Test prep for the ACT or SAT has become practically essential. But preparing for these tests and taking them are also pretty dreadful. Anxiety, self-doubt, boredom and frustration can make for a stressful junior year! We know all this, and we know the tests. We have helped students prepare for more than 15,000 hours (that’s almost 2 years’ worth of non-stop blabbing). The good news is that the ACT and SAT are repetitive and predictable. The other bit of good news is that we know what we are doing - 15,000 hours do tend to leave an impact. Our instruction focuses on what students need to know and how they need to take the test. These tests are not “one size fits all”; there are often multiple paths to the same answer. Our tutors strive to understand each student’s reasoning and adapt their approach accordingly.

Which test should I take?

• • The first step is to decide which test to take: the ACT or SAT. There is absolutely some content overlap between the ACT and SAT, but the two tests emphasize different content, require substantially different pacing, and each employs distinct, idiosyncratic, little tricks to bedevil test takers. On top of that, the ACT has a science section - ugh! Mastery here requires rigorous repetition.
  • So, we start with a practice SAT and a practice ACT. In our experience, there is simply no shortcut here: hybrid tests really do fail to capture critical differences between the tests and, in attempting to save time, provide flawed data.
  • Improvement is based on mastering content and on consistent performance, stemming from learning the essentials, dispassionate analysis of mistakes and from practice.

We generally meet students once a week and provide up to an hour and a half of homework: we work largely from material provided by the SAT and ACT. Because each student is different and because what each one’s needs change over time, our tutors adjust their focus accordingly, working to solidify old material and techniques as they attack new ones.

SSAT and ISEE

Should my child take both the SSAT and the ISEE, or just one?

• • • Students should plan to take and prep for only ONE test. Most schools will take either, though the SSAT tends to be the standard test, largely because of inertia. Please consult school admissions requirements, and feel free to discuss with your child’s tutor.

How many test prep sessions should my child have?

• • • 4-8 one-hour weekly sessions are ideal, though it truly depends on your child. Four sessions allow for one session devoted to each section of the test. More sessions are recommended if your child struggles with a particular test section(s), experiences any test anxiety, and/or simply finds additional sessions helpful. Multiple regular sessions do increase comfort levels and abilities, though it is also important not to overload your child as this can lead to test burnout.

When should my child take his/her first practice test?

• • • Some students prefer to take a practice test before getting started with a tutor; others like to wait until they have had a couple of sessions. Trust your child on this one. It is wise to take at least one practice test before taking the official SSAT/ISEE. We offer full practice tests at no charge in our office on Saturday mornings. It is a great experience for students as it provides them with a “real deal” feel for the SSAT/ISEE without it actually being the real deal, and it gives your child’s tutor a good view of strengths and weak spots to work on.

HSPT

How many test prep sessions should my child have?

• • • • 6 - 8 one-hour weekly sessions are ideal, though it truly depends on your child. Six sessions allow us to devote 60 minutes to each topic of the HSPT and to tackle any outstanding problems. More sessions are recommended if your child struggles with a particular test section(s), experiences test anxiety, and/or simply finds additional sessions helpful. Multiple sessions do increase students’ comfort levels and abilities, though it is also important not to overload your child, leading to test burnout.

When should my child take his/her first practice test?

• • • • Some students prefer to take a practice test before getting started with a tutor; others like to wait until they have had a couple of sessions. Trust your child on this. It’s wise to take at least one practice test before taking the official HSPT. They provide students with a “real deal” feel for the HSPT, reveal continuing gaps in knowledge and show how performance has improved. We offer complimentary practice tests on Saturday mornings.

Subject Tests are hour-long multiple-choice tests in a wide variety of subjects, including foreign languages, science, math, history and literature. Some colleges don’t require these. Others do, though the number they want can vary. Look at the list of colleges that you are considering and see if they require the tests. If they don’t, then no need to take them.

Eagle Eye prepares students for Subject Tests in:

• • • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Literature
    • Math I
    • Math II
    • Spanish
    • US History
    • World History

AP exams are held over 2 weeks in May, and each exam takes place on a specific day nationwide. The results come back in July. The exam score is generally not that important regarding admissions, though the course grade is. Some colleges will, however, give credit to students with high scores, allowing them to place out of introductory-level courses.

Eagle Eye provides tutoring for many AP Exams, including:

• • Biology
  • Calculus AB and BC
  • Chemistry
  • Comparative Gov’t & Politics
  • Environmental Science
  • European History
  • Human Geography
  • Literature & Language
  • Physics (both kinds)
  • Spanish (all kinds)
  • US History