For seniors, the end of the college application process has come to an end.  Acceptance letters should be rolling in and they should now start gathering information and comparing different schools to see which one they want to spend the next four years.

But for juniors, the process has just begun (if it hasn’t already).  Spring is not just the season of flowers and birds; it is also the season of standardized testing.  And since it is generally advised to take the SAT or ACT two to three times in order to get your best composite score, students should start taking the tests now.

For those who have already taken their first SAT, taking it a second time is almost statistically guaranteed to improve your score.  But what can improve your score even more is doing test prep.  Compare test prep courses based on exam, class size, category, total cost, and total hours.  

Of course, there’s also always the option of buying one of those giant blue practice exam books and teaching yourself through discovery.  But it is usually worth it to just attend even a few hours of class, even if it is just to learn a few basic tips that will allow you to squeeze every point that you can out of the SATs and ACTs. Remember, however, that not all test prep companies are alike. Do the research, ask around and talk to some experts on Twitter before you drop some serious cash on test prep.