We (Linda, Nick) offer one-on-one SAT / ACT Private Prep. Linda works with the student on math, and Nick works with him or her on reading and writing (and science on the ACT). Customized both to your child’s objectives and his or her strengths and weaknesses, this kind of help offers the greatest potential for improvement. It is also the most time-efficient because we can focus attention on the areas with the biggest payoff and not waste time on areas in which the student is already functioning well. It is not uncommon for a student to need much more help with either math or reading/writing, or primarily with some subset(s) of those areas; we can readily adjust to your student’s particular situation. Finally, when considered from the standpoint of “most score gain per dollar,” private prep can be the most effective approach, though achieving this requires cooperation from the student (see effort, below).
Don’t wait too long
Though we have worked with students who achieved large score gains quickly, that’s atypical. Raising scores usually takes longer than parents and students expect. One of the most common problems we run into is that we get brought in late in the testing cycle and then have to be very strategic about what is possible in the limited time available. A couple to even several months may not be too much prep time, to give you an idea. For example, our third-born achieved a 300-point gain on her SAT, but that took about a year; if we’d had more time, she could have gone further. If we had it to do over with our own children, we’d start preparing earlier.
Improvement requires effort
We do assign homework, and we find this can be a sticking point for some. Most students are very busy (too busy?), and SAT/ACT prep may not be at the top of the priority list. That chemistry exam tomorrow may shove aside the SAT assignment. If your child can’t or won’t put in good faith, reasonably steady effort outside of the tutoring sessions, progress may be slow. You might opt for a different approach – perhaps something like the no-homework SAT/ACT Circuit Training that Linda offers locally with a tutoring partner. This Training has produced very large gains for some and significant gains for many. However, even there, though homework is not required, student engagement is vital. Showing up sporadically or mostly just going through the motions does not work well. In short, there is no magic fairy dust that produces big score gains without sustained, sincere effort.
Scheduling
Meeting about an hour a week usually works well, though a more aggressive schedule can also work well provided that the student is committed to it. Meeting for more than an hour at a time can work for students with a long attention span (that’s not most kids). Being online allows a lot of scheduling flexibility. The SAT and ACT are challenging; many questions require a student’s best ability. As such, end-of-the-day meetings, e.g., at 9 or 10 at night, when the kids are tapped, may be less effective than earlier meeting times. Before-school times can work well.