Cracking the Code: An In-Depth Review of Kaplan SAT Test Prep

Navigating the world of SAT preparation can be daunting, with a plethora of courses and resources vying for your attention. Among the established players in this field, Kaplan stands out as a recognizable name. This article will dissect Kaplan's SAT prep offerings, weighing its strengths and weaknesses to help you determine if it's the right fit for your individual needs and learning style.

The Landscape of SAT Prep and Why It Matters

Each year, roughly 2 million high school students take the SAT, according to College Board. Along with the ACT, the SAT is a key component of college admissions. While many schools have gone test-optional in the wake of Covid, the most competitive schools still like to see SAT or ACT scores. In fact, according to reporting by New York Magazine, some elite schools-like MIT-are once again requiring submission of standardized test scores. Even for schools that don’t yet require the SAT, looking at the Common Data Set information for top schools like MIT and Princeton shows that SAT and ACT scores are still an extremely important part of the admissions process. In addition to college admission, test scores can be used to earn scholarships or placement in special programs. Finally, test scores are a handy tool for students to figure out where they might be a competitive applicant.

Guidance with SAT prep comes in two main forms: group classes or individual tutoring. These days, many courses are online. This allows students to seek out the best classes regardless of their physical location, which is great! The most important aspect of a good SAT prep course is the teacher. Excellent classes should be taught by experienced instructors who know the test inside and out and have many years helping students. A good SAT prep class will also encourage students and help them reduce their test anxiety. Now more than ever with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, many students have gaps in their knowledge where their schooling was interrupted. Many good SAT prep courses will assign structured homework so that students can practice constructively with official test questions.

Kaplan's Digital SAT Prep Course Options: A Detailed Overview

To give their students maximum flexibility, Kaplan offers a number of course options, including On Demand, Live Online, Bootcamp, and Unlimited Prep. These packages vary widely in price and by level of study resources and access. Typical prices range from: on-demand about $200 and live online about $800. We found that your experience of Kaplan depends on the package you choose.

On Demand: The Self-Paced Starter Pack

Their most basic offering, the On Demand package, is aimed at students needing only the bare necessities for their Digital SAT Prep. This is the bare-bones package intended for students either on a budget or just in need of the basics. As such, this course bares the very approachable price point of just under $200.

Read also: Is Kaplan SAT Prep Worth It?

The on-demand course is self-paced and split into nine sessions that follow a learn it, drill it, prove it flow. Looking at the online portion of their coursework first, which is the basis of the On Demand curriculum, there are nine sessions. Each study unit starts with a roughly 10-minute video lesson, then short practice, then a quick quiz, with occasional full-length practice tests mixed in. Within each level, there are several individual subject-based modules that must be finished. Deeper yet, within each module there is a lesson, drill, and quiz component (i.e. Kaplan’s “Learn It, Drill It, Prove it” system). The subject-based modules are the foundation of your work and each covers a topic such as “solving equations” or “sentence structure.” In other words, each module covers a standalone subject that is vital to mastering the SAT.

Engaging Video Lessons

I’ll start by saying that Kaplan’s video lessons are next level. No one else in Digital SAT prep comes close, except maybe Princeton Review. Rather than boring prerecorded lectures, Kaplan offers short, engaging videos that are never more than 10 or 12 minutes in length. The second technique they employ is using a very conversational and casual means of communication. They use analogies and stories to make otherwise difficult topics seem relatable and understandable. The entire production creates a very light, fun video that you can engage with. But it’s not all just casual fireside chats. At times, your instructor will demonstrate a point with an example problem. Your instructor, in the bottom corner holding an iPad and stylus, marks up the onscreen practice problem with notes and equations. I personally love these video lessons. And don’t forget, these video lectures are only about 10 minutes long, so they’re usually over before you even get into it. In their new Digital SAT video lesson, you'll occasionally find some humorous cartoon characters.

Reinforcing Knowledge: Drills and Quizzes

Once done with your video lesson, you transition into the drill portion of the module. These drills take a few different forms, so as to test your understanding of what you just learned in different ways. Most commonly though, you are given a list of possible answer choices and must select all that apply to the given question. Once finished with your drills, you move directly into the quiz section of the module. I really appreciated this portion of the unit. You are given 4 or 5 exam-like questions to test your knowledge. It’s not much, but they do an excellent job of putting you in a test-like conditions. After each question you review the video solution to see how you have answered the problem. These solution videos are fantastic. Like the video-based instruction, the production value is very, very strong. Your instructor appears in the bottom corner of the screen and works the problem on the digital whiteboard as they explain the most efficient means of getting to the right answer choice. However, this is also where my one real beef with the Kaplan SAT course lies. These video solutions are so good that I would like to see them used for every practice problem. I want every problem to have a video solution like this! And this is not an unreasonable ask, really. Competitors Magoosh and Testive SAT Prep each offer video solutions for their questions. That is generally it for each subject-based module. In total, I would estimate each module takes about 30 minutes to complete.

Qbank: A Customizable Practice Powerhouse

Beyond the core coursework, you are also given access to Kaplan’s Qbank. This is essentially a library of 500+ realistic multiple-choice questions. This ability to personalize a quiz is a major advantage, as it allows you to narrowly practice on your weak spots. Or you can always just set up a practice session with all question types to get a healthy mix of questions to test all subjects. As mentioned above though, you do not get video solutions with each of these practice questions. These problems only have corresponding text explanations. Each is thorough and covers the problem from a few angles. Each explanation provides a “strategic advice” section that covers high level suggestions, “getting to the answer” which shows step-by-step how to get the right answer choice, and a wrap-up “takeaway” section. Altogether, this is a very detailed text-based solution that does have significant value. One final point worth mentioning is that after you complete your practice sessions, you can access the “review” portion of the Qbank to analyze your performance.

Live Online: The Structure and Accountability of a Classroom, Virtually

At the next level up, Kaplan offers its flagship Live Online class. This is likely what most students and their parents think of when contemplating traditional prep courses. Given the addition of the all-important live class feature, this package carries a slightly higher price tag of around $800. The Kaplan live classes generally take place over 9 sessions that are 2 hours long. You sign up for a scheduled class, and are expected to be there and prepared each session. This ups the ante for many students who may otherwise slack with the self-studying. Kaplan’s live classes use a dual-instructor model. One expert teaches while a second instructor handles questions in chat, so lessons run fast without stoppages. I personally took the Live Online course and found it to be amazingly beneficial, whether you’re a motivated self-studier or not. Don’t get me wrong, there is a ton of overlap between the content of the video lectures and live classes, but the classes just dive deeper. They also provide a different perspective. The video lessons, while excellent, are highly choreographed and scripted. The live classes are not. The instructor that led my class was also very, very good. She was crazy smart and obviously knew the SAT inside and out. And another cool feature of the Kaplan Live Online class is that if you have a question, there is a second teacher working the chat function. That way your teacher is never really bogged down with questions and can focus on the material.

Read also: Kaplan & Kitces Guide

Printed Prep Books: A Tangible Resource

Accompanying the Live Online and Unlimited Prep classes, you will get a set of printed prep books from Kaplan. The Kaplan books that come with the high-end packages are worth their weight in gold. The best book of the bunch is the SAT Course Book. The material in this book is aligned with your class lecture and covers testing strategies, as well as content review. The book is written in a clear and easily understandable manner. It is also sprinkled with some awesome graphics and practice problems to help learn in different ways.

Bootcamp: Intensive Prep for a Time Crunch

For students on a time crunch, Kaplan offers a Bootcamp plan for around $800.

Unlimited Prep: The All-Access Pass

Finally, Kaplan offers its deluxe Unlimited Prep course. With this package, your access isn’t limited to 6 months, but rather extends to June of your senior year of high school. If you’re taking the PSAT, you’ll get everything Kaplan has to offer on this front, as well as unlimited use of the live classes for the SAT, PSAT, and AP exams. They’ve also recently added 6 hour of college advising, 5 hours of one-on-one tutoring, and Kaplan’s Four-Year Formula, with insights on everything from choosing your high school coursework to preparing for the college process.

Private SAT Tutoring: Personalized Attention for Targeted Improvement

The final option that Kaplan offers is Private SAT Tutoring. This comes in packages starting at 10 hours for $1,999 or $167 per month if you choose to pay with a payment plan. Packages go up from there, with options to choose 10, 20, 30, or 40 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring. At the time of publishing this review article, Kaplan's Private SAT tutoring is only offered online and not in-person. Kaplan’s tutoring programs come with the access to their bank of new Digital SAT practice questions and full-length practice tests. Students can also get access to an entire Live Online course, as well as prep books and access to On-Demand practice questions. Private tutoring is undoubtedly a pricey option, but it can be worth it if you don't have the time to frequently supervise your child's SAT prep but have the budget for a tutor. A private tutor can give your child personalized help to walk you through the process and work on their specific needs and learning challenges. They can also serve as a guide through the Live Online class, working with them to address challenges or class material they may not understand. This is the most comprehensive option, as a tutor will be able to walk your child through all the steps and activities they need to excel on the new Digital SAT.

Kaplan vs. The Competition: A Comparative Analysis

Kaplan’s SAT prep courses are twice as expensive as the similar offerings from Magoosh ($399). What’s especially strange is that Kaplan expects you to pay even higher rates to guarantee a qualified tutor. Most companies charging upwards of $100/hr require their instructors to have scored in the 99th percentile. At Kaplan, you won’t get that unless you’re willing to pay a roughly 50% premium.

Read also: Early Learning Through Play

Kaplan hires instructors who score in the 90th percentile and above on the SAT, although they don’t publish this cutoff, so it may not be a strict requirement. A 90th-percentile score is about a 1350 on the SAT (out of 1600). This is a strong score, but it’s not nearly high enough to be competitive for an Ivy-League school, where the average score is between 1450 and 1570. In contrast, several other SAT prep providers hire only top 1% scorers (in the 99th percentile), which means scoring about a 1550 on the SAT. Note that if high-achieving students are aiming for a National Merit award, they’ll need a top 1% score on the PSAT, the version of the SAT that students take in October of their junior year. Every year, $35 million in scholarships are awarded through the National Merit program, and some colleges offer full-ride scholarships and other perks to National Merit students.

If students are looking for a top-notch SAT prep class, but with smaller classes, more individualized attention, and top 1% instructors who hail from the Ivy League, we recommend PrepMaven’s SAT Masterclass. For families on a budget, we cannot recommend enough Khan Academy’s free SAT materials created in partnership with the College Board, creators of the SAT. A very similar set of practice questions - but this time created in partnership with the College Board, the makers of the SAT - is available completely for free from Khan Academy. Similarly, 6 full real SAT tests are available from the College Board or on Khan Academy. That’s also true for high-scoring students who are chasing that amazing score that will help get them into the Ivy League/Stanford/MIT/etc.

To truly compare these two companies, it’s important you understand all the different study materials and features that each company provides. Unlike competitors that offer just one or two options to choose from, Princeton Review provides four packages for their students. Each is very different in terms of features, price and more, accommodating every learning style and budget. For reference, this is $100 more than Kaplan’s comparable self-paced option. Directly comparable to Kaplan’s Live Online course, Princeton Review offers its Essentials package. It’s really weird just how similar these offerings are. Unlike Kaplan, however, Princeton Review offers a couple of unique packages built around score guarantees. These packages accomplish this promise through additional live class work and 1-on-1 tutoring, with a focus on the toughest subjects. The Princeton review work starts with their 135+ video lessons. As they deliver the content, written notes and practice problems are superimposed on the screen around them. This allows the teacher to use a marker to write on the screen and mark up the written text and onscreen practice problems as they see fit. Additionally, like Kaplan, these videos are quite short - generally just 5 to 15 minutes in length depending on the subject. Princeton Review also provides some top shelf textbooks. I found these books to be extremely well-written and clear. When it comes to review material, Princeton Review easily gets the win. In terms of volume, Princeton Review beats Kaplan almost across the board. The highlight of the Princeton Review SAT/ACT package is their live instruction. I found the Princeton Review instructors to be about the best around. In addition to some best-in-class instructors, Princeton Review’s live classes also deliver a great structure and excellent content. Princeton Review gives you some helpful shortcuts and techniques for getting to the correct answer as efficiently as possible. As mentioned above, Princeton Review offers 1400+ and 1500+ courses for the SAT, as well as 31+ and 34+ programs for the ACT, which as you can probably guess based on the names of the packages, correspond to those scores as money back guarantees. Now, these options do cost extra (over $2,000) and there is some fine print attached, but still, if you’re serious about scoring high and getting accepted into a top tier college, it’s hard to argue with Princeton Review’s score guarantees. Lastly, Princeton Review beats Kaplan when it comes to content access period. Therefore, if you plan on studying for an extended period of time, or you plan on taking the Digital SAT or ACT exam multiple times, then this might push Princeton Review ahead of Kaplan for you. As you’ve likely gathered by this point, the Kaplan and Princeton Review SAT and ACT prep courses are very, very similar in terms of features, content and delivery. On average, Kaplan provides the more affordable package. While the programs from Kaplan and Princeton Review are very similar, the largest difference surrounds instructional material. Kaplan shines with some first-rate video lessons, while Princeton Review’s highlight is their practice material and score guarantees.

Pros: What Kaplan Does Well

Engaging Video Lessons: Kaplan's video lessons are a standout feature, utilizing high production value, humor, and relatable examples to keep students engaged.
Flexible Course Options: Kaplan offers a range of course options to suit different budgets, learning styles, and schedules.
Structured Learning: The "Learn It, Drill It, Prove It" system provides a clear and structured approach to learning.
Live Online Classes: The Live Online classes offer a classroom-like experience with the added benefit of a second instructor answering questions in the chat.
Affordable Options: Kaplan offers more affordable options compared to other top-rated test prep providers. In addition, with their monthly payment plans and prep starting at just $199, they’re more affordable than many other test prep providers. Furthermore, Kaplan frequently offers discounts on their SAT course offerings, sometimes as high as 25%.
Free Trial: Kaplan’s free trials make it easy to try out their products before you buy them.

Cons: Areas Where Kaplan Could Improve

Limited Access Period: The On Demand course only provides 6 months of access, which may not be sufficient for students with longer study timelines.
Customer Service Issues: Many clients reported that it was impossible to reach Kaplan’s customer support or technical support.
Lack of Personalized Support: Kaplan’s SAT prep has a much more rigid structure, so you’ll need to either customize a study plan for your child or rely on their more general program structure.
Instructor Qualifications: Kaplan hires instructors who score in the 90th percentile and above on the SAT, although they don’t publish this cutoff, so it may not be a strict requirement. A 90th-percentile score is about a 1350 on the SAT (out of 1600). This is a strong score, but it’s not nearly high enough to be competitive for an Ivy-League school, where the average score is between 1450 and 1570.
Weak Score Improvement Guarantee: While Kaplan promises a "Higher Score Guarantee" they don't stand behind a specific number of points students can observe after completing their SAT prep courses.

Real User Experiences: What Students and Parents Are Saying

Another common complaint from clients is that Kaplan’s SAT prep has a fairly rigid structure and isn’t customized to the needs of each individual student.

Many clients reported that it was impossible to reach Kaplan’s customer support or technical support. “Waited on hold with customer service for 4 hours on two different occasions!! Can’t get an actual HUMAN to help with my courses. So frustrated and will never be using this company again. Will also tell EVERYONE not to ever use them especially if you need assistance from their customer service. Don’t use this company!

The Kaplan online platform visually is pretty nice. Students have a home dashboard from which they can navigate to individual study units and practice tests. Disappointingly, a lot of the course is just telling you what you already know if you are actually prepping for the standardized tests. Also, some of their methods don’t even work or are just inefficient. Sorry to say, but mom and dad just wasted a **** ton of money.

Is Kaplan Right for You? Factors to Consider

Your Budget: Kaplan offers a range of price points, but it's essential to compare the cost with the value you receive.
Your Learning Style: Do you thrive in a structured classroom environment, or do you prefer the flexibility of self-paced learning?
Your Score Goals: Are you aiming for a modest score improvement, or are you striving for a top score to gain admission to an elite university?
Your Time Commitment: How much time can you realistically dedicate to SAT prep each week?

Alternatives to Kaplan: Exploring Other Options

Khan Academy: A free and comprehensive resource created in partnership with the College Board.
PrepMaven: Offers smaller class sizes, individualized attention, and top 1% instructors.
Magoosh: Provides a focus on video explanations and a vast library of practice questions.
Princeton Review: Known for its comprehensive curriculum, experienced instructors, and score guarantees.
Prep Expert: Known for a focus on test-taking strategies and techniques.

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