Starting at $122 per hour, PrepScholar’s new ACT and SAT tutoring packages are guaranteed to improve your ACT by 4 points and your SAT by 160 points.
If you’re looking for an ACT or SAT prep course and considering PrepScholar, then read on to see our thoughts on their new tutoring options that you can tack onto their popular on demand course.
About PrepScholar ACT and SAT
When PrepScholar reached out to me to let me know they’ve added tutoring to their SAT and ACT courses, I was immediately intrigued. They’ve already been known for their affordable ACT and digital SAT on-demand courses (starting at $397) and have recently bulked up their offerings by adding live online instruction. For students who were already interested in buying a live online or on-demand SAT or ACT study course, tacking on tutoring can be a no-brainer.
See more about the course included in our ACT and SAT PrepScholar Review
Prepscholar ACT and SAT Tutoring
Starting with packages as little as 4 hours, all PrepScholar ACT and SAT courses include their on-demand prep course (40 hours of online practice) and higher score guarantee!
My Thoughts on PrepScholar ACT and SAT Tutoring
Pricing
The advertised “starts at $122/hour” pricing for PrepScholar is for students who book the largest package of 54 hours. Not everyone is going to need this many hours of one-on-one tutoring. Here’s how the price breaks down per hour depending on which package you purchase:
- 4 hours: $149.5 per hour
- 12 hours: $133.17 per hour
- 20 hours: $129.90 per hour
- 54 hours: $122 per hour
Compare this pricing to Princeton Review’s ACT tutoring:
- 10 hours: $200 per hour
- 18 hours: $175 per hour
And to Kaplan’s ACT tutoring:
- 5 hours: $149.80 per hour
- 10 hours: $139.90 per hour
- 20 hours: $129.95 per hour
- 30 hours: $119.97 per hour
- 40 hours: $109.98 per hour
Kaplan’s tutoring is clearly a better deal if you’re considering buying tutoring hours in bulk. The drawback is that the course you gain access to only includes 7 hours of on-demand lesson content. PrepScholar’s free access to the 40 hours of online prep would make it a better option for those seeking out low hours of tutoring but who also want a fully comprehensive prep course to accompany it.
The bottomline: PrepScholar’s tutoring is a far better deal for students who want to supplement their test prep course with a few hours of guidance from a skilled teacher. If you’re seeking out a larger amount of tutoring hours, Kaplan is much more affordable and may be a better use of time.
Tutor Quality
While I can’t vet each individual tutor for PrepScholar, their tutor requirements seem pretty legit. All tutors must have scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT or SAT and have graduated from a top 20 college.
As you may well have discovered at this point, scoring high on a test or graduating from a top school doesn’t necessarily mean you are effective at teaching others. According to PrepScholar, their tutors must also have proven one-on-one tutoring skills and experience. There are not a lot of additional details regarding the onboarding or training for these tutors.
Curriculum
As a reminder, the PrepScholar on demand course is included when you book an ACT or SAT tutor. Their course content is well-organized and incorporates video, text, and graphics in each lesson.
PrepScholar SAT video content that is included in your SAT course
There are over 40 hours of course content and each lesson includes a quiz for reinforcing knowledge with detailed answer explanations.
This is a high-quality on demand course and consistently ranks among our top choices for SAT prep and ACT prep courses for their video content. Again, if you’re seeking out a solid prep course and would be interested in tacking on a few hours of tutoring, this is going to be a great deal for you.
You can learn more about what the tutors do during your sessions in PrepScholar’s blog post.
Score Increase Guarantee
Their score increase guarantee is 160+ points for the SAT and 4+ points for the ACT. This means that if you do not increase your score by this amount, you will be automatically refunded the $397 for the course.
In regards to the tutoring hours – you aren’t refunded the cost of those back if you don’t get a higher score. Rather, you’ll be given the full set of tutoring hours once more so that you can work on any remaining weaknesses to get the 160+ or 4+ points needed. See the full terms and conditions.
What’s the Refund Policy?
The first class with your tutor is considered “risk free” – so if you aren’t happy with the tutor, you can get a full refund. There is a rating system for tutors, so you will have an opportunity to rate them after the class and also switch to a new tutor if you want.
What are the Free Trial Options?
You can trial out the instructor-led courses for the ACT here and the SAT here.
Enroll in a free instructor-led class
For tutoring, there is a one-hour risk-free trial that you can enjoy when you purchase the tutoring package. This means if you do not like the tutoring after the first hour, you can ask for a full refund.
PrepScholar ACT and SAT Tutoring Options
We already broke down the hourly rate for the tutoring, but here are the total prices for the tutoring, including the access to the on demand SAT and ACT course:
PrepScholar ACT and SAT Tutoring
All the ACT and SAT tutoring packages include 40 hours of online test prep practice from PrepScholar.
Monitored Prep
- Tutor Time: 4 hours
- Price: $995
Tutor-Led Prep
- Tutor Time: 12 hours
- Price: $1995
Full Tutoring Prep
- Tutor Time: 20 hours
- Price: $2995
Maximum Tutoring Prep
- Tutor Time: 54 hours
- Price: $6995
Who Needs PrepScholar ACT and SAT Tutoring
I hold strong that the best candidate for this tutoring option from PrepScholar is one who is seeking a robust online, on-demand test prep course with the addition of a few hours of guided tutoring. This is where the true value of the course comes in.
If you are seeking a high volume of tutoring hours, I think Kaplan is a better choice because of its price point.
PrepScholar ACT / SAT Tutoring Alternatives
Kaplan
We’ve discussed Kaplan a few times already, and with reason. They have some of the highest-rated instructors across the test prep industry.
Kaplan is a great choice if you are seeking a high volume of prep hours and want less emphasis placed on the on-demand course outside of tutoring hours. The hourly rate can get down to about $109 per hour if you opt for 40 hours of tutoring.
Kaplan is definitely the best option for those seeking a lot of one-on-one hours and who need extra guidance.
Kaplan SAT Prep Course
An all-inclusive online, live online, or in-person class with 18 hours of classroom instruction, a suite of prep resources (online and offline) and ample practice tests.
- "Learn it, Drill it, Prove it" methodology helps reinforce learning
- Entertaining, digestible lesson videos
- Includes 4 official SAT practice tests
- No mobile app
Princeton Review
Starting at a higher $175 per hour, Princeton Review is definitely in a weight class of its own. You can purchase 10 hours at $200/hour or 18 hours at $175 per hour and you will receive what seems to be the full on-demand ACT or SAT course suite of practice materials and lessons as well as a customized prep strategy from your tutor.
Overall, Princeton Review’s tutoring is the most personalized experience you’ll get for your ACT or SAT prep, just at a higher cost.
Digital SAT 1400 | The Princeton Review
Imagine having the confidence to land a 1400 on the digital SAT.. well now you have that opportunity with a guaranteed 1400 by The Princeton Review. Get 15% off with code: TPN15
- Score guarantees or your money back can give you more confidence in your prep
- 4 digital SAT practice tests + score analysis
- Instructors were re-certified for the digital SAT
- Score guarantee has a lot of terms & conditions that must be met (read the fine print)
- The courses are pricey compared to other options
PrepExpert
If you’re seeking out a quality SAT or ACT tutor on a budget, then PrepExpert is the way to go! Starting at $29/hour, PrepExpert offers tutors who will personalize your prep. All tutors are in the top 1% of ACT and SAT test-takers, although I can’t confirm what additional training or screening they have outside of this requirement.
Prep Expert SAT Course
Live online and on demand courses taught by top 1% SAT test scorers.
Get 30% OFF with code: NERDS30
PrepScholar ACT and SAT FAQ
How long do I have access to my PrepScholar ACT course?
If you enroll in tutoring, you will have access to the PrepScholar ACT on demand course for 12 months.
Is PrepScholar tutoring for the ACT worth it?
Definitely! Additional tutoring from PrepScholar is a great way to fine-tune your ACT prep and work specifically on areas of weakness one-on-one with an expert.
Will PrepScholar courses raise my score?
PrepScholar has a higher score guarantee, so if your score is not raised after completion, you will receive a full refund. This is always a good sign that they have faith in the course and it will improve your score if you put in the work.
The Bottomline of PrepScholar’s ACT and SAT Tutoring
Prepscholar is a great option for students who want an on-demand course and would like additional tutoring outside of the lessons. As a recap, PrepScholar’s ACT and SAT tutoring:
- Starts with at least 4 hours of tutoring
- Includes a personalized plan from the tutors
- Comes with 40 hours of class content and curriculum
Prepscholar ACT and SAT Tutoring
Starting with packages as little as 4 hours, all PrepScholar ACT and SAT courses include their on-demand prep course (40 hours of online practice) and higher score guarantee!
