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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Course FAQs

Follow the links above for answers to questions such as:

What is this test? Who is it for? How important is it?
How is the test structured?
What is a good score?
When should I take it?
How do I register?

General FAQs

Is a test prep course right for me?

Should I take a class or have private tutoring?

How do your preparation options work for SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT?

What's a diagnostic test?

SAT or ACT?

How do I register?

How do I pay?

Why do I have to pay an enrollment fee?

Where are you located?

When are you open?

How do I schedule a practice test?

What's the difference between you and other test prep companies?

How much can you increase my score?

What if I don't get the score I'd hoped for?

Is a test prep course right for me?

Your Test Prep Options

If you are preparing to take a college or grad school admissions test, you have four basic options:

Do nothing, take the test 'cold' and hope for the best.
Study on your own or with friends, using available books and software.
Study on your own and hire a tutor to help you improve in selected areas.
Enroll in a test preparation course.

An Honest Look at the First Two Options

Based on 15 years of experience in preparing students for standardized tests, we wouldn't recommend the first option to anyone who is serious about maximizing the value of their education. Some people can achieve their goals by studying on their own or with friends, particularly if they are already scoring at - or close to - the level they require for admission to the college of their choice. This option may also appeal to the kind of person who is highly-disciplined and self-motivated, and who is capable of taking instructions mainly from books and software but does not require personal interaction with a teacher in order to better understand their subject.

However, many test takers find it useful to work with a teacher or tutor, someone who can recognize your individual learning style and present the material in a way that increases your confidence in your test-taking abilities, thereby increasing your score. In this case, you should consider taking a course or arranging some private tutoring sessions.

Not Sure How You'd Score? Take a Free Diagnostic Test.

Should I take a course or have private tutoring?

This depends on your current test taking ability, learning preferences and your personal schedule. Some people find they learn better in a classroom environment and others prefer the personal support and intensiveness of one-on-one tutoring. If you have taken a diagnostic test and it's evident that you need help only in one or two areas in order to sufficiently raise your score, then tutoring may be best for you. Or, if your schedule won't allow for a full course, tutoring can also offer you a more flexible option. It's also possible to combine the two if you need a more intensive preparation schedule. For more details please look at our private tutoring page.

How do your preparation options work for SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT?

Years of experience have taught us many things about test preparation. Most importantly, we've learned which preparation methods are truly the most effective, and that every student's needs are different.

Because of this, we've decided to dispense of the rigid traditional course structure and are now providing every student with the chance to create a totally customized preparation experience.

There are 5 components to our preparation program and you can choose to register for any or all of them depending on your needs, schedule and budget. We're confident that no matter what your situation requires, we will be able to meet all of your needs effectively and economically.

Our SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT preparation options are all structured in the same way. For each subject we offer weekly classroom strategy lessons, basic math refresher lessons, Study Hall, practice exams and private tutoring. All of these services are offered in Seattle and Bellevue.

The first step is to determine which of these services you need. Simply send us your past exam scores, or schedule a free diagnostic test with us. We'll use these scores to make our recommendation.

Your preparation program may include a combination of the following:

Strategy Lessons - there are four strategy lessons for each subject (SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT), and each one is offered once a month in both Seattle and Bellevue. SAT/ACT Lessons are 2 hours long each, and GRE/GMAT Lessons are 3 hours long. Every lesson tackles test taking strategies for a different aspect of the test and you can find full descriptions for what is covered in any lesson in the blue Lesson Content box on the subject webpage. You can take the lessons you need in any order and can repeat each lesson once for free. For example, if you're scoring high in SAT critical reading and writing, but your score in the math could do with a boost, you should take SAT Strategy Lessons Math 1 and Math 2 and maybe consider taking all four Math Refresher lessons as well. Look at the schedule to see when Math 1 and Math 2 are offered, and specify these dates in your class registration form. SAT/ACT lessons - $60 ea., GRE/GMAT Strategy Lessons - $90

Math Refresher Lessons - these lessons can be taken on their own, but are often used to supplement strategy lessons or private tutoring. They provide all the basic math skills needed for the SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT. There are four 2 hour lessons: two arithmetic lessons, an algebra lesson, and a geometry lesson. Each one is offered once a month in Seattle and in Bellevue. Take only the lessons you need and repeat any lesson one-time for free. If you're not sure what you need, we've included links to online math tests for SAT, ACT and GRE. Sorry, we don't have a link to a suitable GMAT math test yet! Math Ref. Lessons - $50 ea.

Study Hall - Study Hall is an hour long, drop in study session session with an experienced instructor held in both Seattle and in Bellevue. It's a great opportunity to review homework or do some revision in a quiet setting, or if you missed anything in class this is the time to come and catch up. Study Hall is included in the enrollment fee, so you can come as many times as you want while you are preparing with us. We recommend taking advantage of this great service!

Practice Exams - taking practice exams before your real exam is an essential part of effective preparation. All practice exams must be scheduled directly with the office, will be proctored by a member of our staff (SAT, ACT) or taken on one of our computers (GRE, GMAT). We'll provide you with your score breakdown after the test. You can use Study Hall as a time to come and review your test (SAT and ACT especially). Practice Tests are included in the enrollment fee but you must contact us to schedule each one.

Private Tutoring - this is an excellent option for those who can't make any of our scheduled sessions, or for those who don't work well in classroom settings. We also might recommend one or two hours of tutoring in addition to strategy lessons in order to focus on anything you're finding particularly tricky. $65/hour

So there you have it. If it still seems confusing or overwhelming, don't worry. Once we've determined what you need to prepare, we will recommend which strategy or math refresher lessons you should take, and will provide you with some dates to choose from.

Send in your scores or schedule a diagnostic today and get started. We look forward to working with you!

What's a diagnostic test?

This is a full length past exam paper, taken at our office or elsewhere upon arrangement, which helps us ascertain your current test taking ability and gives you a feel for the exam. In the case of the GRE and GMAT tests taken on the computer - you have to option of taking certain portions of the test only to reduce test taking time. Click here to schedule a free diagnostic.

Diagnostic test lengths:

SAT - 3.5 hours
ACT - 3 hours 5 minutes
LSAT - 2.5 hours
GRE - 2 hours 40 minutes
GMAT - 3 hours 40 minutes
ISEE - 2 hours 20 minutes
MCAT - 5 hours

SAT or ACT?

Some people perform differently on the ACT or SAT, and which one you take is partly a matter of personal preference. 99% of colleges will accept both, but check with your prospective college to see if they have any special requirements (e.g. SAT subject tests). The SAT is a slightly longer test (3.5 hours) and includes a compulsory essay portion. The ACT (3 hours) has an optional essay portion but, unlike the SAT, includes a science section. We advise that students take diagnostic tests for both the SAT and ACT to ascertain which one suits them best.

How do I register?

To register in a class or Strategy Lessons, please fill out a class registration form and pay the $50 deposit (for MCAT and LSAT courses) or the $125 enrollment fee (for SAT, ACT, GMAT and GRE Strategy Lessons) to secure your space. Both these steps are done on our website, although there are alternative payment methods. See 'How do I pay?' for more details. Once we have received your registration we will email you a confirmation and then email you again with instructions on how to make your final payment, etc, just before the beginning of the course. For private tutoring, fill out a class registration form but do not make a payment until you have been given a recommendation for the number of hours needed.

How do I pay?

Payment for courses, strategy lessons or private tutoring can be made online, by check or cash. If you would like to discuss making payments in installments, please call us at (206) 417-5050.

Online:

All payments can be made on our website's Payment Page using Google Checkout or PayPal.

Deposit & Enrollment Fee: If you are taking our LSAT or MCAT course, select the relevant course from the Deposit Only pull down menu. If you are registering for any of our GMAt, GRE, SAT or ACT Strategy Lessons, select the $125 enrollment fee. Click on 'Buy Now' to be taken to Google Checkout where you can pay with your debit or credit card. If you already have a Google account (Gmail, etc) you can enter your username and password. If not, you can set up a temporary account using your normal email address (e.g. Yahoo, Comcast, etc.).

Course Payment: Find the relevant pull down menu and select the amount you wish to pay. Remember, if you have already paid the deposit you do not need to pay the full course fee, but should select the 'Tuition Balance'.

Strategy Lesson Payment: Find the relevant pull down menu on our payment page and select the number of lessons you are signing up for. Click on "Buy Now' to be taken to Google Checkout where you can pay using a debit or credit card. If you are paying using a different method, calculate the total cost of your lessons by multiplying the number of Lessons you are registering for by the price per lesson. (SAT/ACT = $60 each, GRE/GMAT = $90 each, Math Refresher = $50 each).

Private Tutoring: Scroll down to the bottom of the Payment Page and select the number of hours you wish to pay for from the Private Tutoring pull down menu. The list here includes discounts for multiple hours paid in advance. If you are paying for sessions you have already had, please pay at the $60/hour rate via PayPal or by check. To pay for a number of hours not listed in the pull down menu or when paying for hours retrospectively, click on 'Custom Payment' at the bottom of the Payment Page. You will be taken to PayPal where you can enter the desired amount.

If You Pay by Check:

Please make out all checks to 'Sandweiss Test Prep'. You can either bring checks to your tutoring session or first class date, or mail them to:

Sandweiss Test Prep
4519 1/2 University Way NE, Suite 205
Seattle, WA 98105

If You Pay by Cash:

You are welcome to pay by cash at your tutoring session or first class date.

Paying in installments:

If you wish to break up your payment into more easily manageable portions, or have any other questions about alternative payment options, please contact us.

Why do I have to pay an enrollment fee?

If you are taking any of our Strategy Lessons we require that you pay an enrollment fee of $125 which covers the cost of your text book and other materials, Study Hall and Unlimited Practice Tests. Unlike our MCAT and LSAT courses, Study Hall and Practice Tests are not incorporated into the Strategy Lesson schedule. Paying for all these services in the beginning ensures that you can come along to Study Hall whenever you want and that you can take as many practice tests as you need to with out having to worry about paying for them each time. See our Study Hall page for the schedule, and please contact the office directly when you want to schedule a practice test.

Where are you located?

Seattle:

Our main office is conveniently located in Seattle's University District at:

Sandweiss Test Prep
4519-1/2 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
Tel. 206-417-5050
Email: sandweiss@gmail.com

We do not have a store front location but are situated in the same building as New Seattle Massage - a large holistic treatment center. Go through their door and up their stairs and you will see signs to our office. We can provide validated parking for the Shopper's Park parking lot behind the Hotel Deca or across the street. This lot is accessed from Brooklyn Ave. For a map, visit our Contact page.

Bellevue:

We share office space with our local partners, VSI (Varsity Student Institute) in Bellevue. They are located at:

VSI (Varsity Student Institute)
12360 NE 8th Street
Suite 200
Bellevue, WA 98005

For a map, visit our Contact page.

When are you open?

We are open 7 days a week but our hours vary. Generally, we are open Monday to Thursday: 9.30am - 6pm, Friday: 3pm - 6pm, Saturday & Sunday: 9.30am - 5pm. If you wish to schedule a practice test or tutoring appointment, please call the office at (206) 417-5050.

How do I schedule a practice test?

A practice test differs from a diagnostic test in that it is a full length past exam paper that you take during your preparation to help you practice the skills you have been learning. Practice tests are incorporated into SAT, ACT, MCAT and LSAT course schedules and prices. Our GRE and GMAT course prices include unlimited practice tests which can be scheduled to fit in with your own agenda. Practice tests taken in conjunction with Private Tutoring are charged at the rates shown on our Private Tutoring page. To schedule a practice test, please email or call the office to discuss available times: (206) 417-5050 or sandweiss@gmail.com

What's the difference between you and other test prep companies?

One of the first differences you will notice about us is that our courses and services are typically hundreds of dollars less than those offered by the large national test prep companies. Steve Sandweiss once worked for one of those national companies but decided that he could provide a better, more affordable service and set up Sandweiss Test Prep in 1998. This is a small, independent, locally owned company, and we strive to offer a more personalized service with smaller class sizes. We ensure that there are no more than 12 students per class (MCAT is limited to 10) so that each student is able to get all support they need from their teacher.

How much can you increase my score?

This all depends on how much YOU can increase your score! Average score increases for students on our course are below, but the extent of your score increase is largely dependent on how hard you work and how dedicated you are to achieving your goal score.

Our average LSAT student sees a boost of 8-10 points.
Our average GRE student sees a boost of 60-80 points per section.
Our average GMAT student sees a boost of 50-80 points.
Our average SAT student sees a boost of 60-100 points per section.

What if I don't get the score I'd hoped for?

If, for whatever reason, you are not happy with your final test score, you are welcome to repeat the full course once at no extra charge. If you wish to do this, please contact us in advance to ensure that there is space on the course.