Al Khawarizmi Institute

SAT Prep in Lebanon — Digital SAT Classes & Zoom

Al Khawarizmi Institute was established in 2011. Our SAT course covers the whole syllabus of both sections, Reading and Writing and Math.

How much does an SAT course cost in Lebanon?

Group courses at the institute start from $150 as a reference figure. Exam courses vary, so we confirm the fee for your course before you enrol. There is no registration fee, the placement test is free, and online classes cost the same as in person. You pay in US dollars by cash, Whish or OMT.

The course fee is separate from the exam fee. The College Board charges students outside the United States $111 to sit the SAT, and you pay that directly to them. Our SAT registration guide lists the dates and fees.

How do I choose an SAT course in Lebanon?

Ask any institute these questions before you pay, including us. Here is how we answer them:

  • Does it cover both sections? Ours covers the whole syllabus of Reading and Writing, and of Math.
  • Is a teacher there live? Our classes are live, in person or on Zoom, and are not recorded.
  • Does it start from your level? We begin with a free written placement test of 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Does the schedule fit school? Morning, afternoon, evening and Saturday options exist, and the teacher agrees the times with the group.
  • What if your test is soon? We run crash courses, and private lessons are charged per hour in blocks of 20 hours.
  • Will someone help you register? The SAT is not held at the institute, but our team helps you register online.

Can I take SAT classes online from Beirut?

Yes. Our Beirut branch has paused operations, so students in Beirut study live on Zoom, at the same fee as in person, or come to our main branch in Simkanieh, in the Chouf. Online groups are separate from in-person groups, and you can move between the two.

How long should I prepare for the SAT?

Start at least two months before your test date if you can, and longer is better. If your date is sooner, ask about a crash course. Tell us your date and target score and we will say honestly whether it is realistic in the time you have. For a sense of how practice relates to scores, the College Board reported in 2017 that 20 hours of official practice was associated with an average gain of 115 points. That data is from the older paper SAT and shows a link, not a promise.

Looking for SAT prep in Lebanon? You can study in person at our main branch in Simkanieh (the Chouf) or live online on Zoom, in a group or privately, with the same fee online as in person. The SAT is not held at the institute, and we help you register for your test date online.

What is on the SAT

The SAT is now a digital, adaptive test taken on a laptop or tablet through the College Board’s Bluebook application. It runs about two hours and fourteen minutes and has two sections, each split into two modules.

  • Reading and Writing — two modules of 27 questions, 32 minutes each. Short passages, one question per passage, covering comprehension, vocabulary in context, sentence structure, punctuation and the logic that joins ideas together.
  • Math — two modules of 22 questions, 35 minutes each. Algebra, problem solving and data analysis, some advanced algebra, and a smaller share of geometry and trigonometry. A calculator is allowed throughout, and one is built into the application.

Adaptive matters. Your performance on the first module of a section decides whether the second module is the harder or the easier version, and the harder version is what gives access to the top of the scoring range.

How the SAT is scored

Each section is scored from 200 to 800, for a total between 400 and 1600. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so a blank is always worth less than a guess — leaving a question empty is the one mistake on the SAT that has no upside at all.

Scores are also reported as percentiles, which is what universities actually read. A percentile says how you did against everyone else who sat the test, and it is the reason a fifty-point gain matters much more in some parts of the range than in others. Tell us your target score and we will advise whether it is realistic in the time you have.

What the course covers

  • The whole syllabus of both sections — Reading and Writing (comprehension, vocabulary in context, sentence structure, punctuation, the logic that links ideas) and Math (algebra, problem solving and data analysis, advanced algebra, geometry and trigonometry)
  • Help registering online for your test date, because the SAT is not hosted at the institute
  • Crash courses for students whose exam is soon
  • Honest advice on whether your target score is realistic in the time you have, before you commit to a course
  • In person at Simkanieh or live on Zoom, in a group or one to one

How we work

Course length depends on your starting level and your target score. Start at least two months before your test date if you can; longer is better. Tell us your test date and your target score, and we will advise whether the target is realistic in the time available. If the exam is soon, ask about a crash course.

Groups usually meet twice a week, 1 to 2 hours a session, and morning and Saturday classes are available. New groups open monthly: each course has a waiting list, and a group opens when enough students are ready, with the teacher agreeing the schedule with them. To hold a place, you register and pay in advance, and you can switch group if your schedule changes.

Online groups are separate from in-person groups. They are taught live on Zoom, never recorded, and slides, PDFs and links are sent by WhatsApp or email. Students can move between online and in-person.

SAT or ACT?

Deciding between this test and the ACT? Read our guide to choosing between the SAT and the ACT before they commit to either.

Where classes run

Classes run in person at our main branch in Simkanieh (the Chouf), and as live Zoom groups for students elsewhere in Lebanon and outside Lebanon — taught live by a teacher, never recorded, at the same fee as in person. We also have a branch in Aley: ask us which groups are running there. Our Beirut (Mar Elias) and Choueifat branches are paused for now; students from those areas study live online, or can ask us about Aley.

SAT classes for students in Beirut

Our Beirut (Mar Elias) branch is paused for now, so we do not run classes there. Students in Beirut have two options. The first is to join a live online group on Zoom: a teacher teaches it live, it is never recorded, and the fee is the same as in person. The second is to ask us about the groups running at our Aley branch. You can also study at our main branch in Simkanieh. Message us on WhatsApp with your test date and where you live.

How to register for the SAT

The SAT is not held at the institute. We prepare you for it. We help you register online for a test date, so you do not have to work through the process alone. Our guide how to register for the digital SAT in Lebanon explains the steps, and the team can go through them with you.

Crash course or full course

If your exam is soon, ask about a crash course. If you have time, start at least two months before the test; longer is better. Tell us your test date and target score, and we will advise which plan is realistic.

Timing, fees and how to start

  • Start at least two months before your exam — longer is better. Exam sooner? Crash courses are available, and we tell you honestly whether your target is realistic in the time you have.
  • Group or private. Study in a group or one to one, in person at Simkanieh or live on Zoom. Groups usually meet twice a week, 1–2 hours a session, including Saturdays. Private one-to-one lessons are charged per hour, in blocks of 20 hours.
  • Fees. Group courses start from $150 (USD) as a reference; exam courses vary, so we confirm the fee for your course before you enrol. No registration fee. Cash, Whish or OMT.
  • Which test? Not sure whether to sit the SAT or the ACT? Read SAT or ACT: which should you sit?.
  • The whole SAT. Both sections — Reading and Writing, and Math — are covered in full. The SAT is not held at the institute; we help you register online for a test date — see how to register for the digital SAT in Lebanon.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the SAT preparation course?

It depends on your current level and the score you are aiming for. Start at least two months before your test date if you can — longer is better — and if your exam is sooner, crash courses are available. Tell us your test date and we will advise whether your target is realistic in the time you have.

How is the digital SAT scored?

From 400 to 1600 in total: 200 to 800 for Reading and Writing, and 200 to 800 for Math. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so you should never leave a question blank.

What does it mean that the SAT is adaptive?

Each section has two modules. How you perform on the first module decides whether the second is the harder or the easier version, and the harder version is the one that reaches the top of the score range.

When should a student start preparing for the SAT?

At least two months before the test, and longer is better. Tell us your test date and we will advise whether your target is realistic in the time you have.

Can I prepare for the SAT online?

Yes. The course runs as live Zoom classes with a teacher — never recorded — at the same fee as in person, for students elsewhere in Lebanon or outside Lebanon.

Where can I do SAT prep in Lebanon?

In person at our main branch in Simkanieh (the Chouf), or live online on Zoom from anywhere. We also have a branch in Aley; ask us which groups run there. Our Beirut branch is paused for now, so students in Beirut study online at the same fee or at Aley.

Is the SAT held at the institute, and can you help me register?

No. The SAT is not hosted at the institute. We prepare you for it and help you register online for a test date.

Do you offer SAT crash courses?

Yes. If your exam is soon, ask about a crash course, and we will tell you honestly whether your target score is realistic in the time you have. If you have time, start at least two months before the test.

Can I take SAT classes privately or in a group?

Both. Groups usually meet twice a week, and private one-to-one lessons are charged per hour in blocks of 20 hours. Group courses start from $150 (USD) as a reference figure; exam courses vary, so we confirm the fee for your course before you enrol.

I live in Beirut. Where can I study for the SAT?

Our Beirut branch is paused for now. You can join a live online group on Zoom at the same fee as in person, or ask us about groups at our Aley branch.

What does the SAT course cover?

The whole syllabus of both sections: Reading and Writing, and Math.

Related courses

Start preparing

Send us your test date and your target score and we will advise whether the target is realistic in the time you have. We answer straight away during opening hours, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm. Call 00961 71 27 67 13 or message us on WhatsApp.

Questions about fees or the next group? Message us and we will reply during opening hours, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm: Enroll Now.