College Admissions Coaching

Who we are

We are a team of seasoned educators, former admissions directors at elite colleges, and nationally recognized experts who are exceptionally skilled and dedicated to expanding students' academic, co-curricular and personal development, and each with an extensive track record of success.

We believe that the most qualified and successful college coaches are those who have direct admissions and counseling experience, with firsthand knowledge of how to successfully guide the student through every single aspect of the process. In addition to an excellent college match, what distinguishes us from others is that we prioritize holistic coaching, with the goal of helping each student realize significant personal growth by the end of our work together. Our coaching methods are rooted in the fields of adolescent development and positive psychology, and are based on years of research and experience in schools – we address root causes, not just symptoms, to help students thrive.

Why work with us

While our coaches' experiences at elite colleges and universities allow us to serve as first-rate strategists with insider knowledge of how to gain admission into the most selective institutions, our impact is greater than attaining college acceptances. We believe that the college application process should be a time of personal reflection, growth, and maturation. Our students achieve not only a wonderful college outcome, but also learn lessons and skills that help them succeed in college and beyond. We're realists, too. We know the college process can be stressful. So we demystify it by putting clear systems in place, relying on concrete data, our experience, and our expertise to alleviate much of the stress and enable the highest level of success.

Our process

We work on every facet of the college search and application process. We believe applications are not just forms to fill out. Bridging the gap between who a student is and how they appear on paper takes serious work. From creating a school list to editing essays, to interview prep, our expert coaches guide students each step of the way.

We provide consistent, in-depth mentorship. Some of our students have clear direction, while others need help finding their passions. We mentor students by providing academic, co-curricular and personal advising. In our process students intentionally discover their own unique talents and abilities.

When to begin

A discussion with one of our directors about your goals will help clarify the best approach for your student. Some families decide to start in freshman or sophomore year, seeking assistance with academic course selection, intellectual development, extracurricular planning, resume writing, cover letter writing, interview prep, or summer program application support. Other families begin when their student is a junior or rising senior.

With a consistent adult presence, students who have experienced coaching are markedly more mature and ready not only for the college application process, but for college itself. Call us at 215-886-9188 or click here to email us for more information or to arrange a free consultation.

“I was really happy with the (A+ tutoring) process. Going into it, I figured the tutoring would help me learn the necessary content. But I think how it really helped me was getting me ready to take the test: getting familiar with the format and the pace. It made me so much more prepared and ready to take the test than a lot of students that don't do tutoring.”

Matt Graeff, Wissahickon High School
4 Point Increase on ACT Composite Score

“I learned so much that helped me not only do better on the SAT, but with my high school courses, and most importantly my college future. Thanks A+ for such a great program!”

Eric Rzepnicki, Pottsgrove HS
370 Point Increase on the SAT

“If you are at all considering using A+ Test Prep and Tutoring but are unsure if you should use their online or live tutoring, I'd like to tell you that our son has absolutely thrived with his online tutoring sessions! Ben has always been good in Math as long as he has had a lot of practice and support. That was fine for many years but once we hit Algebra, there was a lot of stress in our family around math homework and studying for tests.

To lessen the frustration on the part of both Ben and my husband–who worked with Ben the most–I decided to hire A+. My only concern was that we already had a packed schedule of after school activities and I couldn't imagine driving anyone to one more thing. So we opted for online tutoring with A+. It has been amazing!! Not only does Ben get himself set up with his work at his own desk, he loves the technology they use to work through the math problems. When does your 13-year-old thank you repeatedly for anything, nevermind tutoring? He looks forward to it and checks in with me every Sunday to make sure that he has his session on Mondays. Best part, he is now getting A's in math on a regular basis, I am not driving all over the suburbs and our house is back to being a lovely, peaceful place!”

Lori Fischer, Parent, Fort Washington, PA

“My tutors really boosted my confidence and made a difference in my SAT scores. Thank you A+.”

Justin Kohl, North Penn HS
300 Point Increase on the SAT

Resources

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Why A+

Learn about our unique process and tools for your student's success.

Test Prep FAQ

Answers to SAT and ACT questions and find out more about our test prep programs.

A+ News

Learn from the experts about test prep, college admissions, scholarships, and more!

What They're Saying

EXCELLENT

44 reviews on

Andrea Emmons

2023-07-06

The tutors were terrific, very thoughtful and really understood my child's needs in terms of studying. The hours worked well with our schedule and the homework assigned was super helpful!

V Penz

2023-06-22

A+ Test Prep provided superior tutoring custom-tailored to meet my son's specific needs and learning style. His SAT score increased by 160 points with 12 hours of tutoring!!! That put him well-within range for all of the schools to which he is applying. A+ truly listened to make sure they exceeded our expectations starting with matching our son with Rob. He is an experienced tutor who set goals and developed a specialized plan. Rob taught clear, structured, organized lessons, helped my son plan his practice and homework, and taught test stress-management and relaxation techniques. These lessons also helped fill-in gaps from the pandemic. The writing, reading and math lessons and strategies Rob taught gave Dylan a strong foundation of critical-thinking skills which will serve him well in college, the work-force, and beyond. A+ staff, including Rob, gave prompt, detailed and insightful feedback after each session. You will get ENORMOUS value for your financial investment with A+. I investigated 6 other tutoring companies and am confident A+ was the best for tailoring their tutoring to a program that best fit my son's learning style!!

Megan Gasper

2023-05-26

This tutoring program literally changed my daughters test scores by 1000 points, and they were so helpful, and communicative with me the entire time. I really recommend them for every student, whether they are trying to make their test scores better, or make their scores above excellent

Zarah Adams

2023-05-04

We chose A+ for Preparation to help our daughter prepare for college entrance exams. May daughter had Pam for the verbal portion of the exam. Pam was amazing! She asked about extra-curricular activities and demonstrated genuine interest in my daughter's role as a student in and outside of the classroom. Pam also noted how important these activities are to colleges. John was the tutor for math and science. He helped my daughter feel comfortable and confident in her skills. My daughter's ACT composite score went up 5 points! I would highly recommend A+ for Test Preparation!

Stephanie Cramp

2023-04-27

Our experience at A+ Test Prep and Tutoring has been simply the best. Their 13 week program prior to the ACT test helped to prepare our daughter so much so that she improved her score by 7 points. This was beyond expected, and we are very grateful for all the help. Your tutors are hardworking, kind and results focused. I would highly recommend them if you are looking for serious results.

Diane Baisch

2023-03-28

A+ Test Prep and Tutoring was a class act that delivered results! I highly recommend them. They will teach your child how best to study and take tests based on their individual strengths.

Jennifer Lowman

2023-03-27

The tutors at A+ Test Prep and Tutoring provided my son with the test-taking strategies and encouragement he needed to become more confident in his ability to do well on the SAT. With his tutors' guidance and a lot of hard work, Peter improved his score on the SAT by 100 points!

Laura Jamieson

2022-10-19

It was a pleasant surprise to find that while studying with A+ Test Prep my child actually enjoyed learning to take the SAT! The tutor was calm and supportive and very knowledgable about the content of the test as well as testing strategies. The office almost immediately answered all of my questions and was friendly and helpful. They made the potentially stressful experience of taking the SAT a positive and interesting challenge for my child.

Elaine Cassidy

2022-08-02

A+ was fantastic to work with. They were flexible in every way -- in finding times to meet and being available online or in person. Our son really liked his tutors and he's really happy with his ACT scores. As a parent, I liked how available Dan and his staff were to answer my questions. We'll definitely use A+ for our younger kids!

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