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"Each year we invite Compass to present to our 10th grade
families about college admission testing. These events help
our families feel confident, relieved, and well-informed.
I am inundated by offers from test prep companies,
but I always find myself coming back to Compass."

- Canh Oxelson
Director of College Counseling, Horace Mann School
Formerly Director of Recruitment, UPenn

 

"What we value most about Compass is their integrity.
We trust the services they provide -- private tutoring,
practice testing, and public speaking -- and the intelligently
responsive manner in which they offer them."

- Sharon Cuseo
Upper School Dean, Harvard-Westlake School

 

"We are delighted to partner with Compass, as so
many of our colleagues have done. The education
and training Compass provides to our school and to
the counselor community is invaluable. Their excellent
research de-stresses rather than raise alarms."

- Katy Murphy
Director of College Counseling, Bellarmine College Prep

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College Admission Testing Presentation for

Iowa City Community School District

Thursday, March 28 — 7:00 PM

Cafeteria

Presented by Compass Education Group

Compass is invited by secondary schools throughout the U.S. to provide expert guidance on college admission testing. Please review the information below that outlines what you will learn, the printed resource that you will receive, references on the company that is providing the presentation, and the bio of the speaker (Compass co-founder Adam Ingersoll).

Follow-up after the Presentation

Navigating College Admission Tests

On March 28, Compass Co-Founder Adam Ingersoll delivered a presentation to families on the ins and outs of college admission testing. Families who missed the event can download the handouts from this page and are welcome to contact Compass for an individual consultation and guidance. Major topics covered in the presentation included interpretation of PSAT and ACT practice test scores, how to carefully consider the SAT vs ACT decision, the role of Subject Tests, and best practices for calendaring test dates and test prep.

Watch a video recording of a recent testing presentation HERE.

Would you like a copy of the PowerPoint?

Compare SAT and ACT Scores

You can compare the results of official or practice SAT and ACT to determine which exam you prefer. Use the concordance slider below to see if you lean SAT, lean ACT, or fall in the “Judgment Call” zone. 

The Compass Prep App

You can download Compass’ new app by searching for “Compass Prep” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or by using the links below. With the Compass Prep app, you can:

  • View a personalized college test preparation timeline
  • Gain insight into which tests make you more competitive
  • Request a free practice test and evaluation
  • Take advantage of the many free resources Compass has to offer!

Handouts for Attendees

The Compass Guide to College Admission Testing

Attendees receive a complimentary copy of The Compass Guide to College Admission Testing. This essential resource for families and counselors contains more than 80 pages of unbiased information on the ACT, SAT, PSAT, Subject Tests, and more. The print edition has reached over 100,000 families and is used by counseling offices at many of the top schools in the U.S. The Guide is also available as a free PDF or iBook download via the link below. Sharon Cuseo of Harvard-Westlake School says “I wish every family in the country received this terrific resource.

Praise for Compass Presentations and Speakers

Compass is an invaluable resource for us. Their approach to testing is smart and reasonable. Their sophomore parent testing evenings are of the highest quality – useful, comprehensive, well-researched, and delivered with compelling and fresh insight.

Laura Hotchkiss, Director of Upper School, Marlborough School

I appreciate the research and development that Compass shares regarding college admission tests. In their presentations, Compass illuminates what these tests DO and DON'T measure, which enables our students to separate their test scores from their identities. The tone of these events is overwhelmingly positive and optimistic.

Jeff Morrow, Director of College Counseling, Oaks Christian School

We only receive positive feedback from families who have prepared with Compass. In a service industry that often feels 'transactional,' Compass makes a student's well-being and his or her specific needs the focal point.

Tamar Adegbile, Former Upper School Dean, Harvard-Westlake School

I only trust Compass to speak to the sophisticated audience at my school about college admissions testing and preparation. I love seeing the looks on their faces when they hear what Compass has to say in their informed, straight-talking, helpful presentations. Students feel much more at ease and families walk away with real insight into testing.

Krista Klein, Co-Director of College Counseling, Lick-Wilmerding High School

Concerned about the changes to the 2016 SAT, I had invited Compass to our Sophomore College & Academic Planning Night. We had never had a test prep company speak to our families in the past. The presentation was informative, professional, and calming - Compass has an open invite for the future!

Jennifer Thomas, College Counselor, Maybeck High School

When we refer families to Compass, we know that we are connecting them to professionals who can manage the entirety of the admission testing process. Students often say how much they love their tutors and how much their scores have improved.

Molly Branch, Co-Director of College Counseling, Windward School

Compass’ presentation was, by far, the best one we have ever had on admission testing. The content was spot on and the delivery was wonderful: clear, articulate, warm, and reassuring. Our parents were extremely complimentary and said they felt much better.

Gail Devine, College Counselor, Louisville High School

Compass' seminar has been a tremendous benefit to my 10th graders and their parents each year for the last decade. The Compass leadership is in a class of its own; they are the foremost experts in the field with the highest ethical standards.

James Skrumbis, Head of School, Sierra Canyon School

I receive nothing but positive feedback following Compass' presentations. They have a natural way of putting families at ease, which is so important given the angst around standardized testing and college admissions. I highly recommend Compass to my colleagues and invite them back to our campus every year!

Lisa Neumaier, College & Career Specialist, Sir Francis Drake High School

I continually look to Compass to provide the students and parents I work with the proper perspective on testing. As a college counselor who employs a student-centered process, I have found Compass to be well-informed, comprehensive, and engaging to my students' and comforting to their parents. Most importantly, they are completely in synch with our philosophy and reinforce our message perfectly.

Cesar Guerrero, Director of College Counseling, Stuart Hall High School

Our families gravitate toward Compass because its tutors and staff honor each student, appreciating his or her unique strengths and weaknesses. Compass is the gold standard within the industry of test preparation.

Jennifer Simpson, Director of College Counseling, Campbell Hall

Compass presenters manage to take a calm and light-hearted approach while also being professional in their delivery. Their talks strike the perfect balance - reducing anxiety while providing families with solid guidance regarding admission tests. Also, their materials, including the College Admission Testing Guide, are thoughtfully compiled by professionals I trust.

Steffany Perez, Co-Director of College Counseling, Oakwood School

Compass' ability to marry clarity and depth of knowledge is a significant asset to the Urban School. Each time Compass presents, I walk away reassured that our students and parents are getting honest, well-researched information about college admission testing. This assurance is confirmed by the waves of appreciative emails I receive from families.

Lauren Gersick, Associate Director of College Counseling, the Urban School of San Francisco

With all of the anxiety around college admissions testing and the redesigned SAT, Compass' presentation could not have been more timely and relevant for our students and parents. They have great skill at explaining the complex nuances of testing, while still making it clear enough for everyone to understand.

David Rion, Director of College Counseling, Sonoma Academy

We enjoyed Compass' presentation and found it comforting to realize that their recommendations and information were so in tune with Presentation's philosophy on standardized testing. Compass eased the fears of our parents rather then exacerbating them, a definite must for families entering the college process.

MaryLynne Rodriguez, College Counselor, Presentation High School

I’ve been working with Compass for over 10 years. From the start, Compass has demonstrated a healthy, developmentally appropriate approach to test preparation. This is a calling the Compass team rather than simply a business endeavor, which is evident in the messaging they have thoughtfully crafted. In a time when test prep companies are lurking around every corner of our community and offering questionable advice, it is refreshing to be able to refer our families to Compass year after year and trust their guidance is in sync with ours.

Gloria Diaz Ventura, Director of College Counseling, Flintridge Preparatory School

Compass has been an invaluable resource for our families. Their staff is outstanding and have provided our students and parents with exceptional presentations to help demystify testing. In addition, the wealth of information and testing support they have provided to our families have been instrumental in helping our students achieve their best scores. We greatly value the collaborative effort provided by Compass to best support our students.

Clara Bird, Director of College Counseling, Providence High School

Meet Our Expert Presenters

Adam Ingersoll – Founder and Principal
Adam began his career in test prep in 1993 while at the University of Southern California, where he was a student-athlete on the basketball team, worked in the admission office, and graduated magna cum laude. Over the last two decades he has guided thousands of families to successful experiences with standardized tests and has mentored hundreds of the industry’s most sought-after tutors. Adam is known nationally as a leading expert on college admission testing and is a frequent presenter at higher ed conferences, faculty development workshops, and school seminars.

Art Sawyer – Founder and Principal
Art graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University, where he was the top-ranked liberal arts student in his class. Art pioneered the one-on-one approach to test prep in California in 1989 and has written more than a dozen test prep books. Although he has routinely attained perfect scores on the SAT and ACT, Art is far prouder of the thousands of students he has helped over the past 25 years. Nobody knows more about standardized tests and tutoring than Art, and we make sure all Compass students benefit from his wisdom.