Let us help you prepare for the next SAT! (Note: School-sponsored test dates may vary.)
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The next public SAT sitting is August 31, 2024.
Let us help you prepare for the next ACT! (Note: School-sponsored test dates may vary.)
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The next public SAT sitting is Nov. 5, 2022.
Please reach us at CollegePrep@USA-Tutors.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
They are certified secondary ed. math, science, and language arts teachers and/or higher ed. faculty accustomed to working with freshmen, each with between five and 40 years of classroom teaching experience in the area in question.
No - Becoming a certified teacher and/or a professor requires years of training and distinct degrees in a field. While there are a small number of very talented people who hold dual degrees and certifications in LA/English and Math/Science and have taught in each of these disciplines, they aren't working for us. We do have a couple tutors who are dually certified in Math and Science or who teach a combination in higher ed., so we can provide that option in addition to a separate LA/English teacher for the Verbal portion.
No - We are a customized service, so we are happy to work with your family only in those areas you prefer.
However, according to the College Board, 35% of students see a decrease in their scores on a retake and another 10% see no change.
Even if your student tests well in one area, we suggest a limited number of review sessions to brush up before a retake, especially if they were on summer break between sittings.
We ask for the holistic scores for prior PSAT, SAT, and/or ACT sittings with detailed breakdowns of performance. (You do not need to purchase this breakdown from the College Board. We will work you through the process to locate this information.) We also would like to see your student's transcript to evaluate the classes they took, the ones they are taking, and performance in each course. If your student has an IEP or 504 Plan, please be upfront in letting us know about their challenges and any accommodations we should make to give them a more successful experience with us.
No, but we highly recommend that they do it. It's likely that it's been awhile since they last took the ACT or SAT, so part of what we are evaluating is retention. Also, a combination of factors helps the tutors design lesson plans that will see the largest score increases. Students answer these questions on their own time, although tutors are paid to evaluate the answers and integrate them into lesson plans.
It's always helpful to use a variety of sources to prepare for major exams, so we say yes as long as it's from a reputable source. Most useful are typically the sample copies of the exams so that students can take additional ones as part of their independent study time.
We will provide copies of prior SATs (via the Blue Book app)/ACTs during the tutoring process, so be sure to let us know which tests you're doing at home so we don't overlap.
Students are welcome to ask their tutors to redirect session time to help them understand some of what they read or how they scored on sample tests not assigned by our staff, but it's important to note that the tutors are trying to help you meet a series of goals over multiple weeks, so reallocated time may interfere with that process.
No, but you can't unsend them once they go out.
It is possible to cancel scores within a reasonable time of taking them and without seeing the scores.
It's also possible to delay sending scores until you have seen them, but it is more expensive. Ask us for details if you contract us for SAT/ACT preparation.
We suggest starting with us at least ten to twelve weeks before your sitting. Students with goals of very high increases may wish to start earlier. It's helpful to have extra time in case of conflicts, illnesses, travel plans, etc. and to leave some time leading up to the exam for independent review.
If your student is looking to brush up a little to see a slight increase then we suggest a few weeks.
We suggest that students take the ACT/SAT in the spring of their junior year potentially with the exception of students who will have already completed Precalculus and are in an AP English class by their junior year.
Math content goes through early Precalculus, so optimal performance in this section depends upon exposure to and mastery of this material. To perform exceptionally on the Verbal section, students need very strong reading comprehension and analytical skills as well as an expansive vocabulary and writing expertise. The reality is that the more classes they take, the more students are exposed to this material and receive the time to master these skills.
For students who don't want to use their senior year for standardized testing, we recommend retakes over the summer.
Nevertheless, we will help you achieve your goals irrespective of your timeline.
No - If you're happy with your junior year scores, then run with them and put your time and effort into other parts of your college prep. journey.
This is a complicated question, and the answer depends on a number of factors including which major(s) you're considering. Let's discuss it during a consultation session.
Our sessions are personalized based upon each student's history, current skill set, and target scores. We do not recommend this approach.
However, if a group of parents would like to contract us for a general class that is less personalized, we can discuss preferences, goals, and pricing.
We typically do not support combined sessions for siblings but will explore the option if the students are comparably prepared (have taken the same classes), have earned similar scores in a subject, and the pre-test shows similar strengths and weaknesses. We would provide an estimate based upon these factors.
The small group pricing on our "Prices & Packages" page does not apply due to the level of preparation and personalization involved in SAT/ACT preparation.
We recommend speaking with us in advance and verifying your intention to work with us, your timeline, and your preferred tutors for optimal service. We do not hold spots without a down payment because we are reserving time with those tutors for you.
The answer is dependent on where you're applying, if there is open enrollment, your prior scores, and a few other factors.
For most seniors, we suggest aiming for the October sittings but leaving open the possibility of the November sitting if you aren't happy with your Aug./Sep. or Oct. scores or didn't have time to prepare earlier in the year.
Students seeking an Early Decision status, especially binding, should finish their sittings by mid-October.
Some schools provide in-house testing in the spring and/or fall of each year. Registration protocols differ between schools.
For public sittings, you should register through the College Board site for the SAT and the ACT website for the ACT.
For public sittings, you should register through the College Board site for the SAT and the ACT website for the ACT. Some test dates offer far fewer seats than others, and you may need to travel quite a distance for one.
Remember that you should arrive by 7:45 AM, so needing to drive an hour or longer to the test site may impact your student's performance and ability to eat a healthy breakfast and not feel rushed.
Our hourly rates are $75 for personalized SAT or ACT support.
There is an upfront charge of one hour, at the tutor's hourly rate, for assessment and lesson plan preparation per subject. A student taking the SAT would need one hour for Verbal and one hour for Math. A student taking the ACT would need one hour for Science, one for Verbal, and one for Math.
Thereafter, you only pay for the time that the student is meeting with the tutor.
We highly recommend at least one hour with our Test-taking strategies tutor. There is no preparation fee for this service. The tutor bills at $75/hour.
If you want a post-test SAT/ACT with a report on progress, the cost is $75 for the grading and preparation time per subject.
Yes unless you are changing due to issues on our end, e.g., the tutor is unable to meet their obligations. (In this case, we will review the recorded sessions to evaluate your concerns and explore options.)
If you are changing because you feel your student would be more compatible with another tutor, we are happy to accommodate. However, if the prior tutor has met their obligations, then they are entitled to their payment for their preparation and teaching time. The new tutor will need to review the same materials, create lesson plans, and communicate with us to come up to speed, so there will be a charge of 2 hours at the new tutor's rate ($150 total) for the transfer.
We must receive payment a minimum of 48 hours ahead of delivery of a service. In this case, it would be by the time the student submits their pre-test for the tutors' review.
Payment options over the course of the sequence include:
Packages can be purchased incrementally, so, if your student is working with us for 19 hours (8 for Verbal, 8 for Math, 2 hours of prep. time, and one for Test-taking Strategies), you can purchase the 15-hour package and then purchase separately the remaining four hours when you finish using the package.
If you buy a package and have leftover hours, they may be used by any member of your household for the majority of our services during the year following their purchase.
Contact us for more information and a complimentary discussion of how we can support your family's needs: CollegePrep@USA-Tutors.com or (203) 800-4100.
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