
The ACT is a big deal. Because of this, it makes sense that a student would want to devote all the time and effort possible into getting a high ACT score. But what if they aren’t able to devote as much money?
Here’s where Magoosh comes in to save the day:
The educational prep course offered by Magoosh is one of the best ACT prep courses for a student on a budget. While it doesn’t offer the same experience or quite the same level of quality as the more premium options, it still comes packed with enough material to help students achieve impressive results without having to spend impressive amounts of money on their test prep.
PROS
Course Format
Like some other prep courses for the ACT, Magoosh only offers an on-demand online program. The lack of any physical or livestreamed classroom environment does come with its drawbacks, but two significant benefits it provides are greater convenience to students and a fine-tuned course format.
Here’s why this format works so well for Magoosh:
Among the best ACT prep resources, Magoosh is well known for having an easy to follow format with a great deal of content. As a result of their intuitive layout, students who enroll in their course will be able to focus on studying from the moment they sit down until it’s time to take a break. The on-demand format means that these students will be able to access this material whenever they need to, whether it’s in the middle of the day or late at night. And with tons of questions included in the package, they should not run out of problems to work on anytime soon.
Price
Although they are known for an intuitive and streamlined course, the one thing that Magoosh is most well known for is their low price. Students can get full access to all of their video lessons and problems for 12 months at a cost that is less than $100. This kind of price is unheard of for other prep courses like this one and is why Magoosh earns its status as the best online ACT prep resource for students on a tight budget. The extended access also provides enough time for students to easily prepare for the exam and work through their wealth of ACT related material.
Some especially frugal students may think that they should purchase a book full of practice questions instead of signing up for this course because it would give them unlimited access to a much higher volume of questions for a similar or cheaper price. While this is a smart idea, any student who chose this strategy over enrolling in Magoosh would miss out on its powerful online learning tools that come at an unbeatable price.
Device Compatibility
The major benefit to Magoosh’s single-minded focus on an on-demand prep course, aside from a drastically reduced tuition cost, is the considerable emphasis they were then able to place on designing a fantastic educational toolkit. The most significant benefit to this design effort that will come as a major boon to young students today is their compatibility with different devices.
How does this help young students to better prepare for the ACT? Keep reading:
Because Magoosh’s prep courses are compatible with computers, smartphones, and tablets, there is no excuse for a student to avoid using it. If they’re not at home because they’re commuting or taking a break at work, they can easily access it on their phone to squeeze in a quick study session. The same applies to students who use tablets instead of laptops, which is increasingly common in modern classrooms. This cross-compatibility is the dictionary definition of on-demand content and it cements Magoosh’s status as one of the best online ACT prep courses for providing this urgent need.
CONS
Instructors
The one main drawback about Magoosh is that you do not receive any help from instructors or coaches. Unlike some of the other best ACT prep courses that offer some sort of physical classroom setting or livestreamed lectures, students enrolled in this course won’t be able to consult with a live expert for guidance or tutoring. For certain kinds of students, this form of teaching can be more effective than independent study alone. Because of that, students who learn best in this setting won’t get as much out of Magoosh.
Ideal User
Still not sure if Magoosh is the right ACT prep course for you? Here’s a quick breakdown of who would benefit the most from taking this course:
- If you’re a student who learns best on their own, this is the course for you.
- If you need a large pool of practice questions and lectures on a tight budget, this is the course for you.
- If you like to study on smart devices, this is the course for you.
- If you learn best in a classroom with a live instructor, this is NOT the course for you.
- If you have a larger budget and want to get the absolute best ACT prep course money can buy, this is NOT the course for you.
My Recommendation
Magoosh is a tough sell in some aspects but also a terrific deal in others. It will ultimately depend on the individual student; some will see this product as a waste of time and money, while others will see it as the best online ACT prep course for the price. It’s true that there are some significant limitations due to the lack of actual instructors, but the low cost and powerful online toolkit make up for this fact for the most part.
Here’s my final verdict:
There are certainly worse ways a student can spend their money trying to prepare for the big exam, and those who truly gain nothing from the experience will have the option to get a full refund through Magoosh’s score increase guarantee. For these reasons, I recommend this educational resource for any cash-strapped student looking for a good on-demand ACT course.
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Bryce Welker is a regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, YEC and Business Insider. After graduating from San Diego State University he went on to earn his Certified Public Accountant license and created CrushTheCPAexam.com to share his knowledge and experience to help other accountants become CPAs too. Bryce was named one of Accounting Today’s “Accountants To Watch” among other accolades. As Seen On Forbes