One-on-one ACT tutoring for students who experience test anxiety
It's quite common for us to talk to parents who tell us their child "is a bad test-taker" or "doesn't test well", or tell us about their kid's test anxiety. Since the ACT is not only timed but is also high-stakes, private tutoring can help in a few ways:
1. Experience. If a student literally takes ALL released ACT tests from the past few years (that's just 9 tests for those of you keeping score at home), they'll be much more accustomed to the format and patterns of the ACT, and will be more able to adapt to new questions on test day. The ACT is a standardized test: it's very predictable, so we can anticipate a lot of what it's going to throw at you.
2. Strategy. Working with all different kinds of students over many years has given us a deep database of strategies and tactics. It makes it easier for us to figure out effective ways to explain these tricky tests to students who don't naturally test well. We teach test-taking strategies that are tailored to your skill level, learning style, and goal score.
3. Support. Mastering the ACT is a process, and it's vital that tutors can not only explain the material well but also that they can be kind and encouraging along the way. Unlike a class, tutoring is adjusted to your particular learning style and speed.
By the way, no one likes to hear that they are going to have to prepare for both the ACT and the SAT, but students with test anxiety / bad test-takers can sometimes benefit from doing so, since two tests = more opportunities to have one good test day. Be sure to ask us about SAT tutoring if that might be an interest - all our ACT tutors also tutor the SAT.
As always, the most important question for you to ask is this:
"Who, exactly, will be the person teaching my kid?"
One-on-one tutoring, with us, is completely customized to your learning style, personality, and needs. We have extensive experience working with students with learning disabilities.
Talking through the nuances of ACT practice questions not only allows us to explain, in detail, the strategies that work, but that conversation also allows us to see what a student is thinking, ask the right questions to test understanding, and adjust our instruction minute-by-minute.
"What are the benefits of private ACT tutoring?"
- Instruction tailored to your child's learning style, motivation level, and personality
- The opportunity to talk through the nuances of questions with someone with several years of experience with the test
- Homework adjusted to your specific needs
- Accountability and encouragement :)
Private ACT tutoring is simply the most effective and efficient way to raise scores.
Look for each tutor's location and pricing in their bio.
Blake Jensen
Blake: I’m a native San Diegan, father, and an aficionado of basketball, vintage video games, pitchy karaoke, and lecturing my son on how much better Star Wars was "back in the day." I played college basketball at St. Mary’s College and Whittier College, where I earned my B.A. in Psychology in 2002.
Having been a full-time test prep coach for over 15 years, I have seen just about every type of student and tutoring situation. This allows me to give my students exactly what they need to reach their goals.
My years of experience have also led me to coach my students a little differently than most. A lot of test prep revolves around how to answer a question. While that is a necessary component, identifying what is needed to answer a question is at least as important, especially for timed tests like the SAT and ACT. I show my students how to look at the test the way I do, to the patterns and tendencies of the tests to make them faster and more accurate.
Though I still work with students of all types, these days I tend to specialize in students with ambitious score goals.
SAT / ACT tutoring with Blake is $275 / hour (or $248 / hour for 15 or more hours).
He meets clients in his Carmel Valley office, or online via Zoom.
"Blake was an excellent ACT tutor for our sixteen year old son. Blake encouraged and supported our son consistently. Our son improved his score by five points working with Blake after only 2 months. Blake is kind, smart, understanding, and reliable. He was able to identify weaknesses and construct a strategy that facilitated improvement and success. Our son also struggled with timing and I believe Blake instilled some helpful suggestions and fueled confidence in our son from his years of experience in helping other kids manage their time anxiety in that regard." - Andrea Clawson
Matt: I am originally from Hopkinton, Massachusetts - the start of the historic Boston Marathon. I went to college at Northwestern University, where I graduated with a degree in Theatre. After college, I wised up and moved to the warmer coast. I worked in Los Angeles for many years as a full-time SAT / ACT tutor and part-time arts educator.
I have been tutoring for over 10 years and have spent thousands of hours helping students improve their scores. Recently, I moved to San Diego after getting a M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and I currently work as a credentialed classroom teacher.
When I’m not working, I enjoy good books, performing improv comedy, surfing, watching Game of Thrones, and enjoying the charms of San Diego. I live in North Park, where I love to get out and take advantage of all the delicious food in the area. I am also a huge Boston sports fan - the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics are my favorite teams. I usually have something in common with every student - my interests are really diverse!
SAT / ACT tutoring with Matt is $225 an hour ($203 / hour for 10 or more hours). He meets with students online via Zoom, and in person in North Park or Mission Valley. Matt specializes in helping students set and achieve ambitious score goals, as well as helping them build their confidence and test-taking abilities.
Matt also teaches most of our live SAT classes.
"I received one-on-one tutoring from Matt for the ACT for a couple months. Matt was very supportive, helpful, and patient. He always supplied ample practice tests, helped me understand the errors I made, and taught me how to improve my timing on each section. Over the course of my tutoring sessions I was able to improve my score by 5 points. Additionally, I received my score goal on my first attempt at the ACT. I could not recommend Matt enough!!" - Makaylee Dahms
Matt Sheelen
