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Consistent ACT SAT Preparation

October 9th, 2018

Consistent ACT SAT Preparation: The Key to Getting that High SAT or ACT Score

Being consistent can be challenging, especially when you are a junior in high school. You have a lot on your plate with your classes and you may be on a sports team, part of a club, or on student council. Now you have to start thinking about which colleges you might want to apply to next year and preparing to take the ACT or the SAT (sign up ). All of this can consume a lot of time and make it hard to find time in your academic or extracurricular performance to get ready for standardized tests – the SAT and the ACT. That being said, it is extremely important to remain consistent when you are preparing to take the ACT or the SAT. Having consistent ACT SAT preparation is key to succeeding on this important test.

ACT SAT Preparation

When you begin your ACT test prep or SAT test prep, it is important to create a study plan and stick to it. If you hire a tutor to help you with your ACT or SAT test prep, they can help create this study plan with you based on your specific needs. It is important to be consistent in the time you dedicate to ACT or SAT test prep. Choose a day and time that works best for you each week and dedicate this to test prep. This will ensure that you remain consistent in the time and effort you are putting in.

On that same note, it is important that you always do any homework or quizzes assigned to you by your test prep program or tutor. The purpose of these assignments is to give you extra exposure to ACT or SAT questions, but also to provide more practice on test-taking strategies. The more consistently you practice active reading and test-taking strategies, the more consistent you will be in implementing these while taking the test. Consistency in ACT or SAT test prep will better prepare you for taking the test and allow you to remain consistent in your other commitments as well.

If you have any questions about how to come up with such a schedule or get a consistent tutor for either of these tests, don’t hesitate to call Justin at the Redondo Beach Study Hut – 310-540-5888.  He is available and knowledgeable about what it takes to get the score you need to get into the school you want.

Free Practice SAT and ACT Exams

August 18th, 2016

Practice SAT and ACT Exams

Study Hut Tutoring offers free practice SAT and ACT exams. It is important to know that tackling the SAT or ACT can be a daunting challenge for many students. Performing to the best of one’s availability is vital in order to strive for acceptance to increasingly competitive colleges and universities. Students are often unaware of how to effectively prepare for the SAT or ACT. Rest assured, Study Hut Tutoring in El Segundo is here to offer guidance and support through tailored test prep tutoring and free SAT and ACT practice tests.

In order to provide our students with specialized, tailored test ACT and SAT tutoring sessions, we encourage our students to complete a full length, free SAT or ACT practice test. We then critically analyze the results and prepare a tutoring plan tailored to our students, emphasizing focus on areas of potential improvement. As we move through scheduled tutoring sessions, students will return to take additional free SAT or ACT practice tests, which allows us to check our progress in real time and shift focus when the need is indicated by performance.

In addition to reviewing specific concepts and learning new strategies and test taking techniques, exercising to build test taking endurance is crucial. The SAT and ACT are each about four hours long. No matter how you cut it, four hours is a long time to maintain focus, flex cognitive abilities, and perform at a consistently high level. By completing free SAT or ACT practice tests, Study Hut students develop their ability to persevere through mental fatigue. Without a simulated experience made possible by full length practice tests, improving endurance is difficult, and Study Hut is pleased to offer this service to our students.

The fall SAT and ACT are approaching quickly, and here at Study Hut we are eager to see the performance of our prepared students and to observe them flourish. Having completed a personalized test prep plan, in conjunction with effective independent study and the completion of multiple SAT or ACT practice tests, our students will be confident and prepared to rise to the challenge on test day and endure through fatigue and difficulty.

Hermosa Beach ACT & SAT Students

February 21st, 2016

Spring is around the corner and that means many high school students will be taking college admissions exams. Understandably, this can be a stressful time for these Hermosa Beach ACT & SAT Students, and as many of you may have heard, the SAT will be changing formats in March. The new SAT will now feature four sections: Reading, Writing, Math with calculator, and Math without calculator. Additionally, to the relief of many, there will no longer be a penalty for incorrect guesses. This means that, similar to the ACT, you should make sure to not to leave any questions blank. In fact, the new SAT looks very similar to the ACT in its structure with the important note that the SAT does not contain a science section, but instead contains two math sections.

Hermosa Beach ACT & SAT Students

For many Hermosa Beach ACT & SAT students, these changes are a great relief, while for others they are simply stress and pressure in another format. Either way, do not fear because Study Hut is here to help. At Study Hut Tutoring we provide close-knit 1-on-1 tutoring to help students prepare for the SAT and ACT exams. The 1-on-1 tutoring here at Study Hut emphasizes close monitoring of the student’s progress and tailor-designed sessions for each student based on their strengths and weaknesses. Our shared objective is to maximize the student’s improvement and overall score. Additionally, we accentuate the importance of taking practice tests, and as such we have free practice SAT and ACT tests every other Saturday morning. Moreover, we offer a free consultation to discuss the student’s individual strengths, weaknesses, and overall score. As Hermosa Beach ACT & SAT students, if you would like to sign up for a practice test, feel free to contact Study Hut at 310-379-1400, or send us an email at josh@studyhut.com.

It is never too early to begin preparing. Do not delay, contact Study Hut today!

A Newport English Tutor’s Grammar Guide

November 10th, 2015

Having trouble with common grammar rules? Come see a Newport English Tutor for help today! While it is easy to rely on spell check for corrections on papers and emails (we’re all guilty of it!), you will look very silly if you make these common mistakes. Spell check won’t catch them for you because they ‘look’ right to spell check. 

  1. Using I and me in the wrong places.
    It’s as simple as this: I is a subject, me is the object of a prepositional phrase. What’s a prepositional phrase? Glad you asked. This Newport English tutor loves a good prepositional phrase. A prepositional phrase starts with a preposition and gives descriptive information like location: under, over, within, outside of, by, about, etc. Here’s a good website for more information about prepositions. 
           I am the subject of this sentence.
           This sentence is about me.

  2. Confusing there, their, and they’re.
    This is something learned in the third grade, so you should be very embarrassed if you make this mistake in a high school paper. There refers to place (it has the word here in it!!) They’re is a contraction meaning they are (the apostrophe ‘replaces’ the a!). Their is the possessive.
         The best Newport English tutors are found there.
         They’re going to eat all the turkey without me!
         Their mom really knows how to fill their bellies on Thanksgiving.
    *You’re (contraction for you are) and your (possessive) fall prey to this same mistake.

  3. Using ‘could of’, ‘should of,’ or ‘would of’ instead of ‘could have,’ ‘should have,’ or ‘would have’
    This actually comes from lazy speech patterns. When someone says ‘could’ve’ (the contraction for ‘could have’) many people hear ‘could of’. THAT’S NOT WHAT THEY’RE SAYING–or if it is, they’ve fallen into the trap as well. Don’t be lazy, people.
        “I wish that we could have gone to the World Series this year.”-a grammatically correct (and sad) Mike Trout

  4. Mixing up its and it’s.
    One is possessive and one is a contraction. It’s means it is, its means belonging to it.
        It’s the number one mistake!
        The cat scratched its nose.

  5. Using commas willy nilly.
    Commas are a part of grammar and not to used on a whim. They are not for separating ideas (that’s a period), or just to show a pause in thought. They go between independent clauses, or as part of a list, or in a number of other grammatically correct places. Refer to this awesome comma guide for direction!
          After the movie tonight, the soccer star will get eight hours of sleep.

Newport English Tutor's Fave Comic

Summer in El Segundo: Tutoring

June 23rd, 2015

As summer in El Segundo arrives and the school year comes to an end, Study Hut is relishing the achievements of our students and looking forward to summertime and the next school year. The 2014-2015 academic year has been exciting and enjoyable for Study Hut, El Segundo. We take great pride in seeing the growth and progress of our students as they strive to reach their academic goals, and we put forth our best effort to assist them every step of the way.

This school year we served local El Segundo School District students from El Segundo High School, El Segundo Middle School, Center Street School, and Richmond Street School. We also had the privilege of working with students from the surrounding districts of LAUSD, MBUSD, and RBUSD, coming from Mira Costa High, Redondo Union High, Reseda High, Manhattan Beach Middle School, and Parras Middle School. Additionally, we had some wonderful students from the local private schools Vistamar, St. John Bosco, Bishop Montgomery, Loyola, and Chadwick.

Working with such a wide variety of students and school districts has been a wonderful way for us to grow as a service: broadening our knowledge of varying curriculums and school expectations. Whether we were working with a 3rd grader on Common Core math enrichment and reading comprehension, or helping a high school Junior succeed in challenging Spanish and calculus classes, we have been able to exceed expectations and propel students to new heights in their personal academic success. We also enjoyed working with El Segundo High this school year by administering, proctoring, and reviewing full-length practice SATs and ACTs for our local students, creating a valuable resource to them as they strive to achieve their best result on these crucial tests. Now that summer in El Segundo has arrived, we are enjoying a brief respite from the rigours of the academic year, and refocusing our energy to best assist our summer students.

We will continue to work with students through the summer in El Segundo, concentrating on varying areas determined by student need. The waning obligations of summertime offers a great opportunity for students to get a head start on upcoming classes with one-on-one tutoring. Our summer students will be introduced to forthcoming concepts, solidify fundamentals while enriching current understanding, and/or undertake a test preparation program to improve on the SAT and/or ACT. For our incoming Seniors, summer is a great time to make the final push for a solid SAT/ACT score in the fall, and to begin working with a tutor to develop a plan of attack for college applications and their entailing essays and personal statements. Regardless of the specific focus, summer tutoring is an excellent way for students to stay engaged and enter the upcoming school year with a smooth transition to more advanced coursework.

We look forward to continuing to serve El Segundo and the surrounding communities through the summer and next school year. Check out the Hut!

1-on-1 SAT Classes

February 19th, 2015

Study Hut offers SAT 1-on-1 classes. If your student learns better in a group setting, then the class is a great choice. Ten is the maximum number of students we allow to be enrolled in the class at a time, so group sizes are small, and students can still get help if they get stuck on a concept. The class is seven weeks and meets twice a week for two hours.

One student, Erica, has already seen her score improve almost three hundred points since her first diagnostic practice test. The strategies taught in the class kept her from making silly mistakes that she had made before on previous tests. She also had a better understanding of which questions she should skip, whereas before she would go ahead and fill in an answer for every question.

Going into the test with knowledge of the strategies and the SAT layout decoded boosts confidence and helps to put even the most anxious test takers at ease. After the 1-on-1 class, our students walk into the SAT with confidence and the skills to ace it, and walk out with spectacular scores!

Study Hut SAT Success

January 8th, 2015

Emily came in to Study Hut looking to raise her SAT score.  She had done a few SAT prep sessions before, but not consistently and was not happy with her current SAT score.  She knew that she could do better.   We created a custom plan of action for Emily so that she would be completely prepared before her next SAT.

 

She started to come in once to twice per week.  During her sessions, we would go through each concept on the test and make sure that it made total sense before moving on to the next one.  We also went over the best SAT strategies so that she could beat the test, and not be tricked by any trap answers to questions that she knew the answers to.  Between sessions, she had homework assignments reviewing the material that she had just learned, as well as weekly quizzes to not only test her knowledge, but to get her familiar with using the SAT strategies in action.  After we had covered all the material that would be on the test, we started doing practice test after practice test after practice test.  These were timed and without help, just like on the real SAT.  She got progressively better with each test that we ran through.  Finally, she took her final SAT and the results were amazing! She took the test and scored above a 1900.  She was much more confident with her score going into the college application process and cannot wait to hear back from all her schools!

Graduation!!!

June 20th, 2013

The year is finally over! Congrats to everyone who finished their finals this week and are officially on summer vacation! We have had a great Spring semester and hope to see many of you during the summer here at the Study Hut. 

The schools around the neighborhood have all held their commencements and we want to congratulate all the students!! To those going from 8th grade to High School or those going from High School to College, have a wonderful summer and we know you will continue to do well and succeed!

Here are the schools that have held graduation in the area:

Redondo Union High School: Friday June 14th @ 2pm

Mira Costa High School: Thursday June 20th @ 5-6pm at Waller Stadium

Palos Verdes High School: 2pm Graduation on Wednesday June 5th 

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School: Wednesday June 12th 

Manhattan Beach Middle School: Wednesday June 19th @6:30pm-9pm at the Gym/MPR

For those starting summer school – Keep in mind:

Besides our normal $45/hr tutoring and our SAT tutoring… we have 4 different programs you can sign up for. We have an Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and summer reading class!

We have many great summer programs that we are offering this summer so here is all the important information you need to know! If you don’t need to sign up for a class – we also have normal one-on-one tutoring for summer school. 

The summer courses all take place between July 8th and August 8th – it’s a 5 week program – 20 hours a week – and it costs $495. 

We are going to cap the classes at 10 students each so sign up now to make sure you get a spot! 

The Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry classes are prep classes to help students prepare for the course that they’re taking in the fall. These classes will be taught by our same tutors that work here, and will either take place on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday.

For the summer reading, get ahead this summer! We have experienced tutors for all the reading levels and for every book on the summer reading lists! Learn to annotate and analyze literature and practice quizzes included!!

If you are interested, you can call the Study Hut!

For Manhattan Beach Location: 

Manhattan Beach: (310)546-2408 or you can e-mail: Samantha@studyhut.com

For Redondo Beach Location:

Redondo Beach: (310)540-5888 or you can e-mail: Justin@studyhut.com

SAT vs. ACT

December 17th, 2012

The differences between the SAT and ACT are noticeable and students should make an informed decision as to which test is the right fit. Historically, the SAT has been the west coast college admissions exam and the ACT has been its fledging east coast twin. Each company has its origins rooted in their respective coasts, however, today, both exams are now universally accepted at almost every university nationwide. Yet, the big question on everyone’s minds still remains: which exam is the right fit for me?

In order to make that decision, it is wise and recommended to take each exam for a test drive. Take a practice diagnostic test for each exam. Study Hut Tutoring offers diagnostic testing for both exams on a bi-monthly basis for no cost. After each exam is scored, Study Hut will schedule a free consultation with you in order to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses on each exam. After reviewing both exams, you will have all the information to make a calculated decision. After all, it is recommended that students train more heavily for one exam in order to maximize scores.

At the end of the day give us a call and we will help guide you down the path of least resistance. We are available by phone, in person, or via email at any one of our four locations.

Fall SAT Class and Free Diags!

August 8th, 2012

Well, this is it, summer is almost over! It’s time to set those alarm clocks, get your notebooks ready, and get back in to the swing of the school year. Here at the Hut we are preparing for an influx of students who need a little extra help during the school year. For high school students, we are offering an SAT prep course as well as free diagnostic tests to get ready for this all-important testing season! To get the process started, just sign up for one of our “diags”, we’ll score it and schedule a meeting to go over the results and discuss college and training options. The class is 7 weeks long, and meets from 9/18 until 11/1. We cap it at a maximum of ten students for more student/teacher contact, and it will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 pm. This means that each student will get 28 hours of extra preparation! The total cost of the course is $895, but if you sign up by 8/31, we will discount the price by $100. That means it will only be $795 for 28 hours of class! We will also be offering diagnostic tests on four Saturdays: 9/8, 9/29, 10/13, and 10/27 at 8 am. These tests will give us an initial score to improve upon, and track the progress each student makes. It will also give the students a good sense of the timing of the test, and come test day, minimize their anxiety. Let us give you a helping hand in tackling this important test!