NEW ORLEANS — Preparing for the ACT can be a struggle for high school students who want to get a score that will earn them scholarships and get accepted into the college of their choice. In partnership with NOLA Public Schools, Top Tutors for Us is providing students with a flexible way to be college-ready with its online ACT prep program.
For Nola native Angelica Harris, passing the ACT was tough even though she was a straight-A student. While recovering from Hurricane Katrina in school and helping her parents with her five siblings, Harris struggled to get the help she needed.
So she signed up for a high-end test prep course but still fell short of the results she wanted, while others raised their scores to the 20s and 30s. "It didn't help that I was always the only Black person in the room," Harris said. "When I tested again, I only raised my score to an 18. If I wanted to go to the school of my dreams, I realized I had to do it myself," she said.
That inspired her to fill in the education gaps for Black students when it comes to getting a qualifying score and Top Tutors for Us was created. The program has served 50 students in the city, in partnership with NOLA Public Schools.
The program is based in St. Louis, connecting students to nearly 200 tutors nationwide. This year, they helped 300 students increase their ACT scores.
"I realized that I had education gaps, and so I built my own test prep program," Harris said. "I got my score from a 16 to a 32 just within seven months."
Working on a study plan and mastering test-taking skills earned Harris $1.5 million in college scholarships. She got a full-ride to her dream school at Washington University in St. Louis, completing three degrees, including a Master's degree in Computer Science.
"Ever since this experience, I have devoted my life to teaching these exams," Harris said. "I created Top Tutors for Us so that Black kids could finally have a test prep company that's made for them. Anyone can make their dreams come true - but you don't have to do it alone."
The program will be partnering with NOLA Public Schools for a second year in the fall. She hopes Top Tutors for Us will continue to serve minority students. The Louisiana Board of Secondary and Elementary Education (BESE) also approved the program as a test prep provider.
They have partnered with local schools like L.B. Landry, McDonogh 35, and Sarah T. Reed Senior High School.
"With the help of our tutors, we have learned to have confidence in taking the ACT test," said one L.B. Landry sophomore.
Another student said the program helped them learn how to choose their answers wisely and manage their time while taking the ACT.
Harris said the program provides opportunities for low-income students and connects them to tutors who look like them.
On average, students who use the online program see a five-point improvement in their ACT scores.
"Not every Black student is specifically looking for a Black tutor. We get that. But some do. Some students just want to learn from someone who shares their lived experience. We don't just make this possible for Black students. We make it easy."
Learn more about Top Tutors for Us here.
Top Tutors for Us
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