Making the Grade: Class 101

There’s truth in the adage, “Preparation is the key to success.” Yet, preparing for college admissions can feel like a daunting process for both students and parents. From making good grades, to taking college entrance exams and writing essays, there is a considerable amount of planning and effort involved in the process. 

Whether your child is an eighth grader headed towards his or her freshman year of high school or your student will enter the halls as a senior this fall, Class 101 is a team of educators and counselors ready to provide your child with the right support for the right college. 

Class 101 provides a tailored college prep experience for every student with test prep for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT, college searches and admissions coaching, and even financial aid processing. Class 101 in Bryant offers students the tools they need to reach their maximum potential. 

According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the average composite score for Arkansas high school seniors in 2018 was 19.4, falling just below the national average of 20.4. While more than 30,000 Arkansas students took the ACT in 2018, the testing mean remained flat from 2017 to 2018. On average, Class 101 increases students’ ACT scores by 3.1 points.

What’s more, since 1997 Class 101 has helped over 5,000 students receive more than $357 million in offered college scholarships. In 2019, Class 101 seniors received more than $175 million in scholarships to more than 200 colleges. 

Class 101 Franchise Director Missha Mize began her role with a passion for helping students. She understands firsthand the investment it takes to prep students for college and the importance of finding a school that’s the right fit for each child. “No two experiences are alike,” explains Missha. “We help kids get higher scores and support them by preparing them. When this opportunity presented itself, I knew I wanted to get involved—for me, it’s so much more than just a job.” 

Missha’s daughter graduated from high school this May and will soon be navigating her own college career in the fall. The skills and support Class 101 have provided have been invaluable to Missha’s family as her daughter begins the next chapter of her life. 

Students enrolling in Class 101 gain access to a number of courses, including four-week intensives. Students take practice tests and Class 101 performs assessments to see in which subjects the students can improve. Students receive an ACT prep book that helps them practice areas of struggle to ultimately improve their scores. As of May, over 50 students are enrolled in Class 101 courses in Bryant. 

For students who prefer a one-on-one approach, Class 101 meets every child’s specific needs. Whether that means special test accommodations or encouragement to build confidence or to overcome test anxiety, Class 101 offers a full college-planning package for families. 

ACT prep packages begin at $399 and $599. For the full college-planning experience, tiers range from freshman level at $3,799, sophomore at $3,499, junior at $3,299, and senior at $2,999. Payment plans are available and can be spread out over your child’s high school career. 

Once students have taken the test and achieved their desired test scores, Class 101 can also help them focus on which college to choose. Class 101 works with students to discover areas of interest and occupations they may want to pursue. From there, Class 101 identifies colleges specializing in the students’ areas of interest, researches costs of attendance, and helps students find scholarships. Missha says this is a central goal for Class 101. “We work with the student on a plan and try to get everything for college paid for.” 

According to U.S. News & World Report,  the average annual 2020-2021cost of attendance of public universities was just under $10,000 for in-state residents and over $21,000 for out-of-state students. For private colleges, the annual cost was more than $35,000. 

With college costs on the rise, it’s important to have a resource available for you and your student to get every advantage. “We listen to kids and mentor them to learn more about what they want to do,” explains Missha. “We form relationships with the students and parents, and we talk to them in confidence about the support we can provide.” 

For more information about Class 101, visit www.class101.com/centralarkansas.