Can College Prep Genius help a student prepare for standardized tests and improve their score?

Every SAT is made up of recurring patterns throughout the test. College Prep Genius materials break down these methods and teach students to unveil the secrets of the SAT. Through clever ACRONYMS students can not only grasp these innovative concepts, but also can readily recall them to memory while taking the actual test. It’s like walking in with an answer key stored in your head. On average, students have raised their scores from 300-500 points by using these materials. See our testimonials!


Is it true that the only way to improve your SAT score is by enrolling in one of those expensive prep courses?

Definitely not! Usually prep courses are very expensive; they can cost between $2000-$5000 and only boast an average raise in test scores of 200 points. But why spend money to study material that may not be on the real tests? Only the creators of the test (College Board) know what will be on the test. It is better to learn to decode the hidden schemes and recurring patterns that the College Board likes to use on their tests so you can learn to answer their questions. College Prep Genius cleverly teaches students, through ACRONYMS, how to remember steps to these revealed patterns found on the SAT and PSAT/NMQST. 



What if I am a bad test-taker?

Many students consider themselves “bad test-takers” because they tend to do poorly on standardized tests (even though they usually have good grades). Truthfully, these students are not bad test-takers! They just don’t understand the logic behind the test questions. Getting familiar with the recurring patterns, learning test-taking strategies and lowering test anxiety is the key to help students gain confidence in their test-taking abilities and raise their scores. Logic is a trained skill-not a personality trait so even if a student is not naturally logically-minded, he or she can train the brain to be a critical thinker.


Is it better to wait to take a prep course (“Master the SAT Class” or eCourse) until closer to the time of the real test so the information will be fresh on a student’s mind?

That would make sense if the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT were tests of content, but since they are tests of logic using recurring patterns and hidden tricks, the best way to be successful is to take the live class/eCourse as soon as possible. The longer a student waits, the less time there is to improve. Starting early is the key. Ideally, a student should learn test prep in 8th grade (7th if they are participating in the Duke TIP or other talent searches.). With so much time to prepare, students can eliminate the stress of test anxiety when they reach the upper grades.


Since your course is considerably less than most prep courses, does it work and do you have any guarantees?

My goal is to free families from the enormous cost of test preparation. (We didn’t have thousands of dollars to spend on a prep class and I don’t believe in overcharging others for a program that can change their life.) If you are of the belief that a test prep class is worth more because it costs more, then here are some considerations to think about when looking for a class:

What is the reputation of the company? Have you investigated their background and read reviews about their claims as well as the overall satisfaction from those who attended? Independent studies have shown that overall, most students do not raise their test scores because they do not attend all the labs and/or finish all the work that is assigned.

Who are the teachers? Don’t just believe what they advertise, be willing to ask them what college they attended and what test score did they receive? (Some companies boast of their teachers coming from top colleges when in fact, this may be very untrue.)

What materials are they using for the students to practice with? Most prep classes use fake tests that are irrelevant to the real SAT and PSAT/NMSQT. Make-believe tests are not like the real test and students will not be able to learn the recurring patterns that can only be found on College Board (the real test-maker) materials.

Have you read their guarantee in detail? Many of the expensive courses may give a money-back guarantee if a student doesn’t raise his or her score by a certain point range. While this sounds like you can’t lose, read the fine print because it is designed so they don’t lose money. It may say that the student must attend every single class and turn in every single bit of homework (which is usually so much that most students are unable to complete because of their busy schedules). There are also prep schools that give the student an initial diagnostic test and then have them retake another test when they are finished with the course. Again, be aware because these are often their own tests and they may grade on a curve to reflect an increased score. Also, some high schools that contract with these schools are given special versions of the course and often don’t offer a guarantee.

Why do some students receive free classes while most parents pay the big bucks for the class? Some expensive schools will purchase the PSAT/NMSQT scores of certain zip codes to find the students who are already scoring high as sophomores on this test. They will then offer them free classes at their school. While this is great for those students, it leaves out a lot of students who will have to pay the full price for the class. Besides, if those students score high on their next tests, it is difficult to tell if they did so based on the school or if they would have scored high anyway. This can inflate the overall statistics of the prep course. Some high schools will partner with some prep schools and will pay a portion of the tuition to them. Where is that money coming from and why are they only offering it to an elite group of students?If you are considering spending a lot of money on a test prep course, just be informed and keep in mind that even if you have the money to invest in one, it is like a gym membership; if it is not used–it is money wasted! While there is no way to guarantee a student’s score will raise (although it is not unusual to see a score increase of 300 points), we do offer a money-back guarantee of our eCourse. Students MUST follow the “Checklist for Success” to help ensure an increase in their score. If a student doesn’t practice the correct way, it will be difficult for them to succeed. To excel in sports, an athlete must practice to win a game. The SAT and PSAT/NMSQT are really games, and if a student learns to play the College Board way–they can win!

Students cannot study for the SAT and PSAT because it is not a test based on content but a logic and reasoning test and students can learn to find the recurring patterns to beat the test. Any program that teaches content memorization or reteaches high school instead, should be a red flag.