Dear Parent,

Thank you for your inquiry. Below I have provided some general information about myself and my services, including details about tutoring packages and pricing. Please know that I would be delighted to discuss any of these items or to address any additional concerns.

Warm regards,

Heidi Wright, MA
prepwright@heidiwright.com
(980) 406-4782

 

What is my background?

I am originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, and lived in Colorado for a number of years before moving to Charlotte with my husband and two sons in 2006. I first got into the test preparation field right out of college when I taught for the Princeton Review, the national test prep company, and have worked as a private SAT and ACT coach for over fifteen years. I have a teaching background, with a B.A. in English and a master’s degree in education, and have taught at both the middle school and high school levels.

There is something about working with teenagers that has always appealed to me– perhaps it is the life stage they are in, almost grown-up, but not quite…

 

 

Where, when, and how often do I work with students?

During the school year, I generally meet with students once or twice per week, after school and/or during the day on Saturdays. We meet at my office, which is at:

8001 Raintree Lane, Suite 211
Raintree Village Center
Charlotte, NC 28277
**Located on the 2^nd floor (above drycleaner), in same office as MC Multimodal Services
(one block from the Arboretum, off Highway 51/Pineville-Matthews Road)

I am also able to work with students during the school day (for example, Charlotte Christian students sometimes have a study hall or a free period and are able to come to my office for a session. In some cases, I am also able to meet with students on teacher work days or on other holidays/breaks that do not otherwise conflict with those I spend with my family.

During the summer, my schedule changes somewhat. Please contact me for my availability. For summer test preparation, because there are no SAT or ACT tests given in July, I do have a couple of options:  1) spreading out our sessions (beginning in the summer and continuing in the fall) so that we meet right up until student’s fall testing date or 2) doing the bulk of the tutoring during the summer in order to achieve our goals before school starts, but planning to meet every two to three weeks in the fall up until the test date to maintain the score growth we (hopefully!) achieve in the summer.

Whenever possible, I like to see students right up to the time of their test date(s). Because this type of specialized learning requires repetition to stay in their long term memory, our working together on a regular basis right up until test day helps ensure that they are primed and ready to go on the big day. Feel free to contact me regarding specific availability.

My full test preparation packages include ten 75-minute sessions, individually customized to prepare students for all parts of the SAT or ACT. I also offer the option of more narrowly-focused coaching (fewer than 10 sessions), which concentrate on a single subject (such as math, reading, writing/English, or science) or to prepare for a second test after a student has already worked with me on a previous test. At the end is a list of the different packages I offer, including pricing information

 

 

When should high schoolers take the SAT and ACT?

The short answer is that it depends. Please see below for a couple of different scenarios (Also see the attachment with test dates for planning purposes).

• SENIORS: Seniors, who are finalizing college applications for submission during first semester, will often take (or retake) one or both of the fall SAT/ACT test(s). Also, occasionally seniors may test any time during their second semester for scholarships, NCAA qualifying purposes, or other individual situations. (See also Can students take the test more than once?)
• RISING SENIORS & CURRENT SENIORS –These students typically do SAT &/or ACT preparation in the summer or fall, depending on test dates and individual preference/availability.
• JUNIORS: As a rule, I recommend that all juniors take the PSAT, as well as both the SAT and ACT tests at least once, before the end of 11^th grade.  The PSAT  – that is, the official Practice SAT,  offered once per year in mid-October – may be taken by juniors, though these days many sophomores and even freshman take them as well (I don’t usually recommend specific test preparation for 9^th or 10^th graders who are taking the PSAT, however). PSAT results generally are returned to students in December. See various options for rising and current juniors that follows.
• RISING JUNIORS, OPTION 1 – DO PSAT PREP IN SUMMER OR EARLY FALL, THEN SAT & ACT PREP FOR TESTS IN WINTER OR LATER– Many students start out working with me to prepare for the PSAT. Since the PSAT results come out in December, many juniors come back to see me then (if desired) to go over their results and do some additional review prior to taking the ‘real’ SAT and/or ACT tests given in January or later.
• RISING JUNIORS, OPTION 2 – DO SAT &/OR ACT PREP IN SUMMER OR EARLY FALL – These rising juniors choose to prepare for the real SAT or ACT test(s) given in the fall.
• JUNIORS, OPTION 3 –DO SAT &/OR ACT PREP IN WINTER OR LATER – A  number of juniors wait to do any test preparation until after the PSAT results come out in December, and then contact me to begin tutoring for the spring test dates.
• The bottom line is that each student is unique, so personal/family circumstances, sports and activity schedules, and personal preference should be the biggest determiners of when to test. I would be delighted to help your student prepare for whatever test(s) and date(s) you and your student decide upon.

 

 

Can students take the test more than once?

Yes, students are allowed to take the SAT and ACT as many times as desired (provided, of course, they sign up and pay the required fee each time). However, the real question is, should a student retake it? The answer depends on the student and his/her individual situation. Here are some thoughts:

• As ACT says on its website, “You should definitely consider retesting if you had any problems during [the first] testing. You may also want to consider retesting if you don’t believe that your scores accurately represent your abilities or if you have [recently] completed coursework or an intensive review in the subject areas included in the ACT” (http://www.actstudent.org/faq/answers/more.html). Statistically, more than half of students who retake either the SAT or ACT test do better on it the second time around. The likelihood of improvement goes down the third time, and subsequent attempts are generally not considered beneficial (and may actually cause increased stress!).
• The old adage “If nothing changes, nothing changes” applies here – if a student continues to retest but does not do anything differently between tests (such as practice more, get effective tutoring, reduce stress, etc.), then it is unlikely that the score will change significantly.
• Many students do choose to take either the SAT or ACT (or, sometimes, both) a second time, but I always tell my students that no one would be happier than I if the first time gets the job done! As we all know, our culture has moved in many ways toward overkill. I strive for a balanced approach, and part of my mission in working with students and parents is to help decrease everyone’s stress about the testing process. In some cases this may include my recommending less testing rather than more. Ultimately, I encourage families to consider the various factors involved and to make their decisions based on what best suits each student’s individual needs.

 

 

What can your student expect from the sessions?

My approach is basically three-fold: 1) familiarize students with the test structure, scoring, and effective test-taking strategies; 2) review necessary content — including math, reading, writing skills/English grammar and mechanics, and essay writing (for both the SAT and ACT) as well as science reasoning (if taking the ACT); and 3) practice, practice, practice!  Initially, I will give students a diagnostic test in order to identify specific problem areas. Thereafter, each session will generally involve review of homework, practice, and learning new skills. Because sections completed for practice utilize real test materials made by the test makers, these tests not only will be scored and reviewed during that session, but students also will receive regular feedback in the form of estimated current scores.

 

 

Why private tutoring?

One of the most valuable aspects of individual tutoring is the fact that I am able to tailor sessions to meet students’ individual needs.

• As we continue, I adjust our lessons to reflect student progress. We will put extra emphasis on areas of greatest need, and we can do little or no work on areas in which a student is comfortable.
• My highest aims are to make the sessions both extremely worthwhile and fairly priced. I believe you will find that my experience equals or exceeds most practitioners in the field. My prices, too, are competitive with many companies who offer preparation classes that are taught by different instructors, not one-on-one sessions that are customized specifically for your student and provided by the same professional (me) each time.

 

 

How can you get started?

If you would like to discuss specifics about your student or would like to begin tutoring, please contact me at (980) 406-4782 or info@prepwright.com

I hope that I have given you an idea of how my services work. Thank you again for your interest!

Heidi Wright, MA
info@prepwright.com
(980) 406-4782

 

TUTORING PACKAGES
** All rates effective as of 10/01/16**

 

Private Tutoring
*Full-Course Preparation*
Individual Package of 10 (ten) 75-minute sessions: $1550

Includes private, customized test preparation and practice of all major parts of either the SAT or the ACT; diagnostic testing; all materials and books; two 15-minute phone consultations with parents, as needed (along with unlimited shorter emails); and access to regular Saturday morning Office Hours for makeup sessions.

 

*Specific Subjects or Second Test Preparation*
1-4 Sessions:   $175  per 75-minute session.
5+ Sessions:     $155  per 60-minute session.

If a student selects fewer than the full-course of 10 sessions, we will usually not be able to cover all parts of the SAT or ACT. However, we will work together to determine what major subject area on the student’s upcoming test is the highest priority, and we will start there. As time permits, we will try also to do some review of other subject(s).

In addition, if a student has already completed a previous full-course package with me, six sessions is usually the right amount to cover all areas of  the second test (for example, many of my students have done six ACT tutoring sessions after having done ten sessions of SAT prep with me). These smaller packages will also include some diagnostic testing; all materials and books; one to two 15-minute phone consultations with parents (along with unlimited shorter emails); and access to regular Saturday morning Office Hours for makeup sessions.

 

*PLEASE NOTE: A 50% DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED TO RESERVE PRIVATE SESSIONS FOR A STUDENT; THE REMAINING 50% IS DUE NO LATER THAN THE FIRST DAY OF TUTORING. 

 

Classes
I do offer SAT and ACT strategy classes on occasion. If you are interested in being contacted when the next class is planned, be sure to let me know! If your school or organization is interested in hosting a class, please feel free to contact me to discuss the possibility of my teaching a test preparation class at your location.