A Parent’s Guide to Test Prep in Shanghai

By Jordan Neufeld

Like it or not, the trend in the American education system is to rely on the standardised test as an indicator of a student’s progress. Whether to gain admission to a university or to make sure no child is being left behind, the standardised test is given early and given often. This no longer leaves Shanghai’s parents with the question, “Should I get my child help to prepare for the SAT?” The question now is, “Where do I get my child help and how much do they need?” Even if your child has experience taking these tests, in the US or in one of Shanghai’s American-curriculum based schools, the fact of the matter is when your teen is ready to leave the nest, he or she is going to be competing against Tiger Mom’s cubs for increasingly limited slots in America’s top colleges and universities.

Now before you start considering starvation or corporeal punishment as tools for helping your child study for the SAT, know that there are options in Shanghai for good test preparation. However, like many of Shanghai’s burgeoning industries, test preparation has a range in quality that, let’s just say, is wide. So, to help you pick an option that is best for you, consider three important factors:

The Teacher

Many English training companies’ only requirements for hiring a teacher are skin complexion and the ability to speak native-level English. Some of these companies offer test prep. Don’t go to these companies, as often the teachers have no experience in test preparation. The flip side of that coin is that many test prep companies will hire, and promote, teachers solely based on the prestige of the university from which they graduated. While it is true that many of these teachers needed high standardised test scores to get into those universities, it doesn’t necessarily mean that those same teachers can pass on those scores to students.

A good test prep teacher, like any other teacher, needs to have training and experience. Don’t hesitate to check the background of a teacher before forking over thousands of yuan for a course. If a company is hesitant about either you meeting with a teacher, or giving you their background information, then consider utilising the two-way functionality of the office door from which you entered.

The Company

Good companies pride themselves on the quality of their instructors and of their courses. Free trial classes, student testimonials and score improvement guarantees are all signs that a test prep company is confident in the products that it offers.

Don’t let big names fool you! Just because a company has a good reputation in a different country, or even in a different academic field, does not mean that this company provides quality test prep in Shanghai. Conversely make sure the test prep company you chose is in fact a licensed educational consultant or school. In addition to the added accountability this obviously provides, course fees at companies that are legitimately licensed can many times be reimbursed – for those of you fortunate enough to have employers who cover educational expenses.

When talking to a test prep company, don’t be afraid to ask questions regarding group versus individual classes, number of teaching hours needed, and of course…

The Materials

Make sure you look at any materials that will be used in your child’s course. If you ask a company to show you teaching materials it should be able to produce something more than a store bought book or a binder full of photo copies.  Good companies develop unique, thorough materials. Also look at the diagnostic exams your student will be taking. Many companies make their own exams which, more often than not, do not accurately reflect the real exam. Any company that you chose, especially one that bases guarantees on score improvements, should provide real exams throughout its courses.

Jordan Neufeld is the co-founder of New Horizons Test Preparation, Shanghai’s largest English-language test prep company. He has been an SAT instructor for over eight years, teaching in both his native California and in Shanghai. He has also co-authored an SAT textbook and has written articles in many education based publications.