Before you can make a rational decision on the right prep for you, it is worth outlining the different options and filtering the messages you receive. In the same way, we teach students to set up the problem at the outset, let’s review the SHSAT prep landscape. On the one hand, you can access prep books that typically shout out, “More problems, more tests, quantity, cheap!” Where is the quality? On the other extreme, traditional tutoring firms will offer you the opportunity to come into their prestigious location for a day, take a free diagnostic exam, and generously share their premium consultation services, which unfortunately cost hundreds or thousands of dollars in the name of an “investment” in your child. Where is the value and efficiency?

Have you ever wondered, “Am I getting my money’s worth? Can I afford to pay the high cost of traditional tutoring? I want to invest in the best option(s) for my child, but how do I know which option that is?” If so, then you are not alone. There is another option: SHSATAcademy. We at TestPrepSHSAT are more skeptical about the “investment” analogy sales pitch. A real investment strategy includes buying low and selling high, not overpaying. A real investment is for the long term. Any good investment includes managing risk and understanding the downside and how to exit if things don’t work as planned. The reality is that traditional tutoring is the most expensive option by far. If it doesn’t work, the downside can be costly. Furthermore, any seasonal course for a single test is a one-time boost that keeps many students coming back to the trough for more once they get accepted to an SHS. It is not a long-term solution to teach students to self-study but rather a gravy train for future business. 

With this in mind, we have developed an alternative choice and refined it over recent years. Our online platform is not limited to the information that can be packed into a 300-page book, and the SHSATAcademy provides more practice problems and exams, more lessons, and a course to follow unavailable from any or even many books. In short, we offer the best value option for self-study materials. As we helped hundreds of students get ready, we realized one key challenge is to make sure students stick to the course. Consistent effort results in admission rates comparable to the most expensive tutors. The others lost their way for a couple of salient reasons: lost interest in self-study or lack of help overcoming content stumbling blocks. As a result, we introduced small group classes online to make the experience more fun and interactive and extremely effective at filling in the gaps in student knowledge as any expensive tutor will surely tell you is critical. Think of it like tutoring when you need it to get your student through the SHSATAcademy math and ELA courses. The cost of our method is substantially less, so clients see the savings, take less risk, and can cancel at any time without being locked into one option. We know the most successful students usually leverage several sources and we provide one alternative that most parents can agree is a good risk-reward, perhaps even a better investment strategy in your child.