Which college applicants submitted ACT or SAT scores?

Reporting was “far higher … among applicants living in more affluent communities, as defined by local median household income in applicants’ local ZIP codes.”

Which test should my son or daughter take: ACT or SAT?

This is (by far) the most frequently asked question, even though it has a relatively simple answer: have your daughter or son take practice tests and then we can help you make the decision. Ideally, students should take both practice tests within a 2-3 week period. If your student is a junior, you might be able to compare an ACT practice test score to his or her PSAT score. At Lafayette Academy, practice tests are ALWAYS FREE.

When should my daughter or son take the actual ACT or SAT?

Most students take their first ACT or SAT during the spring of their junior years. Advanced juniors can take a fall test (the beginning of their junior year). In all cases, you should consider extracurricular activities and how your student is scoring on practice tests when choosing a test date.

How many times can a student take a test?

Many students take the ACT or SAT test twice; some take each test once and then take one of the tests a second time. You should NOT take any of the tests more than three times.

What are the major differences between the ACT and SAT?

The math on the ACT covers more topics, ranging from Algebra 1 to Pre-Calc. The math on the SAT tests fewer topics, stopping at Algebra 2, but more in depth. The ACT has a science section while the SAT includes a few reading passages that focus on science topics. Time management is a big challenge on the ACT, especially in reading and science. The content on the SAT reading section is more challenging, even though you have more time. Again, taking practice tests is the best way to pick a test.

“What about the PSAT?” (for some reason, people often phrase PSAT questions like this example)

The PSAT is a good opportunity to get your son or daughter to take a practice test because most students take the PSAT. If you happen to have a genius living under your roof, the PSAT could be hugely beneficial because of the National Merit program. For most students, PSAT scores don’t matter so you should not spend money preparing your son or daughter for this test.

How can I be a great test prep parent?

In the interest of full disclosure, this is not a FAQ. If it were a FAQ, this would be my answer: challenge your children to embrace the preparation challenge on their own by promising to leave them alone (after you enroll them in one of our programs). We all mean well, but we fail to realize how much added stress we place on our children by micro-managing their test prep experience.

Does my son or daughter really need to take either test?

This has become a frequently asked frequently asked question because the University of California schools will no longer consider ACT or SAT scores in their evaluations, and other schools have followed their lead. There are many schools that still require or consider ACT or SAT scores in their evaluations or for scholarship purposes. Unless you are certain that your son or daughter will only apply to schools that won’t consider ACT or SAT scores, your child should still take one of these tests. Give us a call if you want to hear our more detailed thoughts.

Effective Date: April 23, 2026 (We promise to keep this as painless as possible.)

Welcome to Lafayette Academy! By using our website, enrolling in our programs, or participating in our tutoring services, you agree to the terms below. We know nobody wakes up excited to read a Terms of Service page, so we’ve written this in plain English — with a touch of humanity — while still covering everything we legally need to cover.

If you have questions, just ask. We’re educators, not robots.

1. Overview of Our Services

Lafayette Academy provides academic tutoring, test preparation, educational workshops, and related services, both in‑person and online. Our goal is to support students with high‑quality instruction delivered by trained tutors who genuinely care. This page is going to be pretty boring, so if you’re eating something, you might want to finish it before you finish this!

(If you’re here for rocket‑science tutoring, we can’t promise orbital success, but we’ll give it our best shot. Someone thought that was funny!)

2. Using Our Website

You agree to use our website responsibly and not attempt to:

break it
hack it
reverse‑engineer it
or do anything that would make our web developer cry

All content on our site — text, graphics, logos, and materials — belongs to Lafayette Academy and may not be copied or reused without permission.

3. Enrollment and Scheduling

When you enroll in a program or schedule a session:

You agree to provide accurate information
You agree to follow our scheduling and cancellation policies
You understand that tutor availability may vary

We do our best to match students with the right tutor, and we reserve the right to adjust tutor assignments as needed.

4. Payments and Billing

Payment is required for all tutoring and test‑prep services. By enrolling, you agree to:

pay fees on time
keep your payment information current
resolve any billing issues promptly

We use secure third‑party processors for all payments. (We don’t store your credit card number — we don’t want that responsibility, and you don’t want us to have it.)

5. Cancellations and Refunds

We understand that life happens — kids get sick, schedules shift, traffic exists, etc. Our cancellation policy is designed to be fair to families and tutors.

Sessions canceled with sufficient notice may be rescheduled
Late cancellations or no‑shows may be charged
Program‑specific refund rules may apply

If you ever feel a policy is unclear, reach out. We’re reasonable humans.

6. Student Conduct and Expectations

We expect students to:

arrive prepared
participate respectfully
follow tutor guidance
avoid behavior that disrupts learning

We reserve the right to discontinue services if a student’s behavior makes it impossible to provide effective instruction. (Thankfully, this is rare.)

7. Tutor Conduct and Expectations

Our tutors are expected to:

maintain professionalism
respect student confidentiality
provide accurate, helpful instruction
communicate clearly with families
follow Lafayette Academy policies

If something ever feels off, tell us immediately. We take tutor conduct seriously.

8. Online Sessions

For online tutoring, you are responsible for:

having a stable internet connection
using a functioning device
ensuring a quiet, safe learning environment

We use Zoom for online sessions. Their privacy policy applies to your use of their platform.

(If your Wi‑Fi goes down because someone is streaming a 4K movie, we feel your pain — but we can’t control it.)

9. Communications and Messaging

By providing your contact information, you agree that we may send you service‑related messages, scheduling updates, billing notices, and important program information. We don’t require an official “opt‑in” for these because, let’s be honest, we know how much you love hearing from us. (And if you don’t, that’s okay — keep reading.)

You may opt out of non‑essential communications at any time, and we will honor your request faster than a teenager closes a laptop when a parent walks in.

Marketing Texts (SMS)

We don’t send marketing or promotional text messages. Zero. None. Not even one. If that ever changes, we’ll ask for your explicit opt‑in first — because federal law insists, and we’re rule‑followers at heart.

Opting Out

You may opt out of emails, newsletters, or other non‑essential communications by:

clicking “unsubscribe” in any email
or contacting us directly

Opting out of marketing does not affect service‑related communications (like scheduling or billing).

10. Intellectual Property

All Lafayette Academy materials — worksheets, guides, curriculum, assessments, and resources — are protected intellectual property. You may use them for personal educational purposes only.

Please don’t repost, resell, or distribute our materials. (We worked hard on them!)

11. Disclaimer of Guarantees

We are deeply committed to helping students improve, but we cannot guarantee:

specific grades
test scores
admissions outcomes
scholarship awards
or sudden bursts of academic enlightenment

We provide tools, guidance, and support — the student provides the effort.

12. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Lafayette Academy is not liable for:

indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
lost opportunities
missed deadlines
or any issues arising from third‑party platforms

If something goes wrong, our maximum liability is limited to the amount you paid for the service in question.

(Translation: we’re here to help your student succeed, not to underwrite the entire universe.)

13. Third‑Party Services

We use trusted vendors such as:

Mindbody (scheduling)
Formstack (forms)
Constant Contact (email)
Zoom (online sessions)

Their privacy policies and terms apply when you use their services. We choose vendors carefully, but we don’t control their systems.

14. Privacy

Your use of our services is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which explains:

what information we collect
how we use it
how we protect it
your rights

If you haven’t read it yet, it’s friendlier than most privacy policies — promise.

15. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we’ll post the updated version on our website with a new effective date.

If the changes are significant, we’ll make sure you know.

16. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California. Any disputes will be handled in California courts unless otherwise required by law.

17. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions (or if you just want to tell us we made you laugh in a Terms of Service), contact us:

Lafayette Academy 3400 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Lafayette, CA 94549 Phone: (925) 284‑1644 Email: info@lafayetteacademy.com

We’re here to help.

Lafayette Academy Terms of Service