– Edison Prep –
ACT vs. SAT: Which test is right for me?
The best way to figure out which test is best for your son or daughter is to do a diagnostic test for both tests prior to significant study to see which test he or she is naturally better at. In our experience, about 70% of students perform approximately the same on the SAT and ACT, with about 20% performing better on the SAT and 10% performing better on the ACT. Do not rely on old rules of thumb from teachers or friends to decide which test to take; simply take a diagnostic on each and then focus on your naturally stronger test. The only tests that should be utilized when taking these diagnostics are actual SATs and ACTs.
Are both tests accepted at all schools?
Yes. 99% of schools have accepted both tests for decades, and the two final holdouts (Wake Forest and Harvey Mudd) changed their policies in the early 2000’s. While several small liberal arts schools have begun to experiment with “test optional” admissions policies, over 95% of the nation’s top-ranked universities and public universities require you to send one of the two tests, including all 25 of the US News Top 25 schools.
When should I take the test?
First and foremost, you should take the test when you have time to study. In general, the best present students can give themselves is to be done with their ACT and/or SAT exams before the end of junior year. Senior year is a busy time of college visits, college essays, college applications, and schoolwork, so starting early is strongly recommended.
Unless there are extremely unique circumstances, SAT/ACT tutoring should not begin prior to the end of sophomore year of high school; the main goal for your student during freshman and sophomore year should be to earn excellent grades and get meaningfully involved in a few activities that interest him or her.
That said, one of the smartest things sophomores can do is to take a full-length mock test of both the SAT and the ACT between December and April of sophomore year. Reason being, many people wait til after finals are over to take mocks, and might be gone all summer as summer camp counselors, etc., such that by the time students finally do mock tests in mid/late Summer, the tutoring availability for us (and most other quality tutors in town) is long gone for the July-October timeframe. If a student will be taking the test in Winter of junior year or later, taking mocks during the summer before junior year is more than adequate.
Should I take the test again?
For the vast majority of students, yes. Most schools allow you to “superscore” — that is, combine the highest individual section scores from multiple test dates. Part of what is included in your tutoring is advice on whether retaking the test makes sense. The students that ended up being “one and done” in 2010 could be counted on one hand. That said, after a certain number of times, most students see a distinct plateau where they “top out.”
Why does superscoring likely mean I should take the tests more than once?
When other students combine their best section scores from multiple dates but you don’t, it causes a general “score inflation” for those students, but not for you. What impact can this have? To use the University of Georgia as an example, the average score for an admitted student for the Class of 2009 was 1940, whereas it was hundreds of points lower just a few years prior. This happened partially because of the depressed economy and HOPE scholarship, but also because savvy parents and guidance counselors began to understand the true power of superscoring across multiple test dates.
Note: A few universities do not superscore SAT/ACT scores. We highly advise checking each individual school’s superscoring policy.
What is your score improvement policy?
Our goal is to ensure that every student is prepared to the best of their ability, but we are unable to predict the outcomes of testing ahead of time. We publish our score increase data and testimonials at www.edisonprep.com/testimonials-and-results, and parents who do NOT check in on student homework completion each week would rarely see their student achieve above-average increases.
Do you have a privacy policy?
We understand the sensitive nature of all personal information shared with Edison Prep. Your personal data, test scores, and academic information are all kept confidential. We will never share your information with any other organization. All requests to share information with high school counselors or college counselors must be submitted to Edison Prep in writing. If you have further questions about our confidentiality policy, please review our Privacy Policy.
How do I enroll and register?
Please contact us by phone (404-333-8573) or email (edison@edisonprep.com). We will talk with you to take down your information, help you determine what tutoring is appropriate for your son/daughter, and set up a tutoring schedule.
What types of payment do you accept?
Credit Card, Check, or Cash. Online credit card payments are available via Mastercard, Visa, AMEX, and Discover (processed by PayPal; no PayPal account required).
Please make all checks payable to Edison Prep, LLC.
Checks can be mailed to:
Edison Prep, LLC
PO Box 28903
Atlanta, GA 30358
There is a $40 fee for checks returned for insufficient funds (NSF fees).
For group classes, your check or credit card payment confirms your son or daughter’s spot in the class. Signing up sooner is best. If all groups for a certain test date are full, we will have a first-come, first-serve waitlist for those who are interested.
Payment for tutoring is required before the tutoring begins.
Refunds
Refunds are offered on unused private tutoring hours. Each year, many Edison Prep students reach their goal earlier than anticipated and we are happy to refund those unused hours or hold them for a future sibling — whichever a client prefers! If a tutoring package was purchased, the package is just re-cast and a refund given (e.g. if a student purchased a 24-hour package and requested a refund, we will refund the difference between what a 24-hour package and a 16-hour package costs). Group class purchases are non-refundable once it is 14 days prior to the pre-class diagnostic mock test. Since these classes are part of a series, we are unable to fill the seat with another student if a student drops out past that 14 day prior mark.
Cancellation Policy
Individual Tutoring Cancellation Policy:
Except in the event of inclement weather, Edison Prep reserves the right to charge for an individual tutoring session that is cancelled with less than 24 hours notice. When sessions are cancelled within 24 hours of the session start time (particularly in the case of same-day cancellations), it gives us insufficient time to refill newly vacant spots and/or offer them up to the students on our waitlist who might be hard to reach during the daytime while they’re at school or who may have made alternate plans by that point. Therefore, to avoid owing for a cancelled session, please reach out to us (either via email or text 404-333-8573 or both) and let us know that your student needs to cancel or reschedule an existing session prior to the 24-hour window.
Group Class and Bootcamp Cancellation Policy:
If you need to cancel your spot in a group class or bootcamp at Edison Prep, we will gladly refund your tuition if we can fill the spot with someone from the waitlist, or if it is at least 14 days prior to the baseline mock test that is associated with a given class. Less than 14 days prior to your session start, the group fee becomes non-refundable. Cancellation must be requested via email (edison@edisonprep.com) or text to 404-333-8573.
As a courtesy, please contact us as soon as you know of your cancellation.
Scheduling of and payment for sessions
Both group classes and private sessions are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once you have worked with a team member to create your personalized schedule, we will send you a copy of your schedule along with your invoice.
What if I miss a group session? (e.g. have a conflict with one of the dates)
I have another question not covered here. Whom do I ask?
Email us at edison@edisonprep.com or call 404-333-8573 and leave a detailed message. Thanks!
© Copyright 2010-2024 Edison Prep. All rights reserved. *ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., SAT and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation; and none were involved in the production of, or endorses, Edison Prep.
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