All articles

What to Look for in an SAT Prep Class in Ajax

Choosing a prep class is easier when you know which questions to ask. This checklist covers the details that separate one program from another, so you can compare centers in Ajax and the Durham region on facts rather than promises.

Ask about class size first

Class size decides how much attention your student gets. A small group means the instructor can see who is stuck and step in. In a large room, a student who quietly falls behind can stay behind for weeks.

Ask, too, whether the group is matched by level. A class where everyone is at a similar stage moves at a pace that suits most of the room, and the instructor can plan lessons around real needs.

At SQUARE D Academy, SAT/ACT classes are small groups, usually 8 to 10 students. One-on-one tutoring is also available for students who need more focus. Whatever center you visit, ask for the usual class size in numbers, not a general description.

Count the hours and check the coverage

Ask how many hours the course runs and which sections it covers. A complete course should cover reading, writing and math for the SAT, and add science for the ACT. Our SAT/ACT course is 100 hours and covers reading, writing, math, science and essay.

Ask to see a sample schedule so you know how many sessions a week to plan for. Evenings and Saturdays suit most families with school during the day, so confirm the times fit your household before you enroll.

Then ask what happens inside those hours. Look for strategy for each question type, review of the underlying skills, and time for practice. A course that only hands out worksheets leaves the parent to guess whether anything is improving.

Look for practice tests and practice labs

Full-length practice tests show progress in a way that nothing else does. Ask how many are included, how they are timed and how the results are used afterward. A score with no follow-up teaches very little.

Ask how quickly results come back. A practice test that is scored a month later loses most of its value, because the student has moved on and forgotten the questions that caused trouble.

Practice labs matter for the same reason. Ours come with the SAT/ACT course at no extra charge for its length, and the material is customized to each student's weak areas, so a student is not repeating work they already know.

Check that homework has a purpose

Weekly homework should target the areas where a student is losing points, not fill time. Ask how homework is chosen and who reviews it. A good program uses it to strengthen weak areas and build confidence, which is how we use it.

Homework should also arrive on a steady weekly rhythm. Regular assignments keep skills fresh between sessions and give the instructor something concrete to review at the next class.

It also helps when an instructor knows what the student is doing in school. When the classroom teacher and the tutor pull in the same direction, the extra hours support the student's grades as well as their test score.

Ask what the center will stand behind

A center that believes in its program will tell you plainly what it offers if a student does the work. Ask whether there is a written guarantee, what it covers and what the student has to do to qualify. SAT/ACT prep at SQUARE D comes with a minimum 200 point score improvement guarantee, and we are happy to go through the terms with you.

Take notes when you talk to each center and compare them side by side at home. Facts you wrote down while calm are far more reliable than a feeling from a busy sales conversation.

Finally, visit or call. You will learn a lot from how a center answers plain questions about hours, pace and what a typical week looks like. We are open Monday to Saturday, 3 PM to 10 PM, and closed on Sunday.