FAQs
What is the difference between you and the large test prep centers, like Kaplan and Princeton Review?
Large, national franchises such as Kaplan and Princeton Review offer wonderful services that are scalable. That means their systems are designed to meet the needs of students across a broad spectrum, similar to how a classroom curriculum is created.
On the other hand, Top-Tier Tutoring is a small “mom and pop” shop. We tailor our courses to exactly meet the needs of our clients and are not constrained by superfluous franchise requirements. Our tutors develop a syllabus that is specific to your child’s needs; they do not follow a generic course outline. While we may not have the advertising budget of a huge chain, Top-Tier Tutoring’s growth is based upon our reputation and wonderful success stories achieved every day.
Do you tutor children who are not yet in high school?
In a word, no. Top-Tier Tutoring’s focus is on high school and beyond, so we do not accept children who have not yet completed eighth grade.
What high school courses do you offer?
At Top-Tier Tutoring, we have the capability to tutor your child in any course taught at the high school level, and some courses taught in college. We have tutors that specialize in foreign languages, math, sciences, English, history and social studies. Our tutors work with students who have learning disabilities all the way to advanced placement level. And since all of our tutoring is done on an individual basis, your student will receive the exact amount of attention he or she requires.
What standardized tests do you offer preparation for?
Top-Tier Tutoring prepares students to take the SAT I and II, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, GED and HESPA. In addition, we provide tutoring for all Advanced Placement tests.
What is college counseling?
For Top-Tier Tutoring’s college counseling students, we provide guidance (to both student and parents) from the date of our engagement through deciding among acceptances. We offer advice regarding course selection, extracurricular activity choice, volunteer and summer opportunities. We also sit down with our clients and assist in selecting which colleges would be a good fit based upon the student’s long-term goals and character, geographic desirability and academic requirements. Once we compile an appropriate list, we help with developing a school visitation schedule and prepare the student for college interviews. From there, we work with the client in filling out the common application, give pointers on writing the required essays and create a timeline for application submissions. Finally, we rejoice with our clients as they are accepted in several colleges and offer guidance as to their ultimate selection.
All of our college counseling, as with our tutoring, is done on an individual basis. At least 30 hours of one-on-one counseling is provided to our clients, via phone, email and in person. We work with the entire family during this process, so that everyone feels confident each step of the way.
What is the difference between college counseling and what my child receives from the high school guidance department?
The high school guidance department provides a thorough overview of the college admissions process, and as much one-on-one time as is possible, given the constraints placed on the counselor’s time due to the large number of students for whom they are responsible. The national average is that guidance counselors are able to spend approximately 38 minutes per year offering college counseling/career advice per high school student.
By contrast, the college counseling offered at Top-Tier Tutoring is an individual plan, created especially for your child and personally supervised by the Top-Tier Tutoring college counselor. Typically, we work one-on-one with our college counseling clients for at least 30 hours during the Junior and Senior years of high school. We are not a replacement to the high school guidance department by any means, but rather a supplement to the services offered.
What qualifications do your tutors and college counselors have?
All of the tutors and college counselors at Top-Tier Tutoring, who are independent contractors, have at least a Master’s Degree in their area of expertise. In fact, many work at local high schools as teachers and guidance counselors.
What hours are you open, and will your tutors come to us?
At Top-Tier Tutoring, we are open Monday through Thursday from 4 until 8 pm, and 12 until 4 pm on the weekends. However, we are flexible and also offer tutoring and counseling by appointment during the times the office is closed. All of our tutoring and counseling is performed at Top-Tier Tutoring’s center in West Orange, New Jersey. We feel that the structure of a student’s coming to our center lends more credibility and focus on studying in the student’s mind, rather than being in the comfort of home.
Why do you put up all those podcasts?
At Top-Tier Tutoring, we’re dedicated to helping all high school students achieve their college goals. Because our center is located in West Orange, New Jersey, we know that we can’t meet with everyone personally, so we want to provide free information via podcasting that will give guidance to high school students in Iowa, Texas and the West Coast!
Our “Ear on Careers” series introduces our listeners to leaders in a variety of fields – from medicine, industry, government and the arts. Our guests describe their experiences and offer advice for those starting out. We hope this podcast series allows listeners to explore fields that they may never have considered, and broadens their horizons. Many of our other podcasts give important information about standardized testing and the college application process. Top-Tier Tutoring wants to become your resource for higher education, and we feel that podcasting is a terrific way to achieve this goal.
