Mercy High School Burlingame • SAT · ACT · PSAT
Mercy High School's all-girls Catholic environment develops students who are confident in academic settings and who carry genuine faith alongside intellectual ambition. The standardized test is a different kind of environment, impersonal, timed, and evaluated without the relationships and context that make Mercy's academic culture meaningful. The Mr. Test Prep Method™ builds the execution strategies for the content side. A-Game Access™ builds the specific performance preparation to show up fully in that environment.
The SAT's digital adaptive format and the ACT's 2025 revisions both require current preparation. The ACT's Science section is now optional and does not count toward the composite score. Mercy students who previously avoided the ACT for this reason should reassess. Michael evaluates both tests during the free trial and recommends based on each student's actual diagnostic data.
Mercy's strong humanities curriculum typically produces students with above-average performance on the evidence-based reading and writing sections of the SAT. The math sections, particularly the no-calculator portion on the digital SAT, are where the largest gaps often appear for students from a humanities-focused track. Michael's preparation plan is built around the specific sections where each student has the most to gain, not a generic curriculum applied equally across all content.
For Mercy families considering the program: the free trial is genuinely free, with no obligation to continue. Michael presents a specific plan after the session and a specific cost estimate before either side makes a financial commitment. Sessions are $400 each, pay-as-you-go, with no prepayment required.
The diagnostic produces a specific recommendation: which test gives the student the best opportunity, how far their score may be able to go, a recommended training plan, and which upcoming test dates are most strategic.
The Trial Session
The free trial on Zoom includes a diagnostic, direct work with Michael, and a follow-up call with both student and parent. Michael presents a specific recommendation: which test gives the student the best opportunity, how far their score may be able to go, a recommended training plan, and which upcoming test dates are most strategic. No financial commitment until both sides agree.
Every Session
Sessions are two hours long and combine individualized coaching, structured practice, and timed work using official SAT and ACT material. Students stay actively engaged while receiving ongoing guidance and feedback from Michael throughout the session. No homework.
The Guarantee
Students who complete the agreed program and are not satisfied with their results continue at no additional cost after the agreed session cap until they are satisfied or available testing opportunities have been exhausted.
The Mr. Test Prep Method™ builds the execution strategies and pattern recognition that transfer directly to test conditions. A-Game Access™ is the mindfulness and peak performance system built into every session — addressing the gap between practice performance and test-day performance.
Preparation timelines vary based on a student’s goals, starting point, and upcoming test dates. Some students begin as early as January of their sophomore year, particularly those with National Merit goals. Many students begin preparation during the summer before junior year, with the period after July 4th being a common starting point. Students entering senior year often begin preparation during the summer before senior year, depending on their goals and testing plans. Michael’s free trial session includes a diagnostic and personalized timeline recommendation based on each student’s individual situation.
Several test centers are available in the Burlingame and surrounding Peninsula area. Check current availability at collegeboard.org (SAT) or act.org (ACT). Bay Area centers fill 5 to 6 weeks before test day, register on the first day the window opens.
The trial is a two-hour Zoom session where your student works through a diagnostic with guidance and feedback from Michael throughout. Afterward Michael calls both student and parent with a specific recommendation: which test gives the student the best opportunity, how far their score may be able to go, a recommended training plan, and which upcoming test dates are most strategic.
The trial is free with no obligation to continue.