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.

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Lafayette Tutors Since 1991

Lafayette Academy serves most schools in Contra Costa County

Lafayette Tutoring Since 1991

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Our tutors have been helping Lafayette students since 1991. Many of the most successful people in the world had tutors from an early age. Alexander the Great was 13 when he was assigned the greatest mind of that time, Aristotle. By the time Alexander was 32, he ruled an entire empire. Our tutoring may not help your children become Kings or Queens, but it will help them ace tests and earn higher grades! Tutoring takes time, patience, and a dedicated team.

Tutoring Near Me at Lafayette Elementary

Our tutors know the Acalanes and Stanley curriculum and how it’s tested. We also utilize a variety of resources including curriculum worksheets and videos that our tutors have compiled based on their extensive experiences with local students. We know the problems that students typically encounter in most classes, and we’re ready for them!

Our Lafayette tutors have collectively helped thousands of students at Acalanes, Stanley, OIS, JM, and many of the Lafayette elementary schools. Our Lamorinda tutors have also helped thousands of students at Campo and Miramonte. Most of our tutors are intimately familiar with the nuances of many teachers. It’s Lafayette tutoring at its finest!

We make learning engaging, relevant, and fun. Our tutors use flexible approaches based on each child’s learning to ensure a more custom and effective learning experience. We also give you the flexibility to choose a schedule that works best for you and your child, in one of our learning centers or online. There are many tutors to choose from, which means there will (almost) always be someone available to help your child. Finally, we are proud of our years-long support of the entire Lamorinda community, including many schools, LPIE, and the Chamber of Commerce (even though networking isn’t our forte).

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Shadow Classes

Shadow Classes® are weekly, small-group tutoring sessions that shadow various subjects. Subject-specific classes meet online and are led by one of our expert tutors, most of whom are intimately familiar with each school’s curriculum. Here are some of the features that make our Shadow Classes special:

Our instructors collaborate with each other to ensure that we’re teaching “best of breed” strategies in each class.

We sometimes add FREE Shadow Classes if there’s an upcoming test that doesn’t coincide with one of our existing class times.

Our instructors explain the difficult concepts that the Shadow Class students need help with.

We preview upcoming material when our instructors realize that students may need a head start.

Lafayette Academy always personalizes instruction.

Shadow Classes^TM are online, and in our Lafayette and Moraga locations.

$196/month ($49/week per class).
Only $40/week if you pre-pay for the semester.
You can drop at any time and get a pro-rated refund based on the regular class fee.
The last time we surveyed our Shadow Class students, 91% said that their grades were one or two letters higher thanks to our classes!

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These are just a few of our amazing Lafayette tutors. We are very particular about who we hire and everyone has to ace a rigorous placement test before he or she can become one of our Lafayette tutors.

: Lafayette & Moraga Tutor

: Spanish Guru

: Lafayette Tutor & Genius

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Lafayette Tutors Since 1991

Lafayette Tutoring Since 1991

We’re open in Lafayette and Online

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Shadow Classes

A Few Tutors

These are just a few of our amazing Lafayette tutors. We are very particular about who we hire and everyone has to ace a rigorous placement test before he or she can become one of our Lafayette tutors.

A Few Tutors

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Lafayette Tutors Since 1991

Lafayette Tutoring Since 1991

We’re open in Lafayette and Online

Request Tutoring

Contact Us Today

Shadow Classes

A Few Tutors These are just a few of our amazing Lafayette tutors. We are very particular about who we hire and everyone has to ace a rigorous placement test before he or she can become one of our Lafayette tutors.

A Few Tutors

A Few Tutors

These are just a few of our amazing Lafayette tutors. We are very particular about who we hire and everyone has to ace a rigorous placement test before he or she can become one of our Lafayette tutors.