Settle the score
Most test prep keeps kids just prepped enough to pass, but never quite confident enough to stop Worrying.
- Cram sessions before the test.
- A stack of practice tests with no strategy behind them.
- A tutor who’s great at math but has never once asked why your kid shuts down during timed sections.
Real prep isn’t more hours. It’s the right diagnosis: what’s actually blocking the score, addressed directly, so test day stops being an event to survive.
Parents say it’s the rare combination of “oh, that makes so much sense” and “why hasn’t anyone explained it this way before?”What families tell me · after the first few sessions
Why this, not more tutoring
Good grades can hide a lot.
The Penalty Box
Masking struggle behind good grades.
Every high-achieving student learns to hide the cost behind the transcript: the exhaustion, the 2am spirals nobody’s supposed to know about.
Eventually the strategies that got them this far stop working, and it’s not just a bad test. It’s a full shutdown, right when it matters most.
We build recovery into the system itself. Performing fully shouldn’t come with a penalty.
Playing out of position
Every planner they’ve tried has failed.
They haven’t failed to find a study system. Every planner and productivity hack on the market has failed them. So they improvise from scratch every night, rebuilding the plan in their head.
Talent without structure has a ceiling, and they’re closing in on it fast.
I diagnose how they actually think and work first, then build a system for their brain. Not a generic planner.
Flag on the play
Varsity athlete. AP student. Theater kid. All the things.
Multi-passionate students carry a half-dozen versions of themselves with no story connecting them.
When college apps, or burnout, force the question “who are you, really,” the flag on the play stops everything cold.
We find the through-line connecting it all, so their complexity becomes the story, not the problem.
By the numbers
The Scoreboard.
250+
Students supported
2007
Tutoring since
100–200+
Point SAT gains
75+
90th-percentile scores
Students admitted to
- University of Michigan
- WashU
- Boston College
- St Andrews
- University of Miami
- Lehigh
- Boston University
- Case Western Reserve
- and more
How I work
Not a tutor in a system. Your kid’s Coach.
Most tutoring is a transaction. This is a relationship: the tutor for the test, the mentor for the decisions, the coach for the days when the load is too heavy.
- No. 01 · ContinuityYou work with me, always.One coach. Same person every week. Your kid builds rapport with one human, and they keep that human the whole time we work together.
- No. 02 · VisibilityYou’ll actually know if it’s working.After every session you get a parent recap with a link to their private student portal: what we covered, where they are, and what they’re practicing next. You’ll see the trend, not the drama.
- No. 03 · MentorshipI work with the kid, not just the content.Stress management, self-advocacy with teachers, decision strategy and executive function. The things that make score gains stick.
- No. 04 · HonestyNo upsells. No surprises. Realistic timelines.If your kid doesn’t need more SAT prep, I’ll tell you. If essay support would help more than another diagnostic, I’ll tell you that too.
- No. 05 · FlexibilityI work around the chaos.Tournament weekend? AP exam crunch? College visit Tuesday? Scheduling flexibility is the rule, not the favor.
- No. 06 · Family plansOne coach for the whole family.Got a sibling three years behind? Ongoing packages can flex across multiple students in the same household.
Subjects & services
Test prep. STEM. And everything around It.
- Test prepSAT & ACTBoth tests. Strategy first, content second. Score plans built around your student.
- AP & STEMAP Bio · Chem · CalcPlus high school chemistry, biology, algebra and calculus. STEM is my home turf.
- College appsEssays & personal statementBrainstorm, outline, draft, polish. The essay that sounds like your kid, not a template.
- Decision strategySAT vs. ACT · Test-optionalThe decision before the prep. Which test, which schools, what timeline.
- Executive functionTime + task managementPlanners, study systems, calendar architecture. Especially for ADHD brains.
- Stress + burnoutPressure managementStress management coach for 10+ years. The mental piece is the academic piece.
- Self-awarenessSelf-mastery mentorshipKnowing who you are before you decide where to go. Strengths-based fit work.
- Self-advocacyTeacher communicationAsking for help. Negotiating extensions. Owning the conversation with school.
How we start
Three ways to get Started.
Step one
Free Rapport Call
Free · 30 min
Meet me, tell me about your student, and see if we click. No pressure, no pitch.
Book the call →If you’re weighing tests
Decision Strategy Session
$250 · 90 min
SAT, ACT or test-optional? We look at the transcript, target schools, recruiting and current scores, and decide based on the data.
Book the session →The long game
Ongoing Tutoring + Mentorship
from $150/hr
Discounted packages, billed monthly on a clear schedule. One coach, every week, for as long as it’s helping.
Start with a Rapport Call →Packages depend on your student’s goals and timeline. We’ll find the right one on the call.
What families say
Real students. Real parents. Real Outcomes.
“Genuinely, I get SO much more out of this than my Princeton Review class.”Lauren B. · Digital SAT student
“She did it! 1530!!!!! Ellyn, we have no words to thank you for everything you did. You are special.”Anice R. · Parent of SAT student
“Ellyn is creative, patient, and pushes my daughter in ways that I can’t. They get so much done in their sessions. She has a magic touch and my daughter loves her!”Lori K. · Parent · Seattle, WA
“I hope you take a lot of pride in your work, because you are an amazing tutor and a delightful person!”Seven G. · Test prep & college essay student
“In at Michigan Honors, Wash U in STL, Case Western, and Boston College! Thanks for all the help on the SAT!”Colleen F. · Parent of SAT student
“I absolutely love Ellyn tutoring me! She makes such a hard and boring subject much more fun. My test score improved 20% to 30%.”Daniela R. · Biology student
“It’s like when you find a really good doctor that you will follow wherever they go. You’re that for our family.”Margaret B. · Parent · Long-term client
“I got a 1430 on the December SAT!! Thank you so much for all of your help.”Ava R. · 100-point improvement in one month
Academic background
A scientist who knows how students Learn.
- Tutoring since 2007Including 7+ years as a Premium-tier tutor, Revolution Prep
- B.S. Microbiology and B.S. Genetics & Cell BiologyWashington State University, cum laude with honors
- M.S. Microbiology & ImmunologyUniversity of Michigan
- 10+ years as a certified stress management coach
- 3 published research studies
Free resources
Start here, for Free.
Free masterclass
SAT vs. ACT Masterclass
Which test fits your student, and whether to test at all. Watch it before you spend a dollar on prep.
Watch the masterclass →Free download
Test Week Checklist
What to do the week before, the night before and the morning of, so test day stops being an event to survive.
Get the checklist →Questions
What parents Ask.
My kid has ADHD. Are you the right tutor?
Yes. I have ADHD. I’ve worked with ADHD high achievers, dyslexic students, dysgraphic students and students with mild ASD for nearly 20 years. Your kid doesn’t have to translate their brain to me, and they won’t be told to “just focus harder.” We’ll build study systems that actually work for the brain in front of us.
Should we even take the SAT, or go test-optional?
That’s exactly what the Decision Strategy Session is for. We’ll look at your kid’s transcript, target schools, athletic recruiting situation if it applies, and current scores. Sometimes the answer is “don’t take it again, your transcript carries them.” Sometimes it’s “one more shot in the summer is worth it.” I’ll tell you the truth based on the data, not what keeps you booking sessions.
How will I know if tutoring is working?
After every session you get a recap: what we covered, where they are and what to practice. You also get a shared progress doc you can check anytime, with baseline scores, current scores, skills covered and next milestones. You won’t have to ask your teenager how it went. You’ll see it.
What if my kid plays a sport with a chaotic schedule?
Bring it. Tournament weekends, AP exam crunch, college visit weeks: I’ve been scheduling around competitive athletes since 2007. Flexibility is the rule, not a favor. Reschedules are easy. We work around the season, not add to it.
Can you help with college essays?
Yes. Brainstorm, outline, draft, polish: the personal statement that sounds like your kid, not a template. It’s especially valuable if your student is going test-optional, since the essay carries more weight.
How much does tutoring cost?
Transparently priced. The Rapport Call is free, and ongoing tutoring starts at $150/hr with discounted packages billed monthly. See all three ways to start → No upsells, no surprise charges, no “we booked another session on your behalf.”
Where are you based, and do you tutor in person?
I’m in Tacoma, WA, and I tutor 100% online over Zoom, which means the right coach for your kid doesn’t have to live in your city. I have students all over the US. Online is the feature, not the compromise.
