Prep Expert is an education technology company founded by the best-selling SAT and ACT author Dr. Shaan Patel. His journey began with him getting an average SAT score. Patel then spent countless hours learning how to ace the exam, becoming one of .02% of all high school students who received a perfect score.
The platform offers live and on-demand courses helping students achieve perfect scores on the ACT and SAT exams. Furthermore, Prep Expert reviews every tutor and makes sure they can offer the best to their customers.
As a graduate of Yale and USC, Patel pitched his business idea on Shark Tank and won a $250,000 investment from Mark Cuban. Since then, the platform has proven very successful with millions of satisfied students.
Pros & Cons
Pricing Plans
ACT Prep Courses
$499 – $1499
SAT Prep Courses
$699 – $1499
MasterClass
$399 – $699
*prices reflect cost before any discount
Features, Courses, and Materials
Prep Expert courses are taught by instructors who excel in exam preparation and have earned perfect or near-perfect scores.
SAT Prep Expert Overview
Students can choose from the following five options:
- 8-Week Capstone
- Features: Instructors with perfect SAT scores
- Best for: Students wanting perfect or in the 99th percentile scores
- Duration: Three hours twice a week for eight weeks
- Assignments: Homework and SAT exams completed between classes
- Includes: 200+ Point Score Guarantee and the SAT Weekend Review Course
- 6-Week Flagship
- Features: Instructors with scores in the top 1%
- Best for: Students wanting the maximum score improvement
- Duration: Three hours twice a week for six weeks
- Assignments: Homework and SAT exams completed between classes
- Includes: 200+ Point Score Guarantee
- 4-Week PSAT
- Features: Instructors with scores in the top 1%
- Best for: Prep expert reviews show it’s preferred by first- and second-year students looking to become National Merit Finalists
- Duration: Three hours twice a week for four weeks
- Assignments: Homework and SAT exams completed between classes
- Includes: PSAT Score Improvement Guarantee
- Self-Paced Video
- Features: Videos by founder and prep expert Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Students who want a flexible schedule and to learn at their pace
- Duration: Access to HD videos for one year
- Assignments: Homework and SAT exams completed at the student’s pace
- Includes: SAT Score Improvement Guarantee
- Weekend Review
- Features: Instructors with scores in the top 1%
- Best for: Students who want a crash course before their SAT day
- Classes: Six hours on Saturday and Sunday prior to the scheduled exam
ACT Prep Expert Overview
There are four courses available:
- 8-Week Capstone
- Features: Instructors with scores in the top 1%
- Best for: Students wanting perfect or in the 99th percentile scores
- Duration: Three hours twice a week for eight weeks
- Assignments: Homework and ACT exams completed between classes
- Includes: 4-Point ACT Improvement Guarantee
- 6-Week Flagship
- Features: Instructors with scores in the top 1%
- Best for: Students wanting the maximum score improvement
- Duration: Three hours twice a week for six weeks
- Assignments: Homework and ACT exams completed between classes
- Includes: 4-Point ACT Improvement Guarantee
- Self-Paced Video
- Features: Videos by founder and prep expert Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Prep Expert reviews recommend it for students who want a flexible schedule and to learn at their own pace.
- Duration: Access to HD videos for one-year access
- Assignments: Homework and ACT exams completed at the student’s pace
- Includes: ACT Score Improvement Guarantee
- Weekend Review
- Features: Instructors with scores in the top 1%
- Best for: Students who want a crash course before their ACT day
- Classes: Six hours on Saturday and Sunday prior to the scheduled exam
MasterClasses
Eight MasterClasses are available for high school, college, and graduate students. Prep expert’s pricing is affordable and backed by a 100% money-back guarantee.
- Academic Success MasterClass Package
- Features: Videos by founder and prep expert Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Students wanting top 1% academic success
- Duration: Lifetime access to videos
- Includes:
- How To Ace Any Standardized Test
- How To Improve Time Management
- How To Study Effectively
- How To Succeed In College
- How To Increase Productivity
- How To Ace Any Standardized Test MasterClass
- Features: Videos by Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Students wanting top 1% success in standardized testing
- Length: 2+ hour HD videos teaching successful study strategies
- Duration: One-year access to videos
- How To Improve Time Management MasterClass
- Features: Videos by Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Our Prep Expert review shows it’s suitable for students struggling with time management
- Length: 2+ hour HD videos teaching successful time management strategies for school and work
- Duration: One-year access to videos
- How To Study Effectively MasterClass
- Features: Videos by Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Students wanting tools to study more productively
- Length: 2+ hour HD videos teaching successful study strategies
- Duration: One-year access to videos
- How To Succeed In College MasterClass
- Features: Videos by Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Students wanting top 1% test success
- Length: 2+ hour HD videos teaching successful strategies for college
- Duration: One-year access to videos
- How To Increase Productivity MasterClass
- Features: Videos by Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Prep Expert reviews recommend it to students who struggle with insufficient productivity
- Length: 2+ hour HD videos teaching successful strategies for college productivity
- Duration: One-year access to videos
- Chemistry MasterClass
- Features: Videos by an instructor with a perfect AP score
- Best for: Students wanting additional support in high school chemistry
- Length: 20-hour videos of 78 chemistry lessons
- Duration: One-year access to videos
- GMAT MasterClass
- Features: Videos by Dr. Shaan Patel
- Best for: Students taking the GMAT
- Length: 20-hour HD videos teaching GMAT prep methods
- Duration: One-year access to videos
Prep Expert Private Tutoring
Students can bypass the courses and MasterClass altogether and sign up for private tutoring per subject or standardized test.
Prep Expert Admissions
The platform has consulting services and packages available to assist with college admissions.
Plans & Pricing
Free Classes
Paid courses range from $399 to $1,499, but Prep Expert offers free videos to help students learn more about ACT, SAT, admissions, and more.
Prep Expert Cost Breakdown
The prices vary per course, and occasional discounts are available. Currently, you can find a $200 off coupon code “SHARKTANK,” applicable to all ACT, SAT, and MasterClass courses.
The breakdown prices reflect cost before any discount.
- MasterClass prices start at $399, with a package available for $699
- ACT prep courses range from $499 to $999
- SAT prep courses range from $699 to $1499
Prep Expert Affiliate Program
Prep Expert offers 10% to 20% commissions through their affiliate program.
Ease of Use
The company’s customer service offers 30-minute enrollment consultations for no charge to answer any questions. In addition, parents and students can contact a representative via chat, email, or a toll-free number.
Students can set up their own accounts with a secure login. Then, instructors will guide them through the prep process from beginning to end and offer admissions consultations.
Online Reviews
Prep Expert’s review rating of 4.68 of 5 stars is extremely high. Numerous students received scholarships, and in some cases, free college tuition, Ivy league acceptance, and perfect scores.
Prep Expert is also consistently rated as one of the top prep platforms for the SAT and ACT. What’s more, the tutors get high praises for their work and achievements from students and parents.
Prep Expert SAT Reviews
The SAT courses are highly rated by students and prove to be a good value. Furthermore, Prep Expert offers twice the course hours for half the cost compared to other SAT courses. In addition:
- Students learn over 100 strategies for taking the SAT.
- The instructors who teach the classes scored in the top 1% on the SAT.
- Prep Expert students have won over $100 million in scholarships.
Prep Expert vs. The Princeton Review
Both Prep Expert and Princeton have high student ratings, a plethora of course offerings, and highly qualified instructors. Yet, Prep Expert offers lower prices on comparable classes and private tutoring sessions.
Refund Policy
Prep Expert does offer refunds on All Prep Expert guarantees, however, these apply to the first course someone enrolls in and may only be used once per person.
Prep Expert SAT Courses Refund Policy
The 200-point guarantee states anyone who doesn’t increase their SAT score by 200 points will be refunded 100%. When specific guidelines are met, it’s available for the 8-Week Capstone SAT Prep Course and 6-Week Flagship SAT Prep Course.
You can find the necessary criteria for a refund on the official website and contact customer support with your request.
Prep Expert ACT Courses Refund Policy
The ACT Score Improvement guarantee is available for the Self-Paced Video Act Prep Courses. Additionally, the 6-Week and 4-week courses offer a 4-Point ACT Score Improvement Guarantee when the necessary terms and conditions are met.
Again, all information you might need is available on the official website, and you can get in touch with customer support if you require any assistance.
Prep Expert Private Tutoring Refund Policy
Refund requests aren’t available for any tutoring packages.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Students excel at standardized tests and have the opportunity for scholarships.
- Students can choose to learn at their own pace.
- Live online courses and on-demand video courses are available.
- Students learn valuable skills to succeed in educational institutions and future careers.
- All instructors are vetted and highly qualified.
- Prep Expert 200-point Guarantee for SAT courses and money-back guarantee for other classes with terms and conditions.
Cons:
- In-person classes are only available in particular locations.
- Tutoring packages aren’t available for refunds.
Value for Money — Final Verdict
Statistics show that students with good financial backgrounds are 50% more likely to enroll in college. Yet, any student can receive the needed funds through merit scholarships with the proper preparation. What’s more, Prep Expert’s customer service can assist in the process and answer any inquiries.
2,000,000 students used the SAT and ACT prep courses to improve their test scores, secure millions of dollars in scholarships, and receive admission offers from top colleges.
For students who are looking to ace their ACT and SAT scores or receive private tutoring, Prep Expert offers quality courses led by the top instructors. All this attests that the platform’s classes are worth the price.