Duke Graduate • 18 Years Experience • Over 1500 Students

DOES YOUR CHILD NEED TO IMPROVE HIS OR HER STANDARDIZED SAT TEST SCORES?

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A MASTER SAT TEST TUTOR IN THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BAY AREA WHO REQUIRES NO HOMEWORK AND GUARANTEES RESULTS?

I can help. Working with high school students for over 18 years, I have developed a philosophy supported by skills and techniques proven to result in superb SAT Tutoring and ACT test results.

We all move through the world with a self-image that sets what we believe we are capable of. This self-image often under serves our potential because it has been formed by a hodge podge of experiences, some encouraging and affirming, others anything but. The sense of self is malleable particularly in young people.

I work to expose their doubts and fears as more imagined than real and to convince them that they are much more capable than they realize. This serves the all-important self-image in a very powerful way. It not only results in vastly improved standardized scores but also recalibrates the belief in what’s possible.

As I work with my students, I never lose sight of my real objective. I may be helping them ace their standardized tests, but ultimately I am elevating more than just a score.

Learn More about Our Free flood SAT Trial Session Here

My program is not a traditional “one on one” tutoring situation. I have learned from my almost two decades of experience that there is a better and less painful way to prepare kids for these tests. Over the course of each 2-hour session, students meet with me for three private, one-on-one conferences (totaling about 20 minutes per student, each session),

The value of each 2 hour session is multi faceted:

Essays are an essential part of your college application process. Many schools encourage or require an essay for admissions. Not only will knowing how to write a great essay help you get into college, but it will also help you perform well throughout college. Writing is an essential part of higher education and you will be expected to know how to do it well. Here are three things you should do to write a great essay.

We often look at our phones as a distraction, but they don’t always have to be. They can also be a useful study tool. The biggest advantage to using apps to supplement your test prep is that you almost always have your phone with you. If you are waiting for a few minutes here or there, skip social media and use a study app instead. Here are three apps that can help you make the most of your study time

Ready4 SAT

Ready4 SAT is a free app that offers realistic sample SAT questions in covering all of the subject areas. The app offers helpful explanations and tracks your progress in the different subject areas. This app offers you the flexibility to focus on the areas where you need the most improvement.

College Board Daily Practice App

The Daily Practice App comes directly from the makers of the SAT for free. This means the questions will be almost exactly like what you will experience on the test. The app also offers helpful explanations of the answers so that you can learn from your mistakes. The app provides one new question everyday so that you can set the simple goal of completing one practice question a day. You can also answer archived questions when you want to spend a little more time with the app.

SAT UP

SAT UP goes beyond offering sample questions and includes vocabulary games and other study tools to help you improve your skills. It also includes sample questions and allows you to track your progress. This app allows a little more personalization than other apps available. SAT Up can be downloaded for free, but offers in-app purchases if you want to use more tools.

Apps as Supplemental Tools

As you discover the best apps to study with, keep in mind that apps should supplement study and overtake it. Apps can offer helpful tools, but most do not offer helpful test taking strategies. They can also not replace taking full timed practice tests. Be sure to include time in your schedule to study for the SAT in more substantial ways than just using apps.

Santa Clara ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep gives his students the deep learning skills they need to perform well on a lifetime worth of tests. At his Santa Clara SAT Prep center, he helps his students overcome years worth of bad mental habits and poor confidence so they’re ready to take on the test and reach their maximum score potential. With a combination of one-on-one tutoring and group testing, Mr. Test Prep offers the best of both worlds: experience with the conditions of the test and focused, student-specific instruction.

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/3-great-test-prep-apps-and-how-to-use-them-santa-clara-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring/

Choosing a college is a big decision. If you have a long list, or your favorites are far from home, you may not be able to visit all of your options. While visiting is one of the best ways to determine whether or not a college is right for you, there are many resources you can use to narrow your search.

Gather Information

Start by visiting a college’s webpage. Look at the departments you are interested in. Check out statistics and demographics, such as student to faculty ratios. Find out what resources, clubs, and organizations are present on campus. Learn about student housing and the social environment.

Virtual Tours

Virtual tours are also very helpful for seeing what the campus is like. Many universities offer virtual walking tours that offer 360 degree views of campus buildings and spaces. These tours are complete with videos and student guides. Check out YouVisit.com to experience in depth tours of many campuses throughout the United States.

Make Calls

Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone. One of the great things about campus visits is the opportunity to talk with students and faculty about the campus and programs. You can call colleges and make appointments to speak with academic advisors, recruiters and even students. The more contact you have with a variety people affiliated with campus, the more you can develop a feel for what the institution is like.

Start Early

Once you have narrowed your choices down, you can pick a few campuses to visit to make your final choice. You can develop an excellent understanding of a college without ever leaving your home, as long as you are thorough. Develop a list of criteria so that you know what you are looking for and whether or not a potential college will meet your needs. Start your search early, so that you will have plenty of time to do research and make contacts before the application is due and decision deadlines approach.

Santa Clara ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep gives his students the deep learning skills they need to perform well on a lifetime worth of tests. At his Santa Clara SAT Prep center, he helps his students overcome years worth of bad mental habits and poor confidence so they’re ready to take on the test and reach their maximum score potential. With a combination of one-on-one tutoring and group testing, Mr. Test Prep offers the best of both worlds: experience with the conditions of the test and focused, student-specific instruction.

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/santa-clara-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring-4/

Students often use tutoring to help them achieve a short term goal: raise a grade, get through an exam, or catch up from behind. However, tutoring can achieve much more than just those short term goals. Tutoring can have significant long term rewards.

Time Management

Tutors offer important tools to help you achieve short term goals. These tools can help students throughout their academic career and beyond. One tool tutors offer is time management. Students find themselves behind or overwhelmed and turn to tutors for help. A tutor can help a student get caught up and teach time management skills so that the student doesn’t fall behind again. Learning how to keep track of dates, spread out work to meet deadlines, create a study plan and prioritize are all skills that will help you everyday.

Building Confidence

When facing exams, tutors impart confidence to their students. A tutor can help a student see where they excel and encourage them on an individual level that teachers may not be able to offer. A tutor can give students a greater sense of confidence about a specific subject or exam, or even more generalized self confidence. When students feel confident about themselves, they will feel less anxiety and will be more likely to perform well on exams or coursework. This sense of confidence can be lasting and can even help students perform well in higher education and their future careers.

Personalized Study Methods

Tutors can also help students discover their learning styles and develop study methods specific to their needs. Teachers cannot offer the individualized attention necessary to help a student discover their learning style. A tutor can take the time to find the best methods for learning for their student. When a student has developed excellent study methods, all of their studying will be more efficient and productive. Productive study time may mean that a student won’t have to spend as much time studying and will be able to more effectively engage with the material.

Long Term Tools for Success

Overall, a tutor can impart time management skills, encourage confidence, and teach personally effective study methods. These are the long term rewards that come with excellent tutoring. Don’t be afraid to use tutoring to achieve short term needs, but know that you are also gaining what you need to succeed throughout life.

Sunnyvale ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep helps every type of student—yes, even the shy ones—maximize their score potential. A lot of shy kids find the scrutiny of full one-on-one tutoring to be too intense, but at my Sunnyvale SAT Prep center, I create a safe environment that is perfect for kids who find verbal participation to be stressful. By combining group testing, with targeted instruction, shy kids can get the help they need in a way that works for their personality. No more awkward silences. No more pushy tutors. Just lots of practice and the guidance of an experienced educator.

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/sunnyvale-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring-2/

A study plan is essential to accomplishing your goals and improving your SAT score. Daily practice will ensure that you are ready for the exam, eliminating the need for stressful cramming. Here’s how to make your plan.

Look at Your Calendar

Look for free days in your calendar. Do you have a Saturday or Sunday with no sports tournaments? Is there an evening wide open? Plan big chunks of time on these days for taking timed practice tests. These tests will familiarize you with the exam and help you track your improvement.

Plan for Daily Practice

Studying for even just a few minutes a day can help improve your score. Plan a few minutes to answer a sample question, go over a formula or practice a few flashcards. The College Board’s Daily Practice App can help you accomplish this goal.

Longer Study Sessions

Block out time in the months before the exam that you can sit down for awhile and really focus on the material. Spending a few hours a week with your trouble spots can go a long way toward bumping up your score.

Plan For Tutoring

Nothing can boost your confidence, provide you with test taking hints and tips and relieve test taking anxiety like professional test prep help. Mr. Test Prep’s flexible schedules offer the opportunity to attend test prep courses when it works best for you. Plan to take time for some guided test prep.

Taper

Just like an athlete, the bulk of your preparation should have come long before the exam. Plan to taper your studies to quick reviews in the week before the exam. Take time to get plenty of sleep, eat well and exercise. Staying healthy and alert can be extremely beneficial on exam day. Alternatively, cramming will leave you feeling exhausted and challenge your ability to focus and work quickly.

You should include the most helpful study methods for you in your study plan. Be sure to customize it so that you are getting the greatest amount of benefit from your plan. Ultimately, having a plan will eliminate stress and leave you feeling prepared for and confident about the SAT.

San Mateo ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Mr. Test Prep has been a part of the San Mateo SAT Prep community for nearly 20 years. His experience working with students—from math wizzes to numberphobes, from novelists-in-training to kids who hate to read—has shown him that improving test results first requires improving a student’s confidence. To directly address this important facet of SAT prep, his tutoring program exposes students to the conditions of the test, while training them in subject-specific skills and teaching them testing strategies that can make the test much easier.

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/san-mateo-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring-2/

Studying well can make your time studying more efficient and more effective. Here are three things you should never do if you want to have a productive study session.

Group study is an excellent way to learn material and prepare for exams. What is it exactly that makes group study an effective tool for learning?

Internalizing Material

A study was performed by an associate professor of education at Washington University. The professor, Keith Sawyer, PhD, diagramed every interaction and movement of study groups as they prepared for exams, down to the “ums” and “yeahs.” Sawyer found that the most significant action performed during the group was looking up and looking down. When the students looked down they were reading through notes. As they began to internalize the material, they also began to look up at one another. Over and over again as material went from notes read on a page to concepts being discussed and internalized, students went from looking down to looking up. When you study alone, it is not likely that you will look down, read your notes, and then look up and restate the material in your own terms. Simply reading through notes is a common method of individual study, but doesn’t require engagement with the material.

Explaining Material

In groups you have the opportunity to explain material to colleagues. Helping a friend who is having a more difficult time understanding specific concepts will help you have a firm grasp of the material yourself. Likewise, peers can help you grasp concepts you are struggling with.

Auditory Learning

Listening and speaking is another form of engaging with the material. As you interact with the material in a variety of ways ( reading, hearing, speaking ) you will be more likely to internalize important concepts. Most students will not speak the material or listen to it while studying alone.

More Minds

All of your peers have also attended lectures, read the material and taken notes. If there is something you missed, it is probable that someone else recorded it. As peers come together to share material, you are all more likely to cover all of the necessary topics.

What To Avoid

Groups are advantageous in a variety of ways, but be wise about your group study time. Choose groups that are able to stay focused and on topic. Also choose groups where each member comes prepared and has something to offer. Of course individual study is often necessary, but group study can augment your learning. Find a group you enjoy and work well with and see if it improves your exam scores.

Cupertino ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Students generally dread test prep classes. They’re boring, difficult and pointless, or so most kids think. But they’re also necessary… Recognizing this, Mr. Test Prep has created a new approach to SAT/ACT tutoring that gets the job done without all the pain and frustration of traditional programs. Rather than depleting the finite well of motivation your student will need to get you through senior year, come to Mr. Test Prep for the most painless—dare I say fun?—SAT Prep in the Cupertino area. Specializing in the psychology of test taking, as well as the academic practices required to succeed, the lessons learned at our Cupertino SAT Prep center will empower your student both on Test Day and in their future academic endeavors.

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/cupertino-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring/

It can be hard to ask for help, but finding a tutor for the SAT when you need one can make all the difference in your score. Here are 3 signs you need to seek out help.

1)Practice Test Scores Don’t Improve

If you have been taking practice tests, studying and practicing again and you don’t see any improvement, you may not be using the best study methods for you. When you don’t see a change in your score, your study time isn’t helping you. A tutor can help you develop the best study methods for your learning style and offer test taking tips that can improve your score.

2) Anxiety

Feelings of anxiety won’t go away on their own. To relieve anxiety you need to build up your confidence about your ability to do well on the test. Having a thorough understanding of what the test will be like can also help eliminate anxiety. An SAT tutor will offer tips for relieving anxiety on test day so that you can perform your best. The added benefit of feeling prepared and confident will also reduce stress and anxiety.

3) Trouble with Timed Test

It can be hard to force yourself to stay within the allotted time when you are practicing. However, the pressure of taking a timed test can be one of the most challenging aspects of the SAT. If you do not practice in a timed setting, you may be entering the test unprepared. Mr. Test Prep offers timed practice tests in a setting the emulates the setting of the real SAT. Not only will you learn to work under the pressure of time, but you will also learn how to stay focused in the face of distraction.

An SAT tutor that helps you feel confident about the SAT is a worthwhile investment. If you want to improve your score beyond what you can accomplish alone, don’t wait to get help until it is too late. Get in touch with Mr. Test Prep to see how our tutoring program can give you the tools you need to achieve the score you want.

San Jose ACT SAT test prep tutoring

By marrying the best of private instruction with the best of group practice, Mr. Test Prep’s San Jose SAT Prep program supplies students with the resources they need to succeed. Having served San Jose’s SAT Prep needs for the last 18 years, Michael Romano is uniquely qualified to instruct students on the content of the test and advise parents about how best to plan the SAT/ACT season. To learn more, book a Free Diagnostic Session today

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/3-signs-you-might-need-an-sat-tutor-san-jose-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring/

A simple formula for exactly how many hours should be spent prepping for the SAT would certainly make test prep easier. The truth is no two students are the same, therefore no two students will need exactly the same amount of time to prep for the SAT. There are a few ways to gauge how many hours of study you will need to prepare for the SAT.

Practice Test

Take a timed practice test. Your results will help you gauge how many hours you need to spend prepping for the real exam. Develop your target score and see how much you need to improve your score. The bigger the discrepancy between your practice test score and your goal score, the more time you will need to focus on test prep.

How Many Weeks

The amount of weeks you have given yourself to study before the SAT will also influence how many hours a day you need to study. If the test is months and months out you will only need to study a few hours a week. If the test is in two months or less and you have just started studying, you may need to put in a few hours a day. The Choice, A New York Times Blog, suggests registering for an exam that is at least eight weeks out to give yourself enough time to study without needing to cram.

Practice Test Again

Taking a timed practice test again, after you have put in time studying, will help you decide how quickly you are improving. If you saw significant improvement, stick with your plan. If you are not improving, revise your strategy, plan for more hours and consider test prep help.

Your Own Chart

There is no universal chart for the perfect amount of study time. You need to discover how comfortable you feel with the exam, how much you need to improve, and what skills need to see progress, then develop your own plan and stick with it. The important thing is to actually develop a plan and use it. Don’t put off studying until the last minute. The sooner you get started, the less time each week you will need to devote to test prep.

Keep in mind that extra steps to enrich your learning such as reading above and beyond classroom material, or working on problem solving skills, may not be directly counted as hours towards test prep, but they will certainly improve your score.

Palo Alto ACT SAT test prep tutoring

With over 18 years of experience, Mr. Test Prep operates the premier Palo Alto SAT test prep program. By combining one-on-one SAT tutoring with free SAT practice tests, Mr. Test Prep offers the benefits of private SAT tutoring (focused attention, tailored instruction, a human connection) in a group environment, which prepares the student for the SAT test experience. Students who attend his Palo Alto SAT Test Prep program will see their hard work and dedication reflected in significant score increases. Call Mr. Test Prep today and get prepared!

via Mr Test Prep http://mrtestprep.com/studying-for-your-sat-how-many-hours-guide-palo-alto-act-sat-test-prep-tutoring/