The EdisonOS Podcast

In this episode, Gus Elmashni, an experienced test prep coach, breaks down what families still get wrong about both the SAT and ACT, from not knowing the SAT is now digital and adaptive, to misunderstanding the test optional versus test required landscape, to assuming the SAT is still heavy on vocabulary the way it was decades ago. Drawing from his work with students in California, Gus explains why the ACT can be more unforgiving than the SAT because one weak section drags down the entire composite average, while the SAT's adaptive format still allows students to reach near 1400 even after missing several questions.He discusses his hybrid diagnostic exam, a custom mix of SAT and ACT sections paired with a self-reporting spreadsheet that generates a predicted score for both tests, and shares why data alone does not always determine the right choice, because sometimes a student's comfort level with the math and their gut feeling about the strategies matter just as much as the numbers.

In this episode, Hannah Pinter, founder of Impact Tutoring, shares how her belief in the zone of proximal development, the gap between what a student can do alone versus what they can do with the right guidance, shapes every session she runs, and why one on one tutoring creates the ideal environment for students to build not just academic skills but genuine confidence and intrinsic motivation. Drawing from her work with middle and high schoolers in the Seattle area, Hannah explains why she encourages virtual tutoring for SAT prep specifically, since the test is now digital and working online keeps students in the same interface they will see on test day.She discusses how many students arrive without the basic grammar foundation the SAT actually requires, why understanding sentence structure helps with both reading fluency and grammar questions, and shares her view that while AI can be useful for generating targeted practice problems and summarizing session notes, the accountability, back and forth conversation, and relational aspect of tutoring are things technology cannot replicate.

In this episode, Lizz Wilson, an AP specialist in math and science, breaks down what separates students who score a five from those who just get by, pointing to early preparation starting around January, daily practice with flashcards, time management across multiple AP exams, and the habit of reviewing FRQ scoring guidelines to understand how graders think. She explains how to choose between AP Calculus AB and BC and AP Physics 1 and C based on a student's grade level, math foundation, future academic interests, and what their school actually offers.She shares her ideal four month prep roadmap, finishing content by mid March and spending the final six to eight weeks on practice tests at a pace of roughly one per week, and lays out a realistic crash course plan for students who come to her with only thirty days left, requiring at least two hours of daily prep, two weeks of focused content review, and two practice tests per week under real test conditions.

In this episode, Arthur Smith, founder of Arthur Smith Advising and former dean of admissions at Cornell University, and Leigh Smith, a test prep specialist with more than ten years of experience, break down two of the most misunderstood tools in a student's college prep journey, the PSAT and the AP exam. Arthur explains why AP courses signal ambition to admissions committees, why students who take the course should almost always take the exam, and why students at schools with fewer AP offerings should not panic but instead focus on excelling within what their school provides.Leigh clarifies that the P in PSAT stands for preliminary and not practice, walks through how the sophomore and junior year tests serve different purposes, and shares why tutors should be using a student's existing PSAT report as a diagnostic tool rather than immediately administering a separate practice test.

In this episode, Arvin Vohra, founder of Vohra Method Tutoring, shares how his core philosophy of bringing rigorous Socratic style teaching into a group class setting has guided everything he has built, and why he now believes the SAT and ACT have become, in an age of AI inflated grades, the only truly reliable measure of student ability. Drawing from years of working with students across all score levels, Arvin explains why he advises students to prepare for both the SAT and ACT rather than picking one based on practice tests, which he believes both companies deliberately make easier to influence where students spend their money.He discusses why the second module is where top scores are actually won or lost, why writing out every single step of every math problem is the fastest fix for strong students who are leaving points on the table, and shares his belief that fifteen minutes of serious fiction reading every day is the single most impactful habit a student can build, improving not just reading scores but math, essays, and intellectual depth that top colleges are genuinely looking for.

In this episode, John Brown, founder of PrepTopia Test Prep, shares how the ACT's acquisition by ETS and the shift away from science as part of the composite score are two of the biggest changes most families are still catching up on, and why the wave of schools reinstating testing requirements signals that the test optional era may be winding down. Drawing from his experience of personally taking both the SAT and ACT in the same month, John explains why he still relies on a diagnostic first approach rather than defaulting to one test, steering students toward whichever test offers the most growth potential for them specifically.He discusses his hybrid model of one on one tutoring combined with group sessions and his hours of power format where students watch an expert break down the hardest questions live, his diagnose, target, drill, and retest loop, and why he advises most students to plan for two to three attempts, stopping when scores are no longer improving by at least thirty to fifty points.

In this episode, Amy Seeley, of Seeley Test Pros and LEAP, shares how over 30 years in test prep has shaped a goal-first philosophy where understanding what a student and family are truly trying to achieve matters just as much as the score itself. Drawing from experience working with students across all scoring levels, Amy explains how she decides between the SAT and ACT by looking at a student's reading habits, vocabulary strength, and comfort with algebra, and how the enhanced ACT's shift to two-thirds verbal and the removal of science from the composite has changed that decision for many students.She discusses how she diagnoses knowledge gaps by asking students not just what they missed but why they missed it, why grammar instruction tends to move the needle fastest for students stuck in the mid-range, and shares why high achieving students often struggle not with the hardest questions but with the simplest ones, tripping over carelessness and overconfidence rather than content they do not know.

In this episode, Nicholas Sennott, founder of The College Lad, shares how nearly fifteen years in test prep led him to build a practice focused on helping already strong students push from good to great, specializing in moving students from the 1300 to 1400 SAT range toward 1500 and from the high twenties on the ACT toward the mid-thirties. Drawing from his experience working one on one with high schoolers, Nicholas explains why the skills needed to cross those upper score thresholds are so different that it almost feels like learning a completely new test.He discusses why the digital adaptive format means that three or four questions can represent a 200-point jump depending on which second module a student ends up in, why students stuck in the 1300s should focus on grammar rules as a short term fix and closer active reading as the longer term habit that moves the needle most, and shares his view that four test attempts is the right number for most students, with the first one serving mainly to get comfortable in the testing environment rather than to hit a target score.

In this episode, David Blobaum, an expert on college admissions and AP strategy, traces how the original purpose of AP exams as a way to earn college credit has quietly evolved into a tool for authenticated proficiency at a time when grade inflation has made high school GPA nearly meaningless. Drawing from data including UCLA's 60 year freshman survey and NAEP proficiency scores, David explains how a landscape where 84 percent of college bound students carry an A average has pushed top schools to rely more heavily on AP scores than ever before.He discusses how the discontinuation of SAT subject tests in 2021 accelerated this shift, why only fours and fives really matter for admissions at top 50 schools, and shares his prediction that in the next five years more colleges beyond the top 50 will begin recommending or even requiring AP exam scores as grade inflation shows no signs of reversing.

In this episode, Doug, an experienced AP math tutor, shares how leaving classroom teaching behind led him to a more fulfilling one on one tutoring practice where he could focus entirely on working directly with students across a wide range of math subjects. Drawing from years of private tutoring experience, Doug explains why the students who excel at AP are not just technically skilled but adaptable, reading carefully, thinking flexibly, and knowing when to reach for a graph instead of an equation.He discusses the three core approaches every AP Calculus student needs, graphical, numerical, and algebraic, and why students who rely on only one method tend to struggle even when they have reached the AP level. He also shares what a tutor can and cannot realistically do, being clear that a tutor can pinpoint weak spots and guide the work but cannot replace the consistent effort and time a student must put in on their own.

In this episode, Megan Padden, owner and founder of O.W.L. Educational Services, reveals about what the PSAT really measures and how families should use it as a readiness tool for the SAT rather than a scholarship checkpoint. Megan explains common early mistakes students make, why practice matters even when a score won't count toward admissions, and how the right age to start prep often comes down to a student's math background. She breaks down which skills matter most for PSAT success, why students trained to read every word in school struggle with pacing on test day, and how she diagnoses whether a student needs content repair or strategy coaching.The conversation also covers building a realistic study routine, interpreting rescores without overreacting, which AP subjects reward deeper understanding over memorization, balancing multiple AP preps without burnout, how digital testing has changed preparation, lingering learning gaps from the COVID era, and why strong academic students can still underperform on standardized tests due to testing anxiety.

In this episode, Dan, Test Prep Director at Galin Education, breaks down why the PSAT is low stakes, low risk, and often misunderstood, with most students simply not knowing what it is or what it can offer rather than misunderstanding it outright. He explains the score ranges that signal real National Merit potential, around 28 to 29 and above on the ACT or 1350 and higher on the SAT, and why prepping for the PSAT looks almost identical to SAT prep given how closely aligned the two tests have become.He discusses how the section adaptive format works in practice, why getting students into the harder second module is the real key to a top score, and shares his honest take on the new digital ACT, including why he still recommends paper and pencil over computer for students who have the choice, and what the ACT still needs to catch up to where the SAT's digital platform already stands.

In this episode, Rhea Wanchoo, co-founder of M&W Education, shares how her background in academic psychology shaped a company built at the intersection of test prep, college admissions, and student confidence. Drawing from her experience working with students through high school and into the college transition, Rhea explains why effort alone is never enough and why the biggest gap she sees is not hard work but the absence of structure, clear feedback, and a personalized system.She discusses how the computer adaptive format of the digital PSAT triggers a different psychological reaction than the old paper based test, why high GPA students still struggle on test day due to anxiety and poor simulation of real conditions, and shares why she considers the overwhelmed student the hardest to help, not the underprepared one, because stress blocks execution even when the ability is fully there.

In this episode, Michael Scheller, an experienced test prep coach, shares his direct and no-nonsense perspective on PSAT and AP preparation, explaining why he believes prepping specifically for the PSAT is a waste of resources and why strong SAT prep naturally covers it. Drawing from tens of thousands of hours working with students across New Jersey and Connecticut, Michael breaks down how cutoff scores, state testing requirements, and AP placement policies vary dramatically by district and why knowing your school is the single most important rule.He discusses the dangers of overloading on AP courses, sharing a real student story where jumping from one AP to five led to a downward spiral that was only reversed by scaling back, and warns families against blindly following advice from social media, reminding listeners that what works in one state can be completely irrelevant in a highly competitive market like New Jersey or Massachusetts.

In this episode, CJ Palma, founder of CJ101 Tutoring, shares how his unique background in marine science, computer science, and psychology shapes his approach to teaching AP Environmental Science, and how growing up as a second generation American informs the empathy driven strategies he brings to test prep. Drawing from his own academic and entrepreneurial journey, CJ explains why building resilience in students matters just as much as the score itself.He discusses common misconceptions students have about the digital and adaptive PSAT, including how to handle the emotional reaction to a tougher second module, the careless calculator errors he sees most often, and why he believes consistent quality study time matters more than cramming, while also reminding students that what they take away from this process goes far beyond the test score.

In this episode, Philip Bates, who leads college readiness at UWorld, reveals how the digital and adaptive shift in the PSAT and AP exams is reshaping test prep and what it will take for these exams to stay relevant in a test optional world. Drawing from his work with school districts nationwide, Philip explains why teaching content alone isn't enough, students also need to be taught executive function skills like how to study, write effective essays, and use tools such as the embedded Desmos calculator.He discusses the importance of using PSAT and AP data to find curriculum gaps rather than just piling on more practice questions, and shares why successful rollout of resources like UWorld depends on building teacher buy in early, training school leaders the spring before launch, and being ready to fix problems quickly when something doesn't go smoothly.

In this episode, Eliza Kimball, founder of Crimson Connections LLC, shares how she launched her tutoring company during her senior year of high school in 2020 and has since built it into a full-time venture connecting Ivy League students with high schoolers. Drawing from her own experience as an overachieving student at Harvard, Eliza explains why she targets seventh and eighth graders, believing that real impact comes from building character, critical thinking, and genuine passion over years, not just improving grades.She discusses her student-to-student mentorship model, her belief that AI can be a powerful homework aid and exam prep tool but should never replace human mentorship, and shares why she recruits tutors not just for academic expertise but for personality, authentic curiosity, and the ability to truly connect with kids.

In this episode, Dr. Emily Levy, founder of EBL Coaching, shares how growing up around her mother's school for students with learning disabilities in Florida shaped her path from Wall Street back into special education. Drawing from her doctorate and years of hands-on experience, Emily explains how a multi-sensory approach, integrating visual, auditory, and tactile methods, can be life-changing for students with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences.She discusses how pandemic learning gaps are still showing up today, particularly in students who missed early foundational skills in reading and math, and shares why she now sees a diagnosis not as a label but as a gift that unlocks the right tools and resources for a child to thrive.

In this episode, Gabe Futrell, principal of Bill Metz Elementary in Monte Vista, Colorado, shares how over 15 years in one rural school community has shaped his approach to leadership. Drawing from more than two decades in education, Gabe explains how a love for small towns and the mountains first brought him to the San Luis Valley and why the people around him have kept him there.He discusses the IE Time intervention model his school adopted just before COVID, targeting every student with daily small group reading and math support, and shares how sticking with that approach through and after the pandemic drove significant academic growth. He also reflects on the challenges of high poverty, the importance of distributive leadership, and why saying no to good ideas is sometimes the only way to become great at the right ones.

In this episode, Patty McGee, literacy consultant, educator, and author, describes herself as a "traveling teacher" who spends time in schools helping teachers and students rather than staying distant from the classroom. Drawing from her own early struggles with poor literacy instruction, Patty explains why strong literacy teaching must center student choice, student voice, and goal-centered responsive instruction.She challenges the growing overreliance on phonics in the wake of the science of reading movement, warns against the assign and assess culture in writing instruction, and shares why she sees AI as a tool to amplify human voice rather than replace it. She also offers a simple yet powerful shift for teachers: to look at student writing with the same admiring eye we bring to student art.

In this episode, Don Sevcik, creator and founder of Math Celebrity with eight million users annually and zero paid marketing, reveals how watching a team in India struggle with a 300-page pension book led him to build Excel step-by-step calculators that became the blueprint for automating his math tutoring brain on a website. Drawing from 17 years building the platform, Don explains his pattern IQ philosophy teaching students to identify problem types before solving them, a skill missing when teachers label everything but critical when problems appear unlabeled on exams.He discusses his sixth-year breakthrough in 2013 when someone typed an actual equation instead of searching for concepts, forcing him to partner with a Czechoslovakian programmer to build pattern recognition that launched version 2.0 and exploded traffic. Don shares his inversion mental model borrowed from Charlie Munger, focusing on eliminating unforced errors rather than chasing perfect presentations, emphasizing he can control stupid mistakes but not whether customers say yes. He reveals his biggest belief reversal that good products don't sell themselves, admitting if he started over he'd build a sales team first and validate demand before writing code, and stresses his 80-20 rule and first principles thinking from homeschooling his kids, explaining if you can't teach it at fifth grade level you don't understand it.

In this episode, Hassan and Kimberly, founders of The Lauziere Education Group with backgrounds in physics, math, English, and literature, reveal how they left corporate careers to build a holistic learning ecosystem after traveling to over 50 countries and discovering education should extend beyond classroom walls. Drawing from their diverse subject expertise, they explain how all disciplines are intertwined through critical thinking, logic in essays mirrors physics problem-solving, and math requires reading comprehension just as literature demands analytical rigor.They discuss the breakdown in modern education from curriculum abandoning classics for newer books without foundational history and philosophy, to culture prioritizing sports over developing minds, to social media destroying the focused attention needed to actively engage with past thinkers. Hassan and Kimberly share their reading restoration approach starting students with 10 minutes daily and gradually building stamina, emphasizing mastery over speed and letting students choose topics that interest them. They reveal their evolution from thinking students should pursue highest-paying jobs to realizing fulfillment comes from alignment with purpose, and share their practice of daily prayer, meditation, and learning something new while having interesting debates with each other, urging 16-year-olds feeling school is pointless to view it holistically as people, teachers, experiences, and environment rather than just classes preparing their future selves.

In this episode, Cynthia Millhorn, founder of Tutor2Order with 20 years of experience blending journalism, performance, and creative writing, reveals how she left tutoring companies after noticing they matched tutors based on subject knowledge alone without pedagogy or ability to assess student needs. Drawing from her background in qualitative research and therapy, Cynthia explains how pandemic students elevated with individual attention now lack communication skills and self-advocacy, unable to work in teams or comfortably address needs with teachers.She discusses her anecdotal storytelling approach teaching students that asking questions means paying more attention rather than being unintelligent, and shares her holistic assessment philosophy connecting poor class performance to underlying issues parents might not know about. Cynthia reveals her strong AI resistance, staying far away because it feeds user information into databases and lacks integrity compared to wonderful existing resources, emphasizing human tutors provide non-negotiable rapport that bots cannot establish. She evolved from believing diagnoses were fixed limitations to discovering the brain can rewrite neuropathways, proving students with dyslexia can become excellent writers and those who can't spell aloud can overcome it, urging parents to give children freedom to fail because crushing perfectionism prevents the trying that leads to surprising success.

In this episode, Jackie Postelnick, founder of Conscious College Planning with over a decade starting in financial aid, reveals how today's broken system puts undue pressure on students to choose majors before understanding their purpose and impact they want to have on the world. Drawing from guiding over a thousand families, Jackie explains her conscious decision-making philosophy that combines college fit with student identity and affordability rather than chasing top 50 rankings.She discusses the biggest shift she's noticed in student preparedness: pandemic-era writing skill gaps that leave students unable to express themselves authentically in essays despite getting A's in English. Jackie shares her concern about University of Illinois this year where normally admitted students were outright declined, not even waitlisted, highlighting record competition. She reveals her evolution from dismissing gut feelings about schools to embracing both research and sensation, helping students name why they feel drawn to certain colleges. Jackie explains her frustration with high school counselors being off put by independent consultants rather than partnering together, and emphasizes her fit-first philosophy choosing a decent college with 60% scholarship over a great college with student loans because affordability is part of fit.

In this episode, Emily Axelrod, an English tutor with over a decade teaching teens for standardized tests, reveals how the digital SAT has become more challenging despite shorter passages because students have less material to grasp and form answers. Drawing from her experience working with neurotypical students and those with attention deficit disorder and on the spectrum, Emily explains her rapport-first approach that establishes compatibility and identifies special needs including undiagnosed ones before administering diagnostic tests.She discusses her pattern-focused strategy analyzing where students make errors, whether at the beginning when not paying attention or toward the end when running out of time, and emphasizes both academic skills and test-taking skills must be learned despite College Board not wanting students to think that way. Emily shares her cautious AI perspective, revealing one useful application where a student used AI to decode why he got something wrong better than College Board's explanation, while strongly discouraging AI-generated practice questions in favor of official Blue Book materials. She explains her pricing philosophy that experienced tutors charging $50 to $100-plus per hour may require fewer sessions than cheaper alternatives, and encourages families to get creative with small group discounts and sliding scales so financial burden doesn't block access to quality tutoring.

In this episode, Gerene Keesler, founder of Admissions Untangled with over three decades in college admissions, reveals how her Hispanic background kept her learning differences hidden until a neuropsychological exam in her 30s that she dragged her parents to. Drawing from living with epilepsy and being on the autism spectrum, Gerene explains her knots philosophy for two types of stressed students: high achievers taking maximum AP and dual enrollment who risk burnout, and students especially boys who refuse accommodations out of shame despite everything being confidential.She discusses her eight-minute application reality where admissions officers spend limited time reviewing materials, making the essay the one place students have complete control to shine and tell a cohesive story. Gerene shares her test-optional success story of a California student awarded $245,000 in merit scholarships across 19 schools without submitting any test scores. She reveals her ninth and tenth grade starting philosophy that builds extracurricular profiles from non-traditional activities like caring for ailing grandparents, teaching leadership and empathy that becomes meaningful essay material, and emphasizes families must stop pushing students toward their own alma maters because fit matters more than legacy, and stresses the one habit that would change outcomes is reading regularly instead of seeking quick answers online.

In this episode, Dr. Tiffany Bannworth, founder of Bannworth Academy voted best private school in Florida three years running, reveals how sitting in a rigid eight-hour meeting where she was starving and running campuses from her cell phone convinced her traditional education was fundamentally broken. Drawing from her background in archaeology and paleontology, Dr. Tiffany explains her Bannworth Education Method ™ combining global teaching and Chrono teaching to break free from the Rockefeller industrial age model designed to produce button-pushers rather than genius.She discusses her Maslow-based philosophy that students cannot engage in upper-level thought when basic needs like hunger or temperature discomfort are unmet, and shares why she believes one-size-fits-all education fails because there is no one-size-fits-all child. Dr. Tiffany reveals her three-part AI approach teaching literal prompt writing to help socially bashful and autistic students practice saying exactly what they want, correcting AI hallucinations to build vocabulary for standing up for themselves, and using AI to curate primary source lists while maintaining critical thinking. She emphasizes her three concrete home practices for families: staying involved in what children learn to avoid indoctrination, doing monthly warrior activities together as a family, and allowing children to be bored because boredom gives way to creativity rather than constant tap-dancing entertainment.

In this episode, Harrison Kmiec, founder of Harrison Kmiec Tutoring, reveals how his stressed college experience as a math and stats major inspired him to become an additional resource for STEM students who couldn't always access office hours. Drawing from his own neurodivergent background, Harrison explains how he views ADHD and neurodivergent mindsets as having creative strengths, not just flaws, and develops multiple solution methods outside sessions so students can find their own learning style and build confidence.He discusses his long-term goal setting approach that reassures students about gradual progress rather than fixing everything in one session, and shares why he avoids homework-heavy strategies, instead pointing out minor consistent mistakes students should review in spare time. Harrison reveals his $50 hourly rate philosophy of setting prices to the lowest amount he needs to get by financially while never half-assing quality, and explains why he doesn't rely on AI tools like ChatGPT for tutoring because they lack the long-term learning strategy that comes from tutors who understand the sustained process of mastering a subject over time.

In this episode, Judith S Bass, founder of Bass Educational Services, LLC reveals how watching her brother diagnosed with minimal brain dysfunction in 1965 shaped her 25-year mission serving neurodivergent students. Drawing from personally visiting over 400 colleges nationwide, Judith explains her early-start philosophy of meeting students freshman year to teach life skills like taking medicine independently before discussing college in junior year.She discusses her three-tier support system from basic compliance to comprehensive programs, and shares how she evaluates whether staff genuinely enjoy this population because students sense when someone is just going through the motions. Judith reveals her new PRISM platform with a student quiz assessing readiness that sometimes recommends gap years. She explains her strengths-based counseling approach focusing on what students can do rather than limitations, and shares her ideal college redesign eliminating timed tests entirely, integrating disability services into main campus buildings, and educating professors on simple accommodations like giving five-minute transition warnings for autistic students.

In this episode, Marc Hoberman, owner of Grade Success Education with over 33 years of experience teaching English, shares how his hidden teenage epilepsy diagnosis helped him develop a deeper understanding of students who struggle silently.Marc discusses how education has shifted toward teaching-to-the-test, increasing stress and test anxiety for students. He explains the importance of teaching study skills, early intervention, and open communication with teachers. Through real classroom experiences, including a student who improved dramatically on the ACT after receiving the right support, Marc highlights how identifying challenges early can transform academic success and student well-being.

In this episode, Lizz Wilson, a private teacher and former engineer in the Bay Area, reveals how she applies century-old mastery learning principles to modern test prep through highly tailored one-on-one curricula. Drawing from her belief that reducing students to test scores is part of the educational system's core problem, Lizz explains her conversation-based diagnostic approach that prioritizes understanding what students have truly mastered over simply grading their performance.She discusses her perspective on learning styles as a neuromyth—arguing students must approach subjects from all modalities to achieve true mastery, not just their preferred style. Lizz shares her hidden curriculum philosophy of understanding each student's home environment without judgment, explaining how knowing a parent's pressure about scores helps her address student panic more effectively. She reveals her unconventional approach to building grit by helping students recognize their dedication to personal interests like video games or movies—showing them they already know how to work hard, even in pursuits that aren't academic, and emphasizing that humans weren't made to be productive machines but to enjoy beauty for its own sake.

In this episode, Judy Cinesi, founder of College Path Consultants with 20 years of high school counseling experience, reveals how she bridges the gap created by public school counselors managing 500-700 students each. Drawing from her work in both private college preparatory schools with 100 students and traditional public schools, Judy explains her best-fit philosophy—believing happiness on campus drives student success regardless of the institution's prestige.She discusses her anxiety-reduction approach that helps families understand not every student needs AP Calculus to succeed, and shares why pushing advanced coursework in middle school often backfires when children aren't ready. Judy reveals what University of Chicago admissions officers told her directly: they can identify parent interference in applications and set those aside without review. She emphasizes the most expensive mistake families make is not doing homework on in-state tuition incentives, and warns against AI-generated essays that use vocabulary 17-year-olds don't know, explaining how students should polish their own authentic voice rather than let parents or technology dehumanize their applications.

In this episode, Viktoriya Furina, founder of Exam IQ with 25 years of experience, reveals how the high-stakes, one-shot nature of New York's SHSAT—the sole admission criterion for eight specialized high schools—shapes her rigorous approach. Drawing from teaching students from second grade through SAT, Viktoriya explains how she prepares 12 and 13-year-olds to perform under extreme pressure by having them take 20 to 30 practice exams until test-taking becomes routine.She discusses her skills-first philosophy that goes beyond test prep, teaching seventh through tenth grade material at no additional cost—even adding an extra hour to every SHSAT class this year after noticing students are less prepared than in the past. Viktoriya shares her grammar-as-framework approach to clear thinking, emphasizing that students who struggle with writing need structure, high expectations, and weekly revision cycles. She personally spends three hours every night reviewing homework submissions from parents, treating families as partners in the transformative middle school years.

In this episode, Ellie Smedley, founder of Confidence Academics and former math curriculum writer for eight years, reveals how her confidence-first approach shapes her nine-session SAT prep program. Drawing from her curriculum development background, Ellie explains her "show what you know" philosophy that encourages students to display all their work and build from existing knowledge rather than focusing on pass-fail outcomes.She discusses her unique benchmark session where students rank SAT math domains by confidence level—not scores—opening conversations about their mathematical beliefs and anxieties. Ellie shares her curriculum creation insights about crafting wrong answer choices that target common misconceptions without confusing students, emphasizing that questions should be crystal clear even if answers seem viable. With marketing partner Jacob handling business development, she explains their realistic pricing strategy based on national averages and intro session discounts to remove commitment barriers for families unsure about personality fit.

In this episode, Dan, Test Prep Director at Galin Education, reveals how his company navigated the digital SAT transition while maintaining paper-pencil ACT prep in Wisconsin, where most testing centers haven't switched. Drawing from his journey starting as a graduate student recruited on LinkedIn who never left, Dan explains his diagnostic-first approach that helps families choose between ACT and SAT based on actual performance rather than regional myths about coastal versus Midwest preferences.He discusses his philosophy that having a test score is better than not—even in the test-optional era—because it provides flexibility for scholarships and specific programs that still require scores. Dan shares his perspective on AI in tutoring, acknowledging free tools like Khan Academy while emphasizing the human value-add of pattern recognition and dynamic adjustment that comes from knowing each student personally, especially when students struggle to identify what a mixed problem is asking them to do.

In this episode, Arthur Smith, founder of Arthur Smith Advising with nearly 30 years in higher education, reveals how his dual experience as a Cornell admissions dean and 23-year track coach shaped his mentorship philosophy. Drawing from chairing admissions committees at an Ivy League institution, Arthur explains how he looks for "spark" in applications—that genuine curiosity and vulnerability that separates piled-up achievements from authentic student identity.He discusses the two critical gaps he saw in college counseling: the shortage of counselors for millions of students, and widespread misconceptions creating unnecessary stress about the opaque admissions process. Arthur shares his quality control approach of personally vetting every application despite working with multiple counselors, all longtime colleagues who share his philosophy. He explains his evolving perspective on AI—using it ethically to organize thoughts while ensuring students write their own essays, and understanding which colleges use AI screening tools that could inadvertently hurt applicants.

In this episode, CJ Palma, founder of CJ 101 Tutoring, reveals how his unique combination of degrees in Marine Science, Computer Science, and Psychology—plus his experience as a first-generation American—shaped his empathy-driven approach to test prep. Drawing from personal experience taking the SAT without preparation (thinking it was an IQ test), CJ explains his mission to democratize information about standardized testing for families without privileged access.He discusses his human-first philosophy where AI handles test bank generation while tutors focus on what technology can't replicate—gathering information about students faster than their underdeveloped frontal lobes can articulate. CJ shares his unconventional path from software engineering to tutoring after his father's illness, and explains why he prioritizes building a small business over scaling, advocating for accessible information without paywalls so parents can make informed decisions regardless of economic background.

In this episode, Nicholas Sennott, founder of The College Lad, reveals how the pandemic forced his pivot from pure SAT/ACT prep into college essays and AP tutoring, ultimately strengthening his business. Drawing from his journalist parents' influence, Nicholas explains his signature "three reasons answers are wrong" technique that helps students move beyond gist-based reading to the close reading these tests demand.He discusses his unconventional philosophy of having students take the actual SAT or ACT early—after just one month of prep—to eliminate test-day anxiety and leverage superscoring policies, rather than waiting six months to take it for the first time. Nicholas shares why he prioritizes small group classes of four to five students where peers learn from each other, and explains his no-package approach that bills by session to ensure genuine connection before long-term commitment.

In this episode, Lauren Price, founder of Academic Independence, reveals how her background in educational psychology and brain science shapes her unique approach to test prep. Working with around 500 students annually, Lauren explains her philosophy of empowering students to become academically independent rather than tutor-dependent, rooting her methods in self-regulated learning and executive function development.She discusses her diagnostic self-report surveys that assess students' self-regulation, motivation, and mindset before beginning work, and shares why she trains tutors to ensure students talk more than the tutor during sessions. Lauren explains her strategic timing recommendations based on math exposure, and emphasizes setting realistic goals in first sessions to align parent and student expectations before the work even begins.

In this episode, Wes Carroll, founder of a 30-year-old tutoring practice with a team of 20, reveals his mission to help high-potential students achieve their potential faster. Drawing from decades of experience, Wes explains how he identifies high potential not just through academic ease, but through grit, self-awareness, and goal clarity—traits that often don't reveal themselves as superpowers until college.He discusses his toolkit-based coaching approach that prioritizes teaching humans over subjects, and shares why math competitions like AMC 12 are underrated pathways that develop thinking capacity colleges truly value. Wes challenges the notion that standardized test scores alone tell the full story, explaining how different skill sets—from meticulous execution to deep problem-solving—should inform how students approach both testing and their academic futures.

In this episode, Susan Richman, co-founder and director of AP Homeschoolers, shares how she pioneered one of the earliest online AP programs for homeschool students—long before online learning was mainstream. Drawing from decades of homeschooling her own four children, Susan explains how structured pacing, teacher-led courses, and academic community help homeschoolers succeed on AP exams. She also discusses her philosophy of growth-minded learning, the importance of student interaction, and why AP courses should build confidence, discipline, and intellectual curiosity—not just test scores.

In this episode, Annie Tadros, founder and director of MyCollegePrepOnline, shares her candid perspective on the digital SAT and Enhanced ACT, explaining why she remains concerned about transparency despite consistent score accuracy. Drawing on more than two decades in test prep, Annie breaks down how released exams, real practice conditions, and careful diagnostics reveal what students truly know—and why SAT and ACT ultimately measure the same academic skills.She details her fully individualized, one-on-one approach, starting with baseline scores and tailoring materials to each student’s strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Annie also explains how controlled, proctored practice reduces test anxiety, why frequent testing can backfire, and how personalized pacing helps students build confidence and achieve meaningful score improvements.

In this episode, Abhimanyu Sharma, founder of Pantheon Prep serving 200 students annually who started the company in 12th grade after submitting college apps, reveals his skeptical view of digital SAT's adaptive format—questioning why easier sections exist when "if they don't do well, they don't do well" and noting only two difficulty levels mean serious test-takers above 1100 never see the easier version anyway.He discusses his "no BS" philosophy of challenging students through "the gauntlet" with pressure and rigor, sharing a dramatic success story of taking one student from 1300 to 1570 in two months with two hours daily of tutoring, only hiring coaches scoring 1570+. Abhimanyu reveals he's already planning his nine-year-old sister's college strategy focused on making her "as intelligent and as academic as possible," and identifies college admissions' biggest pain point: validating whether students actually did their claimed extracurriculars, citing "borderline fraud" of fake nonprofit presidents.

In this episode, Harley Kinberg, New York City-based tutor working with 20-30 students annually over 15+ years, reveals her initial nervousness about SAT going digital—worrying "how am I going to recreate that realism?"—and explains why she analyzes not just wrong answers but correct ones taking over two minutes, since "we need a new strategy for that question" to address timing issues.She discusses her philosophy that standardized tests aren't intelligence problems but "performance problems" that are trainable, and shares her approach of offering free 30-minute meet-and-greets where she asks zero academic questions, just builds connection—comparing finding the right tutor to finding the right therapist. Harley explains why she won't fight students who prefer one test despite scoring better on another, believing "they will fight against the process" otherwise, and stays intentionally small rather than scaling because she's a "control freak" who prefers intimate relationships.

In this episode, Rhea Wanchoo, co-founder of M&W Education and UC Berkeley neuroscience student serving 20-30 test prep students annually, reveals her psychology-backed approach including the "serial position effect"—teaching students to read first and last sentences of passages to leverage how we remember beginnings and endings better than middles—and "sentence diagramming" exercises where students identify parts of speech despite many not even knowing what prepositions are.She discusses her "sunflower method" for essay brainstorming where prompts are the center and ideas branch out as petals students can "pluck off," and explains yield protection—why she was waitlisted at Virginia Tech but accepted to Harvard and Berkeley, as less selective schools sometimes reject overqualified applicants they assume won't enroll. Rhea shares her "whiteout test" for scholarship essays: if you can substitute any college name, it's not specific enough.

In this episode, Dov Engelberg, founder of Mulholland Prep with over 25 years of experience serving 300-400 students annually in Los Angeles, reveals why he jokingly felt "entirely betrayed" when SAT went digital but questions the "enhanced ACT" marketing—asking "when's the last time something was enhanced by getting smaller?"—while explaining he doesn't use old paper tests for digital SAT prep unlike some tutors.He discusses his philosophy of never advertising for students or tutors, growing organically through word-of-mouth by "being the best tutoring service you can be," and refusing to hire separate math and reading tutors because it indirectly tells students "this person can't do the other thing we expect you to do." Dov shares his sobering reality check for Ivy-obsessed parents: Stanford's sub-4% acceptance rate is of applicants already self-selected, not random students, and explains why he steers families toward free resources when they can't afford tutoring.

In this episode, Daniel Benton, Johns Hopkins student and founder of Benton Tutoring who achieved a perfect 1600 SAT score, reveals how he took one test weekly for two months then doubled to twice weekly before his exam—calling much of it "overkill" but necessary for the consistency stamina requires at that level, even running out of College Board's practice tests and resorting to "black market" questions.He discusses why he got nationally certified by the National Tutoring Association at age 15 for confidence and learning how to teach diverse learners, and shares his diagnostic philosophy: wrong answers aren't Boolean—some students get questions "way more wrong" than others, distinguishing between misadding versus fundamental misconceptions. Daniel explains his fatalistic anxiety cure: telling stressed students "what is done is done, you have made your bed," while balancing Hopkins rigor with tutoring by rigidly blocking schedules.

In this episode, Dante Dyches-Chandler, CEO and founder of Reach Test Prep, reveals how taking the ACT six times in high school—more than anyone he's met—drove him to build a gamified mobile app that measures test-taking endurance invisibly through games like "time trials" and "break the bank," adjusting difficulty in real-time without traditional diagnostic tests.He discusses why AI-generated questions aren't up to par despite building an AI-powered platform, explaining they use human writers while AI analyzes student behavior patterns. Dante shares surprising data learnings: engagement time predicts success better than right/wrong answers, and remote rural schools demonstrate highest need while large city schools show less incentive—proving not every school actually wants standardized test prep despite the assumption.

In this episode, Michael from Astute Academics, tutoring 100+ students annually including nonprofit outreach, reveals his brutally honest approach to college admissions—telling parents upfront he can't guarantee Ivy League admission and advising one family to choose St. Joe's over George Washington to save money and ensure their son thrived in the top 25% rather than struggling at bottom third.He discusses why he refuses to use AI for tutoring despite personal use, explaining how it decreases critical thinking and gives false confidence to lower-performing students. Michael shares his homework negotiation framework in the post-smartphone era, where seven-hour screen time creates illusions of workload, and why he believes anyone can achieve a perfect score with enough grit—citing a student who jumped from 580 to 1150, demonstrating more value than someone improving from 1200 to 1250.

In this episode, Austin Parsons, a professional tutor with a master's degree in chemistry who "fell into tutoring and fell in love with it," shares his philosophy that the worst kind of stress comes from regret—so he front-loads preparation to help students achieve success early rather than face "I only have one more shot" panic. Tutoring 25-30 students weekly, Austin explains why he limits homework to just one hour per week during school year, believing "the best homework plan is the one that a student will actually do," and uses MentorMind to create bite-sized 30-minute test sections instead of overwhelming full-length exams.He reveals his deeply personal approach of sharing his phone number with all students, telling them "text me if you have a question Wednesday, don't wait till next week," and discusses how he worked with an anxious student by starting with proctoring practice tests over Zoom at home, then gradually moving to coffee shops and libraries.