We should note that depending on the student’s eventual college goals (especially if they indicate a “gap” between starting scores and target scores greater than 6 ACT points), additional tutoring hours will likely be necessary.
Regardless of the result, we would also recommend planning for a follow-up ACT exam to utilize the super-scoring system in place at the majority of competitive colleges.
The following data are examples of students applying to Chapman, Berkeley, USC and UCLA with various GPA and ACT-score combinations.
$5000-$6750 annually for an ACT of at 28 top 5% high school class rank.
- See more at: http://www.guaranteed-scholarships.com/#sthash.CxpCOqXB.dpuf
Recent Feedback:
“Before Test Prep Gurus, we had tried Elite’s twice a week classroom based SAT prep program with limited success. In contrast, the Test Prep Gurus tutors were great in every aspect of the program. They did a fair assessment of her strengths and weaknesses and designed a customized program for her consisting of practice exams and general preparation of the test. My daughter really liked the tutors and was inspired to study hard. She reached her target goal of scoring over 2100 on the SAT 1. I think we definitely got our money’s worth and would give Test Prep Gurus a most enthusiastic recommendation.”
-Tahir Andrabi, Professor of Economics at Pomona College
“I feel like I won the Lottery!’ was my reaction when I heard our son’s SAT results! His score had jumped 360 points! From the very first phone call, Test Prep Gurus was wonderful to work with and extremely accommodating. They did an excellent job of matching a tutor with our son, which we believe was key to his success. The tutoring sessions were customized to our son’s needs, and as a result, they maximized his ability and produced a dramatic score increase. Test Prep Gurus was worth every bit of our investment.”
-Kathy Westervelt, Sage Hill School Parent
“Grand Slam! That’s how I would describe my son’s overall experience with Test Prep Gurus. His tutors were encouraging while challenging, systematic as well as comprehensive, and attentive to his individual needs. Bottom line…. they helped him raise his score by 400 points! Thank you for your dedication to partnering with students to better their future. Seeing my son’s face and listening to the excitement in his voice as he pulled up his final test scores was absolutely priceless!”
-Donelle Bentley, The Webb Schools Parent
“I was very pleased with Test Prep Gurus and enthusiastically recommend them. Having tried other, big name, generic test services in the past, I found that Test Prep Gurus was far superior. They tailored the program to my daughter’s needs and provided a supportive environment that helped mitigate the stress, and the results were really impressive. She was able to meet her goals and had increased confidence. It was definitely worth it.”
-Julie Liss, Professor of History at Scripps College
"I like Test Prep Gurus because they provide one-on-one help customized individually for each student. Rather than spending time on obvious, general concepts, every class is tailor-made to attack your weakest areas. You get to pace your sessions, select your study topic, and talk in real time to your instructor. Not only do they tell you how to answer a question and what clues to look for, they show you the most efficient approach of tackling a problem. Without them, I’d never have crossed the threshold of my dream score!”
-Rita Lo, Senior at The Webb Schools
"When you have the potential of an $80,000 scholarship, $3,500 is chump change. Test Prep Gurus isn't focused on being inexpensive, they're focused on being effective. Our son worked with subject matter experts who worked around his schedule -- his prep never got in the way of school or athletics. He took the ACT once officially, scored in the 99th percentile, and now he's done. He's already been offered a scholarship in excess of $20,000 and it's the middle of his Junior year. Test Prep Gurus is 100% worth the investment."
-Alex Lubowe, Sage Hill Parent
Indiana University: For an out-of-state student with a 3.8 GPA, the difference between an automatic scholarship of $5,000 per year and $11,000 per year is just 1 point on the ACT. In other words, if you have a 3.8 GPA, and you scored a 30 on the ACT, you’d get $5,000 per year, but if you scored 31, you’d get $11,000 per year. If you meet these criteria, these rewards are automatic. And they superscore!
Northwestern College: $5,000-$6,750 annually for ACT of 28 or higher + Top %% high school class rank.
Wesleyan College: Half-off tuition for National Merit Finalists.
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
The University of Arizona admissions website notes, “Incoming Fall 2015 Freshmen who meet the following minimum unweighted, 6th semester high school grade point average and CR & M SAT or ACT test scores automatically qualify for the awards listed below, with the potential to receive higher merit offers. All incoming freshman applicants are evaluated for UA merit scholarships.”
The award amounts are different for out-of-state versus in-state applicants. See the full details below:
In-State or Out-of-StateGPASAT (CR+M)/ACTAward Amount (Yearly)
Out-of-state31300 SAT/29 ACT$12,000
Out-of-state31220 SAT/27 ACT$10,000
Out-of-state31110 SAT/24 ACT$6,000
In-state31300 SAT/29 ACT$8,000
In-state31220 SAT/27 ACT$6,000
In-state31110 SAT/24 ACT$2,000
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
The University of Oregon has scholarships that are automatic. The award amounts vary based on your residence status:
ScholarshipGPAACTSATAmount
Summit (Non-Resident)3.8261190$9,000
Apex (Non-Resident)3.6251150$4,000
Note that if you raise your ACT from 25 to 26, or SAT from 1150 to 1190, your award can increase $5,000 if you’re a non-resident. That’s a ton of money for just a few points! Learn more about the scholarship at Oregon's financial aid website.
Eligibility
For example, you’ll be considered for a full ride at Auburn University if you have at least a 30 ACT or 1330 SAT (Math + Critical Reading) and a 3.5 GPA if you are an Alabama resident. If you’re a non-resident, you will be considered for a $16,000 a year scholarship if you have at least a 34 ACT or 1440 SAT, and at least a 3.5 GPA.
If that’s out of your range, you could be considered for a $12,000 a year scholarship at Auburn if you have at least a 31 ACT or 1360 SAT, and a GPA of at least 3.5. Learn more at their website.
Ohio State University also has minimum scores for their biggest scholarships. For example, to receive the full ride Eminence scholarship, their website advises, “Recipients of the Eminence Scholarship typically rank in the top three percent of their graduating classes and have an ACT composite score of 34 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math score of 1520 or higher.”
Texas A&M has scholarship eligibility requirements as well. Under their eligibility section, they note, “To be considered for the scholarships listed, students must achieve a combined SAT Math and Critical Reading score of at least 1300 with a test score of at least 600 in each of these components or a composite ACT score of at least 30 with a test score of at least 27 in Math and English.”
Non-Specific:
Trustee Scholarship at USC ($46,000 per year) Given to 100 Freshmen:
34 or higher. Near top of class.
Presidential Scholarship at USC ($23,000 per year) Given to 100 Freshmen: