07/08/2026
The ACT is the most important part of college admissions. Grades are inflated. Extracurriculars are exaggerated. The ACT number does not lie.
I can help your son or daughter on the ACT, and I can help them and you make college admissions enjoyable. I went to St. Regis and Brother Rice. My daughter went to Holy Name and Marian. I know what you are going through, and if you are confused or worried, I am here for you. I have been doing this for twenty-five years and have seen it all. Here is a common statement I have heard through the years: “My daughter is a great student, but she is not good at standardized tests.” The first question I ask is “How many books did she read last summer?” Usually the answer is none or one—the one required for summer reading. That is almost always why standardized test scores are low. The ACT is not an intelligence test, but it is a reading test. Becoming a fast reader on whom little is lost takes time, and summer is the time.
The biggest mistake students make when preparing for the ACT is waiting too long to begin. Start now. Take the test early and often. No score goes to a college until you decide to send it. If you don’t like your score, don’t send. Once school starts and homework and sports consume a student, it’s hard to prep for the ACT. Do it now while there is at least a little breathing room. Then take the test until you get the score you need. Apply to college and continue to take the test. You can take the test in February of senior year, and colleges will still use it in their decision.
Your sons and daughters can enjoy this time in life and reach their potential on the ACT. I limit my classes to 15 students. My approach to ACT prep is personal. Every student has his or her own path.
By the end of the summer, your student will know all the tips and tricks and timing needed to improve. The mystery behind the test will be gone and, with that, some of the anxiety.
Though my class focuses on the ACT, I also will walk students through the entire process of college acceptance. It can get confusing, but I will give them (and you) straight-forward answers–often hard to find on college nights and campus tours. I went to Penn undergrad and Columbia for grad school. While in New York, I wrote and edited writers at Columbia, and I worked for The Paris Review, a literary magazine. This experience helps me to help students with college application essays. I never write a word for students. I help them find their voice, and I help them write about what they should. I also coached at Dartmouth, where I saw admissions from the inside. You need not be confused at any point along the way to college acceptance. I meet students and parents outside of class to figure out a personal ACT and college admissions plan.
Both sessions have eight two-hour classes, are held at First United Methodist Church in Birmingham, and cost $950. There also are two make-up classes in September, before the September ACT.
TO REGISTER FOR ONE OF THE SESSIONS, PLEASE TEXT OR CALL ME AT 248.229.9821.
Give your son or daughter every advantage in this competitive process. I will help them reach their potential.
