SAT Prep: Should I Work with an SAT Tutor?

SAT Prep: Should I Work with an SAT Tutor?

SAT Prep is a serious undertaking that requires time, energy and discipline. While students can study for the SAT independently, having guidance and support throughout the journey makes the experience ten times more enriching and ensures you get the results you’re looking for.

What can SAT Tutoring do for you?

If you’re studying for the SAT independently, then you might run into some roadblocks in your study sessions pretty quickly and more questions than answers may arise.

What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Which materials should you be using? HOW should you be studying?

The MEK Difference – Guidance Personalized to YOUR Needs

When you work with an SAT Tutor, you’ll receive personalized guidance that’s tailored to your needs.

With MEK, you’ll take our SAT Practice Test at the start of your journey that diagnoses your strengths and weaknesses on specific SAT question types. Based on your score, our dedicated counselors create a specialized study plan for you, including a specific timeline with milestones for achievement, recommended courses to help you meet and exceed your goal score, and quality curriculum and materials that will help you make the most of your study sessions. This means that you don’t waste valuable study time focusing on the parts of the test you are already good at and instead focus on the skills you need to build.

What should I be looking for when it comes to an SAT Tutor?

When researching SAT Tutoring services, you want to look for someone with experience, alignment, and results.

What do we mean by that?

The SAT tests a very specific set of skills that aren’t taught in the traditional public (or even private school) classroom. Some schools offer free SAT Prep classes after school hours, but teachers are not usually trained to teach SAT specific content and sometimes the materials used are simply what the school had on hand.

The MEK Difference – Our Instructors are Certified Professionals

At MEK, all of our SAT Prep instructors are not only certified educators, but they are also trained SAT Prep professionals with years of experience. They have a deep understanding of the test, and are therefore able to teach you how to think like SAT question creators.

Plus, MEK creates their curriculum and materials based on over 25 years of experience. We are constantly updating our resources to give our families the best instruction based on evidence we gain through our work with students in the classroom, using what has shown the greatest results in student outcomes.

What do I not want in an SAT Tutor?

The answer to that is simple! You DO NOT want a cookie cutter approach to SAT Prep. 

Some tutoring centers base their curriculum on the belief that every student learns the same way. Therefore, there’s no variation in their materials from student to student, regardless of what the student needs.

The MEK Difference – We Take a Human Approach to Test Prep

However, at MEK, we take a human approach to test prep. We treat every student as an individual, with individual goals, needs, strengths, and weaknesses. It doesn’t make sense to give two students with different skill sets the same timeline for preparation. Our counselors and instructors work with you to create small milestones that add up to big successes over time, as opposed to other places that use one timeline for all students. Plus, with MEK, you have access to supplementary materials via our Canvas platform, so you can get extra practice building your weaker skills.

With MEK, there’s always someone to guide you step-by-step through your experience, as opposed to other centers or programs where there is no one to contact if you hit a plateau in your prep. You’ll be able to easily communicate with your instructor and receive valuable feedback on your work to help you progress.

But aren’t all SAT Prep Tutoring programs the same?

No! Not all SAT Tutoring programs are the same. 

With the prominence of virtual course offerings becoming the norm in recent years, tutoring centers, courses, and programs have been cropping up and flooding the market. While many of these options are affordable and convenient, you’re not necessarily getting the level of care and quality as you would with a more established company. 

In fact, many of these online programs may say the right things to get you to register. However, they aren’t going to be able to give you the personalized care or additional resources that you may need, including ways to apply the skills you learn beyond exercises and assignments. 

The MEK Difference – We provide full-length SAT simulation tests in all of our SAT Prep packages.

At MEK, we believe that being able to apply what you learn is essential to growth. 

Our teachers assign exercises and homework so you can practice the skills you learn in class during your independent study sessions. We also have a key to success that other test prep centers don’t…weekly full-length SAT simulation tests – an amenity that other centers provide at an additional cost.

You get full-length SAT practice tests that simulate a real test-day experience. You also receive our quality course materials, lessons, and practice exercises. Our goal is not only to teach you the specific content skills and exam strategies to get you top scores. We have found that the best way to alleviate test anxiety is to recreate the testing experience. That way you walk into the official exam day already knowing what to expect, from timing and pacing to how the test is proctored and administered.

By building your confidence and strengthening your mindset, you’re able to take on challenges without feeling overwhelmed. This valuable amenity is part of every MEK SAT package at no additional cost to you.

Next Steps

Looking to start or continue your SAT Prep journey? MEK has a host of programs that will help you reach your goals.

Check out our programs for:

• 9th & 10th Graders looking to get a head start on SAT Prep: SAT Core
• First-time Test Takers: SAT Foundation, SAT 1400, SAT 1500
• Experienced Test Takers: SAT Advanced
• One-on-one Private SAT Test Prep

 
To get started with the registration process or to see where you stand on this tough college admissions exam, sign up for one of our SAT Practice Tests. You can take the test virtually from the comfort of your home computer or in-person at our state of the art Closter campus. 

After the test, you’ll receive our signature detailed score report. This report outlines your results, including your specific strengths and weaknesses and a plan for improvement. Plus, you have access to a free needs based assessment with one of our counselors. During this meeting, you discuss, one-on-one, our recommended courses and a specialized plan that will get you to your goal score.

Call us at +1 (855) 346-1410 or contact us today to get started!