Build a Virtual SAT® & ACT® Summer Program with Online Test Prep & Boot Camps
Consider switching your typical in-person summer test prep into a fully virtual summer program with online sessions and SAT®/ACT® boot camps. Forget stressing over drive-time or last-minute schedule conflicts; whether your students have a daily soccer camp, are on a family road trip, or are away for the summer, taking your test prep online means you never have to pause their prep momentum or require in-person sessions. Trust me, with the right platforms and tools, your summer cohort will stay motivated and on track (fingers crossed!).
Why Go Virtual This Summer?
Summer schedules are a beast—vacations, camps, family visits. By moving your tutoring sessions online, you give families ultimate flexibility, you expand your reach beyond your zip code, and you keep students engaged even when they’re poolside.
Need more ideas on flexibility? Check out How to Make Summer Test Prep More Flexible.
Core Platforms for Online Test Prep
I’ve found that a two-link approach saves the day when one service glitches:
Zoom: Breakout rooms for small group drills, built-in polling to quiz on the fly, plus automatic recording.
Google Meet: Free with any Gmail account, easy for parents who already live in Calendar invites, and live captions (great for ELL or hard-of-hearing students).
Pro tip: Include both links in every session invite—if one goes down, you’ve got a Plan B!
Session-Enhancing Tools
A virtual room can feel…well, virtual. Here’s how to make it pop:
Digital Whiteboards
Use Zoom’s built-in whiteboard or a shared Google Jamboard (you can link out sparingly for free tools).
Interactive Quizzes
A quick Google Form check keeps everyone honest—and you get instant analytics.
Screen Annotation
Let students highlight passages or walk through their problem steps right on your shared screen.
Session Recordings
Want to include videos and pre-recorded lessons, too? Drop those links into a shared Drive folder so clients can view and revisit as needed—super helpful for tough sections.
Scheduling & Group Management
Your scheduling and one-on-one versus group sessions depends on your availability and what makes the most sense for your clients, of course. There are many ways to optimize your summer tutoring schedule so you can provide consistent support throughout the summer break.
Here are a few additional tips that can help with your scheduling:
Calendar Invites: Send Google Calendar links with automatic reminders—and avoid those “Oops, I forgot.” messages from clients.
Office Hours: Block one or two drop-in slots per week for quick Q&As—an easy way to give students a 10-15-minute check.
Mini-Boot Camp Cycles: Run two-week “sprints”: they create a sense of urgency, and you can advertise a “new session” every other Monday—ideal for clients who would otherwise skip out on summer prep or parents who don’t want to pay for a full summer of sessions.
Tech-Stack Add-Ons
Round out your virtual tutoring setup with:
LMS / Content Hub: A shared Google Classroom or Drive folder for slides, practice sets, and answer keys.
Community Chat: A private Google Chat with your clients (for students with parental approval and access) keeps the conversation going between sessions and allows your clients to contact you during office hours. Before you take the next step, be sure to read Why Clear Communication is Crucial for Success in Test Prep.
Payments & Booking: If you typically receive payment in-person before sessions, consider embedding a payment link, such as Stripe or Square, into your Google Calendar right in your session invites. Calendar tools will automatically ping families 24 hours before class—since the payment link lives right there, they can handle tuition in the same click that they RSVP “Yes.” No more separate emails, no more manual invoice tracking—if a session is on their calendar, it’s because they’ve already secured the spot with a click.
Need a business check-in before summer hits? Review 5 Things to Do Now to Prepare Your Test-Prep Business for Summer.
Offer Asynchronous Boosters
Not everything has to happen live. In addition to helpful videos and pre-recorded lessons, consider these add-ons:
Pre-recorded Micro-Lessons: Simple, 5-minute videos on grammar hacks or math shortcuts can be super helpful skill reminders assigned between sessions.
Project-Based Tasks: Have students turn their vacation experiences into short essays or quick journaling prompts for writing practice.
Offering your clients virtual test prep sessions is just as effective—and way more flexible—than in-person sessions during the long summer stretch. Not only will these digital boot camps keep your offerings fresh and competitive when the fall rush hits, they’ll also give your top tutors productive, engaging work even when their regular students are away on vacation. The calendar says summer is coming, so get ahead of the game by putting your virtual camp plan in motion.
Related Posts:
5 Things to Do NOW to Prepare Your Test-Prep Business for Summer
6 Key Benefits of Taking the ACT® and SAT® in the Summer for High School Students
Boosting Your College Application: A Rising Junior's Summer Bucket List
Get College Ready: Summer Strategies for Rising High School Seniors
Boost Academic Success: The Critical Role of Summer Reading for Teens
Ready to see how Clear Choice Prep can power up your summer programs (and your entire business)? Schedule a quick, free demo and let’s make this your most productive, profitable summer yet!