Yeah I made that exact switch, my local group course was painfully slow and way too generic. Felt like half the class was just wasting time and I was bored out of my mind. Switching to online prep was a huge upgrade. I used Online Cambridge Exam Preparation Teacher and it was actually built around the real exam, not random English exercises. The pace was faster, tasks were focused, and I could do everything on my own schedule. Did I miss a real teacher? Not really, the course gave clear explanations and feedback on writing and speaking which was what I needed. My band score went up more than I expected, especially in Writing Task 2. Online prep gave me control and better results than that slow group class ever did. If you're frustrated with generic courses, online is definitely worth it.

Thanks for sharing this. I had a similar experience with a group class where progress felt painfully slow because the lessons had to match everyone's level. What worked much better for me was studying at my own pace and focusing on the actual exam requirements. Being able to spend extra time on weaker areas instead of sitting through topics I already knew made a huge difference. Once I had a structured routine, preparation became far more efficient and a lot less frustrating.