Bad experience with Kaplan

[Anonymous]

Our son took an expensive Kaplan course last spring. We were very disappointed with the unprofessional way in which the program was managed. The teacher(s) failed to show up several times. On many of these occasions, substitutes were not found, and sessions were cancelled. Other sessions started late and there was even a last-minute change in the venue. My son said the program was heavily scripted, and probably any person with a pulse could have led the sessions. And the final disappointment--his scores did not dramatically improve. I'm curious to know what kinds of experiences others have had with Kaplan.

[Anonymous]

We haven't used it, but I've read about studies (with "control" and "commercial test prep" groups) that show these commercial groups don't teach your kid anything they couldn't pick up by buying a Princeton or other SAT prep book. If your kid works on the geometry problems he/she has forgotten how do to since taking geometry three years ago, and he/she memorizes a few new words a day, then he/she is likely to be just as well off as taking a commercial prep class. If your kid has a hard time motivating themselves to do self-study, then perhaps a course helps get them going.

[Anonymous]

A friend taught at Kaplan one summer. He was from Harvard, which I guess is why he got hired. He said teaching there was pretty much a joke. The best part in his opinion was the test-taking strategies they communicated -- don't obsess over a single problem, eliminate answers you know are wrong, that kind of thing.

Some of our kids who have done either private and public have lots of experience with ERBs and/or NCLB tests, and may have already figured out these strategies. Or, you could read about them in one of the test prep books. But then again, some kids need to hear it, verbally.

If your kid is verbally-oriented, then having somebody stand up there and tell them may be worth paying for. If that person is competent, of course.