How Do You Know You Are Ready?

What is adequate preparation for the first SAT? Can it be measured in study hours? Major test prep companies offer approximately 15-20 hours of in class instruction plus homework and practice tests. What about the student who prefers to study at home? Or the student that has a private tutor? How much out of class study time should that student commit to? Each student is different, but from my experience a student is adequately prepared if:

• he or she starts preparing 10-12 weeks prior to test day
• he or she studies alone for at least 2 hours per week not including time with a tutor
• he or she completes 4 full length practice exams

By my math. a student needs to put in 30 to 36 hours of individual prep time prior to an SAT exam to be ready to succeed. Those who do not put in this time wind up spending much more time in the aggregate over 2 or 3 or 4 subsequent SAT's. Try and do it right the first time. This will actually free up time later.