Expert SAT/ACT Test Prep
prep for more than just the test
Why Work With Artful Prep?
In just 10 sessions (or fewer), typically spaced out over 2.5 to 3 months, my students on average see 100 to 150 points of improvement on the SAT or 3 to 4 points of improvement on the ACT. Depending on their starting marks, far greater leaps are possible - particularly if students are willing to take the test at least twice (and ideally no more than three times) over the course of the process.
But I’m in this for so much more than score improvements. Teaching is my greatest joy, and seeing my students emerge from the prep process more confident in themselves and their ability to learn - nothing could be more meaningful than that.
And hey - who said test prep can’t be fun? Drop me a line below to learn more.
About Dave
I grew up in Maine, where California glows in the distance like a beacon of well-tanned wonder. I only partially fled the frost when I cut my teeth as a math nerd turned English major at Yale, and it was there that my California dreams came to fruition when I was offered a job in communications at Google. When I realized I was happiest biking between the Mountain View offices (and pretty unfulfilled the rest of the time), I made the leap to leading wilderness trips at a summer camp outside of Yosemite, and since then, have found myself time and time again coming back to one thing: my profound love of teaching.
I love getting to know my students and finding ways to make their learning real, relatable, and memorable. I take pride in customizing an efficient prep process to each of my students, because I know there’s a lot more to life (not to mention college apps!) than test prep. I also love infusing laughter into my sessions, helping students embrace mistakes as inevitable steps on the path of their highest learning,
Having tutored the SAT and ACT for more than a decade and helped hundreds of students over the years, I know for certain that these tests aren’t strictly a measure of anyone’s intelligence, worth, or ability to succeed in college or life. They are an imperfect assessment of college readiness at best, but I also see them as an incredible opportunity to pass on important academic and life skills, and to help students grow into their best and brightest selves.
When I’m not tutoring, you can find me chasing my kids around, hiking, writing children’s poetry, or rocking out with my band in the Bay Area.
My Services
1-on-1, Customized SAT and ACT Test Prep
A lot of people prepare for these tests by focusing on content, thinking “gosh, if I just learn a few more vocabulary words and a few more things about quadratics, I can improve.” And while it’s true that being an expert in the quadratic formula can’t hurt , the oft overlooked truth is that the bulk of points most students stand to gain on the SAT and ACT is simply getting the questions right that they already know how to do.
That process is about cultivating a commitment to learning and trying new approaches - coming to understand what the different questions on the SAT and ACT are actually asking for, and then getting to know better where we are most likely to make mistakes in our process.
I’m here to help quickly identify the source of student errors, and then to customize a program for them that, in ten 90-minute sessions, efficiently fills in the content area gaps standing in their way, while also empowering them with the strategies they need to move with ease through the trickiest questions on the exam.
While there are things every student needs to know for these tests, the truth is that the approach I take is different for every student. Reach out below, and I’d love to learn more about how I can help.
Contact Me
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and I’ll be in touch shortly. I can’t wait to hear from you!