Students get test-ready with class; Supplemental school programs less costly way to prepare for college entrance exams

Before paying hundreds of dollars for a study guide for the SAT or ACT, keep this in mind: The information found in those manuals is being given away for free.

Every day. At school.

Nearly every college requires students to submit scores from one of the two exams, which test students’ English, math and science skills. These are the same skills that students pursuing Core 40 or academic honors diplomas are learning and reviewing every day in their classes, Center Grove guidance director Pam Price and Greenwood guidance director Bill Ronk said.

Students who don’t use extra practice classes shouldn’t worry.

“If you don’t, you shouldn’t feel like you’re cheating yourself,” Ronk said.

Any student or parent who has searched SAT or ACT preparation online knows that the Internet can offer more than 55 million options in less than a second. Those include books written by Princeton Review that run from $9.99 to $250, and online and traditional courses offered by Kaplan for $299 to $599.

Kaplan also offers the prep trio, which provides unlimited testing materials for the ACT, PSAT and SAT. The price: $999.

Lately, a growing number of parents have been calling Price, worried they can’t afford the high costs of classes and study guides but asking if they should find a way to pay the expense.

“I don’t usually answer that question, because I can’t determine whether it’s going to be worth that amount of money for them,” she said.

Price tells parents and students before buying anything they need to think about what part of the exams is worrying them. Are they concerned about mastering all of the subject content or about testing well? Then they need to see whether the study guide or class meets that need.

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