guarantee of at least a two-hundred-point increase in SAT scores, tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships earned, and several different formats depending on the student, Prep Expert is exactly what online test prep is all about. By comparing their lump sum and hourly rates to those of other courses, you’ll soon find that it’s an affordable, efficient option that promises personalized study mentoring and great results. There’s a reason that online test prep is so popular these days. Don’t miss out; make sure that your child has the best resources possible to get into their dream school!