For most Connecticut high school seniors, the following are some challenging but true facts: Test scores are the only major item that can be changed for college admissions, at least in any significant way. I certainly know many of our students hope that doing well 1st quarter will shift their college admissions chances.  And, I […]

Our fall test prep class is starting soon. I highlight the relevant part of our class description.  PSAT-SAT: Other companies create confusion for business purposes by creating PSAT courses and then suggesting that students also need to take an SAT course.  The PSAT and the SAT are essentially identical tests.  There are format differences (the […]

At the beach, at parties, at any gathering of adults who have college-bound children in the latter stages of high school, the topic of paying for college is discussed.  This was not always the case.  When I started providing test prep and college counseling advice in the 2000s,  the biggest focus among Shoreline, CT parents […]

I try not to give generic advice.  Every child is different.  But “when to begin test prep” is one of the most common questions I receive.  Here’s the analysis for most: The Gap The issue of when to prep (and how much to prep) revolves around the “gap” between the student’s goals and the student’s present […]

I know with certainty both from my years as an educational advisor and now as a Dad that strong SAT (and ACT) scores will help pay for college.  My worries about appearing self-interested have always haunted me in building a company that was sparked by idealism.  But now the evidence is clear: doing well on […]

“UConn will be her back-up” so said a well-educated mom from Guilford, CT.  The mom attended Miss Porter’s 30 years ago.  Going to the University of Connecticut or other Connecticut state schools was “unthinkable” in her words.  The mom was not as snobby as she sounded.  We were in a private conversation.  She was speaking […]