Why? Because one practiced the exam using test prep resources and the other didn't. Two intellectually similar students can take the test and come out with vastly different scores. We think they're somewhere in between the two ends. At the very best, these videos perfectly replicate the experience you'd get forking up thousands for a private tutor. If the data doesn't convince, let us say that we've sampled videos from Khan Academy's SAT prep.Īt the very least, they're informative. A 50th percentile scorer would now score at the 58th percentile, edging ahead of 136,000 others test takers. However, regardless of what test prep program you use or what book you flip through, we know that studying and practice does make a difference.Īssume then that Khan Academy is associated with a very modest 30 point increase.

Khan Academy doesn't say how they produced their numbers. That's a significant advantage for anyone applying to college.

When you consider the 1.7 million students who take this year annually, that could mean putting yourself ahead of 300,000 other test takers. Here's one way you might interpret it.Īn individual who would otherwise score at the 50th percentile (that is, scoring better than 50% of all test takers) without Khan Academy's prep courses would now score at the 68th percentile with it. What does that mean?Ī 115 point increase is huge. The study suggests that studying the SAT for 20 hours with Khan Academy is associated with an average gain of 115 points on average. Now, thanks to a recent study from Khan Academy and the College Board, we know the extent of their impact on their SAT prep resources. They've helped millions of K-12 students and educators on a wide variety of subjects. We've been avid fans of Khan Academy for a while now. Those courses comprise 100+ in-depth videos walking through SAT math and reading questions and include a full-length SAT practice test:

Since OpenCourser launched, we've made searchable courses from Khan Academy's Official SAT® Practice. Now there's a new test prep option in town to up your SAT game, one made possible with the College Board's partnership with Khan Academy. Those who could afford private prep courses (starting at $1,000 for a multi-week session) could practically pay to get help with scoring higher.

For decades, studying for the SATs meant poring through thick paperbacks the size of phone books and/or slogging through practice tests and questions.

Khan academy sat preparation