Saint Paul, MN -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/22/2011 -- Today, a college education is not just a choice, it is a necessity for professional success. With admission rates at historic lows and the recession squeezing out non-degree career options, more and more students are vying for college admissions. Unfortunately, college admission rates have dropped as much as 11 percent while the number of applicants is doubling in many cases.

With the axiom that luck favors the prepared, students are increasingly turning to ACT prep classes to boost scores on the all-important SAT/ACT tests. Today’s big tutoring companies know that high scores on these tests are a prerequisite for more than 90% of college admissions. Unfortunately, every student’s needs are different and most test prep companies lack true individualized instruction that caters to each student’s need.

Ace Prep, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based test preparation company, is trying to address this deficiency. “All of our ACT prep courses revolve around an individual focus so that we can help each student achieve superior results when it comes to test time,” said Ace Prep founder and educator Charles Midwinter.

Ace Prep’s high student success rate is primarily due to identifying student areas of weakness followed by constant practice and feedback that is solidified through a mastery of covered concepts. ACT prep classes include both in-person sessions and online course elements with Instructors available to answer questions by email and in the online forum all week. Providing a mix of online instruction allows students to login and study anytime they like,” said Midwinter. Instructors monitor the concepts that pose special challenges to each student and address these in class and online.”

According to Midwinter, big companies often teach students confusing “tricks” instead of addressing real deficiencies in knowledge. Classes are rigidly scheduled and individual plans are discouraged, so individual attention falls by the wayside. More worrisome are the inexperienced instructors with minimal training. “Many of these companies are about making money first and helping students second, so they’re run with an eye to the bottom line instead of the student,” said Midwinter.

Midwinter himself holds a B.S. and Masters in Physics, and Science Education respectively while currently pursuing a PhD in Science History. As a former high school math and science teacher, he understands that student success depends on providing the best instructors and curriculum. “Our ACT prep instructors are all seasoned, licensed, career teaching professionals that stake their reputations on the outcomes they produce for their students,” said Midwinter.

For more information, please visit. http://ace-prep.com/.