Brian McElroy's Tutoring Blog
How to Identify the Assumptions in an Argument / The Elements of an ArgumentPosted 2021-07-11 How to Identify the Assumptions in an Argument / The Elements of an Argument Keep Reading |
"Whether" vs. "Whether or Not": Can I always remove the "or not"?Posted 2021-07-11 "Whether" vs. 'Whether or Not' : Can I always remove the "or not"? Keep Reading |
"If" vs. "Whether": Do you know (if/whether) you understand the difference?Posted 2021-07-11 These days, the word "if" is often incorrectly substituted for of the word "whether". Here's the rule : The word "if" should be used in preparation for 1 scenario only. For example : Keep Reading |
"I am well" vs. "I am good": The Correct Answer May Surprise You.Posted 2021-07-11 Don't worry; if you're one of the many people who says "I am well" and/or "I feel differently" (both incorrect) during normal conversation, then I won't feel good (yes, James Brown had it right all along!) about correcting you. ; ) Keep Reading |
GRE Vocabulary: InveiglePosted 2021-07-11 inveigle (verb) "in-VAY-gull" : to entice, lure (a person), aquire or win (a thing) through deception or flattery. Think : inveigle a bagel. I was able to inveigle a bagel by impressing the bagel store owner with my fluent Polish. Keep Reading |
GRE Vocabulary: CalumniousPosted 2021-07-11 Calumnious (adjective) : "kuh-LUM-nee-us" slanderous, defamatory, an untrue statement intended to injure one's reputation. Think : gossip column. The author of the famous gossip column was less concerned with provoking lawsuits through his calumnious statements than he was with attracting hordes of readers through salacious headlines. Keep Reading |
Private Consultants Replacing High School CounselorsPosted 2021-07-11
There have been several articles in the news recently, examining the rise to prominence of private college consultants such as myself, who work outside of the system and bring a fresh perspective to college admissions. |
Which Colleges Require all SAT and/or ACT scores?Posted 2021-07-11 A lot of my students take both the SAT and the ACT, and are wondering what schools require both tests, all tests of one type, or some variation thereof. Here is a current list. Keep Reading |
What is a Great Tutor Worth?Posted 2023-02-11 Tutors, Money, and You. Keep Reading |
SAT "Score Improvement Guarantees" -- and Why You Shouldn't Trust Them.Posted 2021-07-11 The simple truth about "score improvement guarantees?" They are marketing gimmicks. Customers always love a guarantee, so most companies will offer them, but parents definitely need to read the fine print on these. Missing a class, a practice test or even a homework assignment can disqualify the student from the guarantee. Some companies will only guarantee any improvement from the first test to the last (so a paltry 10-point improvement would suffice, for example). Other companies will guarantee a larger improvement (usually around 150 points), but when the guarantee kicks in, all the student gets in return is a free one-day "refresher course." Keep Reading |