The advantage of a study buddy or two is immeasurable, and we offer discounts to all the families involved in the group with an added incentive for the one host family.
Small Group Lessons
Cost-effective Convenience
With some guidance from your son or daughter you can put together a good group by considering schedule, GPA, and PSAT or PLAN scores as a rough common denominator. As a host parent, simply find one to four other students who also want to prepare for the SAT or ACT. To get the most out of these lessons, students should be academically and socially compatible. We will tailor private Small Group Lessons to your students.
Small Group Lessons are some of the best lessons we offer for a number of reasons:
- Students tend to compete constructively in small groups
- “Two heads are better than one.” It’s nice to have a friend to call for homework help
- Students get the opportunity to teach one another, which yields a deeper understanding of the material, as they are forced to adopt another point of view to understand and explain a concept to a peer
- Parents save considerable money off our private tutoring rates
- The host home receives added savings
- Sophomore year is a great time to begin putting your group together
Curriculum Overview
Math
Matthew Makrinos
Curriculum Designer
My teaching focuses on problem solving through pattern recognition and streamlined mental flow-charting. This foundation upon which SAT materials and life situations are based is the constant underpinning of my class. I avoid teaching “tricks” to solving problems and focus on one universal problem solving method which functions as the corner stone of SAT reasoning and of all deductive logic. I stress study skills, mental acumen, time management, awareness and elimination of silly mistakes, and conditioning by encouraging students to do head math and discouraging the constant use of calculators, which drain confidence and encumber.
Critical Reading and Writing
Marlee Napurano
Curriculum Designer
My approach to the Critical Reading and Writing sections centers on exposing how literal and formulaic the verbal questions are. On that platform I have built structured and efficient techniques for each type of question and my students practice these techniques until their familiarity with the material makes them virtually immune to silly mistakes and the stress of the test. Along the way, I teach students to point out (and laugh at) all the tricks and traps in the questions and answer choices so that these can no longer intimidate or confuse. Focusing on what you know, not what you don’t, living by the Law of the Dictionary, staying literal, and breaking the test into a series of short, concrete missions (in 5-15 minute intervals) are the main principles of my curriculum.