How It Works
We tutor students either individually or in small groups of 2-4 students. We’ll describe below the individual tutoring option. Those interested in forming or joining a small group should contact us for more information.
This is how individual tutoring works:
1. Initial Meeting. We will meet and discuss with you, at no cost, how we propose to guide your preparation for the ACT, PSAT or SAT test. (Although we discuss below only SAT and ACT preparation, we also help students prepare for the PSAT, the subject tests and the AP tests.) If you’re not sure which test to take — SAT or ACT — we’ll advise you regarding that decision.
2. Sample Lesson (optional). At this meeting, we give you a sample lesson, so that you can actually see how we tutor.
3. Setting Up a Schedule. If you choose to have us guide your SAT or ACT preparation, then we’ll set up a tutoring schedule. A typical schedule would be one in which we meet once a week, over a period of six weeks total. The sessions are either one hour long (fee is $60) or 90 minutes (fee is $85). We will meet in your home or at our home in Berkeley. We will offer a fee reduction under certain circumstances. (The cost of tutoring is less if you join a small group — call us and we can discuss this possibility with you.)
4. Tutoring Sessions and Homework. In between your tutoring sessions with us, you’ll do some homework, which consists in reviewing exam subject matter and answering practice questions. We will always be available, at no additional charge, to talk with you on the telephone about your progress.
5. First Assessment. We’ll begin by assessing your current state of preparedness for the SAT/ACT exam. Our tutoring guidance will amplify your test-taking strengths and bring your knowledge and skills up to speed in problematic areas, whether they be math, critical reading, or writing.
6. Study Guides. There are many SAT and ACT preparation guides available. For the SAT and ACT, we’ll use the practice tests in the official guides that are published by the test-makers themselves. (One of the problems with the SAT/ACT prep courses offered by agencies like Kaplan or Princeton Review is that they do NOT use the official practice tests.) For both the SAT and the ACT, we have found, however, that the official guides do not provide the best study materials for reviewing the subjects covered by the test.
We use preparation materials that are tailored to the needs of each individual student, including an SAT preparation handbook and an ACT preparation handbook that we ourselves, the tutors, have written. Each student has unique needs and preferences — we’ll use instructional resources that work well for you.
7. Practice Tests. Taking practice tests is an essential part of your preparation. Following each practice test, we’ll go over with you the questions that you found difficult, while also recognizing the progress you’re making The aim of our sessions with you will be to develop your test-taking skills and build confidence, thereby ensuring that you do well on the day of the actual exam.
Guarantee. If we tutor you and you take the official practice tests under our guidance, your test-taking ability will improve, and you’ll do substantially better on the SAT/ACT test. If our work with you does not achieve that aim, we’ll return to you the fees we have been paid, or we’ll continue to tutor you for free.
We explain our overall approach to tutoring here: GOOD TUTORING.
And see our comparison of SAT/ACT preparation with a tutor versus preparation with a company like Kaplan or Princeton Review here: TUTOR OR AGENCY?
If you’d like to discuss your SAT or ACT preparation plans with us, call us at 510-486-1050.
