Pricing

Clients may elect to either work solely with an essay specialist and receive support for the conceptualization, writing, and review of essays, applications and résumés, or may opt to work with the essay specialist in conjunction with a counselor and receive guidance in other aspects of the admissions process. The intake counselor will discuss the fee structure for essay development so that the expectations of clients and essay specialists are appropriately managed. All clients working with essay specialists should anticipate an additional time charge for a final read (15-30 minutes) for each essay by our final read editor before work products are released.

PrepMatters also offers individualized support for students with learning differences or mental or physical health issues who wish to apply for testing accommodations when taking standardized tests (e.g., SAT, PSAT, ACT). The process for obtaining accommodations can be difficult to navigate, and students often benefit from the support of our educational counselors to assess and plan an advocacy strategy. The initial testing accommodations assessment is $600 and includes review of the student’s records and a one-hour meeting to discuss strategy. Payment is due prior to the student record review. The hourly fee for testing accommodations assistance, after payment of the initial $600 fee, is $325-$375 an hour, billed in increments of 15 minutes. Clients who wish to engage PrepMatters for a counseling assessment subsequent to the initial testing accommodations assessment will be credited $600 toward the counseling assessment fee.

Extended consultations with a student’s parents about the student’s progress can be scheduled and will be billed in 15-minute increments at the tutor’s current hourly rate.  

At the end of each tutoring session, tutors will assign homework to reinforce the lessons in that session. The homework assignment should be written in the front of the student’s workbook or in the session note that is emailed at the end of each tutoring session. PrepMatters is aware that students have other responsibilities, and the homework assigned is not an onerous amount. We ask students to complete the assigned homework session prior to the next tutoring session. We do not encourage completion of homework in the car on the way to the tutoring session or in the PrepMatters waiting area. Parents can help by reminding students of their homework assignment.

PrepMatters requests that clients pay by credit card for all test preparation, educational planning, and academic tutoring. Clients make payment for services through a secure, PCI-compliant online credit card processing system. PrepMatters placements, educational planning, or accounts team members assist clients in setting up a client account, including payment information. Payments for services are processed the day after services are rendered, except that payment for the counseling assessment for educational planning is processed when the appointment for the counseling assessment is made. Payment for classes offered through schools is due prior to the commencement of the class series. Billing questions should be directed to the accounts manager at 301-951-0350 (x 102).

Clients who are unable to pay by credit card or debit card may prefund services with check payment. Please call the accounts manager at 301-951-0350 (x 102) to make arrangements to pay by check.

PrepMatters is flexible in adjusting to the hectic schedules of our clients, but only if notice of cancellation is received at least 24-hours in advance of the scheduled appointment or tutoring session. The best way to give notice is by email, but notice may also be given by telephone.

• Educational Planning – Email [email protected] or call (301) 951-0350 (x 125).
• Test Preparation and Tutoring – Email the student’s tutor or [email protected] or call (301) 951-0350 (Bethesda), (703) 356-6390 (McLean), or (202) 758-2073 (Tenley). All email addresses for PrepMatters employees are available on the PrepMatters website. If a student cancels three times without notice, the student’s appointment slot may be given to another client.

Cancellations with less than 24-hours advance notice will result in a charge of the full amount of the scheduled time. 

In the case of inclement weather (e.g., snowstorms) and emergencies, this policy may be waived. The PrepMatters accounts manager will make a determination on fee waivers for late cancellations due to emergencies. Clients engaged in the fixed price counseling assessment with the Educational Planning division must also give notice of cancellation at least 24-hours in advance of the scheduled appointment or risk being charged the full amount of the scheduled time billed at the counselor’s hourly rate.

We take seriously our commitment to both support our students’ learning and honor their academic integrity. These two goals are not simply complementary; they are inextricably linked. We understand that students only learn and grow when they are able to fully articulate their own work and words in their assignments. While our tutors do model the academic skills students need to be successful, be they mathematical problem-solving techniques or the tools of rhetorical analysis, they strive to engage students in a dialogue that helps them to crystallize their own thinking and find their own voices. Simply providing students with answers to graded assignments or rewriting papers is antithetical to the work we do. Not only is it unethical, but it also undermines the selfconfidence and intellectual development of the students with whom we are entrusted.

We appreciate your patronage and look forward to working with you!