Nick Standlea to speak at National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Inland Empire High School Fair

NACAC Talk: "How the SAT and ACT are Used By College Admissions Officers"

Nick brings this subject to life with a series of interesting student stories, surprising insights, and a concise analysis of what the data is telling us about the college admissions process and the role of SAT & ACT scores.  Plus insights into the common core and the new SAT!  

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Ontario Convention Center
Exhibit Hall A    
2000 East Convention Center Way
Ontario, CA 91764

Nick Standlea speaking at UC Berkeley

Test Prep Gurus in 90 Seconds

What is Positive Psychology?

"What is Positive Psychology?" was created by Nick Standlea and Test Prep Gurus.  It was recently featured at the annual conference for the Western Association of Positive Psychology and has amassed more than 500,000 views. 

At Test Prep Gurus we teach students how to raise their ACT and SAT scores so they can reach their goals for college and beyond.

It all starts with 3 steps:

1. Complete free mock ACT and SAT exams.

2. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to review your exam results.

3. Create a 1-on-1 test prep plan to reach your goals for college and beyond.

Stanford researchers solve the mystery of the dancing droplets

Speaking Engagement at Western Association for College Admission Counseling Event at Scripps College

Thank you to everyone who attended our talk, "How to Use Test Prep for Good Instead of Evil" at the Western Association for College Admission Counseling event at Scripps College in Claremont. We had a great time!  

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Nick Standlea and Natalie Dymchenko at the Western Association for College Admission Counseling event at Scripps College 

Webb leaps into the top 10 boarding schools in America for highest average SAT scores

Business Insider's recent article, "The 24 Smartest Boarding Schools in America" ranks The Webb Schools at #10, right along side the likes of Andover and Exeter.  We are so proud to be part of the this huge achievement!    

At Test Prep Gurus we teach students how to raise their ACT and SAT scores so they can reach their goals for college and beyond.

It all starts with 3 steps:

1. Complete free mock ACT and SAT exams.

2. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to review your exam results.

3. Create a 1-on-1 test prep plan to reach your goals for college and beyond.

If you take the new SAT in March, you won't get your scores back until...the end of MAY?!

The College Board has confirmed that students who take the first new SAT in March 2016 will not receive their scores until AFTER the College Board has an opportunity to evaluate the scores from the May 2016 test date.

This is just one more reason that you will likely be better off taking the ACT if you're currently in the class of 2017.  However, there are exceptions to this rule, which we will cover in a subsequent post...

The secret benefit of high ACT and SAT scores

It is clear that higher ACT and SAT scores trend strongly with admittance to selective, highly-selective, and uber-selective schools.  

“40% of officials at 130 colleges said a 20-point math increase or a 10-point reading increase would “significantly improve a student’s chances of admission” if all other factors in a student’s application were the same.”

— National Association for College Admission Counseling

What is much less well known is that high ACT and SAT scores are strongly linked to scholarships and merit-based financial aid.

There are two types of financial aid: Merit-Based and Need-Based.  Merit-Based aid is largely determined by GPA and standardized test scores.  Merit-based scholarships can range from $1,000 to sums in excess of $200,000, covering full tuition, room and board, books, and a living stipend.  As seen in the examples below, students often need minimum SAT or ACT scores in order to be considered.  

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When weighing the financial investment of a test prep program, many families find it useful to compare the initial outlay against the possible scholarship dollars that might be won.  

“Improving a student’s SAT score from 1200 to 1400 increased the probability of receiving a scholarship by 55%.”

— Study by FastWeb

Do you have more questions about merit-based aid or finding the right college for you?  

Contact us here.