When you’re preparing to go to college or enter into some kind of post graduate program, one thing that is required is the ability to pass a few tests. For high school students, it’s the SAT and ACT tests while for college graduates, it could be anything from the GMAT to the LSAT to the GRE (for starters).
And while there articles out in cyberspace that advise not “overdoing it” when it comes to the amount of test prep courses that you take (because it can be hard to cram all that you need to know in just a few classes), it can be beneficial to take one or two just for the sake of knowing what to expect (especially since college tests tend to cost a fraction of a pretty penny).
That’s why we’ve provided you with five tips on how you can find inexpensive test preparation programs. That way, you can focus more on your studies and less on how much preparing for them is going to cost you.
ACTStudent.org. If you have a teenager who needs to get ready for an upcoming ACT test, this is one website that you may want to check out because it has everything from online test prep courses to practice test questions to even tips for taking multiple choice and general test questions. To gain access to the preparation part of the website, the cost is $19.95 per year.
CollegeBoard.org. Another test that many high school students take is the SAT. College Board is a great test prep resource for this particular test because it not only offers practice tests and study guides but also information on how to find the right college and college planning resources as well. The cost for one-year access to their website is $69.95. Of course, if you’re looking for a website where you can simply try a few practice tests out for free, 4Tests.com is another option.
Kaplan. Kaplan is a favorite for many because it is like a “one-stop shop” for virtually any kind of test you would need to take as both a high school and college student. Plus, it provides the convenience of being able to take the classes at any time (even On Demand) and the prices are pretty competitive. For instance, currently the cost for taking 58 weeks of LSAT classes is $799 that can be broken up into three installments.
CliffNotes.com. Are you looking for a place where you can simply get some sample GMAT questions without having to take a series of courses? If so, Cliff Notes may be just what you’re looking for. Whether it’s reading comprehension, problem solving questions or to what to expect during the critical analysis portion of the test, this website gives you enough information to keep you from being caught off guard during any portion of the GMAT. Plus, it’s free to access. (It also has GRE, DAT and some limited LSAT information on its site as well).
Google for free software. There are actually a few websites that will let you download free test prep software. The information provided may not be as extensive as some of the paid courses, but it can still give you a real boost in getting ahead of the game while not spending a dime. To find the one that you need, go to your favorite search engine and put “free test prep software” or the name of the particular test that you want to take along with “free test software” in the search field.