ACT Test Exam Preparation in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Santa Clara, Menlo Park, Atherton, Redwood City, Mountain View, Los Altos, Woodside, Los Altos Hills, Saratoga Hills, Borough, San Carlos.

650-575-5867

Philosophy

MRTESTPREP@GMAIL.COM 650-575-5867

If one thing is true for every student who comes through my door, it’s that there’s never enough time. With classes, teams, rehearsals, internships, and after school jobs, no high school student is eager to take on one more painful and tedious responsibility. And the same goes for parents. With the unending list of deadlines and sign-up dates, no parent wants one more occasion for argument, one more difficult decision. Unfortunately, the truth of the modern day college application process is that preparation is everything. That’s why, after 14 years in the business I have come to realize that I have 2 main jobs:

First and most importantly, I must build my students’ confidence and improve their test–taking skills. This means managing the stress and discouragement that are the side effects of standardized testing, in general, and SAT/ACT preparation, in particular. Often students have some subject they just can’t wrap their minds around, but for most kids, this resistance is all about confidence. At some point in their past they told themselves that they couldn’t do math or that they were bad writers. I work to expose their doubts and fears as more imagined than real and to impress upon my students that they are much more capable than they think they are. This approach serves their all-important self-image in a very powerful way. It results in exceptional test results, but it also dramatically raises the bar of belief in what’s possible. As I work with young people, I never lose sight of my real objective. I may be helping them prepare for the SAT or ACT, but ultimately, I am elevating more than just a score.

Second, I must take the burden of motivation and planning off parents. This means that there’s no need for parents to step in and ensure homework is getting done because I assign none [see: No Homework]. All work is done in session, so as long as the student arrives with a pencil and a calculator, there is nothing to worry about or budget time for. Additionally, I use my years of experience to plan when to take which test in order to maximize the student’s performance and avoid the disappointing results common to students who take the test before they’re ready. No more missed deadlines. No more guess work or partially informed advice. Just the experienced strategizing of someone whose life revolves around the students and their testing season.

In fourteen years, I have seen just about every kind of student: from the overachiever with test anxiety to the smart kid who never tries; from the Math wiz to the poet with a 504 plan; from the theater techie to the cross-country anchor; from the diligent studier to the kid who just doesn’t get what the big deal is. I’ve worked with all of them, and I’ve found different approaches that fit with their diverse needs. However, beyond all the complex strategies necessary to be an effective teacher of high school-aged students, I’ve also learned throughout my career that I really, honestly enjoy working with this age range. I’m not their adversary; I’m their ally. And I think that comes through. [see: Testimonials ]