Posts in teens
SAT or ACT: How to Decide?

Ever wonder whether the SAT or the ACT was the right “fit” for YOUR kid? If so, you’re not alone! It’s the question I’m most often asked by concerned parents. In this piece, I give you the unvarnished truth — advice from the heart and my 30 years of tutoring all kinds of teens for BOTH exams.

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So What is it That a College Application Essay Coach Does, Exactly?

No: I don't write kids' essays for them. No: I don't earn millions by bribing your kid's way into Stanford. So, as a college application essay coach, what is it that I do exactly? In the words of one client, I "motivate" "students [to] achieve the good results... lurking beneath the surface."

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How to Find the Right College Essay Coach for Your Kid

As more and more colleges adopted “test-optional” admissions policies in the wake of COVID-related SAT and ACT cancellations this spring, the personal statement will play an even greater role than it has in recent years. Read on to find out Dr. P.'s top 4 tips to find the right college essay tutor for your child.

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Making It Through May and June

Is your middle or high school student struggling to finish (or start) schoolwork every day? Master teacher, tutor and private academic coach Dr. P. gives parents five concrete steps to facilitate their kids' academic progress during the last two months of school.

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Tutor Advises How To Deal With the Cancelled SAT

As a tutor, I've received several calls, emails, and texts from confused and worried parents of HS juniors whose SAT on March 14, 2020, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.  What follows is a summary of my advice to them -- and to all parents facing the same circumstances.

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