SAT/ACT Test Prep Clients, with links to Success Stories!

“Russell Tutoring and Consulting has been transformative for our daughter. She raised her ACT score significantly. [The tutor] was so effective and had such a great rapport with our daughter that we decided to continue having him work with her throughout the year to keep her on track with Calculus. He has been phenomenal with this as well. We have been absolutely satisfied with everything: customized study plans, ease of scheduling, timely and comprehensive progress reports, and motivational energy. I cannot imagine that any other service of this kind could be better.” -KP, whose daughter now attends the Parsons School of Design, The New School

“I cannot recommend Russell Tutoring highly enough. They helped prepare two of my sons for the ACT’s. One of my sons saw a 7 point gain! My other son saw a 5 point gain, which got him to a 35, his dream score! What sets Claire (and her tutors) apart from other test-prep companies is that she is so THOROUGH and that their program is completely personalized. The students work one-on-one with the tutor, focusing on specifically what they need in each section of the test. They not only work on content prep, but also timing strategies, test-taking strategies that are particular to the ACT & SAT, and completely individualized tutoring on exactly what each child needs. I appreciate the fact that she first has the student take a practice exam as a starting point and then YOU (and your child) decide what their goal score is. They then create an individualized program specifically for your child. The service they provide is worth every single penny.” – JT, whose sons’ scores rose from a 22 to a 29 and a 30 to a 35

“I highly recommend Russell Tutoring. Claire customized a curriculum to meet my [elder] daughter’s needs, which included helping her master her nerves and test taking anxiety. After working with Claire, my daughter went from a 25 on the ACT to a 30 Composite and 31 Superscore. She also got a perfect score on English! My [younger] daughter also worked with RTC and received a 34 Composite on her ACT and she also got a perfect score in Reading. Highly highly highly recommended!!” – CP, whose daughters now attend Fordham and Johns Hopkins

“I can’t say enough good things about Russell Tutoring and Consulting. Claire and her team are top notch and really know how to customize the right kind of tutoring plan based on your child’s needs. My son has had an IEP since first grade and has struggled with standardized testing all his life. Standardized testing makes him feel dumb. As a parent, it would break my heart when I would hear say that. My son is not dumb, he just learns differently. I knew when it came time for him to take the ACT/SAT, we would need private instruction. My son was determined to get into the college of his choice, but that meant he must tackle the ACT/SAT. I’m so happy that we invested in our son’s future with Claire and her team. Not only did our son hit his target score, but he exceeded it! This was only possible through the extraordinary tutoring he received from Claire and her team. My son has learned the lesson that through hard work and perseverance, anything is possible!! We couldn’t be more proud of him.” – CO, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 14 to a 23

“My son thanked us so much for letting him work with [our tutor]…that’s how awesome she is!! We were so truly satisfied with her services–from the initial phone interview to the final words of encouragement texted to my son on test day–start to finish the entire process was professional, enthusiastic, supportive…a complete recipe for success. It is evident that [our tutor] loves what she does…her dedication to her work is a gift to any student that is willing to work hard and learn what she has to offer–there is nothing cookie cutter about her. She got to know my son very well and tailored the lessons to his needs. My son set a personal goal and with [our tutor]’s tutoring, he got the scores he wanted…and couldn’t wait to share his news with her! We highly recommend Russell Tutoring!” – ED, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 29 to a 34

“Claire guided us through the process of selecting the best test for our daughter, which was SAT. Then they got to work with the lessons Claire designed for her, which we could see were adapted to her needs every single week. Claire gave us complete summaries of her lessons so we knew exactly what our daughter was learning and how to support her. As her parents, this struck as as different than any tutoring company we have ever worked with. Claire was always available, especially when our daughter had trouble speaking up for herself in those times when she got overwhelmed. Our daughter is a really hard worker, and sometimes she doesn’t know when to stop. Claire was firm and had high expectations, but she has true compassion and understanding for students. After several months of working together and two SATs – exactly to plan – my daughter saw a 240-point increase on her SAT, far above her goal and what was promised. Claire also taught her that an adult valued sleep more than her killing herself. My daughter has even taught me a couple of the breathing strategies Claire taught her to help relax! I could not have been more satisfied with the service, and I have recommended RTC to numerous friends. – CR, whose daughter’s SAT score rose from 1040 to 1280

“Claire was recommended by a friend when my son decided that he wanted to raise his SAT scores. We were happy with her upbeat and delightful, yet stern manner. And she knows her stuff. We came to the game late with an already overcommitted child, but she worked with us to create a program that worked around his/our schedule and since we were short on time she focused on where he needed the most help. His SAT scores coupled with academic success in high school netted acceptance into multiple schools including 2 Dean’s scholarship offers. His first choice was to study Pre-Med at Pitt, main campus where he is now a happy freshman. We highly recommended Russell Tutoring.” – DM

“The best thing we did for our daughter academically was sign her up for RTC! Since she started her tutoring with RTC, our daughter has become a different person and student with different ambitions. She worked with two tutors who were both exceptional, a test prep tutor and a math tutor who helped her succeed in her Precalculus course junior year. When our daughter started tutoring with RTC, she was in a rut academically. She was a capable but average student who wasn’t always interested in improving her grades. Tutoring gave her dedicated time with people who genuinely cared and were concerned about her success.

“Initially, our daughter wasn’t looking forward to test prep, but she stuck with it, and somewhere along the way, she started to care too. The time, space, caring, structure, and consistency, along with the relentless follow-up and reminders changed everything for her over time. Our daughter went from being an average student to one who is now driven to succeed. RTC even changed math for her! She ultimately achieved an 8-point gain on her ACT, has become a leader in her senior year calculus course, and is doing outstandingly in all of her classes.

RTC helped our daughter recognize her potential, which gave her the confidence to apply to the University of Miami, where she will be a freshman this fall, studying Sports Management. For her to be accepted at a school and program of that caliber has been truly rewarding; she has learned first-hand how hard work and caring pay off. She hasn’t had any senioritis; she’s still focused on finishing her last year of high school strong, and my husband and I attribute that to Russell Tutoring.”     – KS, whose daughter’s ACT rose from an 18 to a 26/28 Superscore, and who went from struggling in Precalculus to teaching other students in her senior year Calculus class. Woot!

“Hi Claire…I just wanted to thank you for all of the work you and Erin did with Noah over the last 9ish months. The best decision I made last March [2020] was to reach out to you for help with the ACT’s. Little did I know at that time that literally 2 weeks later schools would close and academics would cease to exist for Noah. And boy did he get lazy. I vividly remember “the call” we had discussing Noah’s attitude and that if he didn’t get on board we would have to end our lessons. Well…you customized his curriculum perfectly for him and Erin really worked hard to keep him on track even when the ACT’s were cancelled and Noah wanted to give up, but you guys didn’t give up on Noah. Noah was able to get 2 tests completed in the fall [when testing restarted] and he got a Superscore of 30!! That was a 7 point increase for him. RTC was recommended to us by a friend and like I said….hiring [you] was the best decision we made in 2020! Thanks Claire and Erin.” – EG, whose son’s score rose from a 23 to 28 Single Best and 30 Superscore

“I highly recommend Russell Tutoring for ACT prep. Claire was very efficient in getting everything set up and my son was paired with [a] tutor who was a perfect fit for him. [His tutor] was incredibly reliable and had excellent insights into how to help my son be successful on the test. Claire built a customized curriculum to meet my son’s needs – and [my son’s tutor] pulled that through by focusing deeper in areas where my son needed more help. He also worked on helping him with pacing and tips and tricks for how to navigate the different sections of the test. His help was invaluable. My son’s score climbed by seven impressive points to achieve his goal. [Our tutor] worked with him through the trials of the spring and summer, despite the COVID-19 disruptions, doing the tutoring virtually to keep him on track towards his goals. What’s more, while other seniors in the Philadelphia area had their Fall tests canceled due to COVID-19, Claire provided guidance on how to navigate the ever changing landscape so that all of her students were able to sit for their ACT (or SAT) tests. It took incredible attention and care to help my son achieve his score goals and to enable him to be in a strong place for his college applications. Thank you to Claire and [our tutor] for their great work! Worth every penny!” — JM, whose son’s score rose from a 27 to a 34

“Claire’s passion for helping her students achieve their potential is what sets Russell Tutoring apart from other programs. She helped prepare my two children for the ACT’s. My older child had in person lessons while my younger child had all virtual lessons due to COVID-19. The transition to virtual lessons was seamless and the quality of the tutoring just as exceptional. One achieved a 6-point gain and the other a 9-point gain and both reached their target scores! More importantly, the confidence she helped instill in both my children is something they will carry with them to college and beyond. I highly recommend Claire and her team.” – KM, whose daughter’s ACT score rose from 23 to 29, and whose son’s ACT score rose from 21 to 30

“We hired Claire to help my son prepare for his ACT exam. Claire is delightful as a person as well as a teacher, and very dedicated to her students’ success. We were totally satisfied with every aspect of her work.  Before meeting my son, she had a long discussion on the phone with us to learn about him as a person, his character, and traits, to determine his learning style to custom tailor the tutoring sessions for maximum impact. She was full of positive reinforcement and constant enthusiasm, day-in, day-out, for the time that she worked with my son. She was always in a good mood, and I saw her energy and enthusiasm for the topic transform my son, who was very engaged in their sessions. She sent us a detailed update after each session on what was covered and how he was doing. He was very good, but she made him great! She told my son something that I’ll never forget. She said about the nervousness that you feel the day of testing, to think of that in terms of excitement and confidence, believe that you are excited to show what you have learned and confident that you’re going to do a fantastic job. She offered other wisdom that I was impressed with, even touching on topics like nutrition to improve testing performance and little but important details like bringing extra batteries with you to the test. Hers is a very holistic approach, and I highly recommend her.” – TM, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 32 to a 34

“Claire has tutored my stepson and 2 of my nieces in preparation for their ACT’s. She also guided them through the college essay process. Claire is a very gifted teacher. She is kind, patient and dedicated to helping her students realize their potential. I was able to witness firsthand her unique ability to tailor her teaching style to children of various abilities. My stepson, who is autistic, loved working with her, and thanks to Claire he was accepted into a good college, beyond what we expected. My nieces, very bright young women, both exceeded their score goals. One scored a 33 and is now in a pre-med program at a prestigious university! I have recommended Russell Tutoring to friends and they can’t thank me enough. I highly recommend Russell Tutoring to anyone and everyone!” – BC; Stepson’s ACT: 18 to 23; Niece’s ACT: 29 to 33; Niece’s ACT: 20 to 24.

“We cannot say enough about Claire and Russell Tutoring. Our son’s ACT score went from a 23 to a 30! We do not think there is anyone out there who knows these tests inside and out and all of the tricks and strategies of the tests like Claire. She customized a curriculum to meet his needs and was incredibly thorough. Claire was also a great motivator which you really need when preparing for these tests. We would use Claire again in a heartbeat!! – JM, whose son’s ACT score went from a 23 to a 30

“Claire & our tutor were instrumental in my son’s preparation and score for the ACT test. Claire has created a completely thorough preparatory plan and our tutor was not only the perfect tutor, but also managed to keep my son motivated each week with the lessons and homework. His score went up 7 points on his first try after working with them. I loved how each lesson is so thorough and thought through; my son appreciated the techniques to look at the test as a puzzle. I can’t recommend them highly enough!” – JL, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 22 to a 29

“I can’t say enough about the tutoring experience we had with Claire. She developed a customized curriculum for my son which not only helped him get an 8 point gain on his ACT but also kept him motivated and engaged throughout the process.” – MM, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 23 to a 31

“Super happy client, whose son raised ACT score to 33. We began working with Russell Tutoring on the recommendation of my cousin, who had nothing but the highest accolades for Claire and her team. From day 1, Claire had the best interests of our son, recommending which test (i.e., whether SAT or ACT) would be best for him as well as matching him with a tutor. In both cases, Claire was right on the mark. Our tutor and our son hit it off immediately. Our tutor was super accessible, whether in-person or by Skype (on occasion). Our son told our tutor he wanted a 33, 6 points above his first practice test. Our tutor served as a tutor, counselor and partner in the process. The goal of 33 was achieved through the incredible efforts of our son, as well as the patience and commitment of our tutor and Russell Tutoring. We are grateful and would highly recommend Claire, our tutor, and Russell Tutoring. — TA, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 27 to a 33

“Wow!!! We got our son’s ACT scores back, and we’re over the moon! We know he’s a capable student, and we’re thrilled with his tip top scores. We credit Claire’s method and [our tutor]’s instruction along with our son’s determination. Thank you, thank you, Claire and [our tutor]! Thank you Claire for the time you spent explaining your process, getting to know our son, and pairing him with [our tutor], who was the perfect match, as you said he would be. [Our tutor] did an amazing job connecting with our son and moving at the right pace. He kept things challenging yet knew when to slow down and dig in to a particular topic. And his incredibly thorough session summaries were outstanding; we always felt our son was getting the most out of his time spent in tutoring. Thank you to [our tutor] for your positive energy and excitement about a topic that many high school students dread. You have a special talent, and I hope that teaching will always be a part of what you do.  In addition to the outstanding test prep, Claire and [our tutor] reinforced the importance personal well-being (e.g. nutrition, sleep, composure, etc.), which ended up being extremely important in our son’s situation….We are so grateful to Claire and [our tutor]. Not only are we ecstatic with the results, but it was such a pleasure to do business with super-nice, super-talented people who are so passionate about their work. We will definitely use Russell Tutoring for our daughter’s test prep as well.” -KS, whose son’s ACT score rose from a 32 to a 35, and a perfect 36 Superscore

“Through Russell Tutoring, our daughter improved 5 points (7 on Superscore). Claire customized a curriculum for her and [our tutor] tailored his tutoring to meet her needs every step of the way. We were impressed with the attention and care that Claire and [our tutor] gave to our daughter to achieve her goals!“- MC

“I highly recommend RTC Tutoring. Their comprehensive tutoring services are excellent. Claire worked with us every step of the way to help my daughter achieve her goals. She customized a curriculum including specialized work in reading and targeted ACT work that met my daughter’s specific needs. She matched her with 3 exceptional tutors to sharpen her skills in Reading, Math, English, Writing and test taking. Each tutor taught her invaluable skills and strategies to achieve success on every section of the test. They worked through the summer to keep her on track to take her ACT test in October. She improved her score by 5 points despite all the COVID test cancellations and delays! The skills she acquired through RTC can be applied in all her future learning opportunities. – KR, whose daughter’s ACT score rose from 16 to 21, and who also completed her Common App essay with an RTC Writing Tutor.

“Russell Tutoring was fantastic! They helped my son during every step in the process. They helped determine which test (SAT/ACT) was the best fit to achieve the highest possible score increase. Claire & [his tutor] then tailored a plan to fit our test preparation time frame. My son was scheduled to sit for the exam in April [2020], but with COVID the plans changed many times, but [our tutor] adjusted the test plan to keep my son engaged and ready. My son was well prepared for not only the test content but the test atmosphere. While my son achieved a 6-point overall score increase from his original baseline, which was excellent, the one area that impressed me the most was the added and unexpected benefit in the area of writing. My son achieved an 8 out of 12, but the writing skills learned are transferable skills for school and college essays. I highly recommend Russell Tutoring: their 1:1 approach is best in class.” – BR, whose son’s score rose from 19 to 25. His son also worked on his college application essays with an RTC Writing tutor.

“Claire is fantastic! Not only did my daughter raise her ACT score and receive an academic scholarship…she took amazing test taking skills and confidence with her to the University of Delaware. Her freshman year is half over and she’s ‘killing it.’ I highly recommend Russell Tutoring and Consulting.” – RW

Homework Help Clients:

“[Our tutor] did wonderful work with my son, who has ADHD and Executive Functioning issues.  She taught him how to organize and structure himself with his school work, and gave him systems he could use every day.  She was always patient and kind with him, and her follow-up was exceptional.   For the first time, he is getting all his homework done all the time, and his grades have really improved.” -DD

“Claire worked with my son twice.  First, she provided him with homework help when he was struggling in fourth grade, which really got him on track.  I had her back when he started high school and couldn’t get on top of the homework for all the different classes.  With just one session a week, Claire gave him simple tools he could use and held him accountable for his work, something I was having trouble doing.  She taught him the discipline he needed, and his success built on itself.  After that, my son was on the Honor Roll for the rest of high school.  I couldn’t recommend her more highly.” -DH

[From a parent email]:  “After only two sessions working with you, I have to tell you that there is a lightness about my son now that I 100% attribute to how much you’ve already helped him, for which we are extremely grateful.  Thank you!!!…[I’m glad that you see that my son] has a natural mind for math, that he is highly intelligent and has an agile mind. I’ve thought that about him forever, but the last teacher who agreed with me was his 2nd grade teacher. I am relieved and thankful that we finally found you and thrilled that this child will — at last — be able to realize his full potential. Yay!” –BB

“[Our tutor] is a rock star! I would have her over to help my son every day if I could!  In addition to having her for homework help with him, we have hired her to help our daughter with advanced Spanish.” -RS

Writing Clients:

“A big thank you to Russell Tutoring for the excellent work [our writing tutor] did with my daughter [on her college application essay]. [Our tutor} coached my daughter to write about very personal experiences and ideas, which is not necessarily a skill taught in high school. My daughter is very proud of the clear, personal and mature essay on her Common Application. I believe that the writing skills my daughter learned from the team at Russell Tutoring will have far greater benefits to her than just college admission. These skills will be an asset to my daughter throughout her college career. Thank you again Russell Tutoring!” – LB

“Your expertise has been a major factor in [my daughter]’s college application success. She’s been accepted to 8 schools so far….[She] has been awarded substantial merit aid to every school with the exception of Pitt and Penn State. Two schools commented on her essay; College of Wooster’s Dean of Admissions praised [my daughter] for a thoughtful, well-written and unique essay, and quoted part of the essay right on the acceptance letter. Ohio Wesleyan’s Admissions Officer also commented, praising her effective expression of introspection, discovery, and resolve. I recommend your company to anyone that asks. Working with you all was the best decision of 2021!” – CM, whose daughter’s ACT score rose from a 22 to a 31, and who wrote her Common App essay with an RTC Writing Tutor

“I went to RTC for help with a 20-page graduate school paper on Economics after not having written a paper in 10 years.  (I am an adult student who has gone back to school.)  [My tutor] walked me through the process of brainstorming, helped me write a good outline, then poured over several drafts of my paper with me.  She was always patient and helpful, always available for my questions, and she always made me feel like I could do it.  I got an A- on my paper!” -GC

“I knew that my daughter would receive outstanding expert help from our tutor and Claire.  Russell Tutoring and Consulting was referred to me by a wonderful friend and client who also has had excellent results. Claire is super-efficient and knowledgeable. Communication with our tutor and Claire during the process was excellent, and our tutor was a fantastic fit for my daughter. She brought direction, organization, clarity, and focus to my daughter’s college application essay-writing. My daughter has thanked me numerous times for enlisting the services of RTC. Eliminated a ton of angst. Huge thanks to RTC!” -GZ