Q&A with Kailee: How Command Education Senior Tutors Motivate Students

Q: A typical session starts with a quick check-in with the student. I like to ask them how their day or week is going and how they are feeling and allow some time to ensure they are fully present for our session. Test prep can be a daunting and tedious task for students, so I try to prioritize emotional intelligence as well as academic success.

Our next steps depend on where the student is in their test prep journey. If a student is in the initial phases of learning content and strategy, our tutoring sessions will usually begin with a review of their homework from the previous week. At that point, we walk through the problems that the student answered incorrectly and address any questions they have about the topics covered.

Afterwards, I teach a lesson introducing a new topic. We then try some practice problems or timed drills, and review problems so that the student understands why an answer is correct or incorrect. I often like to alternate between math and English every week to keep the content fresh and engaging!

Alternatively, if a student is already familiar with the SAT or ACT content, we devote our session to completing full sections or practice tests and reviewing any of the student’s improvement areas. I work with my students to break down each section and identify patterns in their mistakes so that they can address the underlying issue in their methodology rather than just understanding the “right answer” to the problem at hand.

Tutoring can be challenging for students, but I aim to keep things engaging, making sure that the student feels encouraged and supported, while also being challenged. At the end of each session, we set clear goals for our next steps, such as practicing specific math or English topics or completing timed practice exams.

Ultimately, my goal is always to help students build confidence, reinforce good test-taking strategies and skills, and see that every student feels prepared when they walk in to take their exam.

A: Command Education’s tutoring process begins with assigning students a diagnostic SAT and ACT exam. We then schedule an initial session with the student to discuss how they felt about each test, their study and test-taking habits, their academic history, and their overall strengths and areas for improvement. This information, in addition to the student’s diagnostic exam scores and unique testing timeline, helps us determine which exam is a better fit for them.

Generally, the SAT is recommended for students who have strong skills in reading comprehension and algebra, as it has a more structured and predictable format. The ACT is recommended if the student is a quick decision-maker, is comfortable with a faster-paced exam, and has a strong foundation in math—especially in geometry and precalculus.

If a student is undecided between the SAT and the ACT, our approach to selecting one exam over the other is a highly collaborative and personalized process that aims to find the best fit for their particular strengths and goals.

A: The frequency of our tutoring sessions depend on the student’s goals and timeline, but, typically, I meet with each student one to two times per week. If a student is aiming for a higher score or has a shorter timeframe for tutoring before their exam, we may meet more frequently to maximize their progress.

However, we also want to avoid the student feeling discouraged or burned out, so I generally recommend consistent sessions to regularly reinforce the strategies and skills they’ll need for long-term retention and success. All of our tutoring sessions are conducted via Zoom, so students have the ability to schedule sessions that work within their time zones and schedules.

A: Like the frequency of sessions, the amount of homework I assign depends on the student’s individual needs and goals, as well as their particular place in the testing timeline. If a student is in the content and strategy phase of their test prep, I typically give between two and three hours of focused practice per week; this typically breaks down into a mix of content review and specific question types.

I strive for the homework to be manageable yet challenging, and always aligned with what we’ve worked on together during our tutoring sessions. If a student is working on full-length practice exams, they can expect a few hours of timed practice each week.

I also like to prioritize quality over quantity. Should a student need extra time to review a certain topic that they are particularly struggling with, then we adjust our test prep timeline accordingly. We want to make sure that the student understands the reasoning behind their mistakes and gains useful insights that will help them on their exam day. Because the tutoring process is collaborative, scheduling is flexible—if a student is feeling overwhelmed or has other commitments throughout the week, I work with them to guarantee that they have a manageable work load and keep progressing steadily toward their test goals.

A: When setting goals with a student, I help them focus on both short-term and long-term milestones that are tailored to their unique strengths and challenges. At the beginning of the tutoring process, we discuss their target score (based on their diagnostic, as well as their college list) and work backwards to break down their test prep into manageable chunks. This also gives me a sense of how much time and effort will be required of the student for them to succeed in their goals.

To keep students on track, I follow their progress closely and give clear and supportive feedback after each session. This helps them set specific, achievable goals for the next session, whether it’s improving their timing on a specific section, mastering a particular math topic, or increasing their accuracy on reading comprehension questions.

Staying motivated is key, so I help students maintain focus by reminding them of the bigger picture—how their hard work is directly contributing to their success—and celebrating small victories along the way.

It’s also important to remember that neither the SAT nor the ACT are a measure of how “smart” a student is—their score is only an indication of how “good” they are at taking the SAT or the ACT. Test prep is not only about the exams—it’s about equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in college and beyond.