Mr. Michael DiSalvo, our main tutor, graduated "magna cum laude" from the University of South Florida, Tampa, with a B.A. in Psychology, in which he averaged an A+. Later, Michael left his studies at Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary in Denton, Nebraska, with the equivalent of a Master's Degree, adding to 17 years of formal education. Michael, like others, did not achieve success easily. After struggling with higher-level mathematics in high school, he finally mastered college-level material through hard work and constant study. A test preparation course gave him the critical thinking skills he needed to compete with the elite, enabling him to score in the 90th percentile on the G.R.E. (what may be termed the "big brother" of the S.A.T.). Later, as he began to study test preparation techniques intensively, he found that his study of vocabulary and foreign languages enabled him to master the verbal section on the SAT as well, improving his high school score of an 1180 to a 1390 on the Verbal + Quantitative portions of the test. Today, in addition to a strong Math, Verbal, and Writing background, Michael's degree in Psychology and experiences counseling have allowed him to tailor programs to meet high goals for students with different skill levels and various educational backgrounds.
 

 

Mr. Jarod Gregory, the "ACT MD"

Mr. Jarod Gregory graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2009 with a B.A. in both English and political science. A member of the distinguished Sally McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College and a four-year recipient of the Academic Excellence Scholarship, he maintained honor society marks throughout his education. In the spring of 2011 he began to pursue a degree in chemical engineering at the University of Cincinnati, rounding out a strong repertoire of SAT and ACT skills, allowing him to help students dominate both tests. Because of his strong math and science background, Jarod has been able to work with students in advanced math and science classes, showing his expertise with a cumulative score of 35 on the ACT, solidly in the 99th percentile. Assisting with the same techniques which have helped Mr. DiSalvo's students earn scores in the 99th percentile themselves, Mr. Gregory's deep knowledge of test material, his experience tutoring in a wide variety of circumstances, and his superior scores are a welcome addition to the team.

 

Mr. Brent Puthoff, M.S., Biomedical Engineering

Perhaps the most gifted tutor at A+ Tutoring, Brent Puthoff comes to A+ with a Biomedical and Civil Engineering degree. While acing the GRE Math portion of his latest test with a perfect 800, Brent also averaged a 34 on his ACT, even before being introduced to the techniques Mr. DiSalvo has taught his own students. Like Mr. Gregory, Brent is a natural teacher of every sort of subject in the maths and hard sciences, yet also has a deep understanding of the nuts and bolts that make Mr. DiSalvo's critical reading and grammar program work. Brent works in the greater Cincinnati and Dayton areas, and has most recently graduated from UNC, Chapel Hill.

 

 

Services Offered In the Greater Cincinnati Area

Our Course

With students raising their S.A.T. scores as much as 300 points in 2 weeks, A+ Tutoring/Test Preparation continues to remain on par or superior to the most notable educational companies in the test preparation business. Superior pedagogy and a superior curriculum catered to the student's needs is what puts us above the rest. Our text, Gruber's Complete Preparation for the S.A.T., boasts the potential of raising a student's scores by 300 points per section. Though few students have the capability to raise their score in such a dramatic fashion through simply reading a test preparation book, time has shown that a skilled teacher can bring quite unexpected results out of students who doubt their own abilities. Our standard course runs between 6 to 10 weeks, depending on the number of sessions taken during the week and the sections focused on. However, some students in various situations have found even one-hour sessions to be the best solution for their goals. Rates and availability vary by location and time of year. Please call 513 939-9033 and mention that you saw our webpage for a free consultation and a brief on what is available. In some situations of multiple student interest, even shared tutoring situations can be developed to maximize time and resources.

Though we offer a wide variety of educational services, A+ Tutoring/Test Preparation focuses most particularly in the critical thinking skills that make up the PSAT, SAT and ACT prep courses significantly different from other tutoring experiences in the Greater Cincinnati area.  Of course, expertise in the Math, Verbal, and Grammar Skills does translate well into similar subjects, but we have experienced and highly adept tutors in the Greater Cincinnati area with a special emphasis and expertise in the core skills for the standardized tests listed.

A tutor is usually available for the following:

 The PSAT, SAT, and ACT, as well as GRE and GMAT preparation

The HSPT, SSAT, ISEE (High School Entrance Exams)

The OAT and GED for high school students

Algebra, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trigonometry

Precalculus, Calculus, Physics, Chemistry

Grammar, Writing, and TOEFL test tutoring

Memorization / Study Skills / Speed Reading

Intro to Foreign Languages (Spanish, Italian, French, German, and Latin)

Reading/Math Skills 1st - 12th Grade

AP & SAT Subject Tests, including Mathematics, Foreign Languages, and (GRE and AP) Psychology

Our standard program in Reading and Mathematics includes a 1-2 hour diagnostic test to pinpoint deficiencies and to estimate time of program completion. Individual subject tutoring is based on the textbook, while S.A.T./ P.S.A.T. instruction includes periodic sample tests to evaluate progress. Free consultation is available to monitor the progress of your child and to advise on any other profitable interventions. Consultation is recommended every 20 hours. SAT classes are also offered at various intervals. Please consult the link below if you are currently investigating SAT preparation courses in Cincinnati. At present, our PSAT/SAT class location is in the Tri-County area in Mason, OH.

PSAT, SAT, and ACT Classes

It is sometimes difficult to determine whether one-on-one tutoring or traditional SAT classes are better for one's child. A+ Tutoring does not specialize in large class preparation for a reason: the Socratic method works best in groups of three or less. Having the ability to see how a student is implementing the steps Mr DiSalvo has created or the strategies Dr Gruber has made famous allows important feedback necessary to actualize hidden potential. In most situations, students of similar ability levels should be paired together. With families of similar-aged children, this can also be more time and cost efficient. Please call to see what options may be available for you.

 

 

Programs for Test Anxiety

While one-on-one tutoring is known to be one of the most effective ways for any student to maximize his potential, human nature is such that when we are under stress, it is difficult to use our critical thinking skills. This is why A+ Tutoring/Test Preparation has formed a partnership with The Heartmath Corporation to help students resolve issues of test anxiety and to maximize their performance. Helping students get the most out of their natural skills in the realms of academic achievement and critical thinking, the Freeze Framer (TM) technique has been proven to lessen students' stress and improve their test taking score in verbal areas by over 20% and in math areas by over 30%. As Mr. DiSalvo has been trained in modern and classical psychology, he has seen a synergistic improvement in his students' scores when test anxiety has been an obstacle in preventing them from seeing their best results. Please call for more information about how a test anxiety program can help improve your child's scores.

 

The S.A.T.

Why Did the SAT Change?

The SAT assesses student reasoning based on knowledge and skills developed by the student in school coursework. The new SAT will improve the alignment of the test with current curriculum and institutional practices in high school and college. By including a third measure of skills -- writing --, the new SAT will help colleges make better admissions and placement decisions. In that way, the new SAT will reinforce the importance of writing throughout a student's education.

 

$$Big Scholarship Money$$

There are several reasons to get a good score on the S.A.T. Not only does it give more opportunities to be accepted to prestigious universities out-of-state, but it also allows  those who are looking for a good in-state value to find many scholarships worth thousands of dollars if they achieve the status of savvy test taker.

 

A typical state school's offering of scholarships:

http://admissions.onu.edu/scholarships/scholarships.shtml

 

The most prestigious award for a high school student is perhaps the designation of National Merit Scholar. This award is contingent on one's P.S.A.T. score in one's junior year. Preparing early for this very important test is crucial, as students are already given the test in their sophomore year. To become a finalist in this challenging competition is indeed a privilege. Not only is one eligible for the $2500 award every year after having attained this high level of academic achievement, but one is eligible for many other scholarships and commendations from private institutions and corporations.

 

More information on the National Merit Scholarship Program can be found here:

http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php#entryreq

 

 

Important Deadlines for the A.C.T.

* No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February test date.