Love them or hate them (and, let’s be honest, does anyone really love them?), standardized tests are part of every school kid’s world, and the SAT is the granddaddy of all standardized tests. Once upon a time, you had to have disposable income to gain outside help on the SAT, but those days are long gone thanks to College Prep Genius and their Ace the SAT Program (Online Program). For only $99 you get access to the new 2016 College Prep Genius Fundamental eCourse for one year (with the option to renew for $49), the College Prep Genius Workbook PDF Download, and the 15 Secrets to Free College Download. Given that student and parent testimonials vouch for hundred(s)-point increases in PSAT and SAT scores, and given that you can do the course right in the comfort of your own home, that’s a huge bargain!

The course is comprised of twelve lessons: Introduction, The Reading Section, Passage Based Reading, Dual Passage, Math, More SAT Math, Math Student Response, Math, Writing & Language, More Writing & Language, The Essay, More Essay Practice. There is also one “Before You Get Started” video. In total, the videos last around nine hours. Each lesson is further broken down into topics; the topics are listed once you select the lesson. Thus, once you select a lesson, you can see exactly what you will be covering. Ace the SAT does not technically allow you to work out of order, requiring that you watch each video (including each topic within each lesson) as the course progresses. However, if you really don’t want to do this, there is a slightly annoying workaround. You can select a lesson and then a topic. Once you’ve done so, you have the option to “Mark Complete.” At that point, you’ll be able to move on. Since this is not the way the course is intended to be used, I wouldn’t recommend it, but I did want to point out that there is a way to work out of order if necessary.

Ace the SAT is authored by Jean Burk, the creator of College Prep Genius. Mrs. Burk is a recognized expert on SAT and PSAT/NMSQT preparation. She has appeared on Fox and other networks and she is a member of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine® Speaker’s Bureau. Both of her children received full scholarships to college, so Mrs. Burk knows whereof she speaks.

Ace the SAT does more than just give your child a heads-up about what the SAT will be like. Rather, it teaches the test. By learning the patterns and strategies inherent in the test itself, your student will be more prepared to face the SAT. As Mrs. Burk points out in the introduction to the included College Prep Genius workbook, the actual front cover of the SAT identifies it as a reasoning test. Hence, the test assumes that you have the knowledge necessary for success. The key is in whether you can reason your way to your desired score. Ace the SAT is designed to help you reason through the SAT.

The video lessons include listening, memorizing, and writing. Mrs. Burk insists that students use their pencils rigorously to underline, cross out, and circle their way to correct answers. It is her contention that working things through in one’s head leads to mistakes. While watching the videos, students are told when to pause and refer to their workbooks. In this manner, they make their way through the course.

There is so much to love about this course. First, obviously, is the cost. It is such a small investment for what you’re getting. You have a year to complete it, which is plenty. You actually have time to do the course more than once if you happen to be testing more than once in a calendar year (taking the PSAT for practice sophomore year and then again for National Merit junior year, for example) and want a refresher. Second, Mrs. Burk’s tips and tricks make sense. She gives you something to hang your hat on, so to speak. By giving students acronyms, she makes it easy to remember all she teaches, making it less likely that they will blank when confronted with the actual test. Finally, her results speak for themselves. She has countless testimonials attributing student success and improved scores to her programs.

If you have a student who will be taking the SAT or PSAT in the future, whether homeschooled or not, I would recommend Ace the SAT. You have nothing to lose but a lower test score and the potential for college debt. Ace the SAT backs this up with a full money back guarantee. If you don’t improve your SAT score after taking the Ace the SAT online program, you can get a full refund, no questions asked. I have the feeling, though, that they don’t issue very many refunds! So forget about fearing the SAT and get ready to ace it instead!

-Product review by Laura Delgado, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, December, 2016