With Alex Nelson, Director of Test Prep
Hi there! My name is Alex Nelson, and I’m passionate about helping each student achieve their desired score on the SAT or ACT. As the Director of Test Prep, I’ll work one on one with your student to master standardized testing. I’ve tutored the SAT and ACT for over 10 years, and achieved a perfect score on both tests.
Let’s Dive In!
I start all my engagements with a complimentary consultation, so I can get to know your student, you, and your family’s situation. Every student is unique, and each has their own score goal and target colleges. During our first session, I’ll tailor my tutoring plan to meet your student’s unique goals and challenges.
The next step in my test prep program is a diagnostic practice test. This test allows me to analyze which concepts you have mastered and which require more attention. I’ll compare the diagnostic test score to your student’s goal score in order to determine specific areas of improvement. From there, the work begins in earnest.
How it Happens
The core of my program is practice tests. This allows you to acclimate to the time constraints, get used to the style of questions, and gain an understanding of which sections and test topics you struggle with and which sections you excel at.
Your student will take a practice test for homework, and see which questions they got right or wrong. When your student gets a question wrong, they will record it in a document called the mistakes journal. The mistakes journal is a compilation of all the topics your student struggles with. This technique has proven to lead to score improvement. Your student will also outline why they missed the question.
I spend an hour before each session going over how the student did on their practice test, and what they wrote in their mistakes journal. This allows me to make the best use of my 1-on-1 time with a student. Instead of wasting time on subjects a student already understands, I focus on the ones that trip them up, and concepts they struggle with.
I will also employ live drills in sessions. By watching a student attack a problem in real time, I can spot mistakes in your form, and analyze where you spend too much, or too little, time when answering a question. With the mistakes journals and live drills, I know what problems to assign you for homework, so you see real improvement between each session.
Parental Check-Ins
I know that the test prep process can be stressful for students and parents alike, so I send regular messages to keep you up to date on the progress your student is making. I compile notes on each meeting, and share them with you directly, so you can track victories and setbacks.
Here’s a sample communication I sent to a parent recently:
Jane,
Martha has put more effort into her prep for our last two meetings, and it has paid off! After scoring a 1270 on her first practice test for me in January, she got a 1410 on her most recent practice test. This exceeded my expectations, and I think she’s got a great chance to score in the 1400s on her real test this Wednesday.
Martha and I agree that she is far from her potential on the test, so we will continue our prep for the June 5th test. I think that we will average 45 minutes of 1-on-1 time per week for the 13 weeks between now and then, making a total of 9.75 hours.
I’m encouraged by her commitment and improvement this past week, and if she keeps it up, I expect her to be scoring around 1480-1500 in a couple of months.
-Alex
Potential Improvement
Parents frequently ask me how much an average student improves their score, and whether or not I offer guarantees to match that average. I do not offer this kind of guarantee; In my 10 years of test prep I’ve learned that each student is unique, and no two cases are alike.
I do guarantee that I will work as hard as I can to help your student and to offer them all the guidance they need. I cannot take the test in your place, but I can give you the tools to take it with confidence.
If you want to get started, schedule your free consultation today; I’m always eager to meet new students. If you want to learn more about my tutoring process, check out my article on our blog, which explains my test prep methodology in more depth.
