McElroy Tutoring

Basic Definitions. Object and Subject Nouns. Complete Sentences. Modifiers.

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600

A "noun" is a person, place, thing, or idea.

A “verb” is a word of action.

An “adjective” is a word of description.

A “subject noun” performs a verb.

An “object noun” receives a verb.

Ex 1.

“I ran.”

“I” is a subject noun because the person “I” performs the verb (action) “ran”.

Ex 2.

“The truck hit me.”

“The truck” is a subject noun because it performs the verb (action) “hit”.

The person “me” is an object noun because "me" receives the verb (action) “hit”.

A complete English sentence contains both a Subject Noun and a Verb. It may also contain a modifier. Modifiers provide description. They may be single words such as the adjective “blue” or entire phrases such as “with no reservations”.

Ex 3.

I, with no reservations, jumped.

The modifier “with no reservations” provides description regarding the subject noun “I”.

Should I Take The ACT?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:06:55 -0600

A lot of parents whose children are planning to take the SAT haven't researched the ACT. And, high schools often don't know much about the ACT. Lack of information about the test has contributed to several ACT myths I've heard over the years:

"The ACT is a midwestern test; schools on the coasts prefer the SAT." False: virtually every school will accept either test.

"The ACT is better for creative thinkers / people who are bad at math / people who are bad at vocabulary / more academically oriented students / etc." False: the best way to tell if the ACT is better for you is to take an authentic ACT practice test and compare the score to your SAT score.

"The ACT is easier than the SAT." False: what matters is how your SAT score percentile stacks up against your ACT score percentile. Some people have an easier time with the ACT, some with the SAT.

"The ACT tests science." False: the ACT Science section doesn't require much science knowledge - it's about using data, graphs, and tables to answer questions.

Due to the lack of information about the ACT, students often end up taking the test cold (without preparing) and sometimes don't do well. Then, they give up on the test. It's too bad - preparing for the ACT really pays off. It's a standardized test - i.e., it tests the same things every time. I also get many stories of students who took the ACT without preparing and who did really well. That's great - but those students would have probably done even better had they prepared.

If your student is going to take the SAT, there's really no downside to taking the ACT as well. Like the SAT, the ACT has a "score choice" policy that allows students to send their best score to colleges - or no scores at all. As I tell parents, the ACT gives students another option to get a high percentile score and thereby reduces the stress associated with the test-taking process.

As time goes on, more and more students, parents, and schools are getting accurate information about the test. Even if you don't opt for ACT tutoring, I strongly recommend that your son or daughter take some practice tests (which I can email you) to get familiar with the format.

- Vince Kotchian

Quotes

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:08:15 -0600

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment." - John Wooden

"It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable." - Socrates.

"There is no greater joy nor reward than to make a fundamental difference in the life of another." - Unknown

"I will permit no man to narrow or degrade my soul by making me hate him." - Booker T. Washington

"You can't live a perfect day with doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." - John Wooden

Should I take an SAT class or work with a private tutor?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:26:36 -0600

By the time most of my clients call me, they've already made the decision to work with a private tutor. However, there are some who are still deciding if they should enroll their student in an SAT class or not. Here are my thoughts on the pros and cons of classes vs. private tutoring.

Pros of classes:
- convenience: often offered at student's high school
- materials often provided
- good for average scorers who just want the basics
- proctored practice exams often offered
- price per hour is often low

Cons of classes:
- instructor quality varies
- materials often do not include authentic SAT tests (tests are written by third-party companies)
- pace/material can be too slow for high scorers and too fast for low scorers (one-size-fits-all model)
- less accountability for homework
- hourly commitment can be excessive
- environment can be more distracting

Pros of private tutoring:
- easier to ascertain instructors' quality, can select a specific tutor
- tutor can tailor program to student
- materials are usually better quality (authentic tests)
- tutors can often offer other services (college admission consulting, tutoring other tests, etc.)
- hourly commitment can be lower and hours are flexible

Cons of private tutoring:
- price per hour is often high
- can be less convenient (traveling to tutors' offices, etc.)
- proctored exams usually not offered
- materials usually not provided

At McElroy Tutoring, we do offer smaller SAT group classes when we get enough interested students (often when several friends decide to tutor together). I hope this list will aid in your decision process.

- Vince Kotchian

What's Considered a Good Score on the SAT?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:32 -0600

"Is my SAT score a good one?" is a question my students frequently ask.

And the answer is: It depends on each student's individual goals.

In general, a "good" score could be considered to be a score that matches the average score of accepted students at the university the tutee wishes to attend. A great score would be a score that's higher than that school's average. There are exceptions: for example, if a student has a learning disability or a language handicap, some universities may take that into account. My students and I research their targeted schools' average acceptance scores, and then aim for higher than average, in order to give them an edge.

For reference's sake, the College Board reported the 2011 national average for the SAT to be 1500 (497 Critical Reading, 514 Mathematics, and 489 Math).

What's Considered a Good Score on the SAT?

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:14:46 -0600

"Is my SAT score a good one?" is a question students frequently ask.

And the answer is: It depends on each student's individual goals.

In general, a "good" score could be considered to be a score that matches the average score of accepted students at the university the tutee wishes to attend. A great score would be a score that's higher than that school's average. There are exceptions: for example, if a student has a learning disability or a language handicap, some universities may take that into account. My students and I research their targeted schools' average acceptance scores, and then aim for higher than average, in order to give them an edge.

For reference's sake, the College Board reported the 2011 national average for the SAT to be 1500 (497 in Critical Reading, 514 in Math, and 489 in Writing).

Free SAT Prep Videos on YouTube

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

Happy New Year Everyone!

â€¨The McElroy Tutoring YouTube page for Free SAT Prep Videos has almost 20,000 views. Help us get there (and maybe learn something about the SAT too): www.youtube.com/mcelroytutoring1

-Brian

Vince Kotchian's Academic Book Hall of Fame

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600

As a full-time tutor, I have read a lot of books that purport to help students figure out things like the SAT, college admissions, and school in general. Many books, in my opinion, aren't great, and a lot of them have interchangeable information.

I believe that, to write a truly helpful guide, the writer must have "been there and done that" for thousands of hours. He should also be able to write with accessible language, and truly care about helping students - not selling books.

The following "Hall of Fame" consists of three books that I love. All these books are out-of-print, but they're worth the time and money required to track them down. I'll give you a quick word on each and why I think it's so great. Here are the books:

The Rocket Review Revolution was written by Adam Robinson, one of the founders of the now monolithic Princeton Review. He started as an SAT tutor, and the book is the product of his considerable experience. His insights about the test are 100 times more profound than most other SAT manuals, and make the book worthwhile for high-achieving students.

What Smart Students Know is also by Adam Robinson. In a nutshell, it's the book I wish I had during high school. No "study skills" class is nearly as comprehensive, insightful, or honest about how high school works and how to do well in your classes.

College Admissions Trade Secrets is a (sometimes) brutally honest guide to the admissions game. Written by Andrew Allen (his pen name), an experienced private college counselor, this book has the blunt truth about admissions and incisive advice.

If you'd like more of my recommendations, check out my Amazon.com profile.

- Vince Kotchian

The Magic of Skype Tutoring

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 -0600

Live in Idaho but want to connect with an expert ACT tutor in San Diego? Reside in Texas but want to work with an an experienced GRE tutor in Los Angeles? Don’t want to change out of your pajamas before starting your SAT or ISEE tutoring session? Or maybe you’re just too tired of spending gas money and wasting time sitting in traffic.

We’ve got the solution for you: real-time, online private tutoring via Skype.

Many people are hesitant to try online tutoring, feeling that the personal connection provided by in-person tutoring is invaluable. And while I would be inclined to agree with this assessment in many cases (such as instances where the student lacks motivation), there are also many other instances where online tutoring would be at least as effective, if not more effective, than in-person tutoring. For a self-motivated student, Skype tutoring can work wonders, and its convenience is unmatched. Here is how it works.

1) If you haven’t already, then go to www.Skype.com and create a free Skype account and username. Find the tutor’s username and add him/her as a contact.

2) Make sure the tutor and the student have the same books and materials (taking into account that there are often different editions of the same book). You can’t have an effective tutoring session unless the student and the tutor are looking at the exact same material. This shouldn’t be a problem if you coordinate in advance. Click here for our list of recommended test-prep books.

3) Create a lesson plan and timeline for tutoring. How often are you going to meet before the test? What type of homework will be assigned, and how much? What are your score goals?

4) Connect with your tutor via Skype the same way that you would over the phone. The tutor will sometimes use the chat bar to type written messages. What’s nice about this is that it provides a written record of each session. Other times, the tutor might “share the screen” so that he/she can draw figures, shapes and equations using a digital tablet or mouse. If you like, then you could even use “screen capture” software to record your computer’s screen so that you have a full video record of the lesson. This is very helpful if you'd like to go back and re-watch the video to review certain topics.

That’s all! If you’re willing to consider online tutoring, then your number of available tutoring options will increase exponentially; you will then be able to choose from among our entire team of expert tutors. Yes, there is no substitute for meeting with your tutor in person, but Skype comes pretty darn close. It’s the most convenient way to connect with an expert tutor without having to leave your home.

Happy Holidays, everybody.

-Brian

We know the ISEE.

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:50:47 -0600

Here at McElroy Tutoring, we’re aware that not many people have even heard of the ISEE exam (The Independent School Entrance Exam--often pronounced “I see”), let alone know how to tutor it.

However, our President Brian McElroy has been tutoring the ISEE since 2002, when he discovered that many area students were looking to prepare for this test. As a result, we have a leg up on the competition when it comes to ISEE prep. In fact, one of our tutors, Vince Kotchian, just finished writing an ISEE book (ISEE for Dummies)!

If you’re serious about getting into a good Independent School such as Francis Parker, Bishops, or La Jolla Country Day, then you need to do well on the ISEE. We’ll help your student get there.