I have great respect for the work you do and the way you build the skills and self-confidence of our students.  You are doing some amazing things with Cannon students!

Anne Shandley, Director of College Counseling, Cannon School

Thanks for all you have done to help him.  We really appreciate it!

Janet Scott, Mother of Zack Scott, Woodlawn High School

I got my scores back and I would like you to know them! Thank you so much for all your help!!

Shannon Siegner, Catholic High School

Thank you so much for the SAT prep! It immensely helped me understand my weaknesses. I hope to get a better score than last time. I'll keep you updated. Thanks once again!

As the long wait for admissions decisions comes to an end, I have been sending out thank you notes to professors, teachers, friends, interviewers and scholarship panels.  Dr. Ari is one among many of these people who deserves a tremendous thank you.  I applied to a total of eleven schools this year, and so far, I have been accepted to Swarthmore, Smith, Wellesley, UNC Chapel Hill, Davidson, University of Georgia, Penn State and American University.  I received partial merit scholarships to American University and Smith College.  Additionally, I was selected for the Robertson Scholars Program, a full scholarship and dual-enrollment program at UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University, and the Belk Scholars Program, a full merit and community-oriented scholarship program to Davidson College.  I certainly would not have made the appropriate scores on my SAT without help from the Hitch Hiker’s Guide To College tutor, who helped me to achieve my academic goals.  Though the sessions were rigorous, he knew how to analyze my skills and identify my weak points.  In doing so, I was able to maximize my strengths and strengthen the weak skills, particularly in math and reading, and my reading score actually increased from a 640 to a 720.  Today, I have many options from which to choose for my college career, and I look forward to the next happy four years at Davidson College.  Thank you, Dr. Ari!

Yeeva Cheng, Advanced Academy of Georgia

Thanks for helping Eric so much with the online tutoring for the SAT.  I think his recent score was a confidence builder for him.

Miriam Bloch, Mother of Eric Gunderson, San Diego, California

Your tutoring and editing for NCSSM were right on target. There was nothing more to improve past that point. I have been accepted!

Jaehyong Lee, Mount Mourne School

First of all, I want to thank you for all of your hard work with Wil preparing him for the SAT. He felt very confident and I am looking forward to seeing his results. He enjoyed your classes very much. Thank you very much and thanks again for working with Wil.

Dr. L. Safrit, Mother of Wil Safrit, Cannon School

If you hadn't insisted that I apply to Georgia Tech or had not helped me prepare for the SATs, I would most likely not be as excited about my future as I am today, and I'm very thankful for that.

Sebastian Monroy, Providence High School

I felt that HitchHiker’s class was unlike the other SAT classes I took.  We learned a lot, but the class was enjoyable as well.  Their course is not a cheeky 100% guarantee that your score will become what you want, but all the resources you need are provided by them; books, strategies, and encouragement.  In the end, it is what you make out of this course.  I strongly recommend this course to anyone that wants to learn simple as well as complex strategies in taking the SAT, weather you are just starting or are taking it for the fifth time.  This class has helped me improve my score in all three categories.

Amit Jain, Ardrey Kell High School

Hey long time no talk! so I took the SAT again and got a 1940! my score went up 130 points! Haha I am so excited. Thank you for all of your help.

MS, Cannon School

Just keeping you updated on my SAT scores: 2030! 600 in CR, 670 in math, 760 in writing! Thanks for everything!

NK, Cannon School

I want to thank you so much for the online teaching that you have done to help Yeeva with her SAT scores.  There was definitely a tremendous change in her attitude and confidence while preparing for the test.  We are also most grateful that she is now a finalist for a national scholarship competition, provided that she is granted admittance to her college; we can only hope that she will qualify to become a recipient.  Of course, this would not have been possible without your help.  This is so meaningful for my family, as most of us never had a formal education.

Michael Cheng, Father of Yeeva Cheng, Atlanta, Georgia

680 in critical reading, 690 in MATH, and 690 in writing! 2060 total! Thank you so much!!

TC, Cannon School

I just thought that you should know that with your help, I increased my SAT score 150 points to a 1290/1600, giving me a great chance to be accepted to all the schools I am applying to. Thank you for all of your help and I will keep you updated on whether or not I am accepted to Chapel Hill and Villanova. 

CV, Charlotte Catholic High School

I would like to discuss our strategy for additional preparation, additional testing and the timing for each.  I am obviously pleased with Thomas' scores but would appreciate your input as to how we should proceed from here.

Dr. C. Harr, Father of Thomas Harr, Cannon School

"I got my SAT scores! I got a 2000! 690 in critical reading, 700 in math, and 610 in writing!"

WS, Cannon School

I don't know if you remember me but I tutored with you a couple of months ago for the SAT. I'm e-mailing to thank you for working with and to say that the strategies and help you gave me improved my scores tremendously to a 2220. Thank you so much. 

ML, Charlotte Catholic High School

This SAT prep class has been extremely rewarding. Before it, I was in the dark. I was feeling like I was not going to score high at all. Then, when I walked into this class, my feelings of uneasiness were vanquished. I learned valuable techniques in all three areas, but found this course especially helpful with the essay and the passage - based critical reading. I am glad that I found such a great instructor in my hour of need. Every penny was well worth spent. Thank you so much!

Chirag Patel, Ashbrook High School

We were enormously pleased with the time, effort and attention you gave our twins in their SAT Preparation. Your efforts were well beyond any test strategy, which you did offer generously also.  Your teaching was much more than that.  You presented them with focused academic concepts which helped them to analyze and understand the problems presented to them in the SAT Test.  Hands down, each of the twins said that there were multiple questions that they could answer because of the time spent in concentrated preparation with you.  Moreover, this was not a cram and forget.  They continue to see benefit in their classroom skills too, particularly in English grammar. Thank you for helping them make scores of 1870 and 2070 on the SATs as sophomores taking the tests for the first time.

                        Parents of MB and TB, Cannon and Davidson Day Schools

I just got my scores back for the SAT I took just last month :) I got a 2150 overall! I think I wanted to die of a heart attack! Thank you soooooooooooooo much, and I hope classes are going well!

Reena Patel, Ardrey Kell High School

Our daughter got her SAT scores back.  She totaled 2080 with a 200 point jump in her Math score from when you first met her back in the summer over at Cannon.  Thank you!! You’ll probably hear from her today that she wishes to continue SAT Math (including subject Math) prep with you, and maybe adding the Writing prep component to it now. Thank you!! You continue to do miracles with her.  We really appreciate your continued positive impact on her.  We are very grateful that we have met you.

Parents of TH, Cannon School

At first, I was not sure if the SAT prep course was truly necessary with all the prep books out there, but the SAT prep course has exceeded my expectations. This SAT prep course is unique because you get specific feedback on what you are doing wrong and how you can fix it - unlike what many "big" sat companies do. The tutors are extremely knowledgeable and truly care about your success. I would recommend the SAT prep course to anyone who is struggling to to improve their score with a prep book and have had bad experiences with the big sat companies. The SAT prep course helped me improve my already good score by an additional 280 points!

Pranav Maddi, Olympic High School

My scores have gone up 160 points from the test I took in June. Thank you so much for what you have done for me.

                                                                                                            Shiv Patel, Gaffney High School

Hitch Hiker’s Guide to College tutored me in SAT math for 16 weeks. Before I tutored with them, my SAT score in math was 510. I did not understand how math worked. Quite frankly it frustrated me. Of all the school classes I've ever taken, none befuddled me so much as math. Unfortunately in school, teachers do not have the time to explain all of the whys in great detail. I've honestly had teachers who didn't know themselves. When I worked with Hitch Hiker’s, I was the only one in the class. I could ask questions as long as I wanted to, and no matter what boggled me, it didn't boggle the tutor. He articulated to me what I needed to hear in a way that assured I left the sessions with good understanding. One of the first things Hitch Hiker’s ever told me was that there are three types of SAT takers in this world. Out of 100 there will  be one or two geniuses; there will be a hand full of hopeless cases, and there'll be those like us: people who have every ability to comprehend the material but need to work to reach that goal. One can't pry into someone's mind and do the thinking and understanding for them, but Hitch Hiker’s develop and gave me every necessary tool to understand the material. I went into their classes with misunderstandings in the most basic algebra. Math was a formula to me - it worked and I didn't know why. After working with Hitch Hiker’s, math has taken on new vitality. I now have the tools to understand very difficult math concepts, even figure them out on my own. I worked with what I had and Hitch Hiker’s filled in the holes -- the result: I now get math! As I've said, I began tutoring with a 510 on my math SAT. I finished with Hitch Hiker’s Guide, took the SAT, and now have a 710 on the math. Going up 200 points in the entire SAT is very difficult, going up 200 points in one section is unheard of. I could never recommend anyone for anything more than I can recommend Hitch Hiker’s Guide to College for SAT tutoring.

CS, Gaston Christian High School

I just wanted to let you know that I have been accepted to UNC at Chapel Hill! I have also been accepted to Clemson with a $56,000 Scholarship and Drexel with a $12,500 scholarship. Thank you sooooooooo much for your help throughout this entire process.

SAT
I think, that for a person to truly understand how to perform well on a test, he or she should completely understand the test. And, this is what taking classes at Hitchhiker's did. After taking the classes and going through the motions of what the test comprises and how to attack each problem, I felt confident in taking the SAT. Even after, the courses, all that I had learned, including techniques on how to approach certain problems, I still practiced on my own time, and was able to reach my SAT score goal, increasing my score 180 points. The unique learning environment encourages group thinking and individual curiosity, which when combined, provide the optimal learning experience. For some students it is easy to improve; while for others, like me, it takes a while. So, while working in a diverse group with students who have different strengths, instead of feeling intimidated, I was able to see how my peers worked. The classes also did something I think was the most important in my learning: it built my confidence. I think once this mental battle is conquered, which the course helps do through instruction from the coach, peers and self, it helps the student focus on getting his or her goal. I am very satisfied with what I gained from these classes and I'm sure the colleges will agree when they see my score.

Priyanka Vakil, Providence High School

College Advice/Application

As I have found, as a busy senior with a tough class load and a multitude of extracurriculars, the college application process is quite complicated and sometimes too complex for a student to decipher. Realizing that I was clueless about the whole process and realizing that I wanted to make college see the best me, I decided to seek help. Hitchhiker's has pretty much made the college application process much easier and less of a hassle for me, allowing me to focus on the applications but also on my other work. What I find really helpful, is the advice about the college essays. Many colleges now require at least one essay and many of them stress the essays' importance in their decision factor, so making mistakes or not doing them the right way would not be acceptable. With Hitchhiker's I was able to better understand how to pick essays, respond to them to ensure that colleges will remember me. Most of the advice given is even applicable in writing for school. I know that for many families the whole college application process is very important as it determines childrens' futures for the next four years of their lives and like every parent who wishes well for his/her child, being familiar with the process and understanding what is being asked will help optimize the student's chances to get into his or her college. I would really like to thank Hitch Hiker's for such a phenomenal job in guiding me and making the whole process feel like a piece of cake!

Priyanka Vakil, Providence High School

Hitch Hiker’s Guide to College has been an invaluable resource in preparing me for college. Without their assistance I doubt I would have been able to squeak 2000 on my SAT, much less the 2210 that I ultimately received. Their mentoring was extremely beneficial in that they not only made me aware of what to expect on the SAT, but also prepared me to overcome each possible question that I might encounter. In addition to SAT and SAT II preparation, HHG2C has also aided me in finding, applying to, an interviewing for colleges. All of their services have proven themselves equally valuable and have made the entire college process much easier for myself and for my parents, who would have otherwise had to advise me despite their inexperience with the process. I couldn't thank HHG2C enough for all the help they have been! I only wish I had discovered them sooner!

SM, son of teacher at Providence High School

Sorry for replying so late, but i wanted to get my scores first. I really enjoyed the class. It was entertaining, informational and productive. The one-on-one interface provided me a better learning environment. I tried online classes but the technical issues and distance with the tutors did not help me improve. I improved a lot compared to my preSAT scores and past scores. I received a 620 in critical reading, 710 in math and a 600 in writing. I didn't receive my essay score yet. I will inform you the moment I get it. I will probably come back for a refresher class next year.

Rohita Darga, Ardrey Kell High School

After taking my PSAT and scoring somewhere in the high 1700’s, I had some concerns about my ability to achieve an acceptable score in the SAT. As a result, I sought the help of HitchHiker’s Guide To College with the hopes that attending the classes offered would help me improve my score.  At first I was fairly nervous about the whole idea, but once I began attending the classes, all feelings of anxiety quickly vanished. With only a few students in every class, each class feels comfortable and relaxed, while simultaneously stressing an engaging academic environment. The constant process of taking practice tests and then reviewing each section of these tests (including the essay) provides the experience necessary to make the SAT seem as routine as possible (and therefore easier to take). Old mathematics and grammatical concepts are reviewed to compensate for a curriculum that may not coincide with the requirements of the SAT, and vocabulary required for the SAT is taught in every class. As a result of all of these effective teaching techniques, my final SAT score improved dramatically - I scored a 2200 on the 2400 point scale. I strongly recommend the HitchHiker’s Guide To College course to anyone seeking to improve their score in the SAT. 

                                                                                      MM, Charlotte Catholic School

My SAT prep experience helped me understand key concepts which I repeatedly saw on the real SAT. Reviewing with you not only helped me grasp concepts which I could not learn on my own but also taught me excellent study habits for the SAT and other standarized tests. Your college advice and prep skills helped me organize all of my college applicationsand get ready for the next level in my education. I truly appreciated your time in helping me with my college essays and applications. It made the painful task of applying to college much easier!

Bishal Johal, Gaston High School

Usually when you hear of SAT/PSAT preparation classes, you may find yourself thinking of the grueling pain and boredom you may have to endure. HitchHiker’s Guide to College classes are fun and knowledgeable. They incorporate humor and SAT facts together so you can better grasp the concepts. In addition to help on the SAT/PSAT, their classes also help you in school. I have never encountered such an extremely patient and understanding tutor. If you do not understand a math concept or a grammar question, they will help you in whatever way they can. So thank you for your valuable advice and much, much more, HHG2C. It truly was a pleasure to receive guidance from you.

Anisha Padma, Ardrey Kell High School

Carson has greatly enjoyed and benefited from your SAT prep sessions. I believe that they have helped him in school in general, especially in math and writing.

Monty Coggins, Father of Carson Coggins, Cannon School

I wanted to send a quick thank-you for the great tutoring Rachel received this summer.  We were very pleased with her results - a 190 point increase in Reading and Math.  Her confidence with this test has increased dramatically and her results as compared to her peers who received tutoring from other individuals were by far the best. As she has just begun her junior year, she is planning to take the SAT again in June, 2008 after she completes her Pre-calculus and AP Langauge/Composition classes.  We would like for her to come back to you in April for a "refresher" course before the June date.  Is this something you would be able to arrange? Again, thank you.  It has been a pleasure and we look forward to working with you again.

Rachel Presley, Gaston High School (Testimonial by  Rachel's Mom, Penny)

At first when I joined this SAT Prep Course, I was a bit skeptical of how much it would actually help improve my SAT score. But instead, I found it to be quite helpful. I got helpful tips on time management, which is crucial for a test such as the SAT, as well as tips on which angle to look at different types of questions. Not only did the class help improve my SAT score, but it was also an enjoyable experience. The class size was fairly small with only 4-5 students per class, so it you would get to talk with the teacher much more personally instead of how it would be with a class size that is much larger. The small class size also helps the tutor understand each student individually, as well as his/her strengths and weaknesses in each of the three SAT sections. He can take this information and try and help the student in certain areas of need.

Rushi Gajjar, East Mecklenburg High School

I just wanted you to know that your tutoring has helped me so much - because of the SAT score that I subsequently received, I have gotten the following awards and admissions: UNC at Chapel Hill, Elon University - Honors Program (Presidential Scholar), Clemson University - $48,000 in scholarship, Boston University, North Carolina State University, and University of South Carolina - Honors Program. Thank you so much.

Prashanth Iyer, East Mecklenburg High School

Thanks for your coaching and support. Sanketh was able to improve his SAT score by over 250 points.

Sanket Sukesh, Ardrey Kell High School

The SAT prep was very helpful and improved my scores. Also, most of the tips not only applied to the SAT but also to my English and math classes. Your feedback with colleges helped me narrow my search and you also gave me an optimistic outlook. I was very satisfied with my final scores and happy that I increased them after your tutoring. I have been accepted to a few colleges already, but I am hopefully waiting to hear back from some more. Thank you so much for making the SAT and ACT prep so much fun!!!!!

Chelsea Rowland, Marvin Ridge High School

In preparation for the SAT it was helpful to me to receive instruction on how to prepare for it from someone who had prior knowledge of the SAT. I learned important techniques and strategies for taking the SAT. HHG2C is staffed with people from universities and hence, they are very effective in helping you since they know what colleges are looking. If you follow their instructions and advice, it will make taking the SAT much easier.

Kushal Patel, Jay M. Robinson High School (Cabarrus)

This ACT prep was one of the most amazing educational experiences I have ever had because the tutor managed to take the drab subject of ACT prep and used multiple methods to make it interesting for us to study. I actually got motivated to study for ACT! After just 4 classes, I was able to achieve a great ACT score that I never thought I was capable of.

Lauren Harbury, Charlotte Country Day School

After taking the SAT twice, I realized that I needed help to achieve an acceptable SAT score. Thus began my research into major SAT tutoring companies. However, I could not find a program that I felt would help me get to my goal. Then one day as I was going through the regional Saathee magazine, I stumbled upon Hitch Hiker’s Guide to College. I called them and set up an appointment rightaway – and now I am absolutely glad that I did so! During the course, I learned to discipline myself and practice singlemindedly for the SAT along the tried-and-tested guidelines which were given to me. They took the time to explain the different tricks and techniques required to succeed in the SAT and helped me strengthen my testing abilities. Whenever I needed any kind of help, I did not feel hesitant to call or email them. Thank you so much!

Pooja Shah, Gaffney High School

Many people claim that their SAT classes elsewhere, were a waste of money and time because they did not improve their scores at all. However, every student of this course will beg to differ. This SAT prep has has improved my score by 250 points to cross the 2100 mark!! The unique style of teaching makes the students really understand a concept, and also makes them remember their mistakes from that point on. The casual classroom environment makes learning easier, fun and less intimidating. The most helpful part of the class was the individual analysis of every weekly test. We would go through each problem, and solve several like it, to ensure that if we ever saw a similar problem again on the real test, we would answer it without any difficulty. I am so glad I took this class and am excited to see what colleges admit me with my new SAT score.

                                                                                        Shiwani Kumar, Providence High School

The best part about the HitchHiker program is the confidence that it gave me about my own abilities. Practicing problems made me feel comfortable and capable of completing the task ahead of me. I feel like I improved my skills in the small group setting which allowed time for personal instruction, along with the group work. I started looking forward to my sessions because I was having fun while still focussing on the material. The group setting helped me feel at ease and focused at the same time, because the entire group was aiming for the same set of goals. If I had the choice, I would definitely do it again. Your tutoring increased my score by over 200 points, while turning out to be an overall enjoyable experience. Thank you SO much for helping me!! You have no idea how much I appreciate it, and I am so glad that I achieved the goal you set for me!!

Tracy Oleinijczak, Providence High School

I broke 2100!!! I am really excited ... at least now I have a fighting chance. Thank you SO MUCH for everything you have done! I can honestly say that I could not have done it without you!! Thanks !!!

Kashmira Kale, Providence High School

Your tutoring and mentoring have proved to be enormous assets in my educational experience dealing with college entrance examinations. As a newcomer to NC, I set my eyes on the first college from where I could get a prestigious degree for the life that awaits me - UNC Chapel Hill. After taking 2 full Princeton Review courses and attaining a mere 1780 in the SAT, I doubted my chances of getting into my dream college and continued searching for better guidance. Your skilled tutoring methods and strategic puzzle-buster tactics proved far more effective than those of Princeton Review. After only 6 weeks of tutoring, I received my third SAT score in late December 2006, and was frankly bewildered at the marked improvement. I had earned 1960, almost 200 points higher than the Princeton Review guarantee! I became ecstatic 2 weeks later when the admission letter from UNC Chapel Hill reached me by mail. My dream has come true, and I will be enrolling at UNC Chapel HIll in Fall 2007. Thanks to your exemplary teaching methods, including dynamic group learning activities with other students, I am now on the road to success.

                                                                                        Naman Rawal, Sun Valley High School

I wanted to let you know that your tutoring for PSAT really helped. I felt a lot more confident walking in to the test center after taking your course.

Eshaan Khandekar, Providence High School

The SAT course was special to me because I was tutored in a unique learning environment - I became a lot more confident since joining the course. My score went up by about 400 points!!

Vikesh Patel - Junior, Ardrey Kell High School

The tutor is a charismatic and enthusiastic person - his dedication in teaching is why students succeed. He sets realistic goals and is more than willing to help you achieve them.

                                                                         KB, Charlotte Country Day School

The Hitch Hiker's Guide is an excellent tutor. The many methods he uses are based on specific problems that can be solved in an one-on-one environment, and on common problems which can be solved in a group. His tutoring helped me do well in the PSAT, and I will be coming back to be tutored for the SAT.

                                                                         Binoy Kapadia, Providence High School

The PSAT course helped me a lot in the reading and writing sections. I learned techniques that helped me narrow down choices and manage time smartly. For the writing section, I got valuable insights like choosing the most concise among several correct answers. My PSAT score went up by 40 points to 190 after just 6 classes!

                                                                                Akash Shah, Butler High School

I had a great PSAT preparation, and the teaching techniques used were cool and unique.

Arjun Puri, Myers Park High School

With each week's practice tests and in-class brainstorming sessions, I was able to understand the subject matter much better. In doing so, I achieved a much higher SAT score than before.

Praveen Benjamin, Providence High School