Debra's Tutoring Blog

The holidays are upon us yet so are the January deadlines for college applications and the *dreaded* college essay. Winter break is the perfect time to focus on developing your essay -- there are no classes, exams, or school responsibilities to worry about -- so it's a great time to review the writing prompts for the colleges on your list to figure out which best suits you and your writing abilities.

Writing is a challenge for many but finding your "voice" and writing a strong, persuasive essay as part of your college application process is something that is not just doable, it's a great...

Few things cause students (and parents) more angst than realizing that the college search process is about to begin in earnest. Maybe you've spent some time this summer gathering materials on colleges of interest, or perhaps your response to the "What did you do this summer" question will be that you visited colleges. Even if you are just starting the process, college applications and the essay -- which many students dread -- are right around the corner.

Finding your "voice" is one of the most important steps to writing a strong college essay. It needs to be "you" in written form, giving...

Summer is here...time to kick back, sit on the beach, and yes...start preparing for fall. Whether you're about to be a high school junior or senior, the time to begin preparing for the transition to college is now. Maybe you need to work on your writing skills for college essays and applications, learning to find your *voice* and strengthening this important skill. Maybe you and your parents need guidance on finding the best college *fit* for you to capitalize on your interests and strengths. Or maybe you're a student on an IEP or 504 and have no idea what transition planning is needed so...

As we approach the holiday season, many parents are finding that their children are "hitting the wall" and are struggling in school. The reasons are often several: The areas of need (whether academic or otherwise) are not being full supported in school; the expectations as the school year unfolds become higher; the complexities of assignments increase; and the gaps widen. Learning moves from rote memorization to the "higher order" thinking skills; i.e. the why and how questions, the explain and support questions. Many children -- those with a diagnosis and those without -- experience periods...

The challenge is finding and using it in your writing. With college applications in full swing, it's also college essay time. Many students postpone even starting the writing process and then, once underway, the essays are often drafted in a "college exam" voice vs. their own. Many students try "too hard" to write the way they think college admissions officers expect them to sound vs. sounding as who they are.

Whether the prompt is "Tell us why you want to attend 'x' school" or "Describe a situation that changed your life", the end result still needs to demonstrate who you are through your...

As this new school year begins, many parents and students hope that whatever school struggles existed last year may be gone this year. Sometimes, if support -- whether tutoring, summer classes, or other interventions -- was provided over the summer, the areas of struggle may improve, yet rarely do they disappear entirely. So what does this mean?

It means that being proactive is far wiser than being reactive; i.e. it's best to secure assistance *now* vs. waiting until grades are plummeting or the struggles are significant. The pace and expectations at the start of the school year are a...