We don’t run all our students through a cookie-cutter curriculum; instead, we design an individualized program based on their needs and goals. Therefore, we can’t give a blanket statement about how many hours of tutoring you might need until we get more information about your current score, score goals, and time available before the next test.  However, we generally recommend one of the following basic schedules: 

• Two sessions per week. This is the standard approach we advise for students who want an overview of the SAT or ACT in a reasonable time-frame (typically more than three months). 
• Three sessions per week. Students who have less time to prepare for their test (less than 2 months) or want a more intensive preparation schedule would benefit from more frequent sessions.
• One session per week. This option is best suited for students who have plenty of time until their next test (greater than 6 months) or who need help on only one section of the test. This is also a great choice for younger students (8th, 9th, 10th graders) who want to get a head start on preparation but don’t want to commit to a full program just yet. 
• Extra help (on-demand). If you don’t want or need a comprehensive tutoring program but would benefit from occasional guidance, instruction, and review with us, then you can book sessions as often as you need. This option is best for students who are self-studying, students too busy for regular tutoring, or students on a budget.

We do offer other configurations of sessions and lengths of sessions in special circumstances, so contact us and we can discuss what works best for you.

You will be billed after each week of sessions. Payments can be made with credit card or Paypal. Note that you are NOT charged for prep work we do outside of session, including: 

• Crafting your weekly study plan. 
• Updating our shared folder (see below) so that everyone – tutor, student, parents, guardians – can keep track of progress.
• Answering questions by email. 
• Creating worksheets, practice tests, and practice problems that we customize solely for our tutoring students. 

You can modify or cancel our tutoring relationship at any time. You are not locked in to any contract. 

Note: All sales are final. We do not offer any money-back guarantee or refunds for our tutoring services, but we will work with you to make things right if you are unsatisfied for any reason. 

In most cases, we’ll meet online through Blackboard Collaborate or Skype. Not only will we interact by voice, but also the tutor will be able to share his or her computer screen in order to write on a “virtual blackboard” during the session. This audiovisual pairing will make our sessions feel like we’re in the same room.  

For Blackboard Collaborate, you will not need any special software. We will provide you with a link to a private online teaching room. This is the option we use with most students.  For Skype, you will need to create a free account and send us your contact information. 

Both! A solid grasp of the content (Math, Grammar, etc.) as well as specific strategies for beating your particular test are both critical to getting a high score. Some students might need more focus on content, while others might have the content down and thus need more strategy review, but we do cover both for all students. 

Absolutely. The work we do in sessions is, of course, essential to learning the material, but reinforcing and practicing those lessons are perhaps even more important. The number of hours of homework per week depends on the student’s availability, current score, and goals.   

As described above, we design a weekly study plan with specific homework assignments to complete so that everyone (students, parents, tutor) understands exactly what needs to be completed. Assignments include watching lecture videos, worksheets, practice sections, and practice tests. 

Student improvements depend on so many factors that a one-size-fits-all answer or a blanket score “guarantee” would be inappropriate. Check out a sample of feedback we’ve received from students, members, and parents. You can also get a sense of our teaching style and breadth of knowledge by viewing our free courses or browsing our Youtube channel. Many students have increased their scores just by using the video, textual, and practice resources offered in our courses; students who combine tutoring with our materials see the best results. 

We prefer to set up a regular schedule, but we do have some flexibility week-to-week. We’ll work that out once we start working together. We have availability throughout the week and weekends. 

Our tutors live in different time zones, so we will coordinate our schedules to ensure our meeting times work for both of us.

Depending on the subject taught, you’ll need 

• A webcam or built-in/external microphone, only for the audio (no video required on your side) 
• Access to Brilliant Prep’s courses (free as described above) 
• Official SAT/ACT/other prep guide (~$20)

Sure! Some students don’t want or need a comprehensive tutoring program for the SAT, ACT, or academic subjects, but they would benefit from occasional guidance, instruction, and review with us. You might benefit from extra help if you 

• are self-studying for the SAT or ACT and need some help reviewing tests and practice problems that are giving you trouble. 
• want a custom Study Plan for the SAT, ACT, or other tests. 
• would like to “check in” with a tutor occasionally to review your progress and suggest next steps. 
• are too busy with academics, sports, and extracurriculars for regular tutoring sessions but could benefit from intermittent coaching. 
• need help completing your school homework, or studying for an upcoming test, but don’t need a full-time tutor. 
• would like feedback on an essay you’re writing or a project you’re working on. 
• have questions about the college admissions process or need advice on college essays. 

Self-motivated students, student-athletes, homeschoolers, students on a budget — we’ve worked with all kinds of students who need extra support, and we’d love to help you out too! Contact us and we can discuss options.