Malvern Prep and Franklin Yard: In Conversation

Sam Bellows: I was just looking at some numbers about how many Malvern kids have done 360 at this point.

We’re almost at 150 students who’ve gone through the regular 360 classes. If you just do the napkin math — nine hours of instruction per student — that’s something like 1,300 hours of live class time that Malvern students have had access to over the past few years. Which is really cool. And that’s not even counting the Advanced Seminar — I think we’ve had close to 40 students go through that as well. So yeah, pretty strong numbers at this point. It’s exciting to see.

Ian Harkness: Has it been three or four years now?

The first round was in 2022.

So this is year three. Awesome.

So I want to go back to the beginning, before all of this got started. Internally, when you were first thinking about expanding test prep on a school-wide level, how did the need first come up? What was the thought process?

Basically, we knew that we needed to change how we’d been handling test prep. We wanted to provide more for our students. And we needed someone outside the school to help meet that need.

Tara [Higgins of Franklin Yard] had always been our go-to — whenever I had a question, I’d call her. And she introduced me to you. Then Josh [Druhan] was involved too, and you two became trusted resources just as quickly as Tara had been.

What worked for us was that it was local, built around our actual needs — not a cookie-cutter model. The price was right, the connection was there, and it all aligned. And what mattered equally was the partnership — having someone to think through test strategy with. The results are great, but just being able to call and say, “Hey, what do you think about this ACT change?” — that’s been just as valuable.

Before 360, what did test prep look like at Malvern?

It was pretty typical. We had a list — if a student or parent asked about test prep, we’d hand them that list. We also had an English teacher and a math teacher offering occasional sessions — fall or spring, usually 10 or 12 students at a time. I think it cost about a hundred bucks, and they ran it themselves.

But eventually, we were at a place where Malvern could support something more. We had the funding to ask, “What can we do to support more students — not just the ones who choose to opt in and pay?”

And at the same time, those teachers stepped away from doing the prep, which forced the issue a bit. We looked at a few national brands, but Pat had a clear vision of what we wanted, and it lined up with what I thought too. In the end, it was a pretty easy decision.

Test prep isn’t always the most beloved thing among students [laughs]. What’s the response been like from students and families?

Overall, I think the students appreciated the chance to just be "real" about the test. And your personality helped — there was a little bit of that celebrity factor. I remember walking across campus with you, and a group of the Advanced Seminar boys kind of mobbed you like you were famous.

Of course, kids can go online and use Khan Academy — but that’s not personal. It doesn’t have any human interaction. This gives all the boys a chance to learn with a real person, and someone who's an expert.

For the students who leaned into the 360 program, I think it made a big difference.

And more and more, we’ve seen colleges saying they prefer scores — even over test-optional applicants.

Not every school has the resources to run something like 360, but there are smaller versions. What would you say to a colleague at another school about what to look for in a test prep partner?

A good test prep partner listens. They work with you based on your students, your timeline, your data. There are a lot of plug-and-play options out there, but they don’t always fit the way our families operate.

Having a partner who actually listened instead of selling us something made a huge difference.

Relationships matter. A lot of this world feels like sales pitches, but the partnerships that work are the ones where you actually know the people and trust what they stand for. At the end of the day, we want a partner who’s supporting students and families — not just trying to make money.

How do you see the role of something like 360 in promoting access and equity at Malvern?

That’s been one of the biggest drivers behind 360. Even before Franklin Yard was Franklin Yard, we were calling Tara to help students who needed support — and she always made it work.

As we’ve added more students on full scholarships, we’ve wanted to make sure they’re included. 360 lets us give them the same support their peers might get privately.

It’s a starting point — a chance to get focused and understand the test. And from there, families who want more can explore one-on-one support. But the first step is making it accessible for everyone.

Before we wrap up, what have been the outcomes that have really stood out to you?

Yeah definitely, a couple of things. We've seen really positive results with the number of National Merit Scholars over the last few years. And in general we've seen scores go up. But beyond the numbers, we’ve heard great feedback from students. They’ve leaned into the process. It's been great.