Test Prep

For the SAT or ACT, we consult with your family to create a program tailored to your student’s goals, learning style, and schedule. Throughout the program, students gain a deeper understanding of test content, the patterns inherent in questions and answer choices, and strategies for each section and question type. Ultimately, students learn to make the most of the repetitive nature of the test and build the confidence and skills they need to maximize their scores.

Students will also learn how to put their strengths to work while targeting current weaknesses. We convey to our students that weak areas are not fixed attributes but temporary gaps that they have the power to strengthen with the right tools and focused attention. SAT and ACT programs require a commitment to homework and occasional full-length practice tests, but we place a premium on efficiency and works with families to make sure the program is carried out in a sensible and low-stress manner. When students put in work in a consistent and focused way, they achieve far better results than they would by completing a heavy workload inattentively. Understanding that a consistent, high-quality effort is more easily promised than achieved (for people of all ages), we follow up with students in between lessons to keep them accountable, reinforce the specific goals of their assignments, and open a dialogue to address scheduling challenges.

For students taking the ISEE or SSAT, programs are designed to minimize stress and anxiety as well as improve scores. Students of all ages learn best when they feel their strengths are seen and appreciated. This principle applies especially strongly to younger students, who may be worried about standardized testing and what their scores say about them. We take a calm, caring approach, cultivating an environment where children can feel good about the new skills they are building and see the connection to what they are learning in school. In addition to score increases, families can expect to see improvement in students’ vocabularies, reading skills, problem solving and computational skills, and writing abilities.

The College List

We will help students build a well-balanced list of colleges uniquely suited to their academic goals, personal interests, and career aspirations. The process begins with consultative interviews with parents and students as well as college and career assessments.

In addition to systematically evaluating your transcripts, test scores, and extracurricular achievements, we will incorporate recommendations from your school counselor and quantitative data from Naviance and other school-based programs. We will provide research tools, including a database of key college characteristics, offerings, and reviews written by professionals and enrolled students.

As we help you build a balanced college list and consider college majors, we will provide strategies for making the most of campus visits and demonstrating interest in your top choice schools. Your timeline for admissions will include a well-researched game plan for Early Decision and Early Action applications.