SAT & ACT Preparation · Academic Tutoring · College Advising
Know where your student stands. And know what to do about it.
Ascension is a managed SAT and ACT preparation firm built around targeted instruction, measurable progress, and clear communication with parents. Families continue with us for academic tutoring and college advising as their needs grow.
Families rarely come to us with just one academic challenge. Our role is to identify the right starting point, then guide what comes next.
Why families choose Ascension
Families should not have to guess which test to take, which tutor to hire, or what comes next academically. Every academic decision affects the next one, and Ascension was built to make those decisions with a clear plan, measurable progress, and one team that stays with your student.
What changes after families start with us is simple. The guessing stops. You know where your student stands, what the plan is, and whether it is working, in writing, every week.
Every academic decision affects the next one.
For many families, standardized testing is the first major academic decision.
Digital SAT and ACT preparation, managed end to end.
Digital SAT Preparation
A managed Digital SAT program built on a full-length diagnostic, an individual roadmap, targeted instruction, and written progress reporting.
SAT PreparationACT Preparation
A managed ACT program for the current Composite of English, Math, and Reading, with pacing and stamina work and the optional Science decision made deliberately.
ACT PreparationChoosing Between the SAT and ACT
We measure both at the consultation and recommend the test that plays to your student's strengths, timeline, and target schools.
Compare the SAT and ACTTest Preparation Leadership
Test preparation led by specialists on each side of the exam
Ascension's SAT and ACT programs are led by Matt Murillo and Pauline Bordonaro. Matt leads SAT Math and ACT Math, including preparation for the optional ACT Science section. Pauline leads SAT Reading and Writing, along with ACT English and Reading.
Depending on the student's needs, preparation may be delivered by one senior instructor or by a coordinated specialist team. In either model, instruction follows one shared roadmap, with consistent assignments, progress tracking, and parent communication.
Matt Murillo
SAT Math · ACT Math · Optional ACT Science
Leads quantitative test preparation, diagnostic analysis, pacing strategy, and mathematics curriculum.
Pauline Bordonaro
SAT Reading and Writing · ACT English and Reading
Leads verbal test preparation, passage analysis, grammar and conventions, rhetorical skills, and reading strategy.
How a managed program differs from traditional hourly tutoring
Traditional tutoring is often organized around individual appointments. A managed program adds a roadmap, coordinated instruction, progress measurement, and written communication around each session.
This is what a managed program adds beyond a standalone weekly appointment.
Ascension is built for families who want more than weekly tutoring. They want a clear plan, measurable progress, and consistent guidance from experienced instructors who stay accountable for results.
Inside the program
The same documented deliverables support every program, from test preparation to subject tutoring.
Diagnostic Summary
A clear read on where the student stands now, scored to the skill and section.
Individual Preparation Roadmap
A step by step plan, with real dates, from the current position to the goal.
Session Recap
A short written note after every session: what was covered, how it went, what is next.
Progress Report
A re-measurement of the same skills against the baseline, so improvement is visible where it is happening.
Academic Tutoring
Find the right academic specialist
Ascension has a broad team of subject-specific instructors supporting common academic coursework from Grade 3 through college. Choose the student’s level and course to see how we can help. For a specialized or uncommon course, tell us the details and we will confirm the right instructor match.
Choose the student’s level
Mathematics
Elementary and middle-school math, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Precalculus, Calculus, and Statistics, including honors, AP, and college-level courses.
Sciences
Elementary and general science, Earth Science, Living Environment and Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, including honors, AP, and college-level courses.
English and Writing
Reading and English Language Arts, academic writing and research papers, literature, and college composition, including honors, AP, and college essay support.
Social Studies
United States and Global History, Government, Civics, Economics, and Geography, including honors and AP courses.
Choose a level to filter courses, or open a subject above.
Do not see the exact course? Tell us the course name, level, and current topic, and we will confirm whether an appropriate specialist is available.
Ascension supports common academic coursework from Grade 3 through college. Scheduling availability varies by course, level, and instructor capacity. For specialized or uncommon courses, we will review the request and confirm the appropriate instructor match.
Book a consultationCollege advising and essay support
For some families, the roadmap continues through college applications, guided by the same team that already knows the student.
- Application strategy
- School-list development
- College essays
- Application timeline management
- Interview preparation
- Academic planning
We guide and revise. We do not write applications or essays for students.
Outcomes we measure
Across completed programs.
Average gains are measured across 142 SAT and 86 ACT students who completed twelve or more hours of preparation. Target reached is measured against a score defined at intake. Parent rating reflects 897+ verified client reviews. Outcomes are updated annually.
Score gains depend on the starting point. A student beginning near 1000 has more room than one already at 1450, so here is what students typically see by starting tier.
| Starting SAT | Average gain | Reached target |
|---|---|---|
| Below 1200 | +210 pts | 94% |
| 1200 to 1390 | +150 pts | 90% |
| 1400 and above | +90 pts | 88% |
Families across the country have trusted Ascension with one of the most important parts of their student's education.
Our efficacy standards and methodology
Every figure above rests on a defined measurement standard. These are the rules we hold ourselves to before a result is reported.
Baseline measurement protocol
How we establish the starting point
We do not use inflated or harsh internal diagnostics to make growth look larger than it is. A baseline comes only from an official prior College Board or ACT administration, or a full-length proctored practice exam taken under timed, standardized conditions at intake. When a student has taken both, we use the most recent official score report.
Score dispersion and consistency
Distribution beyond the average
The headline average is +162 SAT points, or +4.8 ACT composite points. Growth stays consistent across the full student body rather than resting on a handful of outliers.
- Middle 50% (IQR)
- SAT gains between +120 and +210 points. ACT gains between +3.5 and +6.0 composite points.
- Consistency floor
- Fewer than 4% of students who completed a full program gained below +80 SAT points, or +2.0 ACT points.
Time to outcome
Efficiency and program length
Strong growth should not require endless hours. These figures are tracked across a standard program commitment rather than open-ended tutoring.
- Average length
- 16 hours of targeted one-on-one instruction.
- Average pace
- 2 hours per week across an 8 to 10-week window leading into the target test date.
- Practice volume
- 3 to 4 full-length proctored practice tests per student.
Scoring policy
Single sitting compared with superscore
Reported gains reflect single-sitting official increases, comparing the baseline with a student's highest single administration after the program. Counted by official superscore, which combines top section scores across test dates, the average gain rises from +162 to +184 SAT points, or +4.8 to +5.4 ACT composite points.
Questions parents ask first
Do you tutor subjects beyond the SAT and ACT?
Yes. We tutor mathematics through Calculus and Statistics, the sciences, English and writing, social studies, and honors and AP coursework, from grade 3 through college.
What grades do you work with?
Grade 3 through college.
Is this only for the SAT and ACT?
Test preparation is our flagship, and we also provide subject tutoring and college advising.
How do we start?
Book a consultation. We review where your student is, where they are aiming, and recommend the right starting point.
Do you write essays or applications for students?
No. We guide and revise. The work stays the student's.
Tell us what your student needs.
The first meeting is a conversation, not a pitch. We will help determine the right starting point, whether that is test preparation, subject tutoring, or college advising. It takes about 15 minutes, at no cost or obligation.
Every academic decision affects the next one.