Franklin Yard — Test Prep Provider Spotlight

When preparing for the SAT or ACT, your strengths, challenges, and goals should guide your study approach. For example, let’s say you haven’t taken the SAT yet but want to build as many skills as possible for the Reading & Writing sections, which have been a struggle during practice tests. Perhaps you’ve taken the ACT twice, but still aren’t happy with your math score. Or, maybe you tend to blank out in a testing environment and want to learn how to reduce anxiety and increase confidence.

These three situations would require three different approaches, but too often, test prep programs are just as standardized as the exams themselves, adhering to formulaic curricula and offering little personalization (or even human interaction). However, Franklin Yard was built on a different philosophy: “Your child’s not a robot. We’re not a factory.” In other words, you deserve a thoughtful program customized to your needs, not someone else’s. How does Franklin Yard accomplish that, and what type of results do their students achieve? Keep scrolling to learn more. 

Note: This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Franklin Yard. We have independently (and enthusiastically) recommended their offerings to our clients many times. Our site only partners with test prep providers that bring significant value to students and the material in this blog is 100% the genuine opinion of College Transitions. 

What is Franklin Yard?

Franklin Yard is a boutique test prep company working with students from some of the highest-performing high schools nationally and internationally. Within their flexible, virtual programs, Franklin Yard combines expert instruction with individualized planning, resulting in meaningful score gains and academic improvement for a wide variety of learners.

What sets Franklin Yard apart, though, is its educator-led, relationship-driven model. They want to get to know you, and they want you to get to know them. Within this type of partnership, you’ll be able to truly trust the process and achieve the best possible outcome.

Why does Franklin Yard’s “educator-led” model matter for test prep?

As veteran tutors, classroom teachers, private school administrators, and parents, Franklin Yard’s founding team has seen test prep from every angle. Tara Higgins, Chief Relationship Officer, has nearly three decades of experience as an educator, school administrator, and counselor. Sam Bellows, CEO, is a veteran tutor who has spent years developing (and constantly iterating) Franklin Yard’s personalized tutoring methodologies. Josh Druhan, COO, is an expert at creating relationship-focused programming. And Chloè Leech, the Student Success & Partnerships Manager, brings deep insight into how to lead initiatives that improve student outcomes, thanks to her former roles as a high school math teacher, dean, and assistant principal.

As you can see, every person in a leadership position at Franklin Yard is an educator. This is an important distinction. When it comes to test prep, we only recommend hiring providers who are highly effective at teaching test strategies and demonstrate a deep commitment to teaching itself; this combination ensures the most personalized and impactful approach. It’s also important to note that Franklin Yard has the same high standard for its tutors, a team comprised of two dozen former and current teachers, researchers, expert test-takers, and professional tutors who have been teaching test preparation for an average of ten years.

Franklin Yard is also a go-to test prep provider for top private schools like The Hill School, Malvern Prep, Agnes Irwin, Archmere Academy, and The Peddie School, yet another indicator of their high instructional quality.

Where is Franklin Yard located?

Wherever there is a computer and an internet connection! All of Franklin Yard’s programs, including private 1:1 tutoring, are delivered completely virtually. This model allows for more convenient scheduling as well as virtual tools that make lessons more effective.

How does Franklin Yard’s private SAT and ACT tutoring program work?

Since there’s no such thing as “generic” at Franklin Yard, your private tutoring experience will always kick off with a diagnostic assessment and analysis. After the team gathers more information about you, you’ll be matched with a tutor who is the best fit for your personality and learning style. Then, your tutor and program managers will work together to develop a strategy focused on where they see the biggest growth opportunities.

From there, you’ll jump right in, receiving 1:1 lessons from your tutor, completing weekly homework, and taking regular practice tests, all while your progress is being consistently monitored by Franklin Yard’s leadership team.

In addition, Franklin Yard’s materials are continuously updated based on current test trends and student results, so you can rest assured that your tutor will be up to date on every new development, from ACT changes to the shifting college admissions landscape.

How many tutoring sessions will I need?

It depends on where you’re at and what you hope to achieve. That said, most students have the best results when they start working with their tutor about 8-12 weeks before their testing date, which often translates to 1-2 hours of tutoring per week and about 20 hours of total tutoring.

What are Franklin Yard’s results?

Franklin Yard highlights numerous stories of students achieving exceptional score gains, including:

• A 1590 SAT (read Mark’s story)
• A 7-point jump on the ACT (read Ashley’s interview)
• A 99^th percentile score (Q&A with Kian)
• A 400-point SAT improvement (Q&A with Caroline)

Most importantly, though, families consistently praise the program’s structure, communication, and warm, enthusiastic environment, which are all important factors in achieving your best results.

Does Franklin Yard offer any additional services?

In addition to private tutoring for the SAT and ACT, Franklin Yard offers the following:

• ACT and SAT Masterclasses: Structured, interactive series of classes featuring over 10 hours of Zoom instruction, regular homework assignments, progress tracking, and access to a specialized platform.
• Academic & AP Tutoring: 1:1 support in core high school subjects, AP courses, and study skills from teachers who have subject-area expertise. Strategy plans focus on both short and long-term improvement, and will be adapted as needed based on student progress.
• Free SAT & ACT Practice Tests: Franklin Yard offers regular, no-cost (yes, really!) SAT & ACT practice tests. After completing this complimentary proctored exam, you’ll receive a detailed report and free consultation from Franklin Yard’s team.

How much does Franklin Yard cost?

Franklin Yard’s private SAT/ACT tutoring rates start at $220/hour. However, unlike other companies, Franklin Yard operates on a pay-as-you-go model. This means that you’ll only purchase the hours you need, and will never be expected to make a large upfront commitment.

How do I get started?

To explore Franklin Yard’s offerings or contact the team, head to their website.

Ready to register for a complimentary live practice test? You can do that here.

Looking for more test preparation resources? Check out the following:

• Can I Still Apply Test-Optional to Colleges in 2025-26?
• When Do SAT Scores Come Out? Digital SAT Release Dates for 2025
• What is SAT & ACT Superscoring, and Which Colleges Use It?
• Making Sense of Score Gains: A Parent’s Guide to SAT/ACT Progress
• SAT Score Calculator (Digital) – 2025
• ACT Score Calculator – 2025
• Comprehensive Guide to the SAT & ACT