Why athletes?

 

I’ve spent the last three years covering recruiting for both a Power 5 college program (University of South Carolina) and for high schools in the state of South Carolina. I’ve found that while athletes have an abundance of coaches and trainers pouring into them on the field, a void exists on the academic side. With such a hectic schedule, it’s often difficult for athletes to attend general tutoring and test prep sessions. When there, they often find a teacher that does not understand them or they feel unintelligent. These tests are designed to challenge students mentally so building confidence is a key part of tutoring the SAT. Because of this, athletes can benefit from curriculum made specifically to suit their needs.

 

Are non-athletes allowed to attend classes?

 

Yes. While I use athletic principles to illustrate points these classes are by no means closed to non-athletes. Other students can also benefit from the teaching methods used in these classes. The SAT and ACT are far greater than one question or type of question. Accordingly, my teaching methods revolve around learning how these tests work and what they are actually testing more than simply handing out practice test after practice test.

 

Where are classes held?

 

Most classes are held at Reed’s Academy in Waxhaw. The 8500-square foot facility has a 24-person tutoring room. We also teach private classes for classes for teams and organizations. If you are interested in hosting a class at your school talk to your athletic director.

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How do you tutor a 4-hour test in two hours?

 

There's no doubt that it would take several days and even weeks of tutoring to teach each individual concept tested on the SAT and ACT. However, doing so is not necessary to increase scores. Instead of focusing on a large number of individual concepts, we focus on the bigger picture. During our prep classes, we teach students testing strategies such as time management, how to quickly recognize which questions will be easy and which will be difficult, and how to eliminate incorrect choices — even on questions they may not fully understand. The SAT and ACT are stressful, so learning how to take each test can be as helpful as learning the material on the tests. Our tutoring methods are designed to make the most of students' time by focusing on the things that can be most easily replicated rather than practicing all possible questions. 

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Why don't you spend as much time on the reading as the writing and math sections?

 

We focus on what we know students are most likely to see on the test. Accordingly, we spend more time on the sections with questions that show up on most tests. Every reading passage is different, so while it is possible to teach general strategies, practicing a specific question type (even repeatedly) does not typically lead to more success on that type of question. Finding the main purpose of one passage does not help a student find the main purpose of another. Conversely, the math and writing sections have a number of "hard and fast" rules that frequently appear on tests and never change. These concepts can often be taught quickly and  are rarely missed once learned. 2+2 is always four, no matter how it is asked. Because of this, we spend more time teaching tips and strategies that students can most easily replicate on their test.

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Do you offer private tutoring?

 

We offer one-on-one tutoring on a first come, first served basis. These private tutoring sessions do cost a bit more but we offer discounts to small groups of three or more. These groups often meet once or twice a week for 3-5 weeks and cover more specific questions.

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