This is by design. If GPA's correlated with test scores, the tests would be meaningless. Furthermore, the skills needed to do well in college are not the same skills needed to do well in High School. Fortunately, the skills needed to do well on the test and in college can be learned and developed.

This of course depends on what schools you want to apply to, how high your current score is, and how busy you are with other activities. As a general rule of thumb, I consider 5-6 hours of studying per week for 6 weeks to be sufficient to set someone up for success if they are looking for a significant improvement to their test score. I base my program around expecting this much time commitment from my students, but I am always willing to keep working with someone if they want to keep improving after that 6 week mark.

Cognitive Agency is the ability to direct your thinking to solve problems. You have to take the test yourself. Your parents can't do it; your teachers can't do it; your tutor can't do it. It's the skill needed to do well on the test and in college.

Your professors in college don't care if you have pi memorized to 10 digits, they want you to know how to use pi to create something.

The SAT & ACT reward students who see academics as tools and punish students who see academics as rules.

All three of these test prep structures have pros and cons. The Cognitive Agency Approach uses all three to deliver the best results most efficiently.

1-on-1 is best for teaching academics because the tutor can meet the student exactly where they are. Unfortunately this can be very expensive and time consuming and it can decrease individual agency because students tend to rely on the tutor. We recommend using 1-on-1 tutoring strategically to meet a student's needs, but warn that exclusive 1-on-1 tutoring often decrease the fostering of agency.

Group classes are ideal for question and answer sessions. The best way to learn critical thinking is through reflection. Listening to the reflections of other students creates a synergistic effect. We call our group classes our "Master Classes" because they foster development. They are the "secret sauce" of the Cognitive Agency Approach. Group classes, however, are not ideal for teaching academics as they teach to the average, leaving behind some students and boring others.

Self-study is terrific for the development of agency. The Cognitive Agency Approach has a complete self-study curriculum. Students can focus on what they are struggling with the most. The problem with pure self study is often students don't know what to do next, are not sure why they are missing questions, and therefore flounder without structure.

Carefully using each method when it is most effective is a significant factor in the success of the Cognitive Agency Approach.

Yes, but not in the way one would most commonly expect a guarantee to work. We guarantee continued support at no additional cost until you reach your goals, we don't guarantee a score or your money back. At the end of the day, it's about agency, which means the student has to do the work. We will do everything we can do support the student on their journey, but the student needs to make that journey themselves.

Enrolling in Ampersand's Cognitive Agency approach does require a process. Because of our masterclasses and our guarantee, we want to make sure parents and students understand how the program works and what is expected of them. If you want to start now, you can enroll in our compete self study program, which is upgradable to our full program.

Our masterclasses are our "secret sauce." All students who attend have committed to the Cognitive Agency Approach and have at least a basic understanding of how it works. To start that process, book a "Cognitive Agency Success Session" using the link at the top of this page.