SAT test prep industry faces sink or swim moment with AI

AI is set to revolutionize standardized test preparation, with some companies seeing opportunity while others predict the industry’s downfall.  

Students can spend anywhere from hundreds to a few thousand dollars on classes to prepare for college entry exams such as the SAT or ACT. But AI models are showing they can take on the role of a personal tutor that helps students target the areas they struggle with the most at a fraction of the cost — if students can learn to use them correctly. 

The Princeton Review offers a course designed for a “top 5% SAT score” at more than $2,000. Even a standard “SAT Essentials” course that gives 18 hours of instruction is $649.  

Another popular SAT prep company, Kaplan, charges almost $2,000 for an SAT prep course and tutoring, with other options still costing more than $600. 

While SAT prep books only run $20 to $30, they offer no feedback or tutor to help students through tough spots.  

Despite the cost, Kaplan says it has continued to see growth over the past two years and has integrated AI into its offerings.  

Kaplan began integrating AI into its system in 2024 and 2025, with the technology used to help students stuck on prep questions, offer feedback on students’ answers and give advice for career pathways and the college application process.

The company says it is confident there are aspects of its offerings that will not be replaced by AI.  

“It’s that powerful combination of technology with human expertise. And as we look at the market space right now and where AI is the sole educator, students are only having prep as content, and if it’s not psychometrically reviewed and aligned, it’s not always delivering a positive outcome,” said Jason Bedford, a senior vice president at Kaplan.  

“And so, students can mistake activity for genuine progress, and as they’re investing time in a practice question, if those questions aren’t psychometrically reviewed and aligned with the tests … they might be walking to an exam room with a false confidence. And one of the things we focus on in Kaplan is making sure that students have the ability to manage time, to understand strategies and many other core components that are taught by Kaplan,” he added.  

But the danger comes if enough students start questioning the cost.

Google’s Gemini began providing full-length SAT practice tests at no cost back in January after vetting the material it uses through the Princeton Review to create a realistic experience for students.  

“Now nearly two months out from Google’s launch of this project, I must say the feedback we’ve gotten about it has been extremely positive both from students accessing Gemini’s SAT practice as well as from parents and college admissions counselors advising them,” said Robert Batten, CEO of the Princeton Review. 

“In many ways, this project is democratizing SAT prep. It enables any student to work on as many practice SAT questions as they wish, get instant feedback about their scores and direction for improving them. And all free, on demand 24/7. As a first step for students thinking about taking the SAT, or a supplemental tool for students moving from practice tests to SAT courses, books, or tutoring, the practice materials via Google Gemini are a win-win all around,” Batten added.  

A spokesperson for Google told The Hill the Gemini test feature saw a spike in usage ahead the first SAT tests of the year on Saturday.

Other AI chatbots such as ChatGPT are also capable of producing SAT prep questions and providing feedback to students on their answers.  

“This is definitely a risk to test companies,” said Alex Kotran, CEO of the AI Education Project. “Basically, what’s defensible in the age of AI, it no longer is the content or the training capabilities, and it also pushes down your margins. So, if you make money based on in-person tutoring, well now people are saying, ‘Well, I can get the virtual tutor basically for free.’” 

Kotran also notes the convenience of practicing the SAT anywhere at any time with an AI chatbot instead of an in-person course or an online course with set times to attend.  

But others believe test prep companies have little to worry about.  

“The tutoring/SAT prep industry will ironically grow as a result of AI. Why? Because more students than ever will be using AI for test preparation. But as stated before, AI prep is commoditized without specific knowledge. This means that score improvements will be similar for students who use AI to prep. Therefore, we will see more parents and students seeking human tutors and SAT prep courses to achieve massive score improvements to stand out among the crowd,” said Shaan Patel, founder and CEO of Prep Expert.  

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