North Avenue Education
News, Insights, & Study Tips
Strategies for Answering SAT Reading Questions
Learn how to master SAT Reading on the digital SAT with expert strategies for Craft & Structure and Information & Ideas question types, pacing tips, Bluebook practice, and tutoring to build comprehension, confidence, and scores.
Mastering the SAT: Part 2 (SAT Writing)
Master SAT Writing with crisp grammar, punctuation, and rhetoric strategies. Learn to predict answers, prefer concise choices, and review mistakes with official practice. Read on to explore these insights and more in Part 2 of our series on everything you need to score well on the SAT.
Mastering the SAT: Part 1 (SAT Reading)
Discover expert SAT Reading strategies from our team of seasoned tutors. Learn how personalized, high-level SAT tutoring builds critical reading skills, boosts comprehension, and maximizes test-day confidence for top-tier college admissions success.
Tutor Spotlight: Jacob S.
Meet Jacob. With a degree in physics, Jacob boasts 4 years of tutoring experience in a peer setting. He strives to imbue his students with a deep conceptual fluency and understanding, using his own knowledge of the ACT and SAT to empower students to engage in robust and rigorous practice.
Preparing for the PSAT in 2025: What Students and Parents Need to Know
Learn when PSAT scores come out in 2025, how National Merit works, and the best PSAT study tips, classes, and tutoring to prepare.
Tutor Spotlight: Ben D.
Meet Ben. Now in his eighth year with North Avenue Education, Ben tutors a wide range of subjects, including the SAT and ACT, AP History and Social Sciences, and graduate exams like the LSAT, GRE, and GMAT. He is passionate about teaching and finds it especially rewarding to watch students grasp elusive concepts - whether a theme in U.S. History, the properties of exponents, or how to identify necessary and sufficient conditions in logic – and apply them independently in new contexts.
Can You Retake the SAT and ACT?
Wondering if you can retake the SAT or ACT? Learn how many times you can take the SAT/ACT, the costs of retaking, and strategies to improve your score. Get answers on retesting policies, college score reporting, and prep tips for success.
Tutor Spotlight: Casey Y.
Meet Casey. Casey specializes in science tutoring and SAT/ACT prep, drawing on extensive teaching experience to adapt to each student’s needs with patience and empathy. They build confidence and self-sufficiency by identifying strengths, addressing challenges, and making learning engaging – even sparking a passion for subjects students once disliked!
Tutor Spotlight: Riley H.
Meet Riley. Riley is a seasoned educator with a master’s degree in English and over a decade of experience teaching and tutoring writing, critical reading, and standardized test preparation. Boasting extensive experience coaching SAT, ACT, and SSAT, Riley excels at helping students hone their analytical and time-management skills for success on test day. His patient, tailored approach ensures each student gains confidence and mastery in tackling complex material.
Tutor Spotlight: Aster E.
Meet Aster. A recent Physics graduate from Reed College, Aster boasts over 3,000 hours of professional tutoring experience, specializing in SAT/ACT test prep as well as AP Calculus and IB Physics. They bring a deep understanding of test formats and advanced subject material to yield an individualized approach to tutoring sessions. Aster’s teaching philosophy emphasizes clarity, compassion, and mutual collaboration to help students succeed in school and beyond.
Tutor Spotlight: Alisa Chung
Meet Alisa. She brings a compassionate and patient approach to tutoring. With extensive experience as a peer mentor and undergraduate teaching assistant, she excels in creating affirming learning environments tailored to neurodiverse students. Alisa’s academic background and dedication to inclusive education make her an invaluable asset to students striving to understand complex mathematical and scientific concepts.
Tutor Spotlight: Arek Rein Jungwirth
Meet Arek. He specializes in nurturing the academic growth of neurodivergent students and those with learning differences. With a psychology degree and robust experience in diverse teaching settings (incl. chess and unicycling!), Arek brings patience, creativity, and a deep understanding of individual learning needs to each session. His gentle approach ensures that every student feels valued and empowered to succeed.
Decoding Your 2024 PSAT and PSAT 10 Scores
Understanding PSAT and PSAT 10 scores helps juniors and sophomores gauge SAT readiness, consider ACT options, and plan effective prep.
Big Changes Are Coming to ACT in 2025 – Here’s What You Need to Know
The ACT is evolving, and the updates rolling out in 2025 will bring some exciting and impactful changes. If you’re planning to take the test soon, here’s everything you need to know about what’s new, how it will affect your prep, and what you can do to stay ahead.
Tutor Spotlight: Patrick Miller
Meet Patrick. As a credentialed educator with extensive experience teaching AP subjects in the classroom and leading speech and debate teams, Patrick specializes in test preparation. His innovative teaching methods and commitment to academic excellence have consistently fostered high achievement, making him a trusted mentor to scores of high-performing students.
Tutor Spotlight: Mamie Stevenson Morago
Meet Mamie. With a decade of experience, Mamie guides students in crafting impactful admissions essays. Having graduated with a degree in literature, she brings a love of language and narrative expertise to the coaching process. Drawing from her professional background in copywriting, manuscript editing, and journalism, her goal is to help students identify unique perspectives and hone their story.
Top Ten Tips for Time Management During Standardized Tests
Learn how to tackle the unique challenge of time pressure on standardized tests. Discover strategies to improve your pacing and maximize your performance under the clock.
Tutor Spotlight: Lee Ngo
Lee Ngo is a native Oregonian with a dynamic background spanning academia, technology, and media. As a lifelong learner, Lee is dedicated to projects that uplift historically excluded communities. His relatable approach integrates practical skills with pop culture.
Tutor Spotlight: Aidan Sigman
Meet Aidan. A seasoned SAT and ACT strategist with a perfect GRE score, Aidan's approach is both systematic and flexible, adapting to the individual needs of his students, whether crafting comprehensive curricula or providing targeted tutoring that transcends traditional methods.
How to Maximize the Use of Onscreen Tools on the Digital SAT
The December SAT marks the end of an era. This will be the final iteration of the paper-based SAT, as the test shifts to an entirely digital format in March 2024.
Tutor Spotlight: Jameson Boslough
Meet Jameson. Jameson is a versatile and experienced educator, having coached both kindergarteners on skis and environmental science majors on the Missouri River. His work with diverse learners enables him to tailor his approach to each student’s needs and aspirations. Jameson’s goal is to kindle the sparks of motivation that drive success, improve thinking, and cultivate a passion for learning.
Test Scores are Helpful for More than Just Merit Aid
In an era when many colleges have shifted to test-blind or test-optional admissions policies, you may associate test scores merely with securing merit aid or scholarships. However, their significance extends far beyond financial assistance. In fact, because test scores remain powerful indicators of a student's academic potential, raising your SAT or ACT scores makes you a more viable applicant for admission, thus opening doors to a world of educational opportunities.
Preparing for the Digital SAT: Essential Tools and Resources
The SAT is on the verge of a major transformation as it embraces a digital format. This shift is set to shake up the way students approach the test, reinforcing the importance of using the most effective resources available when preparing for the SAT.
Tutor Spotlight: Chris Pratt
With over a decade of experience tutoring and a wide range of mathematics coursework under his belt, Chris prides himself in helping students bridge the gap between rote memorization and authentic mastery. He offers personalized support for his students, whether they’re preparing for the SAT or ACT, or strengthening their math skills.