Programs
ACT and SAT preparation, one student at a time. Below is how we decide which test to prepare for, how sessions are structured, and what the practice-test cycle looks like.
Choosing the test
Colleges treat the ACT and the SAT identically, so the only question worth asking is which one a given student will score better on. That is an empirical question, not a matter of opinion, so we answer it the same way every time: the student takes a full-length, proctored practice test of each under real timing, and we compare the results side by side.
Most students have a clear preference after that, and some are genuinely equivalent — in which case we pick the one whose structure and pacing suits them and commit to it. Preparing seriously for both at once is almost always a waste of a student's time.
A note on the current ACT. The ACT has changed: Science is now optional, and the English, Math, and Reading sections are shorter than the version most parents remember taking. We prepare students for the test as it is actually administered now, and the practice forms we use reflect that.
Sessions
Sessions run about two hours, typically once a week, one-on-one. They can be in person on the Westside, online, or a mix of the two — whatever makes it easiest to keep the schedule consistent, since consistency matters more than location.
Between sessions, expect two to three hours of homework. This is the part of the program that actually moves scores. A student who does the work between sessions improves; a student who does not will not, regardless of how many hours are spent in the room.
There is no set total number of hours and no package to buy up front. Programs run as long as they need to, and we talk about the timeline honestly at intake.
Practice tests
Full-length practice tests are the backbone of the program, not an add-on. They are proctored under real conditions — in the office on weekend mornings, or at home under the conditions described in the at-home testing instructions.
Every test is scored by hand, question by question, against the answer key for that specific form. The report that comes back shows which content areas and which question types are costing points, so the next few sessions have a target. A composite score alone does not tell you what to do on Tuesday.
Extended time and accommodations
We routinely work with students who test with extended time, and practice tests are administered at 50% or 100% extended time to match. Generally we can offer extended time testing to students already approved for those accommodations by their school and by ACT or the College Board.
If your student has accommodations in place, or has an application pending, say so on the intake form and we will plan around the real conditions from the start.
Timeline
Most families start in the spring of sophomore year or the summer before junior year, which leaves room for two official test dates with real preparation in between. Starting later is common and workable; starting in the fall of senior year limits what is possible, and we will tell you so rather than take the work on anyway.
Rates
Rates depend on the format and scope of the program, and we discuss them directly during the intake conversation — along with the timeline and what we think is realistic. There is no obligation at that stage.