PSA Success Methodology
1. Complete Assessment
We conduct a thorough assessment of each of our students. This involves analyzing school grades, standardized test scores, and taking our initial diagnostic test to provide us with a complete, detailed academic profile of students. We then use the student’s profile to create a personalized curriculum tailored to each student’s specific needs and goals. Students are regularly assessed as part of the curriculum to ensure real improvement.
PSA Diagnostic Tests include
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State standardized tests
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SAT/ACT
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PSAT
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AP
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SSAT/ISEE
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Magnet School Entrance Exams
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Academic Subjects
2. Personalized Programs
We understand that learning is most effective when it’s tailored to the student’s style, pace, and environment. Students have never been busier, so we realize accommodating their schedule is crucial for their success. That’s why we offer different types of classes at affordable rates. Many of the programs are customizable, where you can choose the days and times that work for you and your student.
3. Customized Curriculum
We are dedicated to tracking each student’s progress and carefully monitoring their needs. To do this effectively, we work with our instructors who tutor your child to develop his/her personalized curriculum. We set weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals for each student to reach and accordingly modify and redesign our curriculum to correlate with the student’s individual pace and learning style. Our instructors will work with their students to not only address their immediate academic concerns, but also develop long-term, self-directed study habits and the motivation to get ahead in school and plan for a brighter future.
PSA Test Prep Key Strategies
We did the research for you...
We found what doesn’t work and what works best for students. Our program is different because we address five major aspects of test preparation that other academies fail to do or are even aware of. We provide our students with tools in all of the following five areas to maximize their performance:
1. Test Territory - understanding the test itself
We found what doesn’t work and what works best for students. Our program is different because we address five major aspects of test preparation that other academies fail to do or are even aware of. We provide our students with tools in all of the following five areas to maximize their performance:
2. Proven generative learning system - breaking through the dense reading passages
The critical reading section on the SAT/ACT often tends to be the most difficult section, and takes the longest time to master. Other test prep centers will tell students to briefly skim the passage or not read it at all, but this is a short-sighted approach that does not increase student’s skill level. At PSA, we teach students to read the passage in a different way than they learned to do at school. Our method helps students gauge the main idea quickly and anticipate the questions they may be asked. This generative learning method is incredibly effective in understanding dense reading passages with accuracy and speed. Students become stronger readers not just on test day, but throughout high school and college.
3. Reasoning and Logic
After each practice test, PSA teachers will customize the session to cover the class’ most commonly missed questions. Not only do we review the correct answer, we also go over the incorrect answers that students chose through a question-and-answer process that invokes students to adopt the logic of the SAT/ACT and the process of eliminating incorrect answer choices.
4. Customization – arming students with tools tweaked for their specific needs
At PSA, we provide one-on-one mentor sessions with students in which our instructors tailor a test-taking system for each student. This helps each student to manage their time according to their skill level, strengths, and weaknesses. Our instructors also go over students’ essays individually and provide feedback so they know exactly how they can improve their writing technique, style, structure, and argument. We continually assess and customize our students' curriculum week by week to ensure the best preparation and outstanding results. Our commitment to each student's success, combined with our frequent progress tracking makes PSA the top choice for college entrance exam preparation.
5. Entertain and Engage – making sessions fun to enhance learning and retention
Most classes at other tutoring centers are just that – classes. The instructor will lecture for the majority of the time, and students are expected to internalize that information and utilize it on test day. We know how boring and ineffective this can be for students, so our teachers don’t just lecture. They engage the class by asking thoughtful questions and motivate them with an energizing . This makes the class an intellectual experience facilitated by upstanding role models for students. We believe that when students can look up to their instructors, they enjoy learning and thus learn more effectively. In fact, educational studies have shown that the brain learns faster and retains knowledge long-term when engaged with different, interesting examples and humor.