Mnephonics Institute of Human Development

CAHSEE and CST Proficiency Services

Program Design and Implementation

Methodologies

Program Materials

Instructor Profiles and Training

Accountability

Client References

FAQ

Download Program Proposal

A Letter to Educators

Download Coaching Content Samples

Why choose the Prepmasters?

We have been in the education business for nearly twenty years. What sets us apart is our assortment of top talent in numerous fields of research. We are involved in many different aspects of education beyond just home tutoring. We develop our own math and science content for publication. We break down strategies for efficient learning, not only with elite students, but with alternative students who have behavior or even criminal problems. Since we have such a large number of educational ventures, our pool of human resources is flexible enough to meet every need, whether guiding a student to get into an Ivy League university or helping a student to become academically successful.

Prepmasters does more than just private home tutoring. We like to think of ourselves more as academic mentors who coach kids on how to be better students. This process usually begins with assessing students' grasp of the subject matter and examining how they process information. Does your child learn best visually, audibly, or kinesthetically? How can we customize our services to best meet the way your child processes information?

What are some examples of our coaching?

Most people believe that it is the smartest person who gets the best grades. Our belief is that students who have the best "game plan" earn the best grades.

How can your child take advantage of the fact that most finals and midterms all occur around the same time?
Has your child mapped out busy periods in the upcoming month?
What shape are your child’s notes in? (sounds funny to use a colloquialism (what shape) with formal structure)
What should your child be doing during the first week of class? We teach students how to bring professionalism to their academics.
We also teach students how to become test-savvy. There are proper ways of organizing a word problem so that the answer “pops out.” (and the student receives the maximum amount of partial credit. Don’t get this. Word problems are usually multiple choice, so no partial credit) Don’t understand the part in parentheses.
Does your child know that test makers often give clues in their questions that will point to the correct answer?
Did you know your child can take advantage of the well-researched fact that professional test makers like to balance the number of As, Bs, Cs and Ds in each section of their tests?
What are the advantages of reading the answers in a multiple-choice test from E to A rather than A to E?
Using only our proven technique of analyzing multiple choice answers, it likely will improve your child’s guessing from 20% to 40% (for professionally created standardized tests like the SAT, LSAT or GRE) or from 20% to 60% (for tests created by the average teacher).

May want to have another go at this section. It doesn't feel as polished as the rest. We're talking about a game plan here, right? Are we asking the parents if their child has a game plan? If they know what it is? Or are we telling them what our game plan is?

What subjects do we tutor?

We cover all high school and college courses including the SSAT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, SSAT

What is the cost of tutoring?

Tutoring hourly costs range from as low as $17 per person in an ETSL (or group) tutorial session of no more than seven students to as much as $125 for a single session. Increasing the number of sessions decreases the cost. You can find tutoring costs for $20 to as much as $200 hourly in the marketplace; however, the question is quality of instruction and tutor accountability. Our tutors are required to email reports to parents within 24 hours of sessions as well as provide enrichment materials to complement each session. This is rarely done. We also carry major insurance for ALL of our tutors.

We like to think of ourselves as "academic mentors" rather than simply tutors. Our mentors teach not only subjects but proper study habits, test taking strategies, memory and learning techniques, organizational skills, etc. Our goal is to equip students with more than just subject knowledge by helping them learn to become professionals at learning. This institute fills the gap in any of your student's academic needs. Need to learn how to best take the SAT? We have experts in that field to help you. Want to get into an Ivy League college? We have people who have guided students through the process many times. Need to have a paper critiqued? We have professional proofreaders and copyeditors. Have trouble with your homework? We have someone who can provide an in-depth explanation of how to solve it. Want to practice taking a midterm? Send us a copy of your previous tests, and we will write you a comprehensive practice test customized to your teacher's testing style.

What are the advantages in working in small groups?

We call our study groups ETSL (excel through synergistic learning) groups. Creating study groups not only help make the sessions more affordable, it creates an academic community for each student. Students now are not only supported and encouraged by their peers, but the lessons become richer, since each group member brings a different understanding and approach to a subject. Studies have also found that having peers discuss topics back and forth provides both parties greater depth of understanding and better recall than working alone.

Where does the tutoring take place?

Tutoring can take place either in-home or at any public building such as a coffee shop, restaurant, library, etc. If the tutoring is done in-home, a parent must be in the same room as the tutor and student(s) at all times. This is a requirement of our insurance carrier and the law.

There is also the option of online tutoring. Online services are conducted by telephone (preferably a landline) and the Internet. To gain access to our system, a student simply calls at the scheduled time and clicks to the website where she enters a code. The student's computer will then become a whiteboard where the instructor can talk with the student and solve problems graphically, appearing on the computer screen of both student and teacher. Besides convenience, these virtual classrooms offer a number of advantages, like connections to other content-rich math and science sites. Students can also record their sessions and replay them on the way to school or during spare time. It is a cheap and easy alternative.