There are three ways to prepare for the SAT with Caddell Prep: 1-on-1 tutoring, small-group prep classes, and a self-paced on-demand course, ranging from $299 to $4,800. How much you need depends on how many points you’re trying to gain, and it normally takes around 40 hours of studying to improve 70 to 130 points and around 80 hours to improve 130 to 250 points. This page covers what each option includes, what it costs, and how to figure out which one fits.
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What Makes Caddell Prep's SAT Prep Different
Most SAT prep teaches everything evenly. We don’t, because the test isn’t distributed evenly.
We went through every practice test the College Board has released and categorized every question by what a student actually needs to know to answer it. That comes to 32 specific topics: 17 in math and 15 in Reading & Writing. Then we measured how often each one shows up.
The results aren’t close. Linear functions is 15% of the math questions. Words in context is 16.5% of the Reading & Writing questions. Some topics show up on fewer than one question per test.
That’s why our lessons are built around specific topics instead of general test-taking strategy. You can see the full breakdown of the 17 Digital SAT math topics and how often each is tested, along with a lesson and practice problems for every one.
The same goes for the other section. Here’s the breakdown of the 15 Digital SAT Reading & Writing topics, which also appear in a predictable order on the test.
How Many Hours of SAT Prep Do You Need?
There’s no exact answer and it varies from student to student. But based on the students we’ve worked with, we have estimates for how many hours it takes to reach certain improvements.
These hours include everything — tutoring or class time, homework, and practice tests. The more studying a student does on his own, the fewer hours of instruction he needs.
40 Hours for a 70 to 130 Point Improvement
Students need approximately 40 hours of studying to improve 70 to 130 points on the SAT.
Two ways to get there:
- 24 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring
- The In-Depth SAT Prep Class
80 Hours for a 130 to 250 Point Improvement
Students need approximately 80 hours of studying to improve 130 to 250 points on the SAT.
Two ways to get there:
- 48 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring
- The In-Depth SAT Prep Class plus 24 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring
SAT Prep Options Compared
We have helped students from every starting point improve their SAT scores. Some have started with an 800 and some with a 1400.
Too often, we see students with high grades in school whose PSAT or SAT scores don’t match. Many of them believe they just aren’t good at standardized tests. What we’ve found is that the gap normally comes down to two things: not knowing the strategies for answering these specific question types, and not having enough confidence during the test. Both improve with practice, sample tests, and support from a tutor or instructor.
Dennis Was Able to Raise His SAT Score & Was Offered Full and Partial Scholarships to His Top Choices
Best option for students who prefer 1-on-1 attention or need to delve into specific topics
- 1-on-1 individualized attention
- Full attention of the tutor
- Learn strategies to answer questions quickly and correctly
- Work on topics you need help with the most
Prices vary based on number of hours
Most popular. Covers everything needed for the test. Small class-size allows for individual attention from the instructor.
- 24 hours of in-person instruction
- 4 practice tests
- Learn strategies to answer questions quickly and correctly
$1,299 ($1,099 for early registration)
The on-demand SAT course that students actually understand.
- All topics covered
- 5 practice tests
- Learn strategies to answer questions quickly and correctly
- Practice applying the strategies in practice questions and practice tests
$299
Comparison of Our SAT Prep Options
Here’s how the four options compare on instruction, practice tests, class size, and cost.
| On-Demand Course | In-Depth Prep Class | SAT Tutoring (24 hours) | SAT Tutoring (48 hours) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructional Hours | Self-paced | 24 | 24 | 48 |
| Practice Tests | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
| Tutor to Student Ratio | Self-paced | 1 to 8 | 1 to 1 | 1 to 1 |
| Materials | Included | Included | Included | Included |
| Cost | $299 | $1,299 ($1,099 early registration) | $2,640 | $4,800 |
The on-demand course is the least expensive and the most flexible, but it requires the student to keep himself on schedule. The class gives structure and an instructor at a lower cost than tutoring. Tutoring costs the most per hour but spends all of that time on the specific topics one student needs.
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How Should You Choose Between Them?
The hours table tells you how much time you need. It doesn’t tell you which topics to spend that time on, and that’s the part that decides how much of the work a student can do alone.
A student who is 60 points from his target and already strong in most topics needs something different from a student who is 250 points away and unsure where the points are going. The way to know which one you’re dealing with is to measure it first.
Find Out Which Topics Are Costing You the Most Points
Every student loses points in different places. A student who already answers every linear functions question correctly shouldn’t spend another minute on linear functions, even though it’s the most common topic on the test.
Our free diagnostic SAT measures exactly that. You get an accurate score based on College Board scoring, plus a ranked list showing which of the 32 topics are costing you the most points.
That list is what a study plan should be built around. It also tells you which of the options on this page makes sense — a student with weaknesses spread across many topics normally needs a class, while a student with a few specific gaps gets more out of tutoring. The diagnostic can be taken online or in person at our Staten Island office, and there’s no charge.
Digital SAT Math Secrets
Glyn Caddell wrote our SAT math book, Digital SAT Math Secrets. It contains over 900 practice problems with detailed lessons and explanations, and it covers every one of the 17 math topics. Students in our classes use it, and it’s available on its own for students who want to work through the math independently.
What Is on the Digital SAT
Before choosing how to prepare, it helps to know what you’re preparing for. The Digital SAT has 98 questions across four modules and is adaptive from module to module, which means the first module determines how high a student’s score can go.
More on the Digital SAT and on how SAT scoring works, including what counts as a good score.