A parent will feel regretful when their child receives an unsatisfactory score on either the SAT or the ACT. Fewer scholarship opportunities, a smaller total amount of money available for awards, and the realization that "we could have prevented this."

Making new friends and figuring out "who they are" are two of the primary focuses of college life for students. Even though you're having a good time, it can be discouraging to struggle with your schoolwork at the same time. Many students will not let a few poor grades affect their overall grade point average, but having a good GPA is essential for your future after you graduate.

At Ivy Bound, we help students prepare for their AP (Advanced Placement) tests, but students can also help themselves. Those who attend school until mid-June will likely have teachers who cannot get through the whole textbook in time. Independently, students can use a decent AP guide to learn the content that’s not covered before the May round of AP exams.

Your high school GPA plays an instrumental role in the college admissions process. One letter grade can make a colossal difference over the course of three years of school work in getting accepted or denied at competitive colleges. Moving from a 3.4 to a 3.6 makes your college resume that much better than other students who are at a 3.5 or lower. Why does a mere 0.2 points make all the difference?

If interested in the financial side, AT MOST a great PSAT score gets you $2500 from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Some higher awards exist from outside groups, but you need to first be a member of that group (minority, or employee’s child).

By contrast, if you concentrate on the SAT, you are in line for $50,000 or more in merit-based money.

Is your family trying to determine what looks good on college applications? SAT or ACT scores help students who want to get into good colleges, and this is especially true for African-Americans who want to go to top schools. But everybody needs something more. Mark Greenstein of Ivy Bound shows parents and students what makes a college application stand out.

Ivy Bound's individualized approach, materials, and skilled tutors for SAT and ACT Prep produce outstanding outcomes for students, over 140 point average SAT gains, and approximately 14 section-point increases in ACT score.