With summer underway and the Independence Day holiday weekend behind us, our enrichment programs at Study Hut are in full force, and learning is back on the agenda.
Tonight we begin our ACT small-group course, which runs Monday and Wednesday evenings for the remainder of summer. Our SAT small-group course also begins tomorrow evening, and runs through the rest of summer on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Students are excited to learn concepts that they either missed in high school or have not yet learned, and they are even more eager to go over their practice tests and learn time management and question prioritization strategies for both the ACT and SAT. Students in previous classes at Study Hut Tutoring have learned all about the tremendous benefits of having an ACT tutor or an SAT tutor in their corner.
Whether a student needs help with SAT math, critical reading, writing, or some combination of these, having a top Study Hut tutor has shown to make a huge difference in students’ scores. Our small group ACT and SAT classes have helped to earn students an average of over 200 points of improvement from their original scores, and many students improve 300 or more points.
At the Hut, we strongly suggest making a game-plan early so as to ensure that your son or daughter has the maximum amount of time to make the gains that he or she desires. The test preparation process is, after all, about opening as many doors as possible, both for college and for opportunities beyond.
If your son or daughter has not yet taken a practice SAT or ACT, now is the time to see where you stand. We offer free full-length SAT and ACT diagnostic tests, and we also provide free consultations to parents and students after the test so that you can fully understand your results. Please email info@studyhut.com today to sign up at any of our beach-front locations.
As your junior year winds down, it’s time to start coming up with the list of colleges that you will be applying to. Maybe you’ve had a dream school in mind since you were a little kid, or maybe you haven’t even started thinking about it, but you’ll need to come up with a mix of reach schools, safety schools, and a few in the middle of the road. There are around 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States, so trying to narrow them down can be overwhelming. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula for choosing your mixture of schools, but here are some criteria you can use to find schools that would be a good fit for you.
Kind of college- Are you looking for a two year or four year school? Public or private?
Location- Do you want to be able to do your laundry and eat dinner at home, or only fly home for winter break from a whole new environment?
Size/Setting- How do you feel about being at a school where everyone knows your name? Or would you rather find your niche in a large, diverse student population?
Life Outside the Classroom- Do you see yourself in a fraternity or sorority? How important is school spirit to you? Do you want to be able to go to “the big game” every weekend? What about volunteering, or an active student government? What kind of balance are you looking for between being academically challenged and having a fun-filled social life?
Major- If you’re not sure what you want to do with the rest of your life, or want a lot of variety before you work on a major, don’t worry! That’s totally normal. If you want a specialized degree, such as engineering, it’s important to find schools that have the right program for you.
Cost- This is one of the most important factors in choosing a college. Talk with your parents about college costs, look into applying for financial aid, and research different scholarships.
Once you’ve come up with a manageable list of schools, go on some campus visits to get a feel for the school’s unique vibe. Each school has its own “X-factor” where even if it sounds perfect on paper, it might not feel right in person, or you might fall in love with a school you didn’t think you would. To make your search easier, the College Board website has a school search, information about schools, and background on the application process. Visit https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/how-find-your-college-fit to start searching for the school that’s right for you!
We interviewed multiple students in our office today and here are the top 10 reasons why our students love coming to the Study Hut!
1. I love coming to the Study Hut because the tutors are all really easy to talk to which makes it easy to ask questions when you’re confused. – Charlotte
2. I love coming to the Study Hut because the tutors help to keep me organized and help me prepare for upcoming things in school. – Nikki
3. I love coming to the Study Hut because it has a laid back but very productive atmosphere where I feel comfortable. – Pratt
4. I love coming to the Study Hut because I’ve been coming here for years and the people who work here are like family to me. – Isabelle
5. I love coming to the Study Hut because I have many friends here and my subjects become more clear after my sessions are over. – Josie
6. I love coming to the Study Hut because it has helped me to improve my grades. – Isabella
7. I love coming to the Study Hut because it has great snacks and healthy foods like Apples and Bananas that I can have during my tutoring sessions. – Alex
8. I love coming to the Study Hut because the tutors make learning fun and easy to understand. – Ben
9. I love coming to the Study Hut because they have locations in the area which makes it convenient since I can choose which location I want to go to depending upon where I live. – Nicole
10. I love coming to the Study Hut because they help me not only with regular tutoring but they also help me with my SAT training. – Alex
It’s Spring Break and another great trip students are taking this week are to visit college campuses around the United States! Whether it’s a private school, UC schools, State Schools, or Junior Colleges… Spring Break is a great way to start your college journey!!
Here are things to pay attention to when you are visiting a college campus:
1. The location: Is your college in a college town?
2. The dorm/living situation. Do they have nice accomodations? Do you have to share a room or can you ask for a single room? How many roommates?
3. Is there school spirit? Does the school have sports teams and games to watch on campus?
4. Can you get involved? Do they have clubs and organizations you can participate in?
5. Are you surrounded by a big city or fun city events? If you are in or near a city like LA or San Francisco there are always fun events to attend.. i.e.: concerts, museums, amusement parks, beaches, and fun outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, and exercising in general – just to name a few!!
6. Do you know anyone who has gone there before or any family members that live nearby the campus?
7. Is it close or near to home? Some kids like to be closer to home and others like to expand their wings and travel to other parts of the country.
There are just a few criteria that you can go through when choosing a college.
You will get many different opinions when choosing the best schools, but according to the National University Rankings – the top 10 schools are:
