High School Tutoring

Why grades matter from 9th grade

In the US, colleges see a student's high school grades and the GPA built from them, so a weak first semester in 9th grade follows a student into every application. Course choice matters too: the typical math sequence runs Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus, then Calculus or Statistics, and a student who falls behind early can find advanced courses closed off later. Our free GPA calculator and final grade calculator help students see exactly where they stand.

AP, IB, GCSE and A-Level

Advanced courses carry the most weight, and the most stress:

• AP exams are taken in May and scored from 1 to 5; many colleges award credit or placement for high scores.
• The IB Diploma is scored out of 45 - up to 7 points in each of six subjects, plus up to 3 for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge.
• GCSEs in England are graded 9 to 1 and A-Levels from A* to E; UK universities usually make offers based on predicted A-Level grades.

Each has its own style of question and mark scheme, so we tutor to the specific course and exam board, not just the subject.

The SAT and ACT

The SAT is now fully digital: two sections, Reading and Writing and Math, each scored from 200 to 800, for a total of 400 to 1600. The ACT composite (1 to 36) now comes from English, Math and Reading, with Science optional. Many colleges are test-optional, while a number of selective colleges have brought testing requirements back - and scores can still matter for scholarships.

Many students take their first official test in the spring of 11th grade, leaving time for a second attempt. Our free SAT and ACT score calculators show how far a practice score is from a target.

Signs a high schooler may need help

• A grade has dropped in a core course, especially math or a lab science.
• They spend hours on homework, but test scores don't reflect the effort.
• An AP or IB course is moving faster than they can keep up with.
• Practice SAT or ACT scores have stalled.
• Stress about grades or college is starting to affect sleep and mood.

How we tutor high school students

Lessons are one-to-one and live on a shared whiteboard, built around the student's actual course: their textbook, their teacher's assignments, their exam board's past papers. For test prep, we start with a diagnostic, set a target, and work on the sections that will move the score most.

Study skills matter as much as content at this level, so we also help students plan revision, use active recall and practice questions rather than rereading notes, and manage their time in exams.