FAQ
What are your qualifications?
I received a perfect 1600 score on my SAT in high school, and started tutoring my peers right away. In 2010, I joined (excellent!) local tutoring company Wise Owl Tutoring in Orlando, FL. 2 years before graduating with a BA from UCF, I started my own test prep business and have been a full-time tutor since then. I have 10 years and over 10,000 hours of one-on-one test prep experience. I have been through every prep book I’ve been able to get my hands on, and many, many more on education and learning theory. I eat, sleep, and breathe this test. If you can find another person who is more unreasonably, singularly obsessed with raising SAT scores, I would very much like to meet them.
What is your average score increase?
Short Answer: My average increase for students with a minimum of 20 hours of tutoring over the past year, from their pre-tutoring baseline to their highest final official SAT score, is 236 points.
Long Answer: I do not like average score increase as the primary metric of success. In some seasons, most of my students have low starting scores and therefore it is much easier to exceed my rolling yearly average. In some seasons, many of my students have higher baselines. I don’t want to view a student improving from a 1280 to a 1510 as “failing to reach my average”! Predicted score increase can vary heavily based on a student’s prior education quality, individual needs, and most importantly TIME INVESTED. Reach out to me with a clear goal score in mind, and I will be as straightforward as possible with you in what work will need to be done to achieve that score.
How does skype tutoring work?
The student will need a computer with Skype installed (account creation is free) and a working webcam. Depending on the student’s progress and needs for the day, our time is primarily spent:
Reviewing recent homework from workbooks of which we each have a copy
Working fresh SAT questions together, focusing on mindset, keyword identification, time management, and problem-solving strategy
Learning important concepts in math and grammar using screen-sharing and a shared online whiteboard space in which we can both type or “write” our work freely using a mouse (or finger or stylus, if the student has a tablet available)
Because the SAT is such a predictable test, and because technology today is so wonderful, the Skype format is not a hindrance when it comes to having clear, specific, and effective instruction, assignments, and feedback.
How much do you charge?
My current Skype rate is $150/hr, payable weekly or by-session.
How much and how often do you recommend we meet?
I recommend about 25 hours of prep for a “full course” experience. If you are already close to your goal, less is often doable. More is rarely necessary.
Most of my students meet with me for two 1-hour Skype sessions per week. Three sessions per week is fine, but only if the student can fit it into their often already-busy school year schedule along with a 50% higher homework load from me. Remember, for every hour spent with me, ideally a minimum of about 90 minutes is spent doing homework and self-studying.
what about the ACT?
Some students simply work better with the ACT. I recommend that every student takes at least one ACT and at least one SAT to find if they have a strong preference before committing to tutoring. However, all else being equal, I find the SAT a much more straightforward test to prepare for. Its time allotment is more generous on each section, and more importantly it sticks to the same patterns, required knowledge, and question types much more consistently than the ACT. Theoretically, any student with unlimited time to prepare for the SAT can get a perfect score eventually. I personally don’t think this is the case with the ACT without repeating all of grade school. For these reasons, I have focused exclusively on the SAT for years.
Do you have a score guarantee?
I do not have any specific score guarantees. However, I am as open and communicative as possible regarding student progress, and if tutoring appears to be ineffective I immediately make that clear to whomever is funding the tutoring. I want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth!
what books will i need?
The most important SAT book we will be using is the Official SAT Study Guide by The College Board, found here. For a long-term student, I also use the following 4 books on a supplemental basis:
The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar, 4th Edition, by Erica L. Meltzer link
The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar Workbook, 4th Edition, by Erica L. Meltzer link
The Critical Reader, 3rd Edition: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading, by Erica L. Meltzer link
The College Panda SAT Math Advanced Guide and Workbook, by Nielson Phu link
I usually use these books for regular homework assignments, and supply additional .pdfs for full-length practice tests.
do you do any other kinds of tutoring?
I have a fair amount of experience and success with ACT tutoring (Average composite score increase w/ at least 20 hours of tutoring: 6.0 points in 2021), but I do not consider myself an expert on the test in the same way I do the SAT, particularly when working over a Skype format.
Occasionally, a former student will reconnect seeking tutoring after having a tough time with a college math course, and depending on the course level, I am usually happy to oblige!