Our Strategies.

“The hand you are dealt is just the starting point for development.”

At the heart of our educational philosophy is fostering the idea of a growth mindset.

This means recognizing that intelligence and abilities can evolve and expand with dedication and learning, rather than being predetermined and static.

By adopting this mindset, students can approach challenges and difficulties with resilience and optimism, seeing them as opportunities for growth rather than as insurmountable obstacles.

Example 1: Can you focus on what you DO know rather than what you don’t?

It can be difficult for students to confidently differentiate between what they know and what they think they know when taking a standardized test.

They may mistakenly assume they understand a word or question, leading to confusion and wasted time. To avoid this, it's important for students to have a clear understanding of their knowledge and use it to guide them towards the correct answer. Here’s a quick rule of thumb we like to start with on day one:

Think of a synonym for the word “big.”

large, huge, enormous, giant, gigantic…

If you’re not as confident about an option or a word choice as you are that “big” and “large” are synonyms, it’s best not to eliminate it as an answer!

Example 2: Can you make the distinction between what you know versus what you don’t?

Students will often get to a reading passage, glance at the header, and the first thing they say to themselves is “I never do well on science passages.”

Or, they look at the word choices in a vocabulary-based question and immediately focus in on the 3 words they don’t know.

While these sorts of habits make it hard to improve in most endeavors, the time constraints of standardized testing make them particularly important to identify quickly and work hard to eliminate.

Core Concepts

Efficient Reading

Standardized tests require students to practice and develop their ability to review, annotate, summarize, identify patterns and structure, clarify, contextualize, compare and contrast, and more.

To complete the test within the time constraints, most students should aim to develop a reading speed between 300-1000 words per minute depending on purpose and content. 

Writing / Grammar

Research demonstrates that, despite the fondness with which some of us recall the days of diagramming sentences on the blackboard, the vast majority of time spent ‘rote learning’ grammatical concepts is ineffective.

We help students focus on the (10-20) grammatical concepts that actually matter on test day, correct the misconceptions that they’ve likely developed over the years, and use them to quickly eliminate incorrect answer choices.

Vocabulary

The best way to learn and remember vocabulary is to focus on common prefixes and roots. Since a vast majority of unfamiliar words they encounter will contain one of (approximately) 150 Latin or Greek roots or prefixes, memorizing them can help to develop a 'sense' of over 500,000 words!

Mindset

Understanding the test format increases scores - it’s as simple as that. Students need to be familiar with issues like test timing, question types, and common mistakes before they see real improvement.

Test anxiety is real. The SAT and ACT are difficult, preparing will take time and effort during an already overwhelming period of their lives, and the stakes are high. It’s crucial to identify where and how anxiety is likely to impact performance - and not just on test day.

Materials

The SAT and ACT aren’t like the tests students will have taken before. The unique formats, question types, answer choices, concepts covered, and time constraints of each test make it impossible to prepare for without materials that mirror the test’s particular style and patterns.

Official practice tests are obviously the place to begin, but they’re limited in number and oftentimes lacking in explanation.

There’s no shortage of books on the market aiming to address this problem, and most students will have already purchased one of them before looking into tutoring. These books can appear authoritative due to the name on the cover, or comprehensive due to their length, but ultimately quantity is no substitute for quality. Practice questions may not be designed to assess the same concepts at the same level of difficulty, answer choices can be ambiguous or unlikely, and the explanations are oftentimes technically correct but educationally unhelpful.

We provide the materials to ensure that the time students are able to devote to test prep is used as efficiently and effectively as possible. We’ll help schedule mock tests with prior tests to make maximum use of them, provide practice sections chosen to test key concepts and skills in a logical order, and assign supplementary materials based on individual needs.

Problems <> Solutions

Worried that your child's test scores may not reflect their true potential? We can help…

  • Assess your child's strengths and weaknesses through diagnostic tests to identify areas of focus.

  • Develop a customized test prep plan tailored to your child's individual needs and learning style.

  • Provide one-on-one tutoring sessions to offer personalized support and attention.

  • Use practice tests to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

  • Offer test-taking strategies and study techniques to improve test performance.

Unsure which standardized test your child should take to increase their chances of getting into their dream college?

  • Offer a consultation with a test prep expert who can help guide you in making the best decision for your child.

  • Administer diagnostic tests to assess your child's strengths and weaknesses and provide personalized recommendations.

  • Review the admission requirements of your child's desired colleges to determine which test(s) they accept.

Is your child struggling to improve their test scores despite their hard work?

  • Assess your child's study habits and learning style to determine if they need to adjust their approach.

  • Offer targeted support to address areas of weakness and improve test performance.

  • Use practice tests and diagnostic tests to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

  • Offer motivational support and encouragement to help your child stay focused and on track.

Does your child experience test anxiety that negatively impacts their performance?

  • Offer resources and strategies to help your child manage test anxiety, such as deep breathing exercises and positive self-talk.

  • Use practice tests to help your child become more comfortable with the testing environment.

Are you concerned about your child's motivation to succeed on standardized tests?

  • Use positive reinforcement and motivational techniques to help your child stay engaged and motivated.

  • Help your child set achievable goals and celebrate their successes along the way.

Is your child having trouble sticking to a study plan or finding the right practice materials?

  • Create a customized study plan that fits your child's schedule and learning preferences.

  • Recommend the best practice materials and resources to maximize their test prep efforts.

Are you looking for a test prep program that can help your child with ADHD executive functioning challenges?

  • Strategies and techniques backed by research (and personal experience)

  • Develop a customized test prep plan tailored to their needs and learning style.

Do you want to give your child the confidence they need to excel on standardized tests?

  • Provide personalized support and attention through one-on-one tutoring sessions.

  • Offer positive reinforcement and motivational support to help your child stay focused and confident