College Test Prep and Academic Tutoring

Admissions, Scholarship and Grants Support
 

We offer statistics at every level, TOEFL, GRE, Actuary Exam P and MTEL prep, research paper coaching, Spanish, Hindi, English as a second language, and colllege application and essay writing. Our tutors can help you to use Google Calendar-- a creative, unique, free online time-management tool to enhance your time-management skills and/or an Echo SmartPen to facillitate note-taking. In addition, we can provide computer skills training at every level, including Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS, Photoshop, Quicken, Flash MX, Windows and OSX.

Help preparing for an MTEL or the Actuary Exam P exam:

The MTEL consists of two exams: the Communication and Literacy Skills exam and the Subject-Matter exam. All licensure candidates must take the Communication and Literacy Skills exam. The Subject-Matter exams vary depending on the grade levels and subject area(s) you plan to teach. Depending on the license you seek, you may have to take more than two exams.

Our MTEL/GRE/Actuary Exam P coach, Ron Gordon, has considerable experience in turning our students' failing or below-expectations grades in these exams into passing/beyond-expectations grades. Standardized tests are Ron's forté. He has always excelled at them himself and is adept at helping his students to gain the knowledge, strategies and confidence to do well in them.

Ron is a patent agent with a Ph.D. in Optics from the University of Rochester. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, with a double degree: B.S. Physics summa cum laude, B.S. Mathematics cum laude. Recently, he scored 790 in GRE/Math out of a possible 800 and passed the MTELs successfully. Ron offers preparation for the following MTEL exams:

• Communication and Literacy Skills (01): Reading Subtest; Writing Subtest
• General Curriculum (03): Multi-Subject Subtest Multiple-Choice Question Analyses; Mathematics Subtest
• Foundations of Reading (90)
• Mathematics (09)
• Mathematics (Elementary) (53)
• Mathematics (Middle School) (47)
• Physics (11)
• General Science (10)
• History (06)

Our MTEL/Bio and MTEL/Chemistry coaches, Nevin Katz and Mike Cappillino, both have substantial test prep experience, considerable bio and chem tutoring experience and solid credentials for tutoring both subjects.

Nevin graduated from Swarthmore, where he majored in Biology and did additional work in Chemistry. After earning his Ed. M. in Teaching and Curriculum at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Nevin has Massachusetts Department of Education certification for teaching high school biology. Mike has his B.S. in Biology from the University of Massachusetts Boston, graduating summa cum laude. In addition to his work with us, Mike is a researcher for a Lexington biotech firm and is on an eventual path to his doctoral degree in molecular biology. Mike has been with us for 3 years and has a long list of AP and honors biology, chemistry, calculus and physicsstudents and their parents who are always happy to sing his praises.

Free MTEL prep materials from the Massachusetts Department of Education:

Links to PDFs of the Department of Education's MTEL Test Information Booklets are available here. Our students have also found the Massachusetts Department of Education's MTEL preparation materials and the DOE's MTEL test preparation video to be helpful.

Help preparing for a GRE or the TOEFL exam:

There are two types of Graduate Record Examinations, the general exam and the subject tests. The general GRE test is often required for admission to graduate school. The subject tests can be either optional or required, depending on the graduate program. We can help you to finesse all three sections of the general exam and whatever subject test(s) you will be taking.

Success on the TOEFL requires both language skill and knowledge of TOEFL test taking strategies. Our TOEFL and MTEL/Spanish coach, Maya Reddy, has two masters degrees, substantial experience and an excellent track record for helping her students to build their language skill and increase their understanding of the test's unique structure and characteristic traps.

Should you forget what you know about good study habits to study for the GRE, TOEFL or MTEL?:

This New York Times article recommending that you forget what you know about good study habits may be helpful to you in your preparation for the MTEL, GRE or TOEFL.

Help with your college applications process:

Despite the recession, applications to expensive elite private universities are booming and they are becoming even more selective. Our tutors are fully prepared to help you to:

• build & refine your list of schools
• decide whether applying to college early is right for you
• maximize your chances of gaining admission to your top-choice school
• prepare for interviews
• strengthen your admissions case
• streamline your application process & make sure your effort stands out from the rest

What’s the Most Expensive College? The Least?

Here's what the Department of Education had to say about that in June of 2011.

College application essays:

We will help you to better position your strengths and minimize any perceived weaknesses and we will provide essay consulting and editing services. This New York Times article about application questions concerning your extracurricular activities may be helpful to you in your process.

We can also help you create a dynamic resume that highlights your key extracurricular activities and accomplishments and, if you are applying to colleges that offer on-campus or alumni interviews, we'll include interview training sessions to make sure you are prepared to shine in your interviews.

Tutors: Our current openings and requirements can be viewed here.