Homework Policy

Large SAT/ACT score improvements require consistent practice outside lessons. For students who complete the assigned homework, improvements of 180+ SAT points or 5+ ACT points are typical. For that reason, I ask that students and parents treat SAT/ACT preparation as the top academic concern while they are engaged in it. Let's do some math:

• I recommend 12 to 18 hours of SAT or ACT tutoring for most students.

• I assign approximately 2 hours of homework for every hour of SAT or ACT tutoring, which is 24 to 36 total hours of homework.

• That comes out to 36-54 hours spent on SAT/ACT preparation, which will result in a substantial boost to a student's SAT or ACT score. 

OK. Now, here are the things that colleges care about most:

• Maintaining a high GPA and taking challenging courses during high school (40%)

• SAT and/or ACT scores (30%)

• Extracurriculars (15%)

• Application essays (15%)

If we assume that high school students spend on average 7 hours a day physically present at school, as well as 1.5 hours a day on homework, for 180 days a year, for 4 years, we calculate that the typical high school student spends approximately 6,000 hours on high school. And depending on the commitment, students spend anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand hours on extracurriculars. 

SAT/ACT preparation is the quickest and most straightforward way to improve a student's chances of acceptance to any and all colleges. Students who prioritize test preparation (by doing all of the assigned homework) will achieve their goals.

Price Comparison

In the table below I compiled the cost of private SAT/ACT tutoring for some of the main national and Seattle-area companies.