Verified by Rick Lopez, M.Ed.
Princeton Review has long been the premier prep option for students gearing up to take the Digital SAT and ACT. However, in recent years, PrepScholar has come on incredibly strong, giving Princeton Review a run for their money in terms of test prep effectiveness and affordability. In this detailed comparison, we take a close look at the major features of both courses, provide our team’s opinions, and ultimately, dub one the winner.
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$50 OFF Applied In CartAs this is a lengthy comparison, we’ve included helpful jump-to links above for easy navigation.
In the video above, Test Prep Insight team member John directly compares the major strengths and weaknesses of the Digital SAT prep courses from Princeton Review and PrepScholar. For more detail, read our full comparison below.
Editor’s Choice
In order to truly compare the SAT and ACT prep courses from Princeton Review and PrepScholar, you need to understand the study materials, features, and categories in which each company excels. So with that in mind, let’s cover the major reasons why Princeton Review is the way to go.
PrepScholar and Princeton Review provide two of the best sets of coursework in the SAT/ACT prep industry. In fact, these two courses rate out near the top of our best Digital SAT and best ACT courses lists, based largely on the strength of each courses’ set of high quality coursework.
That said, each company takes a slightly different approach to their study plan.
On the one hand, PrepScholar takes a very classic approach with lessons that follow the learning science-backed pattern of “learn, practice, review.” Under this model, you progressively work through a lesson plan on a particular concept built around text and video lectures, followed by a quiz to test your knowledge.
You then round out each module with a review session to learn from your mistakes. This is a classic formula for learning backed by years of research, and we found it to be highly effective.
On the other hand, Princeton review takes a similar approach, but focuses more on their video lessons and hardcopy prep books. They group lessons by subtopic and you work your way through material methodically, learning and drilling problems as you go.
Our team found the curriculum offered by each course to be highly effective, but in the end, we give the nod to Princeton Review for the better all-around bundle of coursework.
There is no doubt that Princeton Review provides the higher quality video lessons. While we really like the content and short digestible structure of PrepScholar’s video-based lessons, Princeton’s video lectures are simply too good (Kaplan’s video lessons are stellar as well).
It starts with the production quality of these videos, which feature your instructor onscreen, working practice problems and making notes on an invisible glass screen between you and the teacher.
It is a very engaging format for learning, and is far superior to the traditional slideshow-style approach that PrepScholar uses.
In addition, the content of the Princeton lessons is rock solid, and our team found the instructors to be incredibly powerful communicators.
This category is a slam dunk win for Princeton Review, as they offer prep books, while PrepScholar does not. PrepScholar offers some very effective written lesson plans (which you can print), but Princeton’s SAT and ACT books are far more robust.
They cover test taking strategies, content review, and sample problems, in very nice print copies that you can haul around with you.
Unlike the books category above, this one is a very close call. Both PrepScholar and Princeton Review each offer packages with live class sessions, and for the around the same price.
For just under $900 with each prep company, you can up the ante and get live class sessions that meet regularly, which can really help those students that need the commitment and accountability of a live class.
With respect to the quality of each set of live classes, we give an ever-so-slight nod to Princeton Review. We loved the PrepScholar live classes, find their online classroom format to be highly effective.
However, for our team, the Princeton Review live instructors make all the difference. Every instructor we engaged with was an SAT and ACT guru, and excellent communicator as well.
It just felt like Princeton Review has more carefully refined its live class sessions and structure. The lessons flowed naturally and seemed to do a good job building up to the toughest concepts.
While neither course blew us out of the water in terms of user interface, we found the digital platforms of both companies to be serviceable. Each platform is easy to use and intuitive, but nothing special in terms of that “coolness factor.”
If forced to give an edge one way or another here, we’d give it to Princeton Review for their slightly more modern look.
Supplemental resources is always a finicky category for students. Some students fully immerse themselves in their prep programs, taking advantage of every last resource, while others stick the core curriculum and practice problems, not diving into the extras.
It just depends on the student. But for those preppers that love to sink their teeth in, we give a slight edge to Princeton Review here. Both companies offer super helpful information about colleges you may be interested in, as well as email support and detailed performance reports.
But the difference maker here is Princeton Review’s “Advantage” sessions. These are supplemental lectures on individual Digital SAT and ACT topics that take a deep dive into one niche area and are designed to really help students understand these advanced topics.
They are excellent resources if you’re weak in one area. And for that, Princeton gets the edge.
