FAQs

We support students through every stage of their test prep journey. Students who complete our courses gain access to hundreds of our content-based and strategy-based videos as well as detailed answer explanations from our online library. In our classes, we frequently give quizzes and tests to assess student progress, and we teach using material from our handcrafted, comprehensive workbooks. In addition, we provide our students with a multitude of practice tests, weekly workshops, and additional resources to alleviate their stress and maximize their confidence.

We offer both in-person and virtual classes to give families flexibility and choice. Our in-person classes are held at our Dallas locations, while our live virtual classes allow students to learn from anywhere with the same quality teaching and support. Class content is the same no matter the format. No matter which option you choose, we’re committed to providing an effective learning experience.

Our virtual classes are conducted via Zoom, which supports instructor screen sharing, live interaction, and other engagement tools. Students can attend with any device, but we recommend a desktop or laptop for a better learning experience.

When it comes to test prep, earlier is better than later! Despite the fact that every student is different, we generally believe that beginning test prep at the start of your tenth-grade year is the best way to go. That way, you can benefit from a full year of learning and practice tests and still have plenty of time to take the real deal. However, some students feel more comfortable starting test prep during their freshman year, while others start at the inception of their junior year. In the end, what matters most is that you create a schedule that works best for you.

Improvement varies by student, as everyone starts at a different level. Some have gone from 1100 to 1400+ on the SAT, while others with a starting score of 1400 have gained 100–200 points. What we can confidently say is this: students who consistently practice, ask questions, and stay engaged see meaningful progress. We believe every student can grow and reach their target score by working hard and following our guidance.

Students can make up missed sessions through our self-paced video course, available in the student portal, which they can access immediately upon enrollment. They can review the missed lesson at their convenience and follow up with the instructor for clarification on any concepts they didn’t understand. Additionally, we run parallel batches, and if space allows, students may attend another batch for the missed session.

Although there is no limit to how many times you can take the SAT or ACT, we generally advise that you take each of them around three or fewer times.

We do not give refunds or offer score guarantees. However, if students or parents are dissatisfied with their results, we work with them to address their concerns and support them through their final test.

Workshops are virtual bonus sessions for extra practice, repetition, and reinforcement. Each session follows a timed drilling format, led by an instructor, and focuses on a specific test section—for example, Math (Session 1), Reading (Session 2), and Writing (Session 3). After the drill, the instructor reviews exercises, and answers student questions. We offer 100+ workshops annually, held weekday evenings, with three per week—two SAT and one ACT, each one hour long. Workshops are paused in December and May. While optional, they are highly recommended for skill enhancement.

We don’t have separate instructors for each subject. Instead, each batch is led by two instructors who alternate sessions, and each instructor is trained to teach all subjects on the test.

Yes, we assign homework after every session. Each lesson in our study material is divided into four sections:

• Two sections are covered and completed during class.
• The remaining two sections, which follow a similar format, are assigned as homework.

Each SAT session is divided into two parts with equal time dedicated to Math and Reading & Writing (45 minutes each). For ACT prep, English, Math, Reading, and Science are covered in two dedicated lessons each.

Mock tests are introduced after the completion of classroom instruction. For most students, they will be completing the bulk of their practice testing in the summer, which prepares them for taking the real SAT & ACT in the fall. For the SAT, we administer 15 practice tests developed in alignment with College Board guidelines. In addition, we recommend that students complete the 7 official SAT practice tests provided by the College Board. For the ACT, we conduct 12 full-length mock tests to give students thorough exposure to the test format and question types. During the summer, when students generally have more flexibility, we recommend taking two tests per week—one SAT and one ACT. Once the school year begins, we adjust the schedule to one test per week, alternating between SAT and ACT practice exams to maintain consistent preparation without overwhelming the student.

Practice tests begin once classroom instruction is complete. Each question on the test comes with a detailed video explanation. We strongly encourage students to review the explanations for any questions they answered incorrectly and focus on understanding the underlying concepts. It’s important to learn from these mistakes, as very similar questions are likely to appear on future mock tests. In most cases—about 98%—students are able to identify and understand their errors just by watching the videos. However, if you're still unsure about any question even after viewing the explanation, please bring it to one of our workshops or reach out to us directly. We’re here to help ensure everything is fully understood.

Our team is committed to supporting students every step of the way. After each session, instructors remain available to answer questions, clarify concepts, or provide additional guidance. Outside of class, you can also reach out via email (info@brilliantprep.com) for any questions related to the weekly material or general concerns. We strive to respond promptly and ensure that every student feels supported and confident in their learning.

Our group classes typically begin in January, February, June, July, August, September and October, and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Unlike our competitors, we support students through every stage of their test prep journey. Students who complete our courses gain access to hundreds of our content-based and strategy-based videos as well as detailed answer explanations from our online library. In our classes, we frequently give quizzes and tests to assess student progress, and we teach using material from our handcrafted, comprehensive workbooks. In addition, we provide our students with a multitude of practice tests, weekly workshops, and additional resources to alleviate their stress and maximize their confidence.

Once you click the “Get Started” button at the top right corner of our website and go through the enrollment process, you will be able to locate the prices of each of our programs prior to making any payments. We accept checks that are hand-delivered to our office, credit card payment through our online portal (with an additional $75 fee), or direct bank transfers to Brilliant Prep via Zelle. If you have concerns regarding course pricing or payment, contact us and we will be happy to work with you.

Both! A solid grasp of the content (Math, Grammar, etc.) as well as specific strategies for beating your particular test are both critical to scoring high on the SAT and the ACT. Some students might need more focus on content, while others might have the content down and thus need more strategy review. Either way, we cover both for all students.

Almost all colleges accept either an SAT or an ACT score and do not prefer one over the other. In general, if you have enough time to prepare for both the SAT and the ACT, then we suggest that you take both. This way, you have more options when deciding which score(s) to send to colleges. Furthermore, as both tests are fundamentally different in their form and structure, you may find that you are significantly better at one over the other.

We highly recommend that students follow our comprehensive study plan, which includes everything from completing daily practice questions to reading editorials to improve vocabulary and reading skills. Students will discover that doing these things regularly will benefit them immensely on test day.

Class size varies, with most classes ranging from 15 – 25 students.