+ Where are sessions conducted?

Sessions are, by default, conducted on-line, from the comfort of your home, via Google Meet. When you book a session, the confirmation e-mail will contain a "Where" section that includes a customized link that you can click to join.

+ Can we meet in-person instead of online?

At my discretion, I may accommodate requests for in-person tutoring by offering to meet at select public locations in Arlington. However, I do not offer in-home tutoring at this time. Most students (and parents) prefer the on-line format, because it eliminates transportation time and outside distractions. It's easier for everybody.

+ Why don't you meet in-home?

I can offer increased session availability by not traveling to student homes. I can't tutor when I'm traveling, so it ends up shrinking the window of available times for all of my students. If you strongly feel that in-home tutoring is necessary, then I am happy to refer you to another tutoring service.

+ What if I don't see a time that works with my schedule?

My normal working hours are 9:00am - 7:30pm (EST), Monday-Sunday. That said, I work with clients from all over the world, so I often do accommodate earlier or slightly later session times that mesh better with the time difference. An "after-hours" fee may or may not apply, given the details of the request and the day in question.

Similarly, I offer time slots in 60- and 90-minute increments for the sake of simplicity of booking and increased availability. However, depending on the day, those slots can often be shifted up or down in 30-minute increments. For example, a normal slot would be 4:30-6:00, but a 4:00-5:30 or 5:30-6:30 slot may also be possible.

In either case, you may submit requests either via the "Contact Me" form on the website, or directly at jp@powerstestprep.com.

+ Why can't I book with less than than 48 hours notice?

Before our first session, I need you to complete a diagnostic so that I can accurately assess your starting point and tailor a session plan. Requiring 48 hours notice allots 24 hours for you to complete the test, and 24 hours for me to grade it and prepare for our session.

After each session, I will send 1-2 assignments for you to complete prior to our next meeting. These are a chance for you to apply what you've learned, and for us to identify any additional problem areas. The 48-hour window provides the same 24 hour / 24 hour split as is required for the diagnostic.

+ What if I have a deadline and can't wait that long?

As with many of the above policies, exceptions may be made at my discretion, and I always try my best to accommodate my students. Just submit the details of your case either via the "Contact Me" form on the website, or directly at jp@powerstestprep.com.

Please note that a $100 rush fee will be applied to any session booked with less than 24 hours notice.

+ What if I need to cancel or reschedule a session?

Requests for either must be submitted either via the "Contact Me" form on the website, or directly at jp@powerstestprep.com.

Cancellation requests made 24 hours or more prior to the scheduled session will incur no fee. Cancellations made with less than 24 hours notice will incur a charge for ONE HOUR of session time. Those made with less than 1 hour of notice, or "no-shows", will incur the full charge for the session.

Re-scheduling requests will be considered as two separate requests: a) a cancellation request, and b) a booking request. As such, they are subject to the same cancellation / booking policies, and fees will apply where necessary.

+ It's frustrating to schedule only one session at a time - why can't I book further in advance?

While I strive to keep the same weekly hours, life doesn't always cooperate, either with me or my clients. Beyond 2 weeks, it's harder to determine what obligations I may have outside of work. That said, you can always book multiple sessions within that 2-week window by selecting "recurring" when you choose a time slot on the "Book a Session" page.

You will also see a "Returning? Log In" button on the top of the booking form. If you click there, you can sign up for a free Acuity Scheduling account, so that you can skip the step of having to re-enter your information whenever you want to book a session. Or, I can set things up on my end for recurring weekly sessions so that you don't have to continually re-book, with the understanding that I may need to reschedule session times more than 14 days in the future.

Finally, if you email me with a request to book sessions outside of that 14-day window, I can often accommodate you. As always, requests must be submitted either via the "Contact Me" form on the website, or directly at jp@powerstestprep.com.

+ Do I have to pay with a credit card?

I offer on-line scheduling and credit card payment for simplicity of booking and convenience. However, I am aware that not all people either have credit cards or choose to use them. At my discretion, I may accept alternative forms of payment like PayPal, Venmo, etc. I do not accept personal checks, money orders, cashier's checks, or cash.

Regardless of how you choose to pay, payment must be made in full prior to our scheduled session. The credit card solution that I offer automates this process and provides digital receipts on both ends, keeping things simple and transparent for everyone.

+ How many sessions will I need? When should I start studying for the exam?

This depends on your starting point, your challenges, and your goals. Some students just struggle in one specific section, or only need a small, 50-100 point improvement. Others have difficulty across all four sections, or are looking to improve by 200-300 points. The latter would clearly take more time to achieve. However, there are always exceptions to the rule.

In general, my students average 12-16 sessions with me, with the low end being about 8, and the high mark being about 20. Most students meet with me once per week for 1.5 hours, then do 1.5 hours of homework prior to our next session. So 3-4 months in advance is probably a good benchmark, although individual cases may vary. For GMAT prep, I would suggest maybe starting 6 months out, simply because of the difficulty of balancing test prep with work obligations.

I also recommend planning for more than one test date, for a few reasons. First, test anxiety and fatigue can be real factors when you haven't sat for a 3-4 hour, school-entrance exam before. So you may not match your practice performance on your first try. However, when you've been through it once already, you have a better idea of what to expect, and these variables become less important. Second, life doesn't always cooperate - you may end up sick the week of the test, or be dealing with issues or obligations in your personal life that pull your focus.

It makes sense to have a buffer in place to account for these possibilities, so most ACT / SAT students plan on taking the test in February / March for the first time, with a second sitting in April / May (if necessary). That lets them focus on AP tests and high school final exams in June, and leaves Summer and Fall test-date options as a safety net. Everyone's schedule is a bit different, however, so some start earlier, and some start later. I always adapt to each situation.

+ Do you do any tutoring in addition to these 3 tests?

Yes, but I evaluate this on a case-by-case basis. Beyond test prep, I sometimes engage in subject tutoring, which is usually limited to the Math or English topics found within the standardized tests that I teach. In fact, I often use these tests as a teaching tool to help students with more complicated topics like essay writing.

Please use the "Contact Me" form on the website, or e-mail me directly at jp@powerstestprep.com, if you have an inquiry regarding any test, or subject, outside of the "Big 3" that I normally teach. I will always do my best to accommodate where (and when) I can.

+ What is the difference between the SAT and ACT?

The main difference is that there are more questions, in less time, on the ACT. Both the SAT and ACT have English and Math sections. The SAT has a Reading section made up of 5 passages, 1 of which is usually a "Science" passage. The ACT has separate, 40-question Reading and Science passages, but for comparison's sake, I consider them to be one "Reading" section.

SAT Reading - 52 questions, 65 minutes
ACT Reading/Science - 80 questions, 70 minutes

SAT Language - 44 questions, 35 minutes
ACT English - 75 questions, 45 minutes

SAT Math - 58 questions, 80 minutes
ACT Math - 60 questions, 60 minutes

SAT Composite - 154 questions, 180 minutes
ACT Composite - 215 questions, 175 minutes

Basically, the ACT adds 60 more questions, then asks you to do it in 5 fewer minutes than on the SAT. For many students, this pace, especially in the ACT Reading and Science sections, is the major challenge, because it pulls focus and leads to rushing and careless errors.

That said, students who are strong in reading comprehension but weaker in math tend to prefer the ACT. The time challenges of the ACT are not as pressing for them, and the ACT Math is often described as more "straightforward" then SAT Math, which can often be more word-problem based. The specific phrasing of the problems in that section can be confusing for some students.

One final difference is the order in which the sections are organized. The SAT begins with Reading, then Language, then Math. Students who are strong in Math but weak in Verbal tend to prefer this format, since they can tackle their more challenging sections at the beginning of the test, when they are at their freshest, saving the easier sections for later, when they are fatigued. The opposite is true for the ACT. It begins with English, then Math, finishing with Reading & Science. This is better tailored to students who are relatively stronger in reading comprehension than math.

Regardless of what test you choose to focus on, the material and techniques that you need to master to do well are 99% the same for both. If they weren't, then colleges wouldn't accept one as a substitute for another. So any work that you put in on one test will be transferable to the other one - we will continue to evaluate which test is best for you, as you improve.

+ What is the difference between the GMAT and GRE?

A few things. First, while both are computer-adaptive tests, the GMAT is computer-adaptive by question, whereas the GRE is computer-adaptive by section. The GRE Verbal Reasoning section focuses heavily on vocabulary, whereas the GMAT has a Sentence Correction section that is more focused on grammar and punctuation.

Both the GRE and GMAT place some emphasis on graphical fluency - the GRE does this in the Quantitative Reasoning section, whereas the GMAT primarily does this in the Integrated Reasoning section. One of the biggest differences in the math tested in each exam is the GMAT's Data Sufficiency section, which asks you not to solve a problem, but if you have enough information to solve a problem. This and the Critical Reasoning section of the GMAT, where you are asked to assess the assumptions and conclusions of an argument, can be unfamiliar to many students.

Both tests take approximately the same amount of time (3.5 hours), and both feature analytical writing sections, but the GMAT probably leans a bit more toward analytical thinking, whereas the GRE can seem a bit more content-based, and possibly more straightforward. For the most part, the GMAT is required for those applying to business schools, while the GRE is intended for those attending other types of graduate school. There is some crossover, however, so the best course of action is to determine what the schools you are applying to prefer.