Need an SAT course? Why not free?

Parents paying hundreds of dollars for online SAT courses might want to consider the free Number2.com service from Xap Corp. Consumer Reports WebWatch spent $33,000 signing up students for 10 different websites, including Barron's Test Prep, Boston Test Prep, Kaplan's SAT Online Prep, Number2.com, Peterson's SAT Online Course, PrepMe, SAT Secrets, Test Preparation Program, The Official SAT Online Course, and The Princeton Review.

The result, reports eSchool News.: Many of the sites had grammatical errors, technical glitches, and aggressive advertising tactics. In many cases, it was hard to tell the difference between advertising and educational content. Students using the test prep sites reported receiving eMails from banks, military recruiters, or offers of financial aid or study aid.

Number2.com, the only free test-prep service from the college admissions software and services firm Xap Corp., performed exceptionally well against expensive, better-known services. Number2.com was found to combine depth of content, record keeping, and individualized features with SAT test practice. Users reported that using the service was straightforward, with tips, quizzes, and useful hints.