Introducing Outliers ACT Prep: A New Name for the Same Mission

A new name, the same mission—to transform lives.

From High School Dropout to All TN Academic Team

I started this company because I know what it feels like to struggle—and because my mentors showed me that we are always one decision away from the person we are and the person we want to be.

At Farragut High School, I was a horrible student. I barely went to class, had to retake Algebra I five times, and eventually dropped out altogether. I tried to make it in the real world without a high school diploma—and quickly realized life wasn’t going to unfold the way I had hoped.

So I made a choice. I got my GED and enrolled at Pellissippi State Community College. There, everything changed. I was fortunate to have mentors take me under their wings and teach me how to be successful—not just in school, but in life.

It worked. I made nearly a perfect 100% in every math class I took. I became president of the student body, earned a 3.84 GPA, and was named to USA Today’s All-Tennessee Academic Team—all before transferring to Maryville College, where I completed my degree.

The Birth of a Mission

While at Maryville College, my friend Ransford Sarfo started a nonprofit called P.E.A.C.E.—Peers Encouraging the Achievement of a College Education. I joined soon after, and together we began recruiting college students who had overcome at-risk pasts to speak in high schools serving at-risk students.

At these events, we shared our stories and helped students connect the dots between their dreams and the doors college could open. We then paired them with mentors who not only helped them get to college, but also made sure they were ready to succeed once they arrived.

The program was a hit—and in 2014, it was recognized with the Harold Love Outstanding Community Service Award by the State of Tennessee.

After graduation, Ransford and I wanted to find a way to make P.E.A.C.E. sustainable full-time. The one thing we had that aligned with our mission and was monetizable was ACT prep. So, I started offering ACT coaching on the side to see if there was demand.

It turned out there was—more than I expected. I filled up, started hiring other coaches, and that’s how our ACT program was born… 13 years ago.

How Far We’ve Come

What started as a side hustle to support a nonprofit mission has grown into a nationally recognized program that’s helped thousands of students rewrite their academic stories.

• Thousands of students coached
• Students from 21 states and counting
• A team of 15+ passionate staff and coaches
• A mission that goes far beyond test scores

We’ve come a long way since those early P.E.A.C.E. events—but our heart is still the same: helping students transform their lives through belief, mentorship, and opportunity.

Our Mission

We help students transform the trajectory of their lives by:

• Fostering belief in themselves
• Building the character and habits that drive long-term success
• Equipping them with the skills to pursue meaningful, challenging goals—on the ACT and in life

We train students for the ACT like elite athletes train for a major event. The test becomes a proving ground—a chance to practice high-performance strategies, develop resilience, and see tangible growth.

While a higher ACT score is a powerful outcome, it’s the personal growth our students go through to get there that matters most. The tools they build in our program help them pursue—and achieve—big goals long after test day.

What Makes Us Different

In business, we try to be the change we want to see in education:

• We’re one of the only programs in the country with a five-point composite increase guarantee.
• We offer a 34+ Guaranteed Year-Long Program for students starting at 28+.
• And we’ve honored our guarantees—every family who was unsatisfied and asked has received part or all of their money back.

We don’t believe in “commitments” that aren’t backed by results. Our programs are rigorous, and the guarantee depends on students putting in the work. But when they do—transformation happens.

What’s Next

Why the change? In short, we’ve outgrown our original name—and the ACT organization asked us to choose a new one.

We took that opportunity to pick something that reflects what we’ve been doing all along: helping students rise above the average, grow in confidence and character, and become true outliers—in testing and in life.

We’re still the same team. Still offering the five-point guarantee. Still challenging students to think bigger, show up fully, and grow every week.

Only now—we’ve got a name that matches what we truly stand for.

We produce outliers.

We’ve worked with students in 21 states—and we’re just getting started. Our vision is to become the world leader in high-impact ACT prep for students aiming for five-point increases and beyond.

If you know a student who deserves the best opportunity to beat this test, send them our way: OAprep.com.

Help us spread the word. Because one decision really can change the trajectory of a life.