FAQs

All Relevant Info On Services, Pricing, Packages, & More!

Services

A one-stop service for students taking the following tests:
- ACT
- SAT
- PSAT/NMSQT
- GRE
- GMAT
- LSAT
This means tutoring for ALL sections of each test. For SAT/ACT prep, ALL necessary materials (including practice tests) are included. For other tests, much will be provided by me, but some materials will have to be purchased from the test-maker for proprietary reasons.
At present, I am only available for online tutoring.
All tutoring is 1-on-1. The student has my full and undivided attention, thus enabling a fully personalized experience.
For SAT/ACT prep, all materials - including practice tests - are included. For all other test prep, much will be provided by me, but certain materials will still have to be acquired from the test makers.

Why Me?

Sheer efficiency. My unique selling point is being the tutor who gets the biggest improvements in the fewest sessions.
I’m always thrilled by how rapidly my students seem to grow (provided they do the work), and I pride myself on consistently beating the industry standard in this regard. Most prep courses and private tutoring programs require 30-60 hours of instruction time alone (before accounting for time spent completing homework and taking practice tests).
By contrast, my typical student sees significant gains within 8 - 12 hours of tutoring. While taking practice tests on a regular basis and completing homework diligently are still mandatory, I pride myself on eliminating as much of the mindless “busy work” as possible from my already-overworked students’ lives.
The results speak for themselves. Overall, my average student gains:
- 5 - 9 points on the ACT (versus the industry standard of 1 - 4 points)
- 150 - 300 points on the SAT (versus the industry standard of 60 - 120 points)
- 9 - 20 points on the GRE (versus the industry standard of 5 - 8 points)
I have been a full-time tutor specializing in standardized test prep for 18+ years. My experience includes working for some of the most well-known boutique tutoring companies in NJ & NY (two very academically competitive states), where I taught classes, led workshops, conducted private lessons, trained teachers, & wrote curriculum.
In addition, I have a dual background in both STEM and in Literature/Writing, thus providing me with a strong foundation to teach the Verbal AND the Mathematical aspects of each exam for which I provide coaching. Most importantly, however, I have a track record that consistently exceeds the industry standard by a wide margin (see answer to “What sets you apart from other tutors or test prep options?”)
For much more detailed information on my background and qualifications, please visit the About Me page.
A big problem with many test prep tutors and companies (though certainly not all) is that they tend to err on the side of one of two extremes:
(a) Being Overly Academic - that is, they approach the exam in a rather “textbook” manner that does very little to help students understand the material intuitively or apply it strategically.
(b) Being Overly “Gimmicky” - notably, their approach is overly focused on “tips and tricks”, many of which are either:
- too broad to cover all cases
- too case-specific, only applying to one question-type which could easily be (& frequently is) changed or varied by the test-makers
- just rephrasings of common sense advice.
By contrast, my approach is:
- Process-Oriented, with a strong focus on “learning by doing” rather than following a formal lesson structure.
- Content-centered (rather than “tips-and-tricks” centered) BUT with a style that emphasizes intuitive understanding and immediate applicability of concepts over an overly “academic” or “theoretical” style.
My results justify the departure from the norm: my students typically improve 5-9 points on the ACT, 150-300 points on the SAT, and 9-20 points on the GRE. These results far outstrip the industry standard.

How it works

A typical session sees a student and I working through practice questions together. The emphasis is on learning-by-doing and having rich, interactive discussions about the content and strategies as we apply them in real-time.
In the beginning, I will focus heavily on strategy demos & guided practice; as we progress, the sessions will focus more on:
(a) short drills to provide targeted practice on a student’s weaknesses, followed by immediate feedback
(b) learning from mistakes made on homework assignments and practice tests.
Undoubtedly. That said, I am sensitive to the demands people already have on their time, and I try to keep the homework down to very manageable levels. Most of my SAT/ACT students report that it takes around (or less than) 40 minutes per day, 4-5 days a week, to complete the homework (not including practice tests). My philosophy regarding homework is that consistency beats quantity.
Every case is different. Having said that, the bulk of my students need somewhere between:
---8 to 12 weeks (with an average of 1 session per week) for the ACT or SAT. The ones who start closer to their target can often get away with 6 sessions or fewer.
---8 to 16 weeks (with an average of 1-2 sessions per week) for the GRE or GMAT. The ones who start closer to their target AND/OR are not presently encumbered by a full-time work schedule (or a similar obligation) might see a substantial gain in about 1 month, depending on their level.
The minimum duration of a session is one hour and the maximum duration is two hours.
The most typical schedule most students keep with me is one hour a week. Students who have more material to cover may opt to begin with 2+ hours a week and then decrease to one hour a week later.
I am sensitive to how incredibly overworked most students are, and I try to deliver the best value in the least possible time.

Pricing & Policies

You may either purchase hours individually on a pay-as-you-go basis OR purchase packages of hours upfront in lumpsum purchases. ***Discounted rates are applied to all packages.***
The rates are as follows (ascending order):
- 12-or-more Hour Package: $2400+ ($200/hour x 12+ hours). $900-or-more saved versus buying 12-or-more individual hours at default rate. May add additional hours at any time at the same rate of $200/hour.
- 8-Hour Package: $1800 ($225/hour x 8 Hours). $400 saved versus buying 8 individual hours at default rate. May upgrade to a higher package at any time by paying the difference.
- 4-Hour Package: $1000 ($250/hour x 4 Hours). $100 saved versus buying 4 individual hours at default rate. May upgrade to a higher package at any time by paying the difference.
- Pay-as-you-go: $275/hour (default rate). Up to 1 such hour can be applied toward a package purchase.
***Payments must be made prior to the scheduling & conducting of sessions.
***NO-REFUND POLICY: Please note that all purchases are FINAL and NON-REFUNDABLE. Any unused hours purchased as part of a package do NOT expire and can be repurposed for a younger sibling, help with college admissions essays, etc.
A minimum of 24 hours’ notice must be given in the event of a cancellation. Lessons cancelled or rescheduled with at least 24 hours' notice may be cancelled or rescheduled with no fee incurred. Cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice but prior to the start of the session are subject to a fee upto (but not exceeding) 50% of the would-be lesson fee. No-shows (or cancellations made after the start of the session) incur the full charge of the would-be lesson. In the case of students who have purchased packages, the equivalent number of hours will be deducted from the package.
When you purchase a package of hours, a discounted rate is automatically applied. See above.
Beyond that, I also have a referral policy whereby students may claim 1 free hour of tutoring (in addition to any they have already purchased) for every referral that results in a lesson with a referred student.

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