When preparing for the SAT, one of the first decisions students face is which prep course to choose. Among the many options available, PrepScholar and Prep Expert are two of the most popular choices.
Each offers its own unique approach to SAT prep, promising to help students improve their scores significantly. But which one is truly the best for you?
In this detailed comparison, we’ll dive into each course’s features, effectiveness, pricing, and overall student experience, helping you make an informed decision.
A Quick Overview of PrepScholar and Prep Expert
Before diving into the nitty-gritty details, it’s helpful to understand the general offerings of both platforms.
PrepScholar: Personalized, Data-Driven Learning
Founded by a team of Harvard graduates, PrepScholar offers an adaptive learning system that tailors the SAT prep experience to each individual student’s needs.
With a focus on personalization, PrepScholar provides comprehensive materials, including over 200 hours of video lessons and thousands of practice questions.
PrepScholar’s unique selling point lies in its adaptive learning technology. It assesses your strengths and weaknesses, creating a custom study plan designed to improve your scores in the most efficient way possible. This ensures that you’re spending your time working on areas where you need the most improvement.
Prep Expert: Strategy-Driven SAT Prep
On the other hand, Prep Expert focuses heavily on teaching students the strategies needed to succeed on the SAT.
Created by Dr. Shaan Patel, a former SAT perfect scorer, the platform offers courses that concentrate on developing strong test-taking techniques. Prep Expert is well known for its live classes and small group tutoring, which allows students to learn directly from experts.
While Prep Expert’s courses are less personalized compared to PrepScholar, they are designed to teach students a series of test-taking strategies that can be applied across various SAT questions.
For students who thrive in live, interactive environments and prefer learning specific strategies rather than covering the entire content of the test, Prep Expert may be more appealing.
Course Content and Structure
One of the most critical aspects to consider when choosing an SAT prep course is the structure of its curriculum. Let’s compare how PrepScholar and Prep Expert structure their courses.
PrepScholar: Adaptive Learning at its Best
PrepScholar’s courses are designed to adjust to the unique needs of each student. After a diagnostic test, the platform assesses your performance and creates a custom study plan based on the areas where you need the most improvement.
This adaptive learning system helps you avoid wasting time on topics you’ve already mastered, allowing you to focus solely on the areas where you need to grow.
Key features of PrepScholar’s curriculum include:
- Comprehensive Coverage: With over 200 hours of video lessons, practice questions, and explanations, PrepScholar ensures that all SAT topics are covered thoroughly. Students get access to thousands of practice questions that mimic the actual SAT, helping them get comfortable with the format and types of questions they’ll encounter.
- Real-Time Feedback: As you work through practice questions and lessons, PrepScholar offers real-time feedback on your performance. This means you can immediately see where you’re making mistakes and adjust your study strategy accordingly.
- Flexible Learning: PrepScholar offers an entirely online learning experience, allowing students to study at their own pace. Whether you have a busy schedule or prefer to tackle topics at your own speed, PrepScholar accommodates your individual needs.
Prep Expert: Focus on Strategy and Test-Taking Skills
Unlike PrepScholar, Prep Expert does not rely on personalized adaptive learning. Instead, it emphasizes strategy-based learning. The platform offers a mix of live classes, on-demand videos, and one-on-one tutoring to help students develop key test-taking strategies.
Prep Expert’s course content is focused on teaching proven test-taking strategies that are designed to help students perform better under pressure.
The course is less about comprehensive content review and more about understanding how to approach different types of SAT questions. The key strategies taught include time management, understanding tricky question types, and eliminating wrong answer choices.
Key features of Prep Expert’s curriculum include:
- Live Classes and Tutoring: Prep Expert’s live sessions are one of the highlights of its offering. Students can interact with instructors in real time, ask questions, and get immediate feedback on their performance.
- Focused Strategy Lessons: The curriculum is designed to teach strategies for each section of the SAT. For example, Prep Expert teaches students how to recognize common traps in the math section, or how to read and analyze passages more efficiently in the reading section.
- Personalized Attention: Prep Expert offers one-on-one tutoring for students who want more personalized instruction. This can be a great option for students who prefer to have an expert guide them through their weak points.
Effectiveness and Student Success
How well do these courses actually work? Ultimately, the success of any SAT prep course depends on its ability to improve scores. So, let’s take a closer look at how PrepScholar and Prep Expert measure up in terms of effectiveness.
PrepScholar: Proven Success with Personalized Learning
PrepScholar has built a solid reputation for helping students achieve significant SAT score improvements.
Thanks to its adaptive learning system, students are able to focus on the areas where they need the most help.
Many students report that this personalized approach allows them to study more efficiently, which results in a higher SAT score in less time.
- Score Improvement Guarantee: PrepScholar offers a 160-point SAT score improvement guarantee. If students don’t see at least this much of an improvement, they can get their money back.
- Student Feedback: The feedback from PrepScholar users is overwhelmingly positive. Many students highlight the effectiveness of the tailored study plans, as well as the extensive practice questions and video lessons. Overall, PrepScholar’s approach helps students achieve consistent results.
Prep Expert: Strong Results for Strategy-Oriented Students
Prep Expert has also helped many students boost their SAT scores, but it may be more effective for students who already have a strong foundation in the material and are looking to perfect their test-taking strategies. The platform’s strategy-based approach can work wonders for those who struggle with time management or test anxiety.
- Score Improvement Guarantee: Prep Expert offers a 200-point SAT score improvement guarantee, provided students complete all course materials and follow the recommended study plan.
- Student Feedback: Many students appreciate the live classes and interactive environment provided by Prep Expert. However, some students feel that the content depth is lacking when compared to other courses like PrepScholar.
Pricing Comparison: PrepScholar vs. Prep Expert
PrepScholar Pricing
PrepScholar provides various options depending on whether you’re looking for self-paced online prep, live classes, or personalized tutoring. Let’s break it down:
1. PrepScholar SAT Prep Courses:
Complete SAT Online Prep
- Price: Approximately $397
- Duration: 12 months
- Features:
- Over 200 hours of video lessons.
- 6 full-length practice tests.
- 4,100+ practice questions with detailed solutions.
- Customized weekly study plans based on performance.
- Personalized feedback with adaptive learning technology.
- Emulated Digital SAT interface for practice.
- 5-day free trial available.
Complete SAT Online Prep + Live Classes
- Price: Approximately $895
- Duration: 12 months
- Includes:
- All features from the Complete SAT Online Prep.
- 9 hours of live virtual classes.
- Smaller class sizes (maximum 12 students) for personalized attention.
Complete SAT Online Prep + Tutoring
- Price: Starting at $995
- Includes:
- All features from the Complete SAT Online Prep.
- 4 to 54 hours of one-on-one tutoring, depending on the package you select.
Complete SAT Online Prep + Admissions Bootcamp
- Price: Approximately $597
- Duration: 12 months
- Includes:
- All features from the Complete SAT Online Prep.
- Admissions Bootcamp, including guidance on college applications, essay writing, and financial aid.
2. PrepScholar ACT Prep Courses:
Complete ACT Online Prep
- Price: Approximately $397
- Duration: 12 months
- Features:
- Over 150 hours of content.
- 6 full-length practice tests.
- 4,100+ practice questions.
- 90+ lessons and 100+ quizzes.
- Custom weekly study plans.
- Emulated Digital ACT interface.
- 5-day free trial.
Complete ACT Online Prep + Live Classes
- Price: Approximately $895
- Includes:
- All features from the Complete ACT Online Prep.
- 9 hours of live virtual instruction.
- Smaller class sizes (maximum 12 students) for more personalized attention.
Complete ACT Online Prep + Tutoring
- Price: Starting at $995
- Includes:
- All features from the Complete ACT Online Prep.
- 4 to 54 hours of one-on-one tutoring, depending on the package you select.
PrepExpert Pricing
PrepExpert also offers multiple plans based on student needs, including options for self-paced courses, live classes, and tutoring. Let’s explore the pricing for SAT prep:
1. PrepExpert SAT Prep Courses:
Self-Paced SAT Course
- Price: $599
- Duration: Flexible (Access for several months)
- Features:
- Access to recorded lessons and over 30 hours of video content.
- 3,000+ practice questions.
- Test-taking strategies focused on score improvement.
- Self-paced online learning with unlimited access to the course materials.
Live Online SAT Course
- Price: $1,499
- Duration: Typically 6-8 weeks (live class sessions)
- Features:
- 20+ hours of live instruction via online webinars.
- Access to recorded sessions for review.
- Focus on strategy-based test-taking.
- Class size generally ranges from 10 to 25 students.
- Includes access to practice questions and study materials.
Private SAT Tutoring
- Price: Starts around $1,299
- Includes:
- One-on-one tutoring sessions with a certified tutor.
- Flexible scheduling based on the student’s availability.
- Tailored lesson plans focusing on individual student weaknesses.
Group SAT Classes (Live In-Person)
- Price: Varies (Typically $1,499 to $1,699)
- Features:
- In-person class sessions.
- Focus on targeted practice and test-taking strategies.
2. PrepExpert ACT Prep Courses:
Self-Paced ACT Course
- Price: $599
- Duration: Flexible (Access for several months)
- Features:
- 3,000+ practice questions.
- Focus on key strategies for each section of the ACT.
- Self-paced course with lifetime access.
Live Online ACT Course
- Price: $1,499
- Duration: Typically 6-8 weeks (live sessions)
- Features:
- 20+ hours of live instruction.
- Access to recorded sessions for review.
- Test-taking strategies and practice exams.
Private ACT Tutoring
- Price: Starts around $1,299
- Includes:
- One-on-one tutoring sessions, either in-person or online.
- Tailored lessons to address individual weaknesses.
Group ACT Classes (Live In-Person)
- Price: $1,499 – $1,699
- Features:
- In-person, group-based learning experience.
- Focus on learning effective strategies for all sections of the ACT.
Detailed Pricing Comparison
| Package | PrepScholar | PrepExpert |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Paced SAT Course | $397 (Online Prep) | $599 (Self-Paced) |
| Live Online SAT Course | $895 (Online Prep + Live Classes) | $1,499 (Live Online Course) |
| Online SAT Prep + Tutoring | Starts at $995 | $1,299 (Private Tutoring) |
| Admissions Bootcamp | $597 | N/A |
| Private SAT Tutoring | Starts at $995 | Starts at $1,299 |
| Self-Paced ACT Course | $397 | $599 (Self-Paced) |
| Live Online ACT Course | $895 | $1,499 (Live Online Course) |
| Online ACT Prep + Tutoring | Starts at $995 | Starts at $1,299 |
| Group ACT Classes (In-Person) | N/A | $1,499 – $1,699 |
Verdict
Both PrepScholar and PrepExpert are excellent choices for SAT and ACT prep, but they cater to different types of learners.
PrepScholar offers a more budget-friendly, personalized learning experience, while PrepExpert emphasizes strategy-based learning with more expensive live classes and tutoring options.
If you’re looking for flexibility, affordability, and a customized study plan, PrepScholar is likely your best option.
Final Thoughts: PrepScholar vs Prep Expert
Choosing between PrepScholar and Prep Expert ultimately depends on your personal preferences.
If you prefer a more flexible, self-paced, and personalized learning experience, PrepScholar is likely the better choice. Its adaptive learning system, extensive materials, and affordability make it an excellent value for students who want to maximize their SAT scores.
However, if you thrive in a live, interactive environment and are specifically looking for test-taking strategies, Prep Expert might be the right fit for you.
While more expensive, its focus on strategy and personalized attention can work wonders for students who want to boost their scores quickly.
In the end, both platforms can help you achieve your SAT goals, but PrepScholar stands out for its personalized, comprehensive approach and proven results.
FAQ’s
What is the main difference between PrepScholar and Prep Expert?
PrepScholar focuses on adaptive learning while Prep Expert offers live classes with a focus on strategies.
Which platform is more affordable, PrepScholar or Prep Expert?
PrepScholar is significantly more affordable, with courses starting at $397 compared to Prep Expert’s higher prices.
Does PrepScholar offer a trial period?
Yes, PrepScholar offers a 5-day risk-free trial, unlike Prep Expert, which doesn’t offer a free trial.
How do PrepScholar and Prep Expert differ in terms of personalization?
PrepScholar tailors lessons based on your strengths and weaknesses through adaptive learning, while Prep Expert focuses on live classes and strategies.
Which platform has more practice questions?
PrepScholar provides over 7,100 practice questions, while Prep Expert has fewer questions (about 1,000+).
