When you try to run a business in the area of SAT or ACT College Test Preparation, you have to know the subject matter and the tips and tricks to boost scores, and you have to be able to communicate that information to bored, terrified, needy, or uncooperative 16- and 17-year-olds. You may also have to deal with high and sometimes unrealistic expectations of parents. In other words, you’ll need a great deal of patience and understanding. Some of the work can be spread out across the entire year; students can begin preparation as much as a year before taking preliminary or actual tests and may take the exams several times (colleges generally look at the highest scores achieved in each section across all test sessions). However, the bulk of tutoring is likely to be done in the spring of the student’s junior year and the summer before the senior year begins.
Don’t make promises about specific test results, and don’t raise unreasonable expectations for improvement. You can fairly say that almost every student receives higher scores as the result of coaching. Some tutors and commercial programs offer a money-back guarantee if the student does not receive a score at least 20 to 25 points higher than a previous reference test, which is not the same as a guarantee of improvement. You will be competing against several major national college preparation companies that offer classroom lectures and testing; there are also a number of web sites that administer sample tests and analyze results. Your competitive pitch should emphasize personal attention and one-on-one tutoring. Do not make unauthorized copies of copyrighted materials for your students.