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 21, 2026

At Lafayette Academy, we treat your family’s information with the same care and respect we give our own. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and—in very limited cases—share information. Our goal is simple: parents, students, guardians, and visitors should feel completely confident that your data is safe, respected, and never exploited.

Privacy at a Glance

We collect only the information needed to provide tutoring and test‑prep services.
We never sell or share your information for third‑party marketing.
We use trusted service providers (Mindbody, Formstack, Constant Contact, Zoom) who must protect your data.
Parents control their child’s information and may request access or deletion at any time.
We comply with California privacy laws (CCPA/CPRA) and COPPA for minors.
You may opt out of marketing communications at any time.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide high‑quality educational services, communicate with you, improve our programs, or comply with legal obligations.

Information You Provide Directly

This includes information you share through our website forms, email, phone calls, text messages, in‑person enrollment, or any other direct communication:

Contact details (name, email address, phone number, mailing address)
Student information (name, grade/age, school, subjects of interest, learning needs, assessment results, tutor notes, or progress information you choose to share)
Payment or billing information (processed only through secure third‑party providers)
Any messages, questions, or feedback you send us

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit https://lafayetteacademy.com, we may collect:

Technical data such as IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited
Essential cookies required for site functionality
Optional analytics cookies (if enabled) to understand visitor trends

We do not use Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or any cross‑site tracking tools.

We do not require account creation to use our website and do not collect sensitive personal information beyond what is reasonably needed for educational support.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Respond to inquiries and match families with appropriate tutors or programs
Provide, administer, and improve our tutoring services (in‑person or online)
Communicate about scheduling, progress updates, payments, or important service‑related matters
Send direct marketing communications from Lafayette Academy (emails, newsletters, postcards, text/SMS messages)
Conduct surveys to better understand your family’s needs
Analyze website usage to improve our website
Comply with legal obligations or protect our rights

Use of AI Tools (Administrative Only)

We may use AI‑powered tools to assist with administrative tasks or generate educational materials. These tools do not receive or store student personal information unless explicitly stated.

3. We Never Sell Your Information

We will never sell, rent, or trade any personal information you provide to us or that we collect through your interactions with Lafayette Academy. Your information is not a commodity to us.

4. Direct Marketing Communications and Consent

We may use your contact information to send marketing communications about our tutoring programs, test‑prep services, educational resources, special offers, or events.

Text/SMS Messages and Surveys

We obtain affirmative, prior consent before sending marketing or promotional text messages or surveys to mobile numbers. Our opt‑in process includes clear disclosures about:

The nature of the messages
Message frequency
That message/data rates may apply
That consent is not required to purchase services
How to opt out (reply “STOP”)

Providing a phone number for scheduling or emergencies does not constitute consent for marketing texts.

Opting Out

You may opt out at any time:

Every marketing email includes an “unsubscribe” link
Text/SMS messages can be stopped by replying “STOP”
You may contact us directly to update your preferences

Opting out of marketing does not affect service‑related communications.

5. When (and Why) We May Share Information

We are extremely protective of your data and share it only in narrow circumstances:

With Trusted Service Providers

We work with third‑party vendors who help us operate our business. These providers are contractually required to use your information only to perform services for us and must maintain strict confidentiality. They are prohibited from selling or using your data for their own purposes.

Our major service providers include:

Mindbody Online (scheduling): https://www.mindbodyonline.com/company/legal/privacy-policy (mindbodyonline.com in Bing)
Formstack (enrollment forms): https://www.formstack.com/legal/website-privacy-policy (formstack.com in Bing)
Constant Contact (email marketing): https://www.constantcontact.com/legal/privacy-notice (constantcontact.com in Bing)
Zoom (online tutoring sessions): https://explore.zoom.us/en/privacy/

Within Lafayette Academy

Information may be shared internally among tutors, staff, and educational directors strictly on a need‑to‑know basis.

For Legal or Safety Reasons

We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of a student or others.

With Your Explicit Consent

We will never share your information with any outside organization for their own marketing or advertising purposes.

Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites.

6. Data Security

We guard your information as if it were our own. We work only with vendors who use industry‑standard administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, including encryption for sensitive transmissions, secure servers, and access controls.

Internally, access to student information is limited to staff and tutors who need it to provide services. All tutors receive confidentiality guidance and are expected to handle student information responsibly.

While no system is 100% impenetrable, we take data security seriously and work with companies that do the same.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy or as required by law. When information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

Because our third‑party vendors store most operational data, their retention policies may apply. We encourage families to review the privacy policies linked above.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses:

Essential cookies required for site functionality
Optional analytics cookies to understand visitor trends

You may manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.

We do not use cookies or tracking technologies for cross‑site advertising.

Our website does not respond to Do Not Track (DNT) signals.

9. Children’s Privacy

Many of our students are minors. We do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent, in compliance with COPPA.

Parents and guardians may request access to, correction of, or deletion of their child’s information at any time.

10. Your Rights and Choices (Including CCPA Rights)

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you or your child
Request corrections to inaccurate data
Request deletion of your information (subject to legal obligations)
Opt out of marketing communications
Object to or limit certain processing
Revoke previously given consent

We do not sell or share personal information as defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA).

For minors, these rights may be exercised by a parent or legal guardian.

You may exercise your rights by contacting us (see Section 13).

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The revised version will be posted on our website with a new effective date.

12. International Users

Our services are directed primarily to users in the United States. If you access our site from outside the U.S., your information will be processed in the United States under U.S. law.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us:

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

We will respond promptly and work with you to address any issue.

Lafayette Academy Privacy Policy