Built from scratch
A culturally competent test prep system forged in determination.
Angelica Harris
Founder & CEo
My ACT Journey—From a 16 to a 32
Hi, my name is Angelica Harris. I attended Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)—a top 25 university—on a full scholarship. Would you believe that the first time I took the ACT, my Composite score was only a 16?
I graduated from WashU with degrees in finance and computer science, and then completed my master’s in computer science at WashU as well.
If I hadn’t raised my ACT Composite score from a 16 to a 32, there is no way I would’ve enjoyed such a rich and transformative university experience—one that has laid the best foundation for my professional career.
And now I’ve committed myself to making sure that students like me are prepared for the standardized college acceptance tests that can have such an outsized impact on their future.
In Test Prep, Representation Matters
As an ambitious high school student with great grades, I had aspirations of attending a top-tier university. After getting just a 16 on my first ACT, I enrolled in a prep class. I only raised my Composite score by 2 points—a Composite score of 18 was far from acceptable.
I’ve since learned about research that confirms this, but I felt like being the only Black student in the prep class worked to my disadvantage.
Culturally, there was a disconnect and—already having scores in the 20’s and 30’s—the other students were there to make minor improvements.
I felt isolated and needed to find another way.
I Created My Own Test Prep System
Growing up in New Orleans, my parents always had to juggle work and my five siblings. Because there was always a flurry of activity at home, I’ve long been used to creating my own academic plans and holding myself accountable to complete the work.
I realized that if I wanted to get into my dream schools—and receive scholarship funding—I would have to build my own college test prep system.
Ultimately, countless hours of practice and fine-tuning my system allowed me to earn a total of $1.5 million in college scholarships from a range of well-known colleges and universities.Through Top Tutors For Us, I’ve shared my test prep system with many students and our team of accomplished tutors.
I’m glad you’re here. Let’s use my system to make your wildest college acceptance dreams come true.
