Think of a time when you tried to offer helpful advice to your child about the way they study. How did that go? If your kid is like most, you probably saw eye-rolling and heard heavy sighs of frustration in response to your useful tips. Why on earth does your kid refuse to take advantage of your years of experience and just listen to your sage advice about preparing for that test?

Recently, a college freshman (who happens to be our founder’s daughter, Jenna) shared with us her detailed plan to get through the first finals period of her college career. What do you notice as you look at this plan? To start, if you’re a parent, maybe you’re whispering a fervent “Thank goodness I’m done with school!” as you look at the work ahead of this student. Maybe as you look closer, you n...

This article is going to introduce a simple but powerful principle that can help you study more effectively for any given class or exam and achieve academic success.  The principle is called “deliberate practice” and research has shown it to be the key to learning new things and building all types of skills: academic, athletic, musical, and more.   But first, let’s address two commonly held views ...

I won’t forget the day I took the road test to earn my license.  I’d been (reluctantly) attending three-hour classes on Saturday mornings and cruising around with both my mom and dad (who, by the way, took drastically different approaches to educating me on the nuances of driving).  By the time my road test came, I’d felt that I had practiced enough, studied enough, and focused enough to walk away...

  Summer vacation: that time of year when students spend long days at the pool, longer weeks at camp, and even longer weeks trying to delay required summer reading.  For most kids, August is the start of summer reading, which also means the start of panic.  I have how much to read? And I have how much time to read it?  If your child would rather be the catcher on the ball field than read "The Catc...

As both an executive function coach and a teacher, I’ve seen students stress over tests again and again.  Over the past few months, for example, I’ve been coaching a student whose emotional regulation around test preparation and peformance is nearly debilitating.  She experiences acute anxiety when a test is coming up and that anxiety carries through until the moment the test is over.  During our ...

Editor's note: We asked Michele Hearn, Director of Adult, College and Distance Coaching, what advice she has been giving to college students heading toward final exams. Below, she offers her top five strategies to get through those last weeks of the semester with less stress. Share with your favorite college (or high school) student!