How She Hit a Top 1% ACT Score (26 to 34)

Описание: Standardized testing can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure which program will actually work. In this episode, Beckman High School student Asha and her mom Angie share their full ACT journey — from a 26 baseline to a 34.

We talk about what made the ACT feel scary at first, how the right strategies changed everything, why online prep worked with a busy schedule, and how adding targeted one-on-one support helped push the score even higher. If you’re a student aiming for top schools or a parent trying to pick the right test prep path, this is a real behind-the-scenes look at what helped.

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Timestamps / Chapters
00:00 Meet Angie and Asha
00:19 The biggest challenge: picking the right program (online vs in-person)
01:15 Why the SAT/ACT feels scary (the unknown)
02:18 How they found Test Prep Gurus (silent auction surprise)
03:28 Asha’s first reaction: relief and excitement
04:32 What felt different: test-specific strategies and techniques
05:00 Baseline 26 ACT to 32 on the first official test
05:44 Parent perspective: confidence growing after every session
06:37 The moment it clicked: practice tests started hitting the 30s
07:29 Why this is hard as a parent (you can’t take the test for them)
08:17 How feedback on missed questions built confidence
09:03 Goal setting: “low 30s would be amazing”
10:20 Why confidence changes everything on test day
11:15 Why they added one-on-one after the class
11:27 Targeted focus: math and science with Erica
12:49 Final result: a 34 ACT
13:36 Schools Asha is considering (Claremont Colleges, Michigan, Emory, Johns Hopkins)
14:19 Interest in premed
17:40 Life after the score: relief and momentum for essays
18:51 Time management lessons from ACT prep
19:32 Parent relief: how the score changed the application landscape
20:29 Why 32 to 34 is a big jump at the top end
21:25 Would they recommend TPG
22:47 What stood out: staff responsiveness and support
24:24 Program organization and weekly structure made it manageable
25:06 Closing and what’s next