Osama Neiroukh, PhD

My teaching experience started in 1991 as a full-time teacher for middle and high school. I have a PhD with GPA 4.0/4.0 across multiple degrees. I have scored a perfect score on the math portion of the GRE, and scored 770/800 on both sections of the SAT.

I tutored SAT and ACT for a while with a nationally recognized company before breaking out on my own. I live in Rochester Hills and teach SAT prep to both classes and individuals in the Detroit Metro area. Some of my students have scored in the top 1% on the SAT.

I have been working on deconstructing the SAT for years. I took the test multiple times as an adult, using the opportunity to reflect closely on both my experiences as well as my students. As I dug deeper into how the SAT is constructed and observed students prepare and take the test, a few foundational principles became the cornerstone of my philosophy on the test:

Principle #1: Anyone can do well on the SAT, given enough time and effort
It might take you longer to master algebra. You may have to take the test several times. You may need to read actively everyday for a year. Everyone starts from a unique point and has different strength and weaknesses. Doing well comes down to willingness to comb through your mistakes while analyzing them painstakingly, and constant practice. This process needs to be systematic and takes grit to keep at it. You cannot get discouraged if you plateau once a while. This is common to any learning activity. As long as you continue to practice correctly and analyze your mistakes, you will get better. This is particularly so on a standardized test, since its scope and format are fixed.

Principle #2: Doing well is not correlated with how much money you spend
I see some instructors and academies that charge obscene amounts of money. A good tutor or class can certainly shorten the time it takes you to prepare by highlighting how to best train for the test and help you understand where to focus. Since tenth and eleventh grade are generally the most stressful of all school years, shortening the time to prepare by using outside help could be a great investment. However, no one has a monopoly on the best practice material or strategies. There are numerous resources both online and printed that can cater to any budget and need.

Principle #3: Prep for a standardized test is unique
There are major differences in how standardized tests are constructed versus everyday school tests. As such, tests such as the ACT or SAT warrant their own preparation. This point is worth repeating: regular classes and tests do NOT prepare you adequately for these tests. This is one reason why GPAs and standard test scores end up being treated as separate components for college admissions (other reason has to do with GPA inflation in recent years). That’s not to say that success on standardized test requires access to hidden secrets- quite the opposite. There are countless free and paid resources to help you prepare. I cover some of the more popular ones in my blog

Principle #4: There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to standard prep
Each student needs to find the best method that works for him or her based on individual learning style, time available, and budget that can be allocated to standardized test prep. Some students only need a few pointers and will fly on their own. Others may need a lot more prep and take substantially longer. A tutor may just “click” with one student but not get anywhere with another. Some prep centers will offer score increase guarantees but the idea behind such guarantees is simple enough once you read the fine print: if you solve all the assigned homework and participate in all the activities, you will get better. Similarly, if you spend 50 or a 100 hours practicing a sport or a musical instrument, you would also expect to get better.

Best Wishes! I am rooting for you!!!

Founder, Get Ready To Excel (previously: Doc’s SAT Companion)