It depends. In general, beginners and those who play like beginners would be better served to fold them pre-. That's because the decision as to what action to take pre- isn't just about a single round. It's also about what to do on subsequent rounds. Yes, getting in cheap and folding after missing the flop doesn't cost a huge amount. But that's not the only negative outcome. Fairly often, you'll catch some piece of the flop - just enough to face tough decisions. If your game hasn't advanced enough to handle those situations decently, your losses in them plus your small losses after missing will make playing SCs a losing proposition overall despite some infrequent big wins.