Pittsburgh's Most Deliberate, Personalized Test Preparation! We offer programs that explain what the SAT and ACT test and why.
When we offered our first SAT programs in 2007, we had one singular goal: to offer the best quality, most deliberate and most effective preparation. Rooted in true pedagogy as opposed to one-size-fits all approaches, our students walk away from our programs feeling empowered. The SAT and ACT are not pop quizzes; They are standardized. They test the same skills in the same sequence using the some c
oncepts every single time. By teaching our students the rules of the game, then providing them with strategies and finally refining those strategies through practice, we offer the most deliberate preparation in the region. Furthermore, by providing students with the very best teachers and small class sizes, we help them develop the number one key to success: confidence. Our students and their families have responded in kind. Almost entirely through word-of-mouth referrals, we have become the most sought after preparation program in the Pittsburgh region, working with nearly 400 students each year. The majority of our new families come to us on the strong recommendation of former students. While we have grown, our mission and our commitment to each and every student remains the same. To offer the best, most deliberate, most empowering preparation from talented teachers that truly care about their students’ progress. Our students come to us from all different ability levels and we tailor our instruction to each individual one through differentiated instruction and small class sizes. Please take some time to explore our website, www.goldsteintestprep.com, to see course offerings and upcoming programs. We will be offering both SAT and ACT preparation this summer and fall. If you aren’t sure which test to take, check out the SAT-ACT Comparison page to see which might be the better fit. We look forward to helping you reach your potential and your goals. I and our staff are committed to putting you in the best position to succeed. We look forward to hearing from you! Sincerely,
Mike Goldstein
Shady Side Academy ‘03
University of Pennsylvania ‘07
Founder of Goldstein Test Prep
Our Approach
Knowing the Test — Most students take the SAT without knowing what they are being tested on or why. The SAT tests students on a very narrow set of step-by-step thinking skills, and each section is designed to test that type of thinking. We show students how each question is constructed and only then do we go over strategies. Students leave our programs with a specific strategy for each question type, but more importantly, they know what they are being tested on. Creating Deliberate Test-Takers — For many students, the number one factor keeping them from reaching their goals is deliberateness. Most of us take multiple choice tests by scanning the answers for whatever "sounds good" or whatever "seems right." The SAT test-makers know this and set traps. We teach students to be deliberate: to know why an answer is correct when choosing it. By teaching students to work through problems one step at a time, we help them to become much more deliberate test-takers. Concept Review — There are a surprisingly small number of concepts that students need to know for the SAT. The Critical Reading requires no background knowledge aside from vocabulary. The Writing Multiple Choice requires that students know about 18 basic grammar concepts. The Math section requires about 30 basic math concepts drawn from arithmetic, algebra, geometry and statistics. Algebra 2 is the highest level on the SAT. We review each and every concept in depth, but more importantly, we show students how each concept is designed to test them on their ability to think one individual step at a time. Differentiated Learning — Every student is different. Our students come to us with starting scores across the spectrum. To meet the needs of each and every individual student, we provide problem sets and practice questions targeted to each student’s specific needs. In this way we are able to teach to all backgrounds and ability levels in both the classroom and private tutoring settings. Preaching Practice — In the end, it all comes down to practice. The SAT is a game, and like any other game, the more you practice the better you perform. In addition to four full practice tests, we provide students with detailed day-by-day study plans so they know exactly what to do in the weeks leading up to test.
10/03/2022
Thank you to our friends at Oakland Catholic for inviting us to host free SAT and ACT practice tests this past month! We offer free practice tests to our partner schools and programs, as well as to individual families that simply want to try an SAT or ACT. Contact us for more details!
05/03/2021
This program gave African American FAME, and Non-FAME Scholars and opportunity to practice for the SAT and ACT. The idea was for the Scholars to take a baseline test at the beginning of the course so that through ongoing instruction and practice, test improvement and learning could be measured. The average superstore during the first test was 1070, while the average for the last test being 1162. The average super score of all tests for all scholars was 1209. All students improved from their first practice test to the last. The event was successfully executed in a virtual format. Our Scholars have improved dramatically and have found value in practicing for the SAT and ACT with Goldstein Test Prep .
07/17/2020
A big thank you to our rental partners at the Aspinwall Riverfront Park, Pine-Richland Youth Center, Winchester-Thurston, and La Roche University for helping us safely run our in-person programs this summer. We will continue running both in-person and live online programs throughout the summer and school year!
12/01/2017
Thank you to all of our Investing Now students for a fantastic program!
09/10/2017
Thank you to all of our summer students and families! Fall 2017 Courses posted here!
Goldstein Test Prep - Courses Site
Goldstein Test Prep offers SAT and ACT courses at 5 locations in Pennsylvania. Enter your address or ZIP code below to find the courses closest to you!
04/20/2016
05/05/2015
Summer 2015 programs are posted on our website! This summer we'll have options to prepare for the current SAT, new SAT and ACT. We are looking forward to our ninth summer offering the best SAT and ACT programs in Pittsburgh!
Goldstein Test Prep - Courses Site
Goldstein Test Prep offers SAT and ACT courses at 5 locations in Pennsylvania. Enter your address or ZIP code below to find the courses closest to you!
10/15/2013
Check us out in CBS Local's Best of Pittsburgh: Best ACT and SAT Prep in Pittsburgh!