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Since its founding in 2012, Denver Test Prep has been committed to providing high-quality tutoring services to students from low-income backgrounds through partnerships with local nonprofits and schools.

The DTP ACHieve Scholarship is a new initiative that provides highly motivated individual students with scholarships for one-on-one tutoring to achieve their academic goals.

In 2024, DTP transitioned to ACH bank transfers as the default payment method, saving 2% on each client transaction by avoiding credit card fees. Instead of retaining these savings, DTP directs 2% of each ACH payment into the ACHieve Scholarship fund, creating a self-sustaining financial source to fund the ACHieve Scholarship.

DTP donates 100% of the administrative time and costs needed to run the ACHieve Scholarship; 100% of the money raised through the ACHieve program goes directly to students. Additional funding for the ACHieve Scholarship is provided by donations from individuals and foundations.

How the ACHieve Scholarship Works

The ACHieve Scholarship covers at least 90% of the costs for a DTP tutoring package in one of five key service areas: Test Prep, K-12 Course Tutoring, Reading Intervention, AP Exam Prep, and Academic Coaching. Families will contribute the remaining ~10% to complete the total cost of services. 

The ACHieve Test Prep Scholarship is designated for high school students preparing for the SAT or ACT exams. This scholarship awards students 8 sessions (12 hours) of one-on-one exam prep at approximately a 90% discount.

More about the ACHieve Test Prep Scholarship:

  • The standard cost of a 12-hour test prep program with DTP is $1,980. The ACHieve Scholarship will cover $1,800 (90% of the price) and families will only pay $15/hour for tutoring, which comes to $180 total. 
  • Scheduling is flexible! Most students meet with their tutor once a week for 90 minutes, but you and your tutor will figure out the right schedule for you. 
  • Students should complete & score a full-length practice test before their first tutoring session. DTP will provide this practice exam upon student registration.
  • Students should expect to receive 2 to 4 hours of homework between tutoring sessions. Students who diligently complete homework tend to improve their scores the most.

The ACHieve AP Exam Prep Scholarship is designated for high school students preparing for spring AP exams. This scholarship awards students 5 sessions (7.5 hours) of one-on-one exam prep at approximately a 90% discount.

  • The standard cost of a 7.5-hour AP Exam prep program with DTP is $1,012.50. The ACHieve Scholarship will cover $937.50 (93% of the price) and families will only pay $10/hour for tutoring, which comes to $75 total. 
  • Scheduling is flexible! Most students meet with their tutor once a week for 90 minutes starting in March or April, but you and your tutor will figure out the right schedule for you. 

The ACHieve K-12 Academic Tutoring Scholarship is designated for elementary, middle, or high school students who need support in mastering K-12 course content, completing homework assignments, and/or preparing for tests. The ACHieve K-12 Academic Tutoring Scholarship covers 16 hours of tutoring at approximately a 95% discount.

  • The standard cost of 16 hours of K-12 academic tutoring with DTP is $1,840. The ACHieve Scholarship will cover $1,760 (96% of the price) and families will only pay $5/hour for tutoring, which comes to $80 total.
  • Scheduling is flexible! Most students meet with their tutor one time per week for 60 or 90-minute sessions. You and your tutor will figure out the right schedule for you.

The ACHieve Reading Intervention Scholarship provides targeted support for students, particularly those with dyslexia or other learning differences, to help close foundational reading skills gaps. This scholarship offers 20 hours of personalized, one-on-one tutoring with an Orton-Gillingham-trained reading intervention specialist at a 95% discount.

  • The standard cost of 20 hours of reading intervention tutoring with DTP is $2,300. The ACHieve Scholarship will cover $2,200 (96% of the price) and families will only pay $5/hour for tutoring, which comes to $100 total.
  • The Reading Team at DTP is highly trained in research-based reading and writing curricula, with each instructor having over 5 years of experience. Our tutors are skilled in supporting students with complex needs, including dyslexia and ADHD, through systematic, explicit, and multi-sensory instruction. They are also experienced in social-emotional learning and coaching to meet students’ emotional needs.
  • Scheduling is flexible! Most students meet with their tutor 1-3 times per week for a 45-60 minute session – you and your tutor will figure out the right schedule for you.

The ACHieve Academic Coaching Scholarship aims to support middle or high school students who struggle with organization, studying for tests, homework completion, or other executive functioning skills. A DTP coach will work with the student to identify challenges, set goals, and develop strategies to improve these areas. This scholarship offers 16 hours of personalized, one-on-one academic coaching at approximately a 93% discount.

More about the ACHieve Academic Coaching Scholarship:

  • The standard cost of 16 hours of academic coaching with DTP is $2,320. The ACHieve Scholarship will cover $2,160 (93% of the price) and families will only pay $10/hour for coaching, which comes to $160 total.
  • Scheduling is flexible! Most students meet with their coach one time per week for 60-minute sessions. You and your coach will figure out the right schedule for you.

How to Apply

For your application to be considered complete, we must receive:

1) A completed application form

English application
Spanish application

2) First-time applicants only: A recommendation letter from an adult outside of your family– such as a current/former teacher, coach, or counselor–who can speak to your academic strengths, areas for growth, and why you would benefit from tutoring services. The recommendation may be emailed directly to achieve@denvertestprep.com.

Eligibility

  1. Residency: A student must reside in and attend school in Colorado.
  2. Income Status: A student must qualify as low-income according to the Department of Housing & Urban Development guidelines for the Denver Metro Area (See FAQs for more details).
  3. Application Deadline: A student’s application must be submitted before the deadline. Late applications will not be considered.
  4. Application Completeness: A student’s application must be 100% complete, including receipt of the letter of recommendation, by the application deadline. If you have questions about completing the application, please email achieve@denvertestprep.com at least one week before the application deadline.
  5. Number of Awards: A student can receive up to 2 scholarships per academic year (July 1st through June 30th). A student can only have one award at a time; a student cannot have two simultaneous scholarships. For example, a student can have either a scholarship for test prep or for K-12 tutoring, but the student cannot have a test prep scholarship and a K-12 scholarship at the same time.

Guidelines for Recommendation Letter Writers

In your letter, please be sure to include the following information:

  1. Make the subject line of your email “Student Name – ACHieve Recommendation”.
  2. Your name, title, and relationship to the student you are recommending.
  3. Share insights about the student’s academic areas for growth, work ethic, and how tutoring could help them overcome specific challenges and/or reach their academic goals.

Please keep your letter to less than one page and submit it via email to achieve@denvertestprep.com before the application deadline.

Deadlines

Scholarship applications are reviewed quarterly. Please refer to the schedule of deadlines below:

  • Fall scholarship application deadline: September 15 at 11:59 pm MT
  • Spring scholarship application deadline: December 15 at 11:59 pm MT
  • Spring 2 scholarship application deadline: March 15 at 11:59 pm MT
  • Summer scholarship application deadline: May 15 at 11:59 pm MT

You will receive notice of your award decision via email within two weeks after the application deadline.

FAQs

Tutoring sessions often happen at one of our offices (Denver, Centennial, or Boulder), a local library, or online. Sometimes tutoring can happen at a student’s home.

Once you are awarded the scholarship, DTP will get you set up in our TutorCruncher client management system. DTP’s standard billing procedure for ACHieve Scholarship recipients is to charge clients for 50% of the family contribution before tutoring begins and the other 50% when tutoring wraps up. You’ll receive a credit request for 50% that you can pay using a credit card, or you may choose to pay by check. If this causes any issues for your family, please let us know at achieve@denvertestprep.com. We may be able to come up with a payment plan that fits your needs.

Students are eligible for the ACHieve scholarship if their family earns below 80% of the median income for the Denver Metro Area according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development guidelines. Below are the maximum income thresholds for 2024:

PERSONS IN FAMILY

FY 202412345678
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO MSA$71,900$82,150$92,400$102,650$110,900$119,100$127,300$135,500

Our goal is to make tutoring as accessible as possible, and we cover 90% of tutoring costs for qualifying students. We understand that some families may still need assistance with the remaining balance. In these cases, please reach out to discuss payment plan options. Additionally, students affiliated with local nonprofits or community organizations may be able to explore sponsorship opportunities through those connections.

Any adult who can explain why you would be a dedicated student! Often this will be a current or recent teacher, coach, tutor, counselor, or mentor. The only people who cannot write the recommendation are family members and DTP staff.

DTP has a limited number of scholarships available each season. Students who meet the eligibility criteria are evaluated based on several factors, including the clarity of their needs and goals as described in their application, the availability of tutors, and the specific service area in which the student requires support. Students who meet the eligibility criteria and are not awarded a scholarship one season are encouraged to reapply in the future.

  • If previously denied: You are welcome to reapply as long as you meet the eligibility criteria based on your household size and income.
  • If previously awarded: You may receive up to 2 scholarships per academic year (July 1 through June 30), but you cannot hold two scholarships at once. You should only reapply when the first scholarship has been used.

Yes, any adult can assist you with completing the application form. However, if you are a high school student, you must fill out the short answer question yourself. This question asks, “Please explain why you need tutoring support. Explain how this tutoring support will help you achieve your goals.” If you prefer, there is also a Spanish application.

You will receive notice of your award decision via email within two weeks after the application deadline.

If you want to schedule additional tutoring sessions beyond what the scholarship covers, you can pay for any additional sessions via credit card or direct debit. If you find that you need fewer sessions than awarded, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible. Our goal is to award scholarships to students who can benefit from the entire tutoring package, but if fewer sessions are needed, any unused funds will be returned to our scholarship fund to support other students.

Once you have been awarded a scholarship, we will match you with a tutor whose skills and availability align with your needs. You will schedule sessions directly with your tutor and can choose to meet at a DTP office, a local coffee shop, a library, or, in some cases, at your home. Most students meet with their tutor once a week, but you can work together to find a schedule that fits best for you.

The ACHieve Scholarship is intended to be used within one semester – either spring, summer, or fall – so students can pursue the best results in school or on exams. While there is no official deadline for using up the scholarship funds, the DTP team will be in touch to discuss funds that remain unused 12 months after they have been awarded.
Once awarded, the first tutoring session must be completed within 6 months. If you have not completed your first session within 6 months, your scholarship funds will be forfeited and used for another student. 

Yes! We greatly appreciate your support. To make a donation, please visit our donate page.

Please reach out to achieve@denvertestprep.com if you have any questions about the ACHieve Scholarship application or selection process, or if you would like to make a donation to the ACHieve Scholarship fund.