FAQ
When should my student take the SAT?
The answer to this question is unique to each student. There are typically a few questions that I ask to get a sense of when it may be best for a student to prepare for and take the SAT.
1) Has the student completed Algebra II? For students who are completing Algebra II their junior year, I typically recommend a late spring test date or preparing for the test over the summer and testing in August.
2) What time constraints are present during certain parts of the year? This can include extracurriculars, a job, special programs (e.g. study abroad, camps). We’re ideally looking for a time frame during which your student can commit to 2-3 hours of homework each week, along with a 1-hr weekly tutoring session.
Other considerations include your student’s AP Exam Schedule, as the May SAT typically falls the weekend right before AP Exams begin.
Additionally, I recommend that most students try to take the test on back-to-back test dates (e.g. November and December) so as to avoid long stretches of time between testing. I typically don’t recommend testing in December for the first time, as the next test date isn’t until March. The same logic follows for the June SAT (the next test date isn’t until the end of August).
Pod Tutoring or Private Tutoring?
Private tutoring is a great fit for students who are seeking a more tailored and personalized experience for prep. I typically recommend private prep over pod prep to students who are scoring below 1000 on a PSAT or diagnostic exam or for those who are scoring above a 1400 on a PSAT or diagnostic exam.
Pod tutoring makes sense for students who have less score-oriented goals with SAT prep: becoming familiar with the test, gaining confidence, understanding content more. Pod tutoring also makes sense for score-oriented students and higher scoring students (1200+) who are motivated and committed to the work but just need a little guidance, accountability, and structure.
Additionally, pod tutoring is priced to be a very accessible price point for most families.
What does a typical week of tutoring look for a student?
I assign 2-3 hours of homework per week and generally recommend that students spend 15-20 minutes every week reviewing extensive Google Doc notes and Virtual Notebook notes before they dive into their homework.
Students are either completing homework on the digital learning platform or from the Bluebook App. After the homework is submitted, I take a look at what the student missed a curate a lesson for the session. Much of the session is spent covering questions missed, but if I notice there’s a certain concept or strategy that needs reinforcement, we spend time covering that.
Some sessions may be dedicated to working with pacing. I oftentimes have students do live, timed practice in session so we can do some troubleshooting if there have been consistent pacing issues on exams.