Mindfish Test Prep & Academics — Test Prep Provider Spotlight
May 19, 2025
The Oxford tutorial method, which features small-group or one-on-one discussions with subject matter experts as the primary mode of learning, is a time-tested, centuries-old pedagogy that has been a defining aspect of an Oxford education since the mid-1800s. Although Oxford and Cambridge are the most well-known tutorial-method colleges, versions of it can be found at many other colleges and programs, including Williams, Harvard, and Sarah Lawrence. Moreover, the tutorial method is the inspiration behind Mindfish’s test preparation programs, which are all built around 1:1 tutoring. As such, students are not only able to make phenomenal progress toward practical goals, such as higher test scores or subject matter mastery, but also improve their self-confidence, work ethic, and critical thinking along the way. Curious about how Mindfish accomplishes these objectives? In today’s blog, we’ll cover all the ins and outs of their highly personalized and successful test prep programs.
Note: This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Mindfish Test Prep & Academics. Our site only partners with test prep providers who bring significant value to students and the material in this blog is 100% the genuine opinion of College Transitions.
Why Mindfish?
Founded by Stanford alums Bill Huston and Ryan Krug, Mindfish Test Prep & Academics came on the test prep scene nearly twenty years ago and has only grown exponentially since. Between them, Bill and Ryan have over 40 years of test prep and tutoring experience; Bill has been tutoring since he became enthralled with the Oxford tutorial method during his undergraduate days, and Ryan grew passionate about working with students after helping build one of the test prep industry’s first adaptive learning systems. Since Mindfish’s inception, they’ve worked with thousands of students across their home state of Colorado and beyond.
Additionally, Ryan and Bill have cultivated Mindfish into a healthy operation that is small enough to offer personalized instruction but large enough to have developed its own set of comprehensive test prep resources. In addition to Bill and Ryan, there are currently six people on their administrative and leadership team as well as 30 tutors who work with students both locally and remotely. Impressively, all tutors have ACT or SAT scores in the high 90th percentile.
Finally, Mindfish is the official test preparation provider for several prestigious private schools in the Denver area, including the Kent Denver School, Alexander Dawson School, Colorado Academy, and St. Anne’s Episcopal School.
What sets Mindfish’s program apart from other test prep providers?
How you prepare for standardized testing matters, as high standardized test scores—even in the era of test-optional policies—continue to have a very real impact on college admissions as well as merit and scholarship aid. Accordingly, Mindfish believes that every student should have access to individualized guidance and attention during the standardized test preparation process, and have built their model around this core value.
Given Mindfish’s belief in the power of individualized tutoring, every program includes a private tutor. In addition to providing guided structure, consistency, and motivation, Mindfish tutors teach students personalized strategies that help them overcome their individual testing hurdles. Such strategies are often difficult or impossible for students to learn without expert help.
Moreover, since there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to test prep, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to Mindfish’s offerings, either, making them a fantastic choice for any student who hopes to build a unique program that caters to their individual needs. Bottom line: if you’d like your test prep to heavily center you as the student, Mindfish delivers.
What are Mindfish’s results?
To fully appreciate the benefit of Mindfish’s personalized approach to standardized test prep, look no further than their results. On average, across all test prep programs, Mindfish students raise their SAT scores by 160 points and their ACT scores by 4 points. To break that down even further, Mindfish students see a score improvement of approximately 1 point on the ACT and 40 points on the SAT for every 5 hours of tutoring that they complete.
The above numbers are only a baseline; more significant score increases are possible depending on the tutoring package. For example, Mindfish’s intensive, specially developed Score Peak Program is geared toward students who are looking for a 250+ point SAT increase or a 6+ point ACT increase. Alternatively, their 27-hour tutoring package is geared toward students who are targeting an improvement of 5+ points on the ACT or 200+ points on the SAT.
What type of programs are offered?
All Mindfish programs are built on one-on-one instruction. We’ve covered the structure of each below:
1-on-1 Test Prep Tutoring
With several customizable packages available, Mindfish’s 1-on-1 tutoring is their most efficient and flexible type of test prep. It also offers large and focused score gains quickly. Typical sessions are 1.5 hours long, once a week, and students can count on approximately 3-4 hours of weekly homework.
1-on-1 tutoring is an excellent choice for students who would like to focus heavily on a particular section (such as Math) or who need maximum scheduling flexibility. Moreover, students who are currently scoring in the highest and lowest testing percentiles or who are aiming for a higher-than-average score increase will likely find their best fit here.
Similar to hybrid classes, timed and proctored practice tests are a major component of Mindfish’s 1-on-1 tutoring program. 3-4 practice tests per test cycle are recommended, but students can take as many as they’d like.
Mindfish Test Prep — Continued
1-on-1 Tutoring: Score Peak Program
If you’re hoping to score in the 99th percentile (or even earn a perfect score) and/or make gains of at least 250 points on the SAT or 6 points on the ACT, the Score Peak Program should be right up your alley. However, since this program is specifically geared toward high-achieving, highly motivated students, you’ll need to meet with a director first to ascertain fit.
More perks: Score Peak students work with tutors who have at least 1000 hours of tutoring experience and who have spent a considerable amount of time guiding high-achieving test-takers. This group of six tutors is essentially the all-star team within Mindfish’s already great group of educators: half of the Score Peak team are PhDs, and they all have years of experience helping students take SAT and ACT scores to the very highest level. Score Peak students receive additional, specialized materials meant to provide focused instruction on the most obscure concepts covered on both tests; mastery of such concepts is often key to a perfect score. Finally, Bill and Ryan—Mindfish’s co-founders—will personally oversee your individualized Score Peak process.
If you’re a Score Peak student, expect to work hard—you’ll be looking at 5-6 hours of homework per week and a minimum of 5 proctored practice exams over the course of a 15-hour program.
1-on-1 Tutoring: Academic Support
In addition to ACT/SAT test prep, Mindfish also offers various types of academic support. Students can opt for subject tutoring in math, science, history, and writing as well as research paper support and study skills. Moreover, AP and IB prep is available for 16 different AP tests and 6 IB exams.
Specialized Support
Mindfish also offers test prep services for neurodivergent students, including SAT/ACT prep for students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and other learning differences. Mindfish’s Executive Function Coaching focuses on setting goals in collaboration with both the student and parent, helping students to develop daily plans to work toward their objectives.
How do I decide which program is right for me?
If you’re not sure which Mindfish offering would best help you reach your goals, or you’re not even sure which test to prepare for, Mindfish offers a popular Practice Test Program (complimentary for College Transitions students). This program is the first step for 90% of families that end up working with Mindfish. The SAT is a problem-solving test with a heavier emphasis on critical thinking and mathematics while the ACT is a fast-paced, intuitive test with a focus on time management and reading comprehension, and it’s often impossible to know which test is more suited to your strengths and testing style until you’ve taken both.
As such, Practice Test Program students will first take a diagnostic ACT and SAT (on different days, of course!) before receiving an in-depth score breakdown. They’ll then have a 45-minute consultation with one of Mindfish’s directors, who will help formulate a customized test prep plan based on their goals.
Where do tutoring sessions take place?
Mindfish students have options for 1-on-1 tutoring. Local students typically meet with their tutors at one of Mindfish’s five locations—four in Colorado and one in Boise, Idaho—while non-local students can meet with their tutors online. For over 15 years, Mindfish has been offering such remote tutoring services to students throughout the country and across the world. Since tutors are available seven days a week between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm, students have maximum flexibility when setting up sessions.
Does Mindfish work with students who have learning differences?
Yes. Mindfish offers a specific ACT/SAT test prep program for neurodivergent students. You’ll be tutored by a
Certified Cognitive Coach who has in-depth experience working with students who have autism, dyslexia, or ADHD. These coaches are full-time test prep professionals as well as experts in neurodiversity.
What do Mindfish’s programs cost?
Mindfish’s ACT and SAT programs are available at a variety of price points. Their Practice Test Program is $199 (and free for CT students) and includes both diagnostic exams plus a personalized debrief. Private tutoring starts at $150/hour, with a discount on packages of 15 hours or more, and a pay-as-you-go option is available. Specialized programs equal a higher investment; the Score Peak program is $250/hour and the program for neurodivergent students is $200/hour. Although Bill and Ryan take on very few students per year, they do work with a select number of students at $350/hour. Lastly, Mindfish’s one-on-one academic and AP/IB tutoring ranges from $105 to $125 per hour.
Final Thoughts — Mindfish Test Prep
Unique among test prep providers, Mindfish centers all of its offerings on 1-on-1 tutoring, a model that has provided many College Transitions’ students with a highly personalized experience as well as maximum results. Their programs are a surefire way to not only increase your content mastery and arsenal of test strategies but also improve your confidence, intellectual curiosity, and overall preparation for college.
Looking for additional test preparation resources? Consider checking out the following blog posts:
