Watch CBS News

Top ACT And SAT Prep In Philadelphia

There are many steps to prepare for college. Not only do you need to maintain a good high school GPA, but you need to prepare for the aptitude tests that are needed to (hopefully) get into the school of your choice. In the Philadelphia area, there are many programs and courses that can help prepare you for those tests. Remember, being prepared to achieve the best scores on the SAT and ACT tests that you're able to will not only allow you to have more choices when picking colleges, it will open the door for financial opportunities through grants and scholarships. Here are our suggestions for the top five resources for SAT and ACT prep courses in the Philadelphia area.
Free SAT Prep at the Free Library
1901 Vine St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 686-5322
www.freelibrary.org

The Free Library of Philadelphia offers a series of free college prep workshops at various branches across the city, including SAT and ACT classes. The library also offers personalized drop-in sessions for help filling out college applications and forms for financial aid. Students can seek assistance for grants and scholarships here as well.

Philadelphia Futures
230 South Broad St., 7th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 790-1666
www.philadelphiafutures.org

Philadelphia Futures is a nonprofit organization that allows urban high school students to reach their college dreams through information and the guidance of mentors. The program offers a complete college guide with a checklist for their entire high school career that will guide them down the path towards a college education. Philadelphia Futures offers information on the best scholarship programs, financial aid, prep classes and many other college resources in detail.

Philadelphia Education Fund
College Access Program
1709 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 665-1400
www.philaedfund.org

The Philadelphia College Access Program is the city’s largest college assistance program, and it's free and open to the public! Download the free roadmap to college to help keep you stay organized while you pursue your college career goals. Free programs include mentoring, college prep, career development workshops and access to standardized testing materials for ACT and SAT preparation.

Jevs Human Services
1845 Walnut St., 7th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 854-1842
www.jevshumanservices.org

Jevs offers a variety of personalized programs to prepare students for any goals related to their future career. It offers counseling for college, trade, vocational and certification programs, including tutoring in both individual and group settings. Jevs provides high school tutoring, guidance counseling in college selection, assistance with school applications and even offers workshops for both students and parents, plus some services that you won't find in most guidance offices at your local high school. This organization goes beyond the call of duty and takes into consideration that every individual is unique and has different challenges and aspirations.

Upward Bound at Penn
220 South 40th St., Suite 260
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 898-3185
www.vpul.upenn.edu

Upward Bound seeks out students at specific high schools including Lamberton, Motivation, Overbrook, Parkway-West, Sayre, Strawberry-Mansion and West Philadelphia who show the most commitment to their future education. To qualify, students must be the first person in their family who is planning to attend college. Students must be in the 9th or 10th grade at the time of their application. Upward Bound offers a variety of programs, including college prep workshops.

Christina Thompson is a freelance travel writer living in Philadelphia. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.