Diagnostic-driven prep that finds and fixes the specific problems keeping your student's score stuck. Not tips and tricks — real, lasting improvement.
The most common thing I hear from parents: "My kid gets good grades, but they're just not a good test taker."
Here's what's usually going on. Tests at school rarely test comprehensively — students can study for a small subset of topics and do well. But the SAT and ACT test a wide range of skills, and because of that, students can have gaps or weak spots that never show up in their current classes. Maybe they learned the material a year or two ago and it didn't stick. Maybe they never fully learned it in the first place.
These are potholes. And my job is to go in and fill them before we start piling on testing strategies. You can't build effective strategy on a shaky foundation.
Most students don't need a complete SAT or ACT curriculum — they need someone to figure out exactly where they're losing points and why. A student might be strong in algebra but consistently miss data interpretation questions under time pressure. Generic prep wastes sessions reviewing algebra. I don't do that.
I start every engagement with a diagnostic: not just "what did you get wrong," but why you got it wrong and what pattern is behind it.
I teach students to quickly identify what a question is actually asking for before they try to answer it. This matters more than most people realize — even if you know how to get the answer, you can't answer a question if you don't know what it's asking for.
A lot of tutors jump straight to showing solutions. I spend time on the recognition step because that's where most points are actually lost.
"When you explain it, it makes sense" is a couple of levels below "I can do this on my own without any hints." I make sure students can actually solve problems independently before we move on. Just because my explanation made sense doesn't mean they're ready to do it on a test with no one to ask.
One of the most common things I hear after a first session: "I didn't think I would be able to understand this stuff." That's when I know we're on the right track.
Most students don't know how to effectively review their practice. They take a test, skim the correct answers for the ones they missed, and move on — without ever actually learning how to answer that kind of question on their own. Then they miss the same type of question on the next test. And the one after that.
I show students how to get off that carousel. Every question you miss becomes a new question you'll see next week — same underlying skill, different surface. You just remember the answer isn't the same as knowing how to solve it. So the follow-up looks different enough that you can't coast on recognition. If you can't do it cold, you can't do it on test day.
These follow-ups come back across multiple sessions, spaced days apart, until the skill sticks for real — not just for homework night.
Initial consultation (free) — We discuss your student's current scores, target schools, timeline, and goals. I give an honest assessment of what's realistic and how I'd approach it.
Diagnostic session — Using a practice test and targeted problem sets, I identify exactly where your student is losing points and what's behind those mistakes.
Targeted sessions — Weekly or twice-weekly sessions focused on closing the specific gaps identified in the diagnostic. Each session has a plan. Between sessions, your student works on targeted practice I assign — with a focus on effective review, not just volume.
Practice tests and recalibration — Periodic full-length practice tests to measure progress and adjust the plan as scores improve and new priorities emerge.
It depends on starting point, target score, and how much effective practice happens between sessions. I can give you a general range for students in your child's situation, but I can give a much better answer after our first session when I've seen exactly where things stand.
"Blake is an exceptional SAT prep professional and helped my son improve his score by 300 points in less than 3 months! He really understands the test and knows how to analyze where my son needed to focus his energy to study. He always had a well thought-out study plan each week using effective tools and techniques. He held my son accountable and challenged him. At the same time, he was patient and motivating. My son is super excited about his score!"
"We have had an excellent experience working with Blake. He worked with our son last year, and he scored a 34 on his first ACT exam. This year he has brought our daughter from a 24 to 31 after her first group of sessions. Easy to communicate with and really cares about our children's personal as well as academic success. Very highly recommend!"
This is the most common thing parents tell me. School tests rarely cover the full range of material the SAT and ACT test. Students can have significant gaps from topics they learned years ago that never show up in current classes. I identify and fill those gaps before layering on test strategy.
Every engagement starts with a diagnostic session where I analyze your student's performance — not just what they got wrong, but why, and what patterns are behind the mistakes. From there, sessions focus on closing those specific gaps with targeted practice, not a generic curriculum.
It depends on starting point, target score, and how much effective practice happens between sessions. I can give a general range for students in similar situations, but I give a much better answer after the first session when I've seen exactly where things stand.
Both tests are accepted equally by all US colleges. The best choice depends on how your student processes information, manages time pressure, and handles different question formats. A diagnostic session with practice sections of both usually makes the right choice clear.
The Digital SAT is shorter (2 hours 14 minutes vs. 3 hours), uses an adaptive format where the difficulty of the second module depends on performance in the first, and is taken on a laptop or tablet. The content areas are similar but the question mix and strategic considerations have shifted significantly.
Yes. About half of my students work with me online via Zoom. Online sessions use the same diagnostic approach and personalized materials as in-person. I work with students across the US and internationally, including UK and EU families preparing for the SAT for US university admissions.
Rates start at $325 per hour. Sessions are individualized, diagnostic-driven, and designed around the specific patterns costing your student points. Jensen Test Prep is best suited for families seeking expert-level, one-on-one preparation — not a group course or homework help service.
Absolutely. I regularly work with international students preparing for the SAT, including families in the UK and EU pursuing US university admissions. All international sessions are conducted via Zoom. The Digital SAT is available at test centers worldwide.
A short conversation is usually enough to figure out where things stand and whether I'm the right fit.
Or call/text directly: (516) 787-5919