Success on the SAT does not come from luck, last-minute cramming, or trendy apps with cartoon avatars. It comes from disciplined habits, effective methods, and intelligent strategies developed over time, and the hard truth is that private school students are accessing these advantages earlier and more systematically than their public school peers.

The gap is real. Nationally, private school students consistently score 100 to 150 points higher on the SAT than public school students. In competitive regions like the Northeast, that disparity widens even further, with critics saying it has nothing to do with intelligence or potential, but reflects structural differences in how schools support test preparation.

At The Best Test Prep, we have worked with students from both public and private schools, and seen firsthand how preparation and resources dramatically impact outcomes. Here are five reasons the gap continues to widen:

1. Private Schools Build SAT Preparation Into the Curriculum

Private schools integrate test preparation directly into their academic culture. Many contract with test prep providers to deliver workshops starting in ninth grade, and some even administer practice tests quarterly while tracking progress systematically. Teachers receive training in SAT-specific strategy alongside regular curriculum instruction.

Public schools, on the other hand, operate with limited resources, which often means that SAT preparation is addressed only sporadically. Teachers, focused on state standards and AP exams, have little bandwidth to emphasize SAT strategy, which means most public school students do not begin serious preparation until junior year—significantly past the ideal start time.

2. Class Size Differences Create Individual Attention Disparities

Private school class sizes typically range from 12 to 15 students. Public school classes average 25 to 35 students. The difference matters profoundly—in a smaller classroom, a teacher notices when a student struggles with reading comprehension and provides targeted feedback, whereas in a class of 35, such individual attention is not as common.

Additionally, private schools maintain selective hiring standards and can recruit teachers with specialized expertise. For example, a private school English teacher likely has advanced training in rhetoric and analytical thinking, precisely skills the SAT Reading and Writing section measures. Public school teachers, equally dedicated, often lack this specialized training due to broader curriculum demands.

3. Curriculum and Pacing Alignment

Private schools control their own curricula and pacing. They can ensure consistent, accelerated instruction in reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning, the foundations of SAT success. Writing instruction intensifies as soon as students enter high school, with an explicit focus on clarity and argumentation.

Public schools, however, must follow state standards and pacing guides designed around state testing timelines, not college admissions tests. Teachers sometimes rush through material to meet benchmarks, creating knowledge gaps. By the time SAT testing begins, private school students have already had years of instruction directly aligned with SAT skill requirements, whereas public school students have not.

4. Access to Professional Test Prep Services

Many private schools partner with established companies to offer discounts to families, enabling earlier access to professional test preparation. Word travels through parent networks about which tutors deliver results.

By contrast, public school families often lack such information networks. Professional test preparation is sometimes viewed as an expensive luxury rather than a necessary investment, so by the time public school families discover that it’s actually financially attainable, valuable time has already passed.

5. Coordinated College Counseling and Strategic Planning

Many elite private schools assign a dedicated college counselor to each student at the beginning of ninth grade, forming relationships that last all four years of high school. These counselors know each student’s strengths, academic trajectory, and goals. They develop strategic test-taking plans, recommend timing for test attempts, and guide retesting decisions.

The situation in public schools is very different, with college counselors often managing 400+ students while multitasking with academic advising and discipline. A student might meet with their counselor a handful of times during all of high school, if that, and in the absence of strategic guidance, public school students often approach the SAT without a well-defined plan.

The Path Forward: Closing the Gap

Fortunately, not all is lost for public school students and their families. Understanding the above structural differences is the first step toward eliminating them—public school students can access the same professional preparation, effective methods, and expert guidance as their private school peers, but it requires intentional action. In addition to seeking out affordable but effective private instruction, the following remedies are available to parents, teachers, and administrators:

1. Recruit a reputable standardized test preparation company to provide a free SAT / ACT informational session to sophomores (that’s right—start early). Many companies are more than happy to; at The Best Test Prep, we’ve lost count of how many we’ve given to New York City public schools and are now offering to Washington, D.C. high schools as well.

2. Teachers of math, reading, and English for sophomores (and if possible, even freshmen) should set aside one session per week—or even half a session— to focus on skills germane to the SAT and ACT. Over the course of 9 or 10 months, a very solid foundation can be built, before students ever enter junior year.

3. Teachers shouldn’t hesitate to seek free assistance from a reputable company if they could use their own brush-up on standardized test skills—which is completely understandable, since they’re very different from those needed for regular high school exams. Faculty members of The Best Test Prep frequently help educators, so don’t feel badly about bothering them. They eat, sleep, and breathe standardized test preparation.

4. Parents and teachers should take full advantage of the resources on the websites of the tests’ authors, the College Board and ACT, Inc. Knowing how and when to use practice tests is important, but there is a plethora of other authentic practice materials that can be incorporated into classroom instruction and independent study.

5. In addition to everything else, students need to put away distractions and read. Although the “reading” skills tested on the SAT and ACT are different from leisurely going through a book, the process of assimilating information from a visual stimulus is the same, as is the derivation of challenging words’ meanings from context. Setting aside even an hour or two per week for enjoyable reading can make a world of difference.

Students absolutely should reach their full potential, regardless of whether they are in public or private school. If we can be of further assistance to your child, class, or school, we’re just a phone call away.