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Compass Services for the ISEE, SSAT and HSPT
Compass provides one-on-one instruction for each of the major secondary school admissions
tests. Although the ISEE, SSAT, and HSPT test some of the same fundamental quantitative and verbal skills,
each exam has its unique characteristics. Personalized Compass instruction is designed to focus on the
exact skills needed for a student to perform well on the chosen exam. For many students, these admissions
tests represent their first encounter with "high stakes" testing, so preparation is designed to alleviate
anxiety as well as improve test-taking skills.
Compass tutors trained for the secondary school admission tests are an elite group within an already
elite group of instructors. Working with younger, often less test savvy, students requires special skills
that not every instructor possesses. Compass associates working on the ISEE, SSAT, or HSPT know how to
motivate and encourage students while introducing new concepts and strategies.
As with all Compass programs, the directors maintain close contact with the associates throughout the
program to ensure that the educational goals are met. The Compass directors have over 30 years of
experience in helping students with secondary school admission tests and that expertise gets passed along
to every Compass associate.
Compass believes that it offers a much more complete and effective preparation than academic tutoring firms
that try to offer help for these exams or centers that run classes. Test preparation results require
specialized know-how that goes above and beyond the purely academic underpinnings of the exams. Moreover,
students are less intimidated and more engaged in a one-on-one environment. The fact that Compass associates
actually come to the home further reduces any anxiety about the preparation and facilitates the learning
process.
We set up a custom-fit program for each student after consulting with the parents and assessing the
student's skills and needs. The typical program for the ISEE, SSAT, or HSPT lasts between 8 and 12
lessons. Our current rate for associates is $130 per hour, and we recommend 90 minutes as the ideal
lesson length ($195 per lesson). However, for sixth graders preparing for entrance to grade 7 we sometimes
recommend 60 minute lessons to accommodate shortened attention spans.
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