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The HPT Blog

Tips, strategies, and hard-won insights from our team of expert tutors, written to help students study smarter, test better, and build real confidence.

How to Get Better at Algebra (Even If You Hate It)
Subjects

How to Get Better at Algebra (Even If You Hate It)

How to get better at algebra when you hate it: the skills it really rests on, the gap that sinks most students, …

Sep 29, 2026 · 8 min read
A Good ACT Score Depends on One Question Most Families Forget to Ask
Test Prep

A Good ACT Score Depends on One Question Most Families Forget to Ask

What is a good ACT score? It depends on your colleges, not a magic number. Here's how to think about it, with …

Sep 28, 2026 · 7 min read
Parenting

My Child Is Failing Math. First, Breathe. Then Do This.

If your child is failing math, don't panic. Here's the calm, concrete plan I've used to turn F's into passing grades for …

Sep 28, 2026 · 8 min read
There's No Such Thing as a Math Person
Parenting

There's No Such Thing as a Math Person

Worried your child is bad at math? After 20 years of teaching, I can tell you the "math person" myth is wrong. …

Sep 25, 2026 · 8 min read
Deciding whether to take the SAT for a test optional school
College Admissions

Test-Optional Doesn't Mean Test-Irrelevant

What test optional colleges really mean, the data on submitters vs. non-submitters, and how to decide whether to send your SAT score.

Sep 23, 2026 · 7 min read
College Admissions Meeting
College Admissions

What Do Colleges Actually Look For? Here's the Honest Breakdown

What do colleges look for? After helping hundreds of families through applications, here's the honest weight on transcript, tests, activities, and letters.

Sep 23, 2026 · 7 min read
Taking the digital SAT
Test Prep

The SAT Is Now Digital and Adaptive. Don't Panic.

The digital SAT is shorter, adaptive, and taken on a laptop. Here's what actually changed for prep and what didn't.

Sep 21, 2026 · 8 min read
A child struggling with school work while mom is trying to help.
Parenting

The Quiet Signals That Tell Me a Kid Needs Help

The real signs your child needs a tutor aren't always dropping grades. Here's how I tell 'needs help' from 'needs time.'

Sep 14, 2026 · 8 min read
Studying for the PSAT
Test Prep

The Junior-Year PSAT Is Worth Real Money. Most Families Miss It.

How to prepare for the PSAT National Merit: why junior year counts, how cutoffs work, and a sophomore-to-junior game plan for ambitious …

Sep 07, 2026 · 8 min read
Excellent Grades doesn't always translated into great test scores.
Test Prep

Straight A's, Mediocre Test Score: What Just Happened?

A high GPA but low SAT score blindsides strong students every fall. Here's why the gap happens and how to close it.

Aug 31, 2026 · 7 min read
Advantages of Private Tutoring
Tutoring Tips

Private Tutor vs. Mathnasium, Kumon, and Sylvan: An Honest Comparison

Deciding between a private tutor vs Mathnasium, Kumon, or Sylvan? Here's an honest look at what each one actually does and who …

Aug 31, 2026 · 7 min read
SAT Prep in July vs School Year
Test Prep

Nobody's Assigning Homework in July, and That's Exactly Why It Works

Summer SAT prep works better than cramming during the school year. Here's why the quiet months produce the biggest score gains, and …

Aug 25, 2026 · 7 min read
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