SAT ACT Test Prep

Old school doctors were blunt. Years back, my friend’s very overweight dad went to the doctor.  The doctor asked him rhetorically: “do you want to live to see your grandchildren?”  And, then proceeded to tell him that he wouldn’t if he didn’t start losing weight now.  Aggressive advice.  Yes.  But it worked.  He lost a […]

We are facing an epidemic of anxiety and depression in teens.  Given my work, I’ve researched and considered the issue extensively.  I’m certain that isolation – largely brought on by overreliance on technology – is the main culprit.  Boys playing video games and girls endlessly SnapChatting are the equivalent of eating eating buckets of candy: enticing […]

Since I have been working with high school students for the last 15 years, I have kept in touch with a reasonable number who have had to take tests for graduate school and/or their professional certifications. My favorite calls come from students who tell me that they   “hated standardized tests” until they came to our […]

“Generally, nothing carries more weight in admissions than grades (plus strength of the high school curriculum) and ACT/SAT scores.”  Reading the recent NY Times article “What Colleges Want College admissions craziness is about to be sprung upon Connecticut high school juniors.  If you are a parent, you will start touring colleges and you will hear […]

Some of our college counseling work is depressing as we see our fellow Connecticut parent-neighbors suffer over how they are going to pay for college. Over the last few years, I’ve become delighted knowing that we have the key to help our clients pay for college. Not too long ago, my dread of looking self-serving […]

All Connecticut public school students have to take the SAT as part of graduation requirements.  The SAT will be important for many students to (1) gain admission to colleges of their choice (2) pay for their college and (3) their self-esteem. I  am often asked when to begin.  Connecticut Juniors should absolutely positively start now. […]

Aleutians from Alaska (more commonly referred to as Eskimos) do not need to do as well on the SATs as do white students from Connecticut.   That’s simply a fact.  To be clear, I grew up in the New York area.  I’m first generation on one side of my family and most of my high school […]

I am often asked for college counseling advice by friends and family from states well beyond Connecticut. When students are freshmen, I tell the parents to maximize grades and activities.  When students are sophomores, maximize grades and develop depth in an activity. The best advice for most high school juniors applying to competitive colleges: maximize […]

For all the noise and perhaps wishful thinking regarding SAT scores not being super important for most every elite college, take a look at Early Action and Early Decision results from your local Connecticut high school.  The Ivy League universities are releasing their decisions now.  Some already have and some will be soon. Since we work […]

Yes, I know, it shouldn’t be so but it is… as Connecticut high school juniors get their PSAT results back, they can’t help but hear about the success of some of their classmates.  “I heard Katie scored 1350” and so forth. Parents and educators are often quick to counter that the student who scored a […]