Dear Mrs. Dalby–

Our son leaves for the college of his choice in six months. Your SAT-prep and general guidance on college admissions helped him make it to the Ivy League.

When I first called you in the spring of Coy’s sophomore year, we weren’t sure how SAT-prep with you might work out. You had come highly recommended, but we live a few hours’ drive away from the D.C. area. I was relieved that you agreed to take Coy as online student, even though you had only just started with that delivery method.

At your instruction, Coy focused on his math and reading scores. That “two-part” score is what the universities he wanted to attend would consider most for athletes like him. His first set of SAT scores in the fall of his junior year

[after he had met online twice in the spring and had been prepping for six months] was 740 reading, 670 math, 660 writing, or 2070 total and 1420 for the two-part. His final set in December of his junior year  [after a third online session]  was 760 reading, 730 math, and 660 writing, or 2150 total and 1490 for the two-part. On the SAT II he scored 780 on history and 700 on Math 1. We were thrilled with the improvement from the PSAT[205 in 11th grade] and with the advances he made on the SAT.   And his two-part was stellar among athletes applying to Harvard, Princeton, and Cornell Universities – his top choices.

After each session with you, Coy came away with a deeper understanding not only of particular mathematics problems, for example, but of test strategy – what to focus on and how. And he used your advice as guidance in the countless hours he spent studying SAT problems on his own. I also personally appreciated your advice. You talked me through the process so I had a deeper understanding of what top universities would look for in terms of grades and test scores from an athletic recruit.

With Coy’s final 1490 two-part and his 4.7 GPA from a course load full of AP classes, he had no problem qualifying for admission at the Ivy League universities he wanted to attend. Few other high-school competitors are ranked in the Top 10 nationally in his sport and have such high scores. The combination meant the coaches at Ivy League universities knew they could present the admissions office with Coy’s portfolio and he would likely gain approval. As a result, both Harvard and Princeton universities gave him a chance at early admission. Coy chose Princeton and by October of his senior year he had a letter in hand, telling him that early admission was likely. By December 2013 the dean of admissions formally called to offer him a spot and he accepted.

The early acceptance meant Coy could focus on his courses and his sport for the final season of his high-school career without having to worry about college applications. As a result of his success, we have referred several of our friends to you for online tutoring. And they have referred you to their friends.  Thank you for helping us understand the test and what Coy needed to do to make it to Princeton.

Robin Wilson

Blacksburg, VA