SAT prep questions, answered straight

Do Florida colleges require the SAT?

Yes. Florida never adopted test-optional admissions. All twelve State University System schools, including UF, FSU, UCF and USF, require an SAT, ACT or CLT score by Board of Governors regulation. A Florida student without a test score has no application.

What score does my teen actually need?

Two numbers drive everything in Florida. A 1190 SAT earns Florida Medallion Scholars, about 75% of tuition. A 1330 earns Florida Academic Scholars, 100% of tuition, and sits ten points from the bottom of FSU's admitted range. College targets vary by school: UF admits 1380 to 1510, FSU 1340 to 1450, UCF 1310 to 1430. We map your teen's exact target on the free Strategy Session.

How do the classes work?

Live online classes six days a week, taught by our strategists on Zoom. There is no cohort to wait for. Students join any week and train straight into their chosen test date. Families who want more add 1-on-1 coaching with the same team.

How long does prep take?

Most students run a 6 to 12 week cycle into a chosen test date. Our Florida students average a 172 point improvement across a full cycle. The right length depends on the gap, which is exactly what the diagnostic tells us on day one.

How much time does it take each week?

Enough to move the score without wrecking a season or a GPA. We set the weekly plan around your teen's actual schedule on the Strategy Session, and parents see the work logged every week, so nobody is guessing whether it is happening.

How much does it cost?

It depends on the program that fits your teen, and we would be guessing until we see their score, their timeline and their target schools. That is why the Strategy Session comes first. You leave it with the target score, the gap and the plan, and if it makes sense to work together we walk through options on the call.

What is your guarantee?

Two protections, in writing. Finish the program and do the work, and if your student does not hit their Bright Futures score we keep tutoring them free until they do. Separately, if the first week is not what you expected, you get a 100% refund. The full terms are on our guarantee page.

When should we start?

Junior year is the main testing year, so junior fall is the classic start. Sophomores should get a baseline and start early if the gap is large. Seniors need to count backward from August 31 of graduation year, because Bright Futures only counts tests taken by that date. Ninth graders do not need SAT prep yet. They need strong core grades, a reading habit and one low-pressure practice test.

How do parents stay in the loop?

Weekly. You see the score curve, the exact sub-topics leaking points, and what was done about them. No black box, no wondering whether it is working.

What happens on the free Strategy Session?

45 minutes on Zoom with a strategist. We look at your teen's most recent score, set the target for their schools and for Bright Futures, and build a week-by-week plan to close the gap. The plan is yours to keep whether we ever work together or not.

Still have questions?

Bring them to the free 45-minute Strategy Session. You leave with your teen's target score, the gap, and a plan to close it. Yours to keep either way.

Book your free Strategy Session