I recently joined Advantage Testing as their Chief Cognitive Scientist, a company The New York Times called the “premier tutoring service.”
Founded in 1986, it is a pillar of the industry with a $40 million headquarters in Manhattan. My journey here began when I met the founder, Arun. I felt an immediate soul connection with him and was in awe of what he had built.
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More Than a Gig
For too long, tutoring has been seen as a temporary side job, something you do in college or between jobs.
But it is a true profession, and Arun has done more than anyone on the planet to advance that cause. He built a company that The Evening Standard called:
“A PIONEER IN INSTITUTING THE SCRUPULOUS STANDARDS THAT HAVE ELEVATED TUTORING TO THE RESPECTED PROFESSION IT HAS BECOME.”
A Rigorous Approach
Our approach is rigorous and educational. We believe long term preparation allows students to develop the tools necessary for success. We teach students to apply real skill, knowledge, and reasoning instead of just shortcuts. This helps instill some of education’s most enduring rewards:
- Self confidence
- Academic growth
- Joy in learning
- Intellectual curiosity
Building a Profession
To push this mission forward, I took my experience to the academic world and created the first university-backed tutor training program in the U.S. at Columbia University.
Building on that foundation, I also started the League of Tutors, an online group for the best tutors on the planet.
The standards for these initiatives are high, just as they are at Advantage Testing. Our instructors are experienced, dedicated, and committed to their students.
They are:
- Able to motivate students of all backgrounds to achieve their highest possible scores.
- Required to score in the 99th percentile on any standardized test they teach.
- Energetic and approachable mentors.
Conclusion
My focus is on professionalizing the tutoring industry through high standards, a rigorous approach, and a community of top tier educators. It is about shifting the perception of tutoring from a temporary gig to a respected and impactful career.
This work is about more than just test scores. It is about fostering intellectual growth and academic success in the next generation of leaders.
As The Wall Street Journal said, it’s about:
“HELPING TO FIND THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS WHO WILL BRING DIVERSITY, NEW IDEAS, COMPASSION, AND A DIFFERENT KIND OF LEADERSHIP TO INSTITUTIONS.”
To learn more about our programs and our approach, I invite you to visit the Advantage Testing website.