[I.said.hi]

Okay, So i'm going to be a junior next year, and obviously I have to get a head start on my sat prep over the summer.

So, I have a question.

WHERE/WHAT IS AN EFFECTIVE, BENEFICIAL, AND GREAT SAT PLACE IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA?


I live in irvine, and I'm starting to feel the pressure.


The tutor places I know so far are: ELITE and SAGE, close to Irvine, but not the places that I want to go to.


So ANY OTHER TUTOR PLACE BESIDES ELITE AND SAGE?

If you've already taken you SAT, and did WELL ON IT, can you reccomend me the tutor place that you went to?


Thanks.

[mojomunkeez]

I didn't take any SAT courses.
They are a waste of your time and money, just buy "10 Real SATs" and do the practice tests and you'll be fine.

...proof? My score: 2360

[miso_ramen]

yeah. i dont recommend those rip off classes either. some people who pay like a thousand bucks end up getting like a rather infelicitous 1600 or something. i'd say go with practice books, or maybe the official SAT online course which is only like 60 bucks.

[oohlalabanana]

I took revolution prep.

www.revolutionprep.com

it was pretty helpful but you have to work hard by doing all the homework they assign and STUDY. funny how today was my last day of SAT class. My scores only went up by 300 points :{. I recommend you to get the big collegeboard blue book to study :}.

[akenon]

Don't waste your money.
Get a Barron's book for about $20 instead.
You just need the discipline.

I don't have as impressive results as mojomunkeez (I envy you!!), but I doubt that taking a class would have raised my score that much. :T

[Supremacy]

Yeah, like other ppl said, dont waste money on course classes. Its like around 1000 minimum and they just teach out of the books. Just go to the nearest Barnes & Noble and buy a couple different SAT books and do them and study.

[HT2791]

i dunno, contrary to what others say, i think it's kind of useful to have a tutor. I didn't go to any of the sat tutorings where you go to a store or clinic or whatever you call it. I just had a private korean tutor in the area. i think it's helpful for a few sessions, but the amount that i've had (2 years..) is a little too much. It's nice for someone to help teach you the basics (simple maths, learning to spot trick questions in math, vocabulary). Because honestly, i probably wouldn't have studied hardcore without a tutor. that being said, i do know of a friend who got a 2300+ just by hardcore book studying for about 2-3 weeks. And i'm sorry to say that i live on the other side of the nation so i can't recommend any SAT places.

[akenon]

i dunno, contrary to what others say, i think it's kind of useful to have a tutor. I didn't go to any of the sat tutorings where you go to a store or clinic or whatever you call it. I just had a private korean tutor in the area. i think it's helpful for a few sessions, but the amount that i've had (2 years..) is a little too much. It's nice for someone to help teach you the basics (simple maths, learning to spot trick questions in math, vocabulary). Because honestly, i probably wouldn't have studied hardcore without a tutor. that being said, i do know of a friend who got a 2300+ just by hardcore book studying for about 2-3 weeks. And i'm sorry to say that i live on the other side of the nation so i can't recommend any SAT places.

Well, a private tutor is different from SAT classes :/

[Avex]

I live in NorCal, but I'm aware of a group called Odyssey Test Prep Think SAT. It's not very well-known, but it's spread out all across Southern California.

ODYSSEY TEST PREP THINK SAT
Santa Ana,CA 92701
(949) 705-6538

I'd call the number to check, but what I know is the test prep (i think they're tutors, but check in case. I don't know). Their prep is based on training the brain (a lot of cognitive and neuroscience that I was pretty amazed at). Read here to see what I mean: http://www.urch.com/forums/sat-test/24284-...ding-score.html, where the founder of the group debates against reading the question, and reading the passage, or skimming the passage, etc.

But yeah, a class IS a waste of time. A tutor is different and can evaluate personal weaknesses (that's if you can find the right one).

[kuhat]

last summer my junior year, i went to ACI.
it didn't help me much, but i did improve a bit in math and writing
for critical reading, my score dropped by a lot.
this summer, before my senior year, i'm going to Elite.
and now my writing score is dropping, and my reading is sstill low..
:/ my parents are making me take SAT prep classes so i don't really have a choice
but to go.

[joonage]

I think SAT classes can help.

But it totally depends on the format. And you have to be able to enjoy it.

I've been to two places.

The first place was an individual teacher who just made me do random question and memorize words. It was seriously boring as hell and frekin' cold. I didn't learn anything there because I was tired, bored, and cold. Also, the instructor was frekin' stuck up. He was always like "I went to Columbia. My sons went to blah blah blah. I have students who went to blah blah blah. Look at you. You don't even know what gesticulations are." ... Stfu foo. lol

The place I go to now, I personally enjoy. It's more of a classroom setting. The teacher gives us actual tests and we take them then correct them. Then the teacher goes over problems we don't get. After that, we do drills and stuff. It's fun because we can joke around, laugh at stupid mistakes, and the teachers are funny as hell.

So, really, you have to "enjoy" while you learn. I actually look forward to going to hagwon. And I've learned a lot too. My May test showed an improvement of 70 on my CR and 20 on my Math (I didn't take a writing class. My score dropped by 60 I think because of the damn essay ), and I only went for like 2-3 months. I'm really hoping for 2100+ on this test. If I don't get it, I'll be a little disappointed, but the tutoring was worth it in my opinion.

Overall, look for somewhere with a good environment. If you can't enjoy what you studying, you'll obviously get bored and not care/pay attention.

[harrypotter123]

I attend Sagepoint Academy in Rancho Cucamonga. Its much more lax and the classes are tiny (5-10 people)

The first time I came in I couldn't even finish the SAT diagnostic because I got so frustrated.

1st time I took the SAT in June I got a 1590

after I took the class over summer I'm getting about 1850+ nowadays hoping to get to 2000.

I'm surprised no one mentioned Elite yet hahahaha. They have security cameras watching their students.

[KEYS2MYHEART_<3]

Wow, Elite... Don't go there. They just give you a lot of busywork, so if you do the work, you'll be okay.
I go to San Marino Academy. I think it's pretty good, watched my score go up like 300 points. (:

[*frutti]

honestly, why wouldnt you want to go to elite?? i heard it's the best sat prep institution (if you actually do the work) and i've gone from a 1650 to a 2060, and i still have 5 weeks of the course left...i'm aiming for at least 2200

[tenshiii0ox]

Chung's SAT. Ask for Mr. Chung. He teaches the classes personally. You have to be extremely hardworking and on top of everything though. I heard that the Elite in Cerritos is decent, but I suggest Chung's SAT out of all those institues. If you want more information, you can ask me. =)