Is SAT tutoring worth it?
Updated October 5, 2026
Studies of SAT prep find average gains from about 30 points (coaching, in older studies) up to about 60 points (students who took three or more official practice tests, in a 2025 College Board study, which notes this is a link, not proof of cause).
Sources: Briggs, D. C. (2009), Preparation for College Admission Exams, National Association for College Admission Counseling (ERIC ED505529); College Board Research (May 2025): Examining the Relationship Between Digital SAT Practice in Bluebook and SAT Performance
What the research says
A 2009 review for NACAC by Derek Briggs found that average gains from coaching were "more in the neighborhood of 30 points," not the 100 or more often claimed. It found larger effects in math than in reading. Those studies are of the older SAT, and few cover tests after 2000.
Briggs also notes that if a college decides between similar applicants on small score differences, a small gain can still matter.
A 2019 ACT study found that test prep improved students' retest scores, and that hours with a private tutor were the one prep activity linked to extra gains. That study was of the ACT, not the SAT.
What to try first
Take a free official practice test in Bluebook so you know where you start. Then decide whether the gap you want to close is worth a tutor's fee, or whether steady practice gets you there.
Start with the free diagnostic. No credit card required.
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