Upcoming Presentations
LearningRx – A New Approach to Old Problems Thursday, May 9, 2019 at 7:30pm Recently, I met with Maureen Loftus, Executive Director, of LearningRx of Vienna and Reston. What an exciting meeting! I am astounded by what this brain training method can do. She recounted situation after situation in which students have been able to train their brain to create new pathways and connections to learn previously challenging academic studies. [...]
Summer Course Schedule – Enroll Now, Pay Later
Not ready to commit? Take advantage of our enroll now, pay later plan. Just enroll in the class that most interests you and pay later. And, if your plans change, cancel your enrollment with no obligation. When you are ready to commit you can get the following rebates: JULY July SAT Course starts Monday, July 8th -- Get a $200 rebate if paid by June 8th. July ACT Course starts [...]
Six Quick Tips for the Monster that is the AP Lang Exam!
The AP Language exam is coming up in just over a month and it is always a tough nut to crack. As a writing professor, I always give my students the same advice when thinking about this particular test. Study up on your rhetorical devices – make sure you have a strong list of them and can identify them easily in a sentence so you can master those multiple choice [...]
TJ 2nd round; class of 2023
We have heard from 39 students so far who made it to the 2nd round. Of those 39 students, 24 gained admissions (20) or were waitlisted (3). Of these 39 students, 25 prepared for the test/SIS, and 14 prepared only for the SIS with us. Of the 25 who prepared for the test, 14 were admitted/waitlisted. Of the 14 who took only the SIS, 10 were admitted/waitlisted. Many students want [...]
“Five Secrets to Boost Your SAT & ACT Test Scores Instantly”
Click Here for our Newsletter and to download a FREE Report "Five Secrets to Boost Your SAT & ACT Test Scores Instantly" (email is required). Make sure pop-ups aren't blocked!
Free ACT Diagnostic Test
SAT or ACT? Try a Free Diagnostic Test. If you are like many students, you are unclear which test is the right test for you: the redesigned SAT or the ACT. To help you figure out which test to take, you can come take a free, no obligation 3-hour ACT on select Saturdays at 11:00 am with Inspiring Test Preparation. This get acquainted offer is [...]
SAT vs. ACT – Which test is right for you?
Now that it’s prime time to start studying for the SAT and ACT, we’ve had a lot of students ask us which test they should take. Nowadays, most colleges accept the SAT and ACT and weigh scores from both tests equally, so that’s no longer a reason to take one test over the other. The College Board recently redesigned the SAT and it is now quite similar to the ACT. Both [...]
Introducing Flex Prep
WHAT IS FLEX PREP? Can’t take one of our summer or late spring classes? Don’t despair! Flex prep is year-round tutoring and small class preparation for the SAT and ACT. […]
How to Get into TJ – Update
We posted a blog entitled How to Prepare on Your Own for the TJ Test several years ago. The general recommendations are still good, but it is time for an update. Here are the components for admission to TJJSST (Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology): Grades and course work Math, science, and reading test in November Teacher recommendations SIS essay with math prompt Grades and course work: [...]
Just Be Yourself
“Just be yourself” – arguably the most cliché, most useless, and most frustrating piece of “advice” handed out on a day-to-day basis. But if it’s so useless, why do we hear it constantly when setting out for first dates, readying for interviews, or sitting down to start that all-important college essay? A majority of college applicants know that the amount of time a reviewer spends poring over college applications is [...]
ACT/SAT Reveal Concordance Table
SAT vs. ACT - The classic battle between the two giants of standardized testing has long since been a concern for any student making their foray into preparation for college. After years of conflict, the SAT redesigned its test in 2015 to make it more similar to the ACT's model. Despite this, ACT did not allow convergence from the new SAT due to the lack of data. College Board [...]
Do You Qualify for Extended Time?
Do you qualify for extended time on standardized tests such as the SAT or ACT? The ACT has changed its rules for extended time administration. […]
Geometry Crash Course for Early August
Is your lack of geometry hurting you on high school admissions tests? Take our four-day crash course to preview/review essential elements for tests such as the SSAT, TJ admissions, HSPT, and ISEE. Homework sets included to reinforce class instruction. Class is 7-8:30pm Monday through Thursday, August 6-9, 2018. Cost: $290 Instructor: Caroline Hesse To see the course description or to register click here. For ongoing practice throughout the summer, come [...]
Finally!! A Summer ACT in July
For years, students and parents complained that there were no ACT or SAT test dates for the summer. For years, our summers were spent chillin' at the beach. Over the last few years, however, there has been a drastic change. More and more students have been getting a jump start on prep during the summer between sophomore and junior year. Last year, the College Board responded to the pent up [...]
Kick Start your College Application Process
Dear Class of 2019: As Junior Year comes to a close, I’m sure you’re already dreaming about Senior year – all those amazing events and even graduation! It is going to be a wild ride, so hang on to your metaphorical hats. […]
TJ, SSAT, and HSPT Math Drills
Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare; enroll in our test preparation program for 7th graders. We are offering a math drill class every Tuesday from 6:00 – 6:55 pm to help students get the best scores possible on the SSAT, HSPT, or TJ admissions test. This program is a supplement to, not a replacement of, our regular 8th grade comprehensive six-week fall TJ prep program. The purpose of the drills [...]
Your TJ Admissions Roadmap
We at Inspiring Test Prep are proud to present the newly released Thomas Jefferson High School Application Schedule. For preparation and practice proven to increase your chance of gaining acceptance into TJHSS, please continue reading. Date Action September 3, 2018 Online Applications Become Available September 28, 2018 Application Deadline (4:00 p.m.) November 10, 2018 Test Day November 16, 2018 Accommodations Test Day January 18, 2019 Applicants Receive Semifinalist Pool [...]
Ready, Set, Go to the ACT
Day of the ACT Check Sheet Are you taking the ACT test this Saturday? First, let us wish you the best on this day. May the stars align and may you mark all your bubble sheets correctly, read all the questions accurately, remember all the formulas necessary, keep moving with proper pacing, and recall all your punctuation rules. In the spirit of positive thinking, the night before the [...]
TJ Results for Class of 2022
We have results for Fall 2017 TJ prep class — TJ Class of 2022. This was the first class we prepared for the new TJ admissions test. […]
Meet Ben Shenkman
Are you frustrated trying to find a reliable and competent tutor? Tired of meeting in the library or local coffee shop? Look no further. Inspiring Test Preparation is delighted to announce that Ben Shenkman has joined our team of outlandishly awesome tutors. Ben studied Physics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Chicago and is a graduate from The Potomac School in McLean, VA. After taking the most rigorous [...]
What to Eat the Day of the SAT (or Other Long Test)
by Bess Dalby* Whether you are too tired or too nervous, you may not feel like eating at all the morning of the SAT or ACT. However, I cannot stress enough how disastrous it can be if hunger strikes during a slew of difficult math problems. The human brain uses a variety of nutritional components to function during strenuous activities, and requires even more nutrition if it is deprived of [...]
Updates on TJ Admission – 2018
I thought I would share the following information concerning the upcoming TJ SIS (Student Information Sheet). A client asked me if I thought TJ would be having an essay or math problem this year (2018). I suggested she call TJ and ask admissions directly. She shared the following with me: […]
Tell Us What We Can Do Better – College Admissions Seminar Cancellation
We at Inspiring Test Preparation recently had to cancel our College Admissions Seminar with Cathy Ganley of ForWord Consulting. All of us here want to continue to make our business better and more accessible to students and parents, and you can help us. We would love to hear your opinion on why this class couldn't work for you, and what we can do going forward in order to continue serving [...]
Check Out the Admissions Company’s New App
On Thursday, December 29, Dr. Sybil Gohari, founder of The Admissions Company, introduced The Admissions Company’s new Odds Calculator app to a group of parents and students at Inspiring Test Preparation’s office in McLean, VA. Dr. Gohari’s app helps high school students determine their chances of gaining acceptance to a particular college or university. To assess their odds, students enter their biographical, academic and extracurricular information into the calculator, which, using [...]
Improve Your TJ Student Information Sheet (SIS)
The first year Thomas Jefferson High School of Science and Technology (TJ) switched to monitored SIS administrations, we taught 35 students in five separate workshops what TJ says it is looking for on the student information sheet and essay***. During those workshops we brainstormed topics to mention on the application and the candidates practiced writing answers to four prompts (three SIS prompts and one essay) under timed conditions. We reminded [...]