We started working with our fourth-grade daughter on the ISEE, and within a week we knew we needed help. A friend suggested that we contact Phil from Prestige Prep, and he was immediately responsive, helpful, and reassuring. He dispatched Chris to our home. Chris is a friendly, calm and systematic tutor. He provided our daughter with key content and test-taking strategies -- as well as a clear roadmap to get us through the weeks of prep. He is reliable, enjoyable and made test-prep so much easier. We’re all grateful to Chris and Phil for all their help!
Mock Exams
Starting the tutoring process without a mock exam is like taking a road trip without a map: you may get where you want to go, but it will take a lot more time and effort. Not to mention, it will be a lot less pleasant.
We Hand Score All of our Mock Exams
Most companies have computers grade their mock exams. This gives accurate scores, but not accurate feedback. If a student misses two triangle questions on an exam, a computer will report that the student is weak on triangles. But that student may have missed the triangle questions due to errors in algebra or arithmetic. Triangles may not be the problem at all.
A grammar question with a misplaced modifier may have an answer that corrects the modifier but contains improper semi-colon use. A student who picks this answer will be tagged by a computer as needing to work on misplaced modifiers, even though what they really need is a review of semi-colons.
Scoring by hand takes more time, but it shows where a student really needs help. It also tells us other key information: is the student writing down their work? Are they using test strategies? Are they fighting through difficult questions or just giving up? These questions can’t be answered by a computer, and they’re very important.
Exam Highlights
Fantastic, Ishan
Ishan is taking these tests for admission into 9th grade. As such, he is among the youngest students taking the UL ISEE and SSAT and is, therefore, not expected to get perfect scores.
Recommendations
Work on
mathematical concepts
attention to detail
multiplying polynomials
Helpful Approaches
analogies vocabulary
TEST – ISEE
Diagnostic
Ishan’s Score
7
Verbal Reasoning
30/35
stanine 7
Exam feedback:
Ishan’s verbal-reasoning skills are quite strong; in fact, this was his best section on both tests. There are two parts to the ISEE Verbal Reasoning section: Synonyms and Sentence Completion. Ishan did well on both sections but struggled slightly on the former....
4
Quantitative Reasoning
19/32
stanine 4
Exam feedback:
Both tests have two Math sections. The SSAT’s Math sections closely resemble the ISEE’s, though they bear a closer similarity to the Mathematics Achievement section than the Quantitative Reasoning section...
5/6
Reading Comprehension
23/30
stanine 5/6
Exam feedback:
Ishan’s performance was solid on the Reading Comprehension sections of both tests. The ISEE and SSAT Reading sections are quite similar, and his raw scores are closely matched. On both tests, Ishan’s errors were distributed across passage...
4
Mathematics Achievements
24/42
stanine 4
Exam feedback:
The Mathematics Achievement section focuses more on “rote” math content and skills taught in school. The Quantitative Reasoning, on the other hand, emphasizes problem-solving skills and mathematical reasoning, rather than rote knowledge. That said, all the sections do...
Final
Ishan’s Score
Verbal Reasoning
9
Reading Comprehension
7
Quantitative Reasoning
9
Mathematics Achievements
9
Exam Highlights
Nice work, Jack
Jack is clearly bright and a strong student. However, he needs to work on his test-taking skills. The ACT is a long, fast-paced test, and stamina and timing do appear to be issues for him.
Recommendations
Work on
building stamina
logarithms
test-taking skills
Helpful Approaches
plugging in answer choices
active-reading techniques
TEST – ACT
Diagnostic overall - 25
Jack’s Score
22
Math
31/60
scale score 22
Exam feedback:
Jack seems to have struggled near the end of the Math section. Without watching him work, I cannot be sure if he is running short on time or if he does not know how to tackle the more advanced questions—the questions at the end are generally....
25
English
57/75
scale score 25
Exam feedback:
Jack’s performance on this section was solid. He is clearly strong on grammar rules (including punctuation and subject-verb agreement), missing few questions on the conventions of standard English. He also demonstrated that he was able to read and...
24
Science
29/40
scale score 28
Exam feedback:
The Science Section is unique to the ACT, though it is not dissimilar from the Natural Science passages on the SAT Reading section. This section requires students to read short passages, which often contain information presented in charts, tables, and other visual...
28
Reading
30/40
scale score 28
Exam feedback:
Jack’s performance on this section was stronger than his score suggests. He clearly struggled on the first passage, the literary narrative passage, making half of his errors on this one passage. His other errors were distributed across...
Final overall - 33
Jack’s Score
Math
33
Science
30
English
34
Reading
36
Exam Highlights
GREAT, Phischer
Phischer is a solid student—however, he will need to improve his scores on this test quite a bit. On both sections, at least some of Phischer’s errors may stem from unfamiliarity with the test rather than from gaps in his knowledge.
Recommendations
Work on
increasing speed
increasing accuracy
review algebraic reasoning
Helpful Approaches
active-reading techniques
TEST – SHSAT
Diagnostic overall - 417
Phischer ’s Score
226
Math
33/57
scaled 226
Exam feedback:
Phischer’s performance here was somewhat stronger. In fact, he was able to attempt nearly every multiple-choice question, leaving the final four multiple-choice questions blank. That said, he was unable to answer any of the open-response (or “grid-in”) questions....
191
ELA
23/57
scaled 191
Exam feedback:
The SHSAT includes several Revising and Editing questions, which test grammar fundamentals as well as knowledge of rhetorical skills and the production of writing. Phischer correctly answered eight of the nine grammar questions on this test...
Final overall - 547
Phischer ’s Score
547
Accepted to Bronx Science
Exam Highlights
Good job, Ryan
Ryan is a rising sophomore, meaning that she is younger than the average SAT taker and, therefore, may not yet have learned some of the concepts tested in school.
Recommendations
Work on
building stamina
increasing speed
efficiency
Helpful Approaches
plugging in answer choices
TEST – SAT
Diagnostic Total - 1330
Ryan’s Score
630
Math
no Calc 11/20
with Calc 30/38
Exam feedback:
There are two Math sections on the SAT, one on which students are not allowed to use a calculator and one on which they are. Ryan did better on the latter. In fact, on the No-Calculator Math section...
700
Verbal
reading 48/52
writing 36/44
Exam feedback:
Ryan’s performance on this section was solid. That said, I have the sense that she needs to become more familiar with the types of questions on this test and how best to approach them....
ACT Equivalent – 28
Final Total - 1530
Ryan’s Score
Math
740
Verbal
790
In-Person and Online Proctored Mock Exams
Prestige Prep offers proctored mock exams in person and online for all the standardized tests we tutor.
All in-person NYC mock exams begin at 11am and are held in our offices at:
450 Lexington Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10017
Private mock exams available upon request.
ISEE Test Prep
Parent of Friends Seminary student
Academic Tutoring
My daughter’s tutor from Prestige Prep was simply spectacular! He was knowledgeable, patient and able to assist my daughter in honing her skills and giving her the necessary tools to be confident in herself. Over a matter of weeks, her scores soared and she was thrilled. I would whole-heartedly recommend Prestige Prep to any of our friends or family.
Karyn
parent of Trevor Day student
SHSAT
We were referred to Prestige Prep by a friend to help our son Charlie study for the SHSAT. We started in 7th grade and had about 10 sessions with our tutor. We found our tutor to be very smart, prepared and thoughtful. Our tutor not only taught CHarlie everything he needed to know but also kept Charlie calm and confident throughout the process. Charlie ended up scoring a 600, which allowed him to go to any specialized school in the city including Stuyvesant. We highly recommend our tutor and Prestige Prep and feel that the tutoring really brought out the best in Charlie.
Rob and Melissa
parents of 7th-grade SHSAT student
ISEE
Our tutor was a perfect fit for not only our child, but our family as well. He was patient, attentive and made this process easier for all of us. The best part was how happy our child was with the results. Thank you!!
Parent of 8th-grade ISEE student
College Advising
Thank you so much for your help throughout the whole college process. I got into my #1 school so you're doing a great job. Honestly, I couldn't have done it without you. You motivated me and pushed me to try my hardest.
Thanks!
Student, Mamaroneck, NY
SAT
You have not only assisted in increasing my son’s SAT scores, but also boosted his confidence and almost made this fun!! We could not have done this without you.
Parent of Trevor Day SAT student
Academic Tutoring
Our tutor was a ray of sunshine for our family. She brought enthusiasm and an energy that we all needed to get through this process. Now that we have made it through the high school application process, we will be calling on you to help us navigate the high school years!!
Parent of 8th-grade Allen-Stevenson student
ISEE Test Prep
We are lucky as parents to have found a tutoring company that not only knows the system, but has a pulse on the needs of their families. Throughout the past six months you not only prepared my son for the SAT, but instilled in him a confidence he was lacking.
Parent of 11th-grade Riverdale Country Day student
Academic Tutoring
Phil Cohen and his team at Prestige Prep were invaluable to my three sons growing up in Manhattan. Whatever the boys needed help with--Latin, Mandarin, math, writing…Phil had an excellent tutor for us. In the rare instance that a tutor wasn’t the right fit, Phil found someone else right away. Prestige Prep was our “go to” throughout the boys’ school years!
Stacey Stanton
SAT
Thanks to Prestige Prep. I was able to significantly increase my SAT scores and was admitted to the college of my dreams. My tutor thoroughly covered test-taking strategy, reviewed concepts, and shared tricks that will help anybody score better on the SAT.
Nick
SAT student (from CT)
Academic Tutoring
Phil Cohen and his team at Prestige Prep have been an essential and truly meaningful part of our daughters’ lives throughout high school and beyond. Their individualized test prep, tutoring, and college guidance is absolutely top-tier. Equally important, Phil became a mentor to our girls -- consistently available as a source of support during stressful moments and challenges that come with the high school years, including difficult decision-making and peer and family dynamics. Thank you Phil and Prestige Prep for helping us navigate the demands and deadlines, and also for sharing in the joys and moments of celebration.
BJ Topol
College Advising
Thank you for guiding me through the admission process. You are always so full of vibrant ideas! Without you, this admission process would have been so confusing. I was so excited to receive my acceptance letters, and a lot of my happiness was directed toward you. Once again, thank you for all of your help.
Student, Basking Ridge, NJ
College Advising
You were my saving grace during the college admissions process — the only person who I felt truly understood what I wanted. Thank you.
Student, Long Island, NY
Get Smart With Us!
Subscribe to our latest news and promotions