Do I need to prepare for the SAT?
Many students, especially those who have good grades at school, do not see the need for special preparation. They believe that their academic success guarantees high scores on SAT. That is not always the case. The problem is that any test has specific features such as types of Reading Comprehension Passages, Grammar and Math problems, and even traps which can be avoided. Obviously, it is beneficial to become familiar with the format of the test, know the types of the questions, single out the problems that cause trouble, and work on them.
Can preparatory classes really influence my scores?
Yes, they can! Even if you have two or three weeks before the date of your test, it is worth trying. Of course, the more time and effort you can invest, the better; however, even several weeks of intense work can bring your scores up.
What is the optimal duration for preparation?
It depends on the level of a student and his target. Typically, students sign up for 10 sessions for Math and/or 5 sessions for Verbal. However, many students choose to focus only on Math or Verbal.
There are so many SAT text-books! Can you recommend any one?
I do recommend The Official SAT Study Guide (College Board).
Is one-on-one tutoring right for me?
Every student can benefit from working one-on-one. Individual tutoring is a particularly good option for those students who have very high score-improvement goals, limited time, busy schedule, or whose starting scores are unusually high or low.