As a practitioner, I try to get my hands on as many recent SAT exams and attend as many webinars that discuss what is going on with the SAT and ACT. This past week, I went to one of the best webinars because we, as a group of test prep professionals, discussed what...
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How to raise a reader
My child is not a reader…. As a kid, I always had my head in a book. As an adult, I’m the same way. I tend to gravitate to non-fiction, although my favorite fiction authors include Dickens, Dostoevsky, and Vonnegut. I was raised in a reading culture. My parents were...
Math Options
I am sitting in my office. As I look out the window two thoughts are juxtaposed in my head. The first is the hopefulness of spring. I marvel at the snow, anticipating the buds that will crop up every year like clockwork. The second is the thought of summer: barren...
Test Optional for College Admissions
A few days ago, Cornell’s admission offices came out with its standardized testing policy for next year. In short, the school has a two-pronged approach to testing: Three undergraduate schools will be test blind, which means that scores will not be used in admissions....
Farewell Subject Tests and SAT Essays
Earlier this month, the College Board did two things that I applaud: It decided to get rid of the essay portion of the exam. It has eliminated the Subject Test product line. Frankly, I’m not mourning the elimination of the essay. First of all, it was the last part of...
How to Hire a College Consultant
Where I live in the suburbs of New York City, there are many people who call themselves College Consultants. College Planners. Independent College Consultants. University Specialists. IECs. You can put the word college or university with some kind of consulting...
Test Prep and You
From the Desk of Alan Sheptin: I get lots of calls about test prep. One of the most common questions posed to me is, “Do you guarantee a score increase?” I answer very simply. I tell parents that any company answers in the affirmative is acting unethically. I cannot...
5 Colleges I Love
From the Desk of Alan Sheptin: Five Colleges I Love – 2020 Edition I get it: it’s hard to “think outside the box” when your friends, neighbors, and guidance counselors compose a list of schools that look similar to everyone else’s. Since part of my job is to visit...
What are the best small schools for your college planning?
What makes a small college special? Are you looking for a small college? We looked at other websites to create this list. We searched the web to find these. They will help with your college planning search. If you need help, Sheptin Tutoring is always here. Link You...
What has Alan been up to during the Summer?
Summer Studies For the past couple of Summers, Alan Sheptin of Sheptin Tutoring has been hard at work. What has he been doing you ask? Well, instead of taking a break like most teachers, Alan has traveled across the country and over to England! (Except for this past...