Boston Tutoring Center

01/30/2026

ACT Changes May Not Benefit Students!

"The Washington Post" recently featured an article about changes to the ACT (see link below).

What I found interesting is that the article did not highlight some of the ways that taking the new ACT can disadvantage students.

1. Fewer schools superscore the ACT. Some schools will only take scores from one sitting of the ACT, and some schools will superscore the SAT, but not the ACT. Since most students take the test more than once, it makes sense to go with the test that is more widely superscored.

2. While the science section on the ACT is optional, some schools do require that students take it. Some schools recommend taking the science section for students applying to certain majors. The SAT does not have a science section, which avoids this issue. All colleges accept both the SAT and ACT.

3. Even though most colleges have said that the ACT science section is optional, some schools count it in the composite score. The inclusion or exclusion of the science score can drag down a student's overall score, depending on how schools factor the score in their calculations.

Given the potential downsides to the ACT, it may be best to avoid it in favor of the SAT.

Testing policies are always changing, so it is best to check each school's current policies.

If we can be of assistance with SAT prep, ISEE/SSAT prep, or admissions consulting for private K-12 and college applications, please contact us.

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com
Boston Tutoring Center - https://lnkd.in/e3zvnBdy
Boston Private School Search - https://lnkd.in/ebJ-GWw3

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/01/18/standardized-test-popularity/?utm_campaign=Daily+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_0GuelpuwYPIf_Xa9j14V-up-F0TfI2Efe3PfGeFUNo51qjLE0aTjs9m8n4T1dEP1BvLEqe2np26Gszmmm2oANxpH46A&_hsmi=399417599&utm_content=399417599&utm_source=hs_email&utm_term=1E8D29A8-A462-454A-BD48-4B00D7362CEE&wpisrc=nl_sb_smartbrief&lrh=0dcc8c7b305d673a91d297b127013c28d5364552652a199887a963846ef9e37f

While elite colleges and students reconsidered the value of the tests and the SAT gained consumers, the ACT made changes over the past two years to claw back market share.

01/10/2026

Private School Demand is Increasing in Massachusetts!

I just finished reading this article about declining public school enrollment in MA.

Two findings that stood out for me, and mirror what we have been seeing over the past 5 years:

1. "Last summer, a study from Boston University researchers Josh Goodman and Abigail Francis found that a larger share of Massachusetts families have opted for private schools since COVID, particularly more affluent white and Asian parents. That shift ended a multi-decade decline in the state’s private school enrollment."

2. "Newton’s enrollment, for example, fell dramatically during COVID and then has continued a gradual decline since, hitting 11,462 this school year."

We have seen growing demand from families coming from some of the "best" suburban public schools. We work with many families from Newton, and from a broad range of surrounding communities.

In order for a student to gain admission to a competitive private school in middle or high school they must have high scores on the entrance exams, do well on the interviews, and with their applications and essays.

For over 20 years we have specialized in private school admission, and have helped thousands of students gain admission to some of the most competitive private schools in the country.

January is prime time for starting this process, for students applying for admission in the fall of 2027.

Please let us know if we can help your family.

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com
Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com
Boston Private School Search- www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/01/09/metro/massachusetts-school-enrollment-decline-immigration/?s_campaign=breakingnews:newsletter

Many of the state’s largest districts and centers of immigrant populations saw particularly large declines, amid President Trump’s immigration crackdown.

12/05/2025

Eye Popping Stats on College ED Admissions!

Last month Jeff Selingo shared the following table in one of his newsletters that highlights the advantages of early decision in college admissions.

Most current high school seniors who applied early decision will get their results in the next week or two.

While it is a huge relief for these students to know in December where they will be attending college next fall, it is important that they are sure that their ED school is their "ride or die" choice.

ED is binding and there is no room for buyer's remorse.

It is important that students spend time crafting a thoughtful college list, that has been shaped by research, reflection, and input from a variety of sources.

By the time the students we work with hit send on their ED application we have spent an average of 10 months helping them developing their college list, and they have a very good idea of what schools will be a good fit for them.

Our work with juniors starts in January, and we love helping them through this process. Please reach out if you would like more information.

Boston ISEE Prep- www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center- www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search- www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. - Beverly Sills

11/26/2025

A Month of Thanks!

This month has brought lots of good news for our ISEE and SSAT students as they received the results from their November tests. For many students their results are a culmination of a year of hard work.

These are just a few excerpts from the emails of thanks we have received this month.

He got his scores this morning. He is thrilled that he got a 95 in math (which makes more sense for him) and a 93rd percentile overall. He is so happy to have done better. We will recommend your business to his friends taking the test next year, and to start early. We did everything that you suggested, all of it made a difference. The test is hard - he is a top, top student and it was hard for him, and he worked hard in order to get this score. That said, we are so happy we found you and made the commitment to your company. You have helped him so much. Mr. Kanum was wonderful and helped him so much, we are grateful.

We have just received his ISEE score. Attached here. Some mistakes, but all 9's. Please let Mr. Mike know that we truly appreciate all his help.

We are not planning for him to retake the test, as his scores were excellent.
We are very grateful to Mr. Kannum for his guidance and support — it has been a pleasure having him work with us. We would be happy to recommend Mr. Kanum to anyone seeking a reference.

We can see her performance improvement resulting from working with Mr. Kanum and Boston Tutoring Center over the course of the past year. Thank you for your support and we would be happy to be a reference for any families considering your services.

We are so happy that our students are seeing their hard work pay off!

We are thankful for our talented staff, dedicated students, and supportive parents.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search- www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

11/19/2025

More Changes on the way for Boston Exam School Admissions!

The Boston School Committee recently voted to AGAIN change the formula for admission to the Boston exam schools. There has been a change to the formula nearly every year for the past 6 admissions cycles.

The admissions cycle is a long one. Students take the entrance exam in the spring and/or fall of 5th/6th grade for admission in 7th grade. The process is similar for 9th grade admission.

Admissions decisions are typically sent out in late spring (after private school admissions results and deposits are required).

With so much uncertainty in the process, many families opt out entirely and go the private school route. It did not have to be this way.

Two of the most glaring quotes from members of the school committee with regards to this policy change were true 5 years ago when these changes started.

"People love the exam schools because they bring prestige, and they have resources. But they’re not right for every student, we know that." - Jeri Robinson, School Committee Chairperson

Jeri Robinson was on the Boston School Committee when these changes started in 2020. She was on the special committee that developed the first set of changes back in 2020. Did she just come to realize that the exam schools are not right for every student? Many people knew this to be true in 2020.

"The Boston Globe" reported that Rachel Skerrit, the former headmaster at Boston Latin School, and a member of the original committee in 2020, cited state data showing less than 1,000 BPS sixth-graders meet or exceed state standards in English language arts and math.

“What does this mean? It means that we do not have the number of students in the entirety of Boston Public Schools performing at grade level in ELA and math to fill the total available seventh-grade seats across the three exam schools,” Skerritt said. “This is what needs our attention and urgently.”

Again, this was also true in 2020. Yet, despite knowing that the exam schools were not right for every student, and that BPS did not have enough students performing at grade level to fill the seats, they created a formula that awarded BPS students bonus points and seats at the exam schools, where they were not able to do the work.

What a mess!

We have seen a rise in demand for private schools for middle/high school from Boston families, and we have just started work with our 5th graders who will be applying next fall for 7th grade admission to private schools in 2027.

Boston students should not be victims of the ever changing priorities of the Boston School Committee.

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com
Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com
Boston Private School Search- www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/05/metro/boston-school-committee-exam-school-admission-policy-changes/?s_campaign=greatdivide:newsletter

The changes would eliminate bonus points for applicants from high-poverty schools, and lower points for homeless students or those in public housing or state custody.

11/04/2025

Tulane Gets Tough!

When college seniors apply Early Decision to a school it is "binding", meaning that if they are accepted they agree to withdraw all their other applications and attend the school. Students, parents and the student's guidance counselor sign an agreement saying they acknowledge and understand the binding nature of Early Decision.

Historically the only reason a student could get out of accepting an Early Decision offer is if they did not get a financial aid offer that they could afford.

Up until now it was unheard of that a college would penalize a school if one of their students did not follow through on an Early Decision acceptance.

Early Decision has grown in popularity over the years, and some elite schools are accepting nearly half their class via Early Decision. Schools love that they can shape a class early and lock in students (many of whom do not need financial aid).

In the ever changing landscape of college admissions it is important to understand the implications of Early Decision, Early Action, and Regular Decision, and understand what levers your student has in the admissions process.

We are now booking spots for juniors to start their college admissions journey with us in January 2026. Let us help your student have a successful college admissions process!

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search - www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/business/tulane-early-decision-colorado-academy.html

In an unusual move, the university imposed a one-year ban on Colorado Academy for early-decision applications, which carry a commitment to attend.

10/23/2025

Great Program!

Over the years we have worked with many students applying to elite private schools who have participated in the Johns Hopkins CTY programs.

Some students take the classes on-line during the school year, and others attend the summer camp programs. There are students who do both.

What sets the CTY students apart from others is that these students have a genuine curiosity and love of learning. These are students who are excited to delve into new academic experiences and grow their skills. In a time when students are spending less time reading and more time scrolling on devices, it is refreshing to work with students who love to learn!

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search - www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.chronicle.com/article/what-nerd-camp-can-tell-us-about-the-sat?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_15261409_nl_Academe-Today_date_20251013&sra=true

No selective college relies on standardized tests alone to admit students, but the Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth does. That makes it an interesting test case.

10/14/2025

Why Southern Schools are Hot

The Boston Globe recently wrote an article about the rise in popularity of southern schools in the northeast.

We have seen this trend with our college consulting students. More students every year are adding southern schools to their lists.

Some of the most popular schools include: Duke, Davidson, Elon, Emory, Wake Forest, William and Mary, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Clemson.

Students are attracted to southern schools for a variety of reasons, but the most common reasons students cite include: better weather, less emphasis on politics on campus, generous merit aid, school spirit, the football culture at many schools, and the fact that southern schools are courting students from the northeast to increase their geographic diversity.

At a time when many popular schools in the Northeast have acceptance rates below 10% it is appealing to student to attend a school where they are wanted, and where they can enjoy a good mix of strong academics and a robust social life.

It is important for students to have a balanced college list, and to spend time figuring out which types of schools are a good fit for their interests, values, and aspirations. Southern schools are not a good fit for everyone, but they can be a great fit for some students.

We love helping high school juniors through the processes of building their college lists and figuring out where they will thrive!

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/30/lifestyle/southern-colleges-gaining-popularity/?s_campaign=breakingnews:newsletter

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search - www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

TikTok, tailgates, and, in some cases, cheaper tuition are a big part of the appeal. Until the SEC football hangover sets in.

10/03/2025

A Race to the Bottom?

While the latest MCAS scores are not surprising, what is surprising is how many parents do not realize how ill prepared their children are to do work at a very high level.

I was one of those parents back in 2002. My son did well in school and was a straight A student. He scored at the top on his school's standardized tests, and I felt good that he was doing well in school.

I got the shock of my life when he scored at the bottom stanine (10%) in vocabulary and reading on a practice test for the ISEE. My efforts to help him raise his score were the impetus for starting my test prep business all those years ago.

I did not realize that his skills were really weak, and that the measure his school was using to evaluate student performance were equally weak.

Last year we had a very bright student who was attending one of the top suburban middle schools in the state. She attended a popular extracurricular math enrichment program that many of our students attend (and she was in the advanced/honors classes in this program). She earned a PERFECT score on her 5th grade MCAS math section. Her score on the ISEE math diagnostic was a 50%!

Big difference!

It is hard to know sometimes if your child is really learning the skills they need to be successful at a rigorous private school.

If your child will be applying to private school next year, now is the time to get started on test prep for the entrance exams. Skill building takes time, effort and dedication, and it does not happen overnight.

The work we do with students preparing them for entrance exam like the ISEE and the SSAT carries over for years into middle and high school, and gives them a solid foundation to succeed academically.

Let us know if we can help your child.

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search - www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/09/29/metro/mcas-2025-pandemic-losses-recovery/

09/26/2025

The Struggle is Real!

This is the time of year when the seniors we are working with on their college applications are finalizing their lists and deciding if they will have an ED school.

I have had conversations with two students this week who keep adding "Far Reach" schools to their list. When I try to get at their reasoning for adding these schools it seems to stem from the chatter at school about where students are applying. I try to steer students back to their list of requirements for what they want in a school, and encourage them to filter these additions against this list (most times the new schools do not match with what they say they want).

It is hard to stand firm in your beliefs when everyone around you is doing something different, but everyone else is not going to college for you. This is your choice and your experience - not theirs!

Jeff Selingo has written an excellent book in "Dream School" and I would encourage everyone involved in the college admissions process (parents, students, teachers, and counselors) to read the book and help bring the focus back to what really matters in the college search process.

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com
Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com
Boston Private School Search - www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/22/opinion/college-admissions-seniors-stats.html?unlocked_article_code=1.n08.gp8F.eq0_Z4w1aG9C&smid=url-share&utm_campaign=Next%20newsletter%20sample%20campaign&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-821EMWccUSeKriLSsO-iRrAEbDUjDZ865QtgvjPrTPM2C1UeFx42OaCpCkqDvCtQ5mDUmiTL-DJwHQBmrzPUdbdyQOB8XAslRuD8pyieWa3Klys5s&_hsmi=381888560&utm_content=381888560&utm_source=hs_email

The frantic competition that we’ve normalized is based on a lie about what makes a college education truly valuable.

09/11/2025

Sad but NOT surprised!

Over 20 years of test prep experience has shown me that when students are preparing for challenging tests such as the ISEE, SSAT, SAT and ACT, a lot is revealed about their skill sets in reading, math and vocabulary.

Many parents do not realize that while their student may be doing well in school, it does not necessarily mean that they have solid skills. Grade inflation is rampant, and many teachers give out good grades in order to avoid a confrontation with students or parents.

We see this quite frequently with students. We had a student last year from a very high ranked suburban public school. She was in advanced math classes and earned a perfect score on the math MCAS, but her ISEE score in math was average.

The steady decline of reading and vocabulary on these tests is a direct result of many students no longer reading for pleasure. Students today spend too much time staring at screens and watching short videos. It plays out in their attention spans, which have steadily declined over the years.

One parent recently asked if we could "gamify" lessons for her student who lacked the motivation and skills to do well on the ISEE. I explained to her that if her child was not self motivated and willing to build her skills, then perhaps private school was not the right choice for her.

As a life-long reader, and someone who is always reading for pleasure it is personally disappointing and sad to see that reading is not seen as an enjoyable activity for many Gen Z and Gen Alpha students.

The one bright spot I see is that many private schools have instilled a reading culture in their curriculum and have exposed their students to the joy of spending time with a good book.

Reading is the foundation of a solid education and a skill that we cannot let diminish in our children!

Order my new book, "Private School Admission: Mistakes Parents Make", on Amazon here

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com

Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com

Boston Private School Search - www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/us/12th-grade-reading-skills-low-naep.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20250909&instance_id=162202&nl=breaking-news®i_id=67968402&segment_id=205575&user_id=1cb2a7a8ede0b53e0f7a292ca578181d

High school seniors had the worst reading scores since 1992 on a national test, a loss probably related to increases in screen time and the pandemic. Their math scores fell as well.

08/13/2025

Parents have to be VERY careful when committing to a private school!

When students are wait listed at their top choice private school it can be an agonizing experience. As the deadline to commit to a school and pay a non-refundable deposit approaches parents are often tempted to pay the deposit to hold the spot at their second choice school, while waiting to see if their child will move off the wait list at their first choice school (after the deposit deadline).

It is rare that a student will move off the wait list after the deposit deadline at an elite private school (one with and under 10% acceptance rate).

This recent article highlights the dangers in committing to one school while holding out hope that another school will call. While this woman's situation is slightly different, it is a reminder that when parents sign a contract and commit to a school they are committing to pay the full first year tuition. The contract is a legally binding document that will hold up in a court of law, should the school decide to go that route.

Many parents do not realize that when they sign the enrollment contract they are making a large financial commitment, and they should not rely on the school's generosity to let them out of the contract.

This kind of strategy is sneaky, and it is not only harmful to the school, it is harmful to the student, who keeps pining for something that likely will not happen. It also sets the student up to have a less than stellar first year at the school they have committed to. No one wants to feel like they are settling for second best.

I will say that I do not agree with the tactics of this school in Maryland, but it is a cautionary tale.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/08/03/private-schools-lawsuits-families/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F43f68cf%2F688f83bdcdc0f632ccb2209a%2F5973ea45ade4e21a8492e9e8%2F28%2F63%2F688f83bdcdc0f632ccb2209a

Boston ISEE Prep - www.bostoniseeprep.com
Boston Tutoring Center - www.bostontutoringcenter.com
Boston Private School Search -www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com

In a region with one of nation’s highest private school enrollment rates, there’s a side not often talked about: the lawsuits.