TEST PREP

We have almost 20 years of experience helping students get better test scores and grades, both in person and online.

AP, ACT, SAT, HSPT, ISEE (LL, ML, UL), MCAT, GMAT, and more!

“Both my boys increased their scores by over 200 points!! The tutors are well trained, engaged and approachable!”

— LAURA M., PARENT OF JOEY M.

 

How does it work?

Students will meet the instructor for a one- to two-hour session. During the session, the instructor will do one or more of the following:

  • Teach from the CollegeBound test prep lesson books using methods specifically tailored to the student.

  • Review the student’s most challenging homework problems.

  • Review the student’s most recent practice test and target the problem areas.

  • Assign homework specific to the student’s strengths, weaknesses, and workload capacity.

 
 
 

What Students Are Saying

  • "High Caliber of Tutors"

    “If it weren’t for CollegeBound and working with education extraordinaire Joan, I would not have been able to attend my dream school, Brown University. From SAT tutoring to calculus tutoring, I was able to excel in all of my classes from the high caliber of tutors. The care and quality of the tutors are unlike any tutoring center I’ve been to before, having worked with 3 tutoring centers prior to finding CollegeBound. CollegeBound cares and is willing to go above and beyond for its students. My educational experience at CollegeBound was invaluable!”

    -Leila R., Brown University

  • "Care and Compassionate Approach"

    “I am forever indebted to the tutors at CollegeBound. Had I not been fortunate enough to find CollegeBound my senior year of high school, I would never have been able to attend the University of Southern California nor would I have been able to keep up with my courses in college. CollegeBound has gone above and beyond my expectations as a tutoring center, helping me in the majority of my college courses from mathematics, writing, French, economics, etc. Whenever I needed any last-minute help, CollegeBound was there. The care and compassionate approach to which the tutors teach is unlike any tutoring center I’ve been to. CollegeBound is worth the investment!”

    -Zahra R., University of Southern California

  • "Amazing Tutors"

    “CollegeBound is a great tutoring service with amazing tutors that will personally be there for you. They all teach well and are very knowledgeable of the subject they are teaching.”
    -Sho G., Crean Lutheran High School

  • "Give Students the Confidence"

    “CollegeBounds tutors and their personable teaching styles give students the confidence essential to excel in their toughest subjects.”
    -Sarah T., Redlands East Valley High School

TEST PREPARATION

SAT, ACT, ISEE, HSPT, and more!

  • SAT Prep

    The SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. The SAT is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test created and administered by the College Board.

    Each section of the SAT is scored on a 200 to 800-point scale. Your total SAT score is the sum of your section scores. The highest possible SAT score is 1600.

    SAT Length: 3 hours

    The SAT contains 3 sections: Reading, Writing & Language, and Math (No Calculator & Calculator Sections).

  • ACT Prep

    The ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc.

    Your Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, science) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high). The Composite score is the average of your four test scores, rounded to the nearest whole number.

    ACT Length: 2 hrs, 55 minutes

    There are four ACT sections: English, Reading, Math, and Science

  • ISEE

    A student's testing level is determined by the grade to which the student is applying for admission—not a student's current grade. The ISEE has four levels. Students may take the ISEE once per testing season—Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer—up to three times a school year.

    ISEE Lower Level (LL) - Applying to grade(s) 5 or 6

    ISEE Middle Level (ML) - Applying to grade(s) 7 or 8

    ISEE Upper Level (UL) - Applying to grade(s) 9, 10, 11, or 12

    ISEE contains 6 sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comp, Math, and Essay.

  • HSPT

    The High School Placement Test (HSPT) is an exam taken by 8th-grade students seeking admission to parochial high schools. The exam is comprised of multiple-choice questions.

    Each section of the HSPT is reported as a scaled score from 200 to 800. The Scholastic Testing Service (STS) compiles correct answers to obtain a raw score, which it then converts to a scaled score, adjusting for small variations in difficulty among different test administrations.

    HSPT contacts 5 sections: Verbal Skills, Quantitative Skills, Reading, Mathematics, and Language.

 

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A STUDENT COME IN?

Students typically come in for 2-4 hours a week and 14 to 16 weeks. However, there are students who come in less and those who come in more. Did we mention we customize everything?  

Students usually have two tutors, one for verbal/reading/writing and one for math/science. Our tutors have to score at least in the 98th percentile before they can teach.

 
 
 
 

TEST PREPARATION

If you don’t see what you need listed here, reach out anyways! We will match you with an appropriate tutor. Academic subjects are offered for Kindergarten through College, and at the AP level as well.

ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING

Instead of catering to a group of students with different strengths and weaknesses, each lesson is tailored to a specific student. Also, students can customize their schedules more easily with one-on-one tutoring than committing to a fixed, rigid schedule.

One-on-one tutoring is excellent for busy students involved in sports, theatre, mock trials, and other time-consuming (but cool!) endeavors. One-on-one students also receive session update forms after EVERY session detailing what they did!

TEST PREP COACHING

Let’s face it: many students quite simply don’t absorb what their parents or guardians advise. But, for whatever reason, when a stranger tells your child something, they start listening. Exchange the “stranger” for an educational professional, and we have the makings of a great coaching relationship!

A test prep coach understands the anatomy of different standardized tests and coaches students on how to manage their time and study for the test. Students might be able to learn the concepts and have a strong work ethic, but if they don’t understand how to study, then results are not maximized.

TEST PREP WORKSHOPS

Workshops place 2-4 students with one dynamic, engaging instructor. Working from a set of problems assigned for that workshop, the instructor has a mix of approaches. Students may jump in with problem sets, and the instructor will respond to their mistakes, or the instructor might introduce a concept and let the students complete sets independently. Regardless, the instructor constantly coaches the students, monitoring how they navigate the problems and giving them tips and tricks to attack the problem. 

The difference is comparable to a personal training session and a group workout class. Workshops are better suited to students who need practice but with direction and guidance. Workshops are for students to work with some instruction. One-on-one tutoring is for students to be instructed in some work.

 
 

WHAT MATERIALS ARE USED?

We created our curriculum for test prep—it’s nearly 1,000 pages! This curriculum has been fine-tuned over the last decade. For timed practice (we call it “pacing”), students use simulated problems from third-party providers. Learn more about our curriculum. 

 
 
 

Our Team

  • Arlene

    University of California, Riverside
    B.S. in Mathematics

    A coffee-loving gym enthusiast with a passion for all things math

  • Jose

    California State University, Northridge
    Masters in English Literature

    Critical Theory educator and Jazzmaster enjoyer.

  • Alexander

    University of California, Riverside
    B.S. in Applied Mathematics

    An amateur chef and nature-lover that built his own gaming PC.

  • Alex

    UCLA
    B.S. in Psychobiology

    A big foodie and fitness geek who's striving for that perfect balance.

Thinking About College?

  • Start Planning for Your Dream School

    Get into your dream school. In our A to Z package, we walk with you through the entire college application process and work with you to improve your test scores, resume, and GPA. It’s never too early to start. Inquire today!

  • Personal Statement Help

    We’ve read over 10,000 essays in our almost 20 years of experience — we’re ready to help you with your personal statement too! We work with you to brainstorm, structure, edit, and polish your essays. Students are often surprised at how much time the essays take. Start now and get it out of the way!

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