FAQ

 

When is the best time for my son or daughter to begin tutoring for the SAT or ACT?

The vast majority of our students begin their test preparation at Sentia by sitting for a proctored diagnostic exam. Our diagnostic exams are coded, question by question, both for difficulty and for the specific skill tested. We carefully analyze the results of this diagnostic in order to assess your child’s testing strengths and weaknesses. We then prepare a comprehensive report detailing both statistical and observational findings. In conversation with your family, a Sentia director establishes appropriate score goals and a timeline for tutoring. Most students begin the ACT or SAT tutorial process in 10th grade, however every child and family is different. At Sentia, your child’s tutorial program is custom tailored to achieve maximum score increases in an efficient, stress-free manner.

How will my child’s Sentia test preparation program work?

Each student benefits from a custom-tailored tutoring program designed to meet his or her specific preparation needs. Factors that influence how a Sentia Director designs each program include:

1) the student’s goals
2) when the student begins work with Sentia
3) the student’s tutoring needs as demonstrated by his or her diagnostic exam and academic performance, both in and out of the classroom
4) the student’s schedule and number of tutorial sessions per week
5) the student’s expected official administration dates

Most students meet with their Sentia tutor at least once each week.

I’ve heard SAT Subject Tests are required for admission to some colleges. When should my son or daughter begin preparation for those?

SAT Subject Tests are recommended or required at many competitive colleges and universities. Many students elect to sit for these exams around the same time as their final exams in school, generally at the June SAT administration. Most Sentia students prepare with a Sentia tutor who specializes in the given subject area for 3-4 months prior to the examination date.

How much will my son or daughter’s score improve as a result of tutoring with Sentia?

Sentia consistently produces industry-leading score improvements and the vast majority of our students realize score achievements that enable them to achieve admission to more competitive schools than they would without the aid of our proprietary tutoring system. Each Sentia program is custom tailored for the individual student, taking into account his or her educational aspirations. Beyond their formidable scores, our students also benefit from the increased academic confidence that comes from mastering the test. Every student has unique educational aspirations – helping each individual student to realize those goals is what we do best.

Where does the tutoring take place?

Tutoring sessions take place in the student’s home or the tutor’s office. Tutoring sessions can also be arranged at our New York headquarters, or (if feasible) at the student’s school or a parent’s place of work. Remote tutoring, performed via our secure videoconferencing platform, enables students outside our tutoring areas to access world-class tutoring from home.

Is remote tutoring effective?

Absolutely. Our secure videoconferencing platform, powered by Cisco, allows the tutor and student to see and speak to each other, to share documents and materials on the desktop, and even to sketch mathematics problems on our provided tablets. Students today spend more time than ever online and are inherently comfortable with meeting via videoconference. In fact, many of our students prefer it. Sentia remote tutoring produces comparable score gains to those achieved through traditional, in-person tutoring. Additionally, sessions can be monitored and recorded for later reference.