Blog

Executive Functioning

March 22, 2023

Self-Advocacy for Students

Self-advocacy is an easily forgotten key to academic success. In our experience, students who meet regularly with their teachers understand material better, study smarter not harder, […]
September 17, 2020

Executive Functioning and Remote Learning

Now that we’re well into this school year unlike any other, we’re getting a feel for the obstacles students are running into with remote learning. What’s […]
January 25, 2018

Ensuring a Smooth Transition to High School

With planning and effort now and during the coming months, your eighth grader can set themselves up for a smooth transition to high school!  Why Now? […]

Learning, Mindset, and Confidence

March 7, 2022

Is Online Tutoring a Good Option for Your Child?

Our tutors have met with their students online for many years (well before the pandemic!), and over time these virtual sessions have become as dynamic, personal, […]
February 16, 2022

Mid-Year Motivation

The stretch between winter and spring breaks can feel years long. It’s not unusual at all for students’ motivation to dip during this time. We see […]
October 21, 2020

Good Grades and Good Learning

Good grades don’t necessarily indicate that a student is actually learning the material. We need to look a little more closely to understand whether or not […]

Test Prep

September 2, 2022

Webinar: New Testing Trends and College Planning Strategies

Join us on January 25! Our college planning webinar will answer frequently asked questions about a variety of topics. Along with our friends at College Inside Track, […]
July 20, 2022

CPS IB High Schools

Several CPS high schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Although the admissions process is competitive, it is less so than for Selective Enrollment High Schools. IB […]
March 16, 2022

Should My Child Take the ACT or SAT?

Which test should my child take? We recommend that students take the test they’ll get a better score on. For most students, the ACT is the […]

Math

January 19, 2015

Why Does My Child Hate Math?

We work with many students who’ve struggled in math, sometimes for years. During a first session, many say they’re fuzzy on a certain concept, that they […]
July 29, 2011

Jumping into the Deep End: Moving from Surface Structure to Deep Structure

In previous posts, Sara introduced the concept of surface structure & deep structure when it comes to problem solving. She then went on to describe the ways the surface […]
July 15, 2011

A Closer Look at Surface Structure

In her previous post, Sara described the difference between surface and deep structure in math word problems. Here, she talks about how students transfer prior knowledge […]

Reading and Writing

July 16, 2012

Help Kids Find the Passion for Reading

A common concern we hear from parents is that their child doesn’t read enough. Some children dislike reading because they find it tough; others find it […]

Applying to College

January 29, 2021

Should My Child Take the ACT or SAT for a Test Optional School?

While some colleges adopted test optional or test blind policies well before we’d ever heard of COVID-19, many more made the move after the pandemic’s onset. […]
June 17, 2020

Stand Out to College Admissions

The pandemic continues to impact the college admissions process, so it’s important to think about your applications from a holistic perspective. Don’t let that scare you! […]
October 9, 2013

Eight Ways to Apply to College

Did you know that there are eight different ways for students to apply to college? No wonder the application process seems complicated for so many high school […]

Summer Learning

May 19, 2021

Summer Learning to Build Confidence

The bad news (aka the most unsurprising news ever): a global pandemic will cause school-related shortfalls. The good news: there’s enough time this summer to take […]
May 19, 2021

Looking Forward: Preparing for Sophomore Year

In some ways, sophomore year can be a breather. Students have settled into the rhythms of high school, and have some time before the work of […]
July 28, 2020

Looking Forward: Preparing for Seventh Grade

Over the past sixteen years, we’ve learned through our one-to-one work with students that setting up a solid foundation in seventh grade leads to big gains […]