Discerning the best-fit test prep program for your child can feel like just another daunting task in the college-bound journey. There is no one size that fits all. To help guide families through making an educated decision, LEAP has formulated crucial questions to ask along with how we answer those questions.
How long has your Program been in Business?
LEAP was founded in 1999 and has assisted tens of thousands of students in improving their ACT and/or SAT scores. Currently we prep on average 1600 students per year.
Are you locally owned or franchised?
LEAP is locally owned free of franchise constraints, high royalty fees, etc.
What is the background of your leadership?
LEAP is led by educators who started as high school teachers, have master’s degrees in education, and understand learning as well as testing. We spend countless hours in professional development specifically on ACT-PSAT-SAT testing and college counseling. The co-leaders of the test prep program have a combined experience of more than 50 years in education.
Who are the instructors & what qualifications do they have?
LEAP hires experienced educators who specialize in their content area. They are also trained in LEAP’s proven method of ACT and SAT test prep. We do not hire those with no teaching experience who just like kids and had a high ACT or SAT test score. Smart people don’t necessarily equal great teachers.
Are the instructors the same for English content and Math content?
LEAP classes are co-taught by teachers with expertise background in the specific content area covered in each class session. Just like you wouldn’t want your student’s algebra 2 class at school taught by their English teacher who hasn’t had a math class since high school, nor would we want the same in our test prep course.
Who is your typical student?
LEAP serves all students well from students trying to raise scores to national averages and college readiness benchmarks to those who are in the top 1% of national test takers and applying to Ivies and other highly selective schools. We tailor a program to each student.
Does your program prep BOTH ACT and SAT?
LEAP has expertise in both tests since 1999. Some students are better suited to one test over the other. We assist families in figuring out which test is best for their student then prep for that test.
Does your program offer classes as well as Individual Prep?
All students need to learn about the test (timing, strategies, etc.), so we do this in a small-group setting, but can also do this in our individual tutoring. Students who need additional assistance can engage with targeted 1:1 tutoring in weak areas. Some students may choose to participate only in individual tutoring, so we will put together an individualized plan for them that includes strategies and content. LEAP believes in giving options for what best suits each student: individual or group, ACT or SAT.
How many students are in the Group Classes?
LEAP’s small group classes are capped at 25 students to allow our instructors to meet the needs of the students in the class. We provide a more intimate environment than most school class sizes will allow.
In what format is the class practice?
LEAP’s practice is pencil-to-paper. Numerous comparative studies show student outcomes are better on pencil-to-paper testing. Additionally, the test format is not conducive to tracking on computer screens.
How is Individual Tutoring conducted?
LEAP’s individual tutoring is 1:1 in a private, quiet classroom setting or via Zoom with a consistent instructor for each meeting. Our ACT-SAT Director works with each family to develop a personalized tutoring plan based on student data and aimed at assisting the student in reaching his/her goal scores.
What results do students achieve?
The average ACT gain after working with LEAP is 4.5 points, with most students seeing an increase in their composite of 2 – 6 points; there is a range of improvement up to 9 points on a Composite and 15 points on subtests. 96% of LEAP students increase their score after LEAP test prep. This is compared to ACT and SAT’s own data which shows an increase of only 57% on a student retest.
On average, what amount of time investment is required to achieve your group’s typical improvement?
The LEAP class is 12 hours with 4 – 5 hours of homework and achieves the same or superior results to our competitors. LEAP saves time and money in most cases. The average individual tutoring hours invested vary by student need but starts with as few as 4 sessions.
What is the cost?
LEAP’s ACT-SAT Prep Essentials Course is $225 for our 12 hour course; and tutoring is $60/Zoom session or $70/in-person session + registration fee. A session is 50 minutes.
How do you communicate progress?
After each class, a follow-up email goes out to the group or individual tutoring students receive a report from the tutor including attendance, homework confirmation, and instructional/progress feedback. All students’ homework is graded with the LEAP Lens app giving detailed progress for the student.
What other services are offered?
LEAP offers a wide variety of services: subject area tutoring, test prep, College Guidance, College Application and Essay assistance, Career Coaching, and more. We are experts at all pieces of the college-bound journey.