Academy Test Prep offers full-length ACT and SAT tests (3.5 hours)  on regularly-scheduled dates (usually weekend mornings).  From the student’s test, we produce a Diagnostic Score Report (DSR) which shows the student’s section-by-section strengths and weaknesses on either test. This DSR is primarily designed as a “road map” for Academy’s tutors for use in subsequent tutoring, should a student later choose to enroll in our program. However, the information can serve the same purpose for students, parents, and teachers.

Academy’s diagnostic test is usually taken without any preparation and is designed to provide a baseline or starting point for a student’s performance on the ACT or SAT. It is therefore not an indicator of how a well-prepared student will score on the actual test. Because the test and the results are not public and not available to any college or university, this DSR can help a student get started on the right test track with information as to needed assistance. Further, because all students should only take the actual test a limited number of times (usually 3-4 or fewer), the DSR does not “burn” one of the student’s test-taking opportunities.

Because the Essay for the ACT is optional and because the Essay for the SAT has now been eliminated, Academy no longer includes the Essay as part of its diagnostic testing (shortening the students’ test time).  However, please note that some colleges, despite not caring about the ACT Essay scores, still do require the ACT Essay to be written for any test date for which test scores will be submitted.

We hope this information will prove useful.

For Diagnostic Testing Dates, please contact Mark Coffin directly at 440-448-7009 or markc369@gmail.com.  Tests are generally offered two weekend mornings per month, but additional dates may be added to accommodate students as needed.  All tests begin at 9:00 AM and end at approximately 12:15 PM.  Students who receive extended time accommodations are able to take the test as long as advance notice is given.

We offer one-on-one tutoring sessions that cover all sections of the ACT, SAT, PSAT, and GRE plus tutoring for College Application essays.  We also give full-length practice tests, which are used to diagnose student’s strengths and weaknesses and to build test taking endurance.  We provide textbooks and frequently update our proprietary Academy Workbook to support our students’ studies.  Students become proficient test-takers with our relevant homework, which is based on actual tests.  Additional tutorial sessions and mini-refreshers are available as needed.

Most students have very busy schedules due to studies, extracurricular school activities, sports and other personal commitments. Academy Custom Test Prep tutors work around schedules.
Each student has a different learning style and level of “test readiness.” Individual sessions allow our tutors to diagnose most effectively in which areas a student needs the most help.
Individual tutoring helps students to stay focused on the material. Tutors develop a rapport with students, facilitating a dialogue during each session so that students demonstrate what they have learned and are actively engaged in the sessions.

A prospective student is encouraged to take a practice PSAT, SAT, or ACT so that Academy can assess his or her individual needs and abilities. After reviewing scores generated by these practice tests, Academy tailors a tutoring plan to maximize a student’s ability to score highly on preferred tests.

Diagnostic Tests can be taken three ways:

• On regularly-scheduled dates with other students. ($50 per test)
• On specially-scheduled dates that better fit to a student’s own schedule. ($95 per test)
• Proctored at home by a parent.  Academy provides the test plus complete, simple proctoring directions. ($50 per test)

Individual Tutoring Provides:

• Content review for the overall test and all sections of the relevant tests – ACT, SAT, PSAT, or GRE to increase familiarity and confidence.

• Strategies to avoid common errors due to unfamiliarity, time pressure, or carelessness.

• Techniques to become a better test-taker with higher scores.

• Strategies to ace math questions without long calculations.

• Strategies to answer effectively and quickly reading passages and sentence completion questions.

• Methods to construct an organized, high-scoring essay within minutes.

• Opportunities to practice, practice, practice using ACTUAL ACT, SAT, PSAT, and GRE tests.

College admission officers admit that college application essays are of considerable importance, so students much articulate their unique selves, passions, and pivotal life experiences. Some students just need a final editor’s eye, some students need help with deadlines and working steadily throughout the summer, and some students need to start from scratch.

Academy can help with all of these. The student does all the writing, but Academy’s tutors help students write their best college admission essays to stand out from the crowd of other applicants. The following guidelines may be helpful for parents and students who wonder about Academy’s role and how many sessions will be required.

• This session is for the student who feels confident that he/she has a near final draft.

• We offer an experienced pair of eyes to confirm the positive impression the essay will make on the reader.

• We correct any minor punctuation and grammatical errors.

• For the student who has reasonable confidence in his/her writing and the self-discipline to write drafts between sessions.

• This student may not be certain of his/her exact topic before the first tutorial.

• The student will develop a writing plan in the first session and will work up to a final draft at the end of the three or four sessions.

Many companies and individuals mention and promote “guarantees.”  For example, here is an SAT improvement guarantee from a national tutoring firm:

“We stand behind the quality and outcomes of our SAT tutoring, which is why we guarantee your results. If your child completes our 30-Hour SAT Program and doesn’t improve by at least 200 points from his or her actual PSAT score, we will provide you with an additional 18 hours of SAT tutoring for free. Likewise, if your child completes our 24-Hour SAT Program and doesn’t improve by at least 100 points, we will provide you with an additional 18 hours of SAT tutoring for free.”

This “guarantee” is virtually useless for two obvious reasons: first, few students really take 30 hours of tutoring (that would be 15 two-hour classes in Academy’s schedule) or even 24 hours; and second, the (unlikely) payoff on the guarantee is just more hours of the same type of tutoring that did not work in the first place!

Further, in the fine print of all such “guarantees” is the qualifier to the effect that the student must have completed all work to the satisfaction of the company.  Do you want to buy some (swampland) in Florida, too?

Anyone who promises you a certain score or guarantees a certain amount of improvement is spinning fairy tales!

PS. In the handbooks given out by the college guidance offices at many private schools there is usually a sentence that says “Be wary of any company that guarantees a specific score increase.”