Today's business section in the New York Times offers a glimpse into the hierarchical world of SAT test prep and what kind of scores your money can buy:
One parent who spent more than $2,000 on test prep for his son Daniel says the investment was well worth it because it gave his son the logical strategies, pacing and confidence needed to score higher.
"It's incredibly competitive," Mr. Kroese said. "How can kids who don't have special test prep get into top schools?"
For those who can't afford expensive summer test prep programs or private tutoring, there's always the genorisity of Kaplan and Princeton Review who offer some test-preparation tools at no charge. Their time practice tests, complete with monitors.
Some test-preparation tools are offered at no charge. Kaplan and the Princeton Review run free, timed practice tests, complete with monitors. A week after the test, students are invited to return to see how they fared, as a teacher reviews the answers. "Many kids sign up for a class after the free practice test, so it's a good marketing tool for us," Mr. Deutsch said, "but at the same time it gives kids who can't afford more the ability to take a free practice test and get some tips."
Both companies also offer some tuition assistance for low-income families, and both work with high schools in low-income neighborhoods so that school staff members can put together test-preparation programs.
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That's what I call equality but who's going to pay for that top school?
Look at all the educational companies that sell test prep materials for specific states. I know of several school divisions that use these materials with their students. The materials are moderately priced but if you are a poorer division, even moderate is out of your price range.
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