SSAT Tutoring and Test Prep

Curtis is a great tutor helping my son with both the ACT and SAT. He spent the first summer on the ACT and later switched to the SAT. My son had a 1320 on SAT without any preparation. Curtis worked with him to identify his areas of weakness and patiently worked on improving both verbal and math sections. Curtis is very knowledgeable and provides strategies specifically to address challenges along with maintaining areas of strength. We ran into an issue on the second test attempt but Curtis came up with an approach to get him back on track. He was able to improve to 1450 on the third attempt. 750 math and 700 verbal. This will help my son put him in the 75th percentile or higher in his top choice schools which will greatly improve his chances. We could not have done this without Curtis. We strongly recommend Curtis and he is very easy to work with.

Just wanted to say a big thank you for all your help prepping I for the ISEE this fall. As you know her results (2 8s and 2 9s) were outstanding. Your warmth in working with I and deep knowledge of the test materials helped make the whole process painless for us. You were always prompt and thorough in assigning work and following up and your lessons were well organized and well thought out. We also appreciate your flexibility in scheduling, even with many last minute changes made by us!

“Naomi is a wonderful, thoughtful, and kind teacher. She has an incredible ability to read when a topic is confusing and restructure the session to meet the needs of the student she’s working with. She is so understanding and patient! I would highly recommend her to teach any subject.”

“Naomi was an excellent mentor and math tutor for my son. I would without a doubt hire again. She is truly exceptional, patient, and kind. She has made an impact not only on my son, but me as well. Her disposition is lovely and she has an impactful, yet subtle way of demanding structure. My son is a typical 11 year old, but he also has challenges with ADHD. Naomi was able to find creative ways to introduce information and teach according to his learning style.”

I could tell from the start that Jonathan was going to be good. In our first session, he completely revamped my test taking methodology, introducing tricks to deal with timing and ways to make informed yet quick decisions on difficult questions. Our sessions started by taking a bird’s-eye view of the test as a whole, with Jonathan making sure I developed a fundamental base that I could build upon as the weeks went by. We gradually drilled down into the finest and most nuanced points of the test, going topic by topic. I was almost waiting to get to a concept that Jonathan couldn’t explain by either providing an example that was impossible to forget or yelling the answer loudly enough in my ear that it would be ringing until test day (if you don’t get the humor, this worked like a charm). That was probably the most impressive part to me – we never found a topic that he couldn’t explain. Jonathan was extremely patient and not only put in the effort to explain every lesson to me, but also clearly considered my learning style and catered to it. The results speak for themselves as I was able to improve my score significantly. I would recommend Jonathan to anyone taking the GMAT or any other test for which he offers tutoring services.

I had eight days until I was going to be taking the GRE for the second time. I had tried other tutors previously who did not understand my learning style and did not provide the tools I needed to succeed. I was juggling finishing my applications for business school and polishing essays. If things did not go well – I was not going to be applying for my MBA this year. There was a lot going on in my life. I desperately needed to find the right person. Enter Jonathan Arak. Everything I ever wanted from previous tutors – and lacked, Jonathan possessed, exceeding my wildest expectations. He tailored our sessions to how I learned – something deeply meaningful for someone coming from a learning disabled background. He taught me the effective strategies to excel on the exam – even going above and beyond what other tutors did – even something as simple as organizing scratch paper. Each day on our tight schedule, he was attentive and available, texting me about homework and problems, inquiring if I had completed my assignments or had any questions. More than anything he was kind, patient, and helped me get in the proper mindset to do well on the exam. Jonathan gave me a fighting chance to get into business school this year. He is part tutor, part psychiatrist, and all around great individual. He is hands down the most expensive tutor I have ever used, but he is worth every penny. Thanks!

Jonathan Arak is a Godsend. Not only did he help raise my score 260 points, but he also helped raise my confidence in my intelligence, mathematical ability, and my capacity for hard work and perseverance. He did all this with an unending humor, wit, and warmth that made me look forward to coming home from school and studying with him. He is absolutely wonderful at catering to a student’s personal needs and interests; how many people could help you remember the word “exculpate” by singing “Mea Culpa” from Sweeney Todd because you’re a musical theater fanatic? Only one that I know of. He is endlessly patient, even with a student such as myself who does not learn things the ‘normal’ way. He often had to find creative ways to explain simple concepts to me, and he always rose to the challenge with creativity and an unflustered air that even my school teachers can’t always summon. Jonathan has helped me not only in my SAT score, but in my life. He has given me confidence in my own abilities, which is a priceless gift. I would recommend him highly to anyone, save those who are not willing to work hard and will waste his time. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to tell you the marvelous assets of Jon, and thank you for your wonderful and helpful program. Keep up the good work!

The improvement in their French grades reflects the value of your input. I know it has not always been easy because my students are not particularly comfortable with French but we greatly appreciate your time and effort and will gladly recommend you to anyone seeking a French tutor in the future. I will certainly be in touch if French (or another area in which they need help) is on the horizon)

“My daughter is a high school senior who has been working with Naomi for about a month and a half on AP calculus. Naomi is very helpful and explains the material clearly and patiently. Glad to have her working with my daughter. So far, her homework grades went up, and hopefully, she will improve on her tests as well.”