Professional Educators
Our tutors are professional educators, with a prodigious amount of combined teaching experience in various fields. Success in SAT/PSAT/ACT requires not only a solid background of course material, but also the ability to use it accurately, logically, carefully and in a timely manner. Our instructors bring a sound knowledge of foundation material, along with efficacious teaching that ensures success, to every class.
Psychometric Evaluation
Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of educational and psychological experiment, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and personality traits. The field is primarily concerned with the study of differences between individuals and between groups of individuals. As part of our clinical experience with SAT students, we have developed a unique method of accurately determining mental and emotional factors that lead to the build up of competitive instincts, conscious self-control of carelessness, constructive self-criticism, and ambition - all of which are critical to success in today's environments when both the tests, and college entrance criteria, are becoming tougher by the year. Our psychometric analysis techniques are based on the following two foundations: (1) construction of instruments and procedures for measurement, and (2) development and refinement of theoretical approaches to measurement.
Tuning Thought Processes
The surest way to success is to align your logical and analytical abilities with those of the test setters. Our unique teaching style at Hitch Hiker's Guide To College ensures that students actively participate in analyzing questions and eliminating choices by thinking aloud and observing others do the same. Our instructors do not just give out the correct answers; instead, they initiate and maintain brainstorming sessions with the students so that they develop the crucial test-taking abilities. Each class is initially challenging, but once you get the hang of it, you start enjoying the sessions and grow in confidence leading up to the test.
Time Micro-Management
In a test like SAT/PSAT/ACT, every second counts. Experience shows us that students typically waste valuable seconds choosing wrong questions to answer, or answering questions using the wrong methods. Our courses incorporate several in-class tests that are overlooked and timed by our instructors on an one-on-one basis. Post-analysis and deconstruction of these timed tests is one of the critical components of the success of our students.
Class Size
Experience shows us that the above 3 teaching techniques can only be effective for a maximum class size of 6. Our novel teaching paradigms simply cannot be replicated by any mass-scale tutoring service.
Knowledge Base
One of the foundations for success is your knowledge base. The syllabi of SAT/PSAT/ACT are vast and ever-changing, including materials from as early as 7th grade, till as late as senior year. At Hitch Hiker's Guide To College we guarantee that the test syllabus will be entirely covered as long as you register with us at least 8 weeks before the test. We have no vested interest in using foundation material of any particular publisher. We supplement our well developed study material with those of other publishers to provide you with an all-rounded study experience.
Customized Progression Analysis
We analyze your tests in great depth, cross correlate your answers from previous tests, deconstruct your mistakes in categories based on subject matter and difficulty levels, and statistically follow your progression in our courses to pin-point and work on your personal weaknesses. Individually tailored results are generated by hand-grading, as opposed to computer-grading.