I just got off the phone with an overwhelmed parent. As I'm writing this, it's August 24. She signed up her son to take the ACT on September 11. She was calling back to cancel his lesson. He was so busy with other school work that he wouldn't be able to see me until the weekend. And he had just started with tutoring! You can probably see what a mistake that is. It's always easier to see … [Read more...]
Small SAT Score Increase Can Pay Off Big In College Admissions
I came across an article in USA Today that stated, "...in the new study, 20% to 40% of officials at 130 colleges that consider the SAT in admissions said a 20-point math increase or a 10-point reading increase would 'significantly improve a student's chances of admissions' if all other factors in a student's application were the same." That's how competitive the college admissions game is … [Read more...]
How to Choose an SAT Tutor – Part 4
The most important skill a tutor must have is helping a student reach his or her full potential. In "How to Choose an SAT Tutor - Part 3", we looked at are some questions that can help you figure out how good at this a prospective tutor might be. Now let's take a look at how to determine if he knows how to help your son or daughter in the areas where it's hardest to improve. 7) How do you … [Read more...]
How to Choose an SAT Tutor – Part 3
The skill and experience of the tutor who'll be working with your child is more important than the reputation of the company that the tutor works for, as we learned in "How to Choose an SAT Tutor - Part 2". Here are some questions that will allow you to gauge what level of skill the prospective tutor actually has in the most important area: How to help a student reach his or her full … [Read more...]
How to Choose an SAT Tutor – Part 2
You need to find a tutor who understands his students, as we learned in "How to Choose an SAT Tutor - Part 1". It's not sufficient for a tutor to know the SAT material and the test taking techniques. Tutors and coaches who consistently help the large majority of their students achieve huge score increases know how to help their students prepare mentally and emotionally, not just academically, … [Read more...]