Q:
I'll be taking the SAT this spring. I've been a very good student in high school. Should I take a special course to prepare for this test, or get ready on my own? Most of the courses in this area are fairly expensive, and I have limited funds.
A:
Before students even think about how they will prepare for the SAT, they need to know what scores are needed to be admitted to the colleges they are considering. By going online to individual colleges, you usually can find the range of scores that freshmen who were admitted last year had. Once you have this information, you should take the free SAT practice test in the SAT Preparation Booklet or online at the College Board website (www.collegeboard.org). After completing the test and getting your estimated score, you will have a good picture of how much preparation, if any, you'll need to get the scores you want.
If your scores are already at the level you wish to achieve or close to it, you may be able to prepare for the test on your own. However, if you need to substantially improve your scores, you may find it helpful to take an SAT preparation course either online or locally. The choice you make depends on your ability to work independently.
The College Board, the creator of the SAT, has an online SAT study guide. It offers 10 practice tests with your estimated scores, a review of test concepts and test-taking approaches. There is a fee for this guide. You will find many other online preparation websites for the SAT. No matter how much preparation you need, it is essential that you become very familiar with the test format so you know what to expect on test day.
