Frequently Asked Questions

What are your credentials?

They would be an AS in Engineering Science, a BS in Applied Mathematics, an MS in Data Analytics, and an MBA, plus several technical certifications related to Data Science. I graduated each with honors and was a regular member of the Dean’s List and a handful of academic honor societies. I have been a professional private educator for over 8 years and have helped hundreds of students in that time. Thus far, I have never received anything less than sterling feedback from students and their families. For a more detailed look at my career and a little about my personal life, see the about me page.

Are you a classroom teacher?

Not currently, but I have been in the past. I taught high school physics for a small private school. I made a decision to pursue education outside of professional teaching due to certain politics of the profession which I wanted to avoid in favor of learning the technical content that most interested me.

Common Questions about SAT/ACT Prep

Not a comprehensive guide, but this covers a lot of common inquiries. I usually sit down with parents to discuss my approach to college entrance exams in as much detail as desired. Please note that I am not officially associated with The College Board or ACT.

Should my child take the ACT or SAT?

Historically, ACT was respected by colleges in the middle states of the country whereas SAT had a stronghold along the coasts. This distinction is not so strong anymore, and they have become more similar to each other in terms of content over the years. The short answer is that you or your child should take both if they are particularly serious contenders for college applications; this signals dedication to the college application process. These exams are not different in terms of real content, despite what myths may persist, though it is notable that as of 2024 the SAT is exclusively digital. What the effects of that will be on test takers in the long run are unknown.

The generally regarded viewpoint on taking either is that students should so that they have the maximum number of options for college, even if those come a few years after graduation. I am a pretty strong believer in taking time off from school to discover your strengths and passions- I did this myself in 2011 and generally had an easier time starting college in 2013 than did my friends who never took the tests.

Can you tutor for the new (2024 digital) SAT format?

Yes, some aspects of the new format are: 1) totally digital administration, 2) a shorter and less complex reading comprehension subsection, 3) an entirely calculator-based math section with some new topics from precalculus. The 1600 score format is still in effect. By far, I find the largest difference to be the built-in Desmos graphing calculator, which can trivialize many difficult math problems if you know how to use it. These are always fun tricks to show to my students.

Can you increase my child’s score by XXX points in my timeframe?

I do not make these kinds of guarantees, as it is impossible to control the variables involved. Additionally, I would very carefully read the fine print for any tutor or organization who does. What I can tell you is that a frequent result has been: increases of 200-300 points, across a span of 3 months of regular sessions, with students who were regularly performing all of my recommended homework assignments.

Are you familiar with the math/reading/writing/other section of the SAT/ACT?

Yes, I am fully versed in every technique and knowledge base for every section of every major exam. We also employ other professionals, during periods of very high appointment volume, with the same skillset.

Can you teach techniques on how to take the test better?

Yes, but I am very careful with how I explain things that might be considered “test-taking tips and tricks.” This is a loaded term that is frequently used by authors and tutors to oversell their ability to improve your score, by appealing to everyone’s desire to have secret knowledge that will make things easy. There is a spectrum of foundational knowledge that students will have, and certain tricks to solve common test questions may be easily visible to some students but not practical for others who will not have enough of a well-trained eye to notice when those solutions are valid. When applicable, I discuss all possible problem-solving methods with a student until I learn which ones they are responding best to. Then, I structure my tutorials to play to the students’ strengths.

What was your SAT score?

I don’t remember, and I can’t seem to retrieve the records- I took the test only once in 2011, when it had the 2400 scoring system. I recall my score being in the 75th percentile for both math and language arts. That’s not considered very high, but that was a long time ago before I fell in love with learning. Across an associates degree in engineering, a bachelors in math, and two masters in data science and business, I received straight A’s and graduated cum laude each time. In 2020, I received 95th percentile scores for the GRE (the SAT for graduate school). If I were to take the SAT today, I am sure I would achieve a perfect or near-perfect score- however, I don’t think this would be an impressive achievement since I am not the intended demographic.