About Enhanced Learning LLC
There is a better rate of academic success when the student's acumen matches the school's curriculum. Overreaching is a common cause of students dropping out of college. With the distractions of campus life and the need for a more disciplined study environment..., difficult classes in the first two years of school can exasperate the student. The result is to abandon college life altogether. Undermatching occurs when a student enrolls in colleges that are less demanding of the student. The student will achieve high grades at first, but as boredom sets in and motivation wanes from the lack of challenge, the student is more likely to drop out of school.
Enhanced Learning LLC believes that academic success in college starts in high school. Our Four-Year program will teach your child the best study habits in high school. Each year, Dr. Allen will provide the methods for deconstructing homework and test questions so your child can discover the correct answers. During the process, your child will learn key problem-solving skills, gain confidence, and realize his or her academic potential. This learned routine will be applied in the college years to achieve similar success in college. This program works best when your child receives Dr. Allen's attention for the full four years, but even upper-level high school students will see an rise in their grades when you enroll them in the program.
Through the college application process, Enhanced Learning LLC will help your child identify those colleges that will offer stimulating continuing education. Dr. Allen keeps abreast of the admissions requirements of the top schools in the United States, and can advise your child on submitting the best application to each one.
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Feeling overwhelmed? What do I do?
At some point in their high school academic experience students are likely to face severe difficulty with their math and/or science courses. This can be especially distressing to ambitious students who have always liked math and science and who aspire to major in a demanding discipline like pre-medicine or engineering. For higher level courses, like AP chemistry and physics, this is especially true. As students progress through high school, the courses get more difficult and these courses carry a great deal more weight with colleges. Issues such as these create increasing worry and stress as students face growing concerns about getting into and being prepared for college.
What to do about this? There are a variety of reasons for these difficulties. Perhaps the student is overwhelmed with several tough courses in their course load. Maybe there has been an illness that resulted in lost time. It is always possible that the teacher in a particular course is not the best. Some students feel so overwhelmed that they choose to opt out of that troublesome course with the excuse that "I will just wait until college to take this course" (a terrible strategy). Over the years, I have seen all these.
Regardless of the reason, the most effective solution is to get help and get it fast! Ideally, a student should anticipate difficulty right at the start of a course. Those who choose to wait, even until the end of the semester, will find themselves way behind the curve. Don’t get me wrong, better late than never if a student needs help, but the effort will take longer and will be more difficult.
To get needed help is not a negative reflection on a student. Everybody needs help sometimes. Getting it when needed will save time and effort, result in better grades, and better understanding. Give me a call and we can discuss what you need.
At some point in their high school academic experience students are likely to face severe difficulty with their math and/or science courses. This can be especially distressing to ambitious students who have always liked math and science and who aspire to major in a d... Read More
Don't Wait Too Late
A few years ago a student came to my office only six weeks before the national AP Chemistry exam and said, "I need some help with AP Chemistry. I am taking the course at my high school but I do not think I am learning what I need to make a high grade on the national exam. I need to make a 5 on the exam because I want to go to Princeton."
I said "OK let’s talk and see what kind of shape you are in."
After about a half-hour of discussion I said, "You are right. You are sadly lacking in what you should know. If you took the exam now you would fail." He basically freaked out and said," What am I going to do? Can you help me?"
I replied, "We only have six weeks but we will do the best we can and you will be in much better shape than you are now. But, I want to see you six days a week, and there will be a lot of blood on the floor, none of it mine."
To make a long story short, he worked very hard, he did get a 5 on the exam, and he did get into Princeton. Every semester thereafter he sent me a postcard from Princeton thanking me for all my help. I still have the cards on the wall.
When you need help because of a tough course, a poor teacher, or because you get overwhelmed, get it! And try not to wait until six weeks before the end of the course.
A few years ago a student came to my office only six weeks before the national AP Chemistry exam and said, "I need some help with AP Chemistry. I am taking the course at my high school but I do not think I am learning what I need to make a high grade on the nati... Read More
Vocabulary
Perhaps the single biggest problem almost all students have with the SAT is their poor understanding of vocabulary and weakness with critical reading. These two go together: If you don't know the meaning of the words then you can't.
Why do so many students have this problem? I think it is because they do not read enough. Other than assigned reading in school, many students read nothing else. Reading to learn something new or reading just for fun is something they just do not do. Too many movies, too much TV, and too much texting.
On the other hand, I had a student one year who knew the meaning of every word given to her. I asked her to what did she attribute her exceptionally strong vocabulary. She said, "Ever since I have been six years old I have been a voracious reader". This example shows that if a student develops good reading habits, they will probably build a strong vocabulary. But, such students are few and far between.
Unfortunately, if a student has a weak vocabulary there is not a "quick fix". Most SAT practice books provide an extensive list of words a student should know and learning these definitions can help to some extent. At least knowing the meanings of words is much better than being totally unfamiliar with a word. However, seeing words in context as part of reading is the only sure way to fully understand subtleties of meaning.
The moral to this story is to start reading early in life and develop strong and consistent reading habits. This is the best way to build your skills and to keep building them throughout life.
Perhaps the single biggest problem almost all students have with the SAT is their poor understanding of vocabulary and weakness with critical reading. These two go together: If you don't know the meaning of the words then you can't. Why do so many students have this ... Read More
