Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Net value (scholarship minus cost)
$16,800
Cost per point of gain
$10.00
Cost per hour of prep
$30.00
Estimated scholarship value of gain
$18,000
Projected new score
1,220
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How to use this
- 1Enter total prep cost ($).
- 2Enter student hours committed.
- 3Enter expected score gain (points).
- 4Enter est. scholarship $ per point ($).
- 5Enter baseline score.
- 6Read your net value (scholarship minus cost) on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Test prep is sold on promised score gains, but families rarely compute what they're actually paying per point. This calculator divides total prep cost by the expected score gain to get a cost-per-point figure, then compares that against what the score gain is typically worth in scholarship dollars or admission odds, so you can judge whether a $3,000 course promising 150 SAT points is a good trade versus a $600 course promising 80 points.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Total prep cost: 1200 $
- Student hours committed: 40
- Expected score gain (points): 120
- Est. scholarship $ per point: 150 $
- Baseline score: 1100
Results
- Net value (scholarship minus cost): $16,800
- Cost per point of gain: $10.00
- Cost per hour of prep: $30.00
- Estimated scholarship value of gain: $18,000
- Projected new score: 1,220
What each field means
Inputs
- Total prep cost ($)
- The total prep cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 1200 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Student hours committed
- The student hours committed used in the calculation. Starts at 40 so you have a working example on load.
- Expected score gain (points)
- The expected score gain (points) used in the calculation. Starts at 120 so you have a working example on load.
- Est. scholarship $ per point ($)
- The est. scholarship $ per point used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 150 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Baseline score
- The baseline score used in the calculation. Starts at 1100 so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 400–1600.
Results
- Net value (scholarship minus cost)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cost per point of gain
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Cost per hour of prep
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Estimated scholarship value of gain
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Projected new score
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
How reliable are advertised score gain numbers?
Treat them skeptically. Most published averages come from self-reported before/after scores among students who finished the full course, which skews toward motivated, already-improving students. A realistic gain is often 60-70% of the advertised number for a typical student.
Where does the scholarship-per-point estimate come from?
It varies enormously by school and program — some merit scholarships have hard score cutoffs where crossing a threshold (e.g., 1200 to 1210) unlocks a fixed award, which isn't linear at all. Use this as a rough planning number, and check specific target schools' merit aid tables for real cutoffs.
Is cost per point a fair way to compare prep options?
It's one useful lens, not the whole picture. A cheaper course with a lower expected gain might still have a better cost-per-point ratio, but self-study with official practice tests often beats both on cost-per-point even though it takes more self-discipline.
Does score gain diminish as baseline score rises?
Yes. Going from 1000 to 1150 is much easier than 1450 to 1500 because near the top of the scale, small errors matter more and the remaining question types get harder. Adjust your expected gain input downward if the baseline is already high.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Test Prep Score-Gain Value Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/test-prep-score-gain-value
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/test-prep-score-gain-value" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Test Prep Score-Gain Value Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Test Prep Score-Gain Value Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/test-prep-score-gain-value) (2026).