Starting Point: Strong Work Ethic, Slower Progress

From the very beginning, Isaac brought structure and commitment to his prep. He organized screenshots of missed questions by category and skill, labeled his own errors, and took consistent practice tests. But despite all this, his progress felt slow - especially in Reading & Writing.

Frances O’Grady, his tutor, immediately zeroed in on two areas:

• Reading comprehension (inference, charts, evidence questions)

• Grammar precision (verb forms, punctuation, and structure)

“Isaac is very diligent, which I really appreciate,” Frances noted early on.
“We’re working on reading more efficiently and accurately - starting with skimming strategies.”

Phase One: Building Grammar Foundations

Early sessions focused on closing grammar gaps. Frances assigned Isaac the Erica Meltzer grammar book and reviewed core concepts together.

But reading a textbook wasn’t enough. Frances noticed Isaac still missed certain concepts even after completing chapters - so she began:

• Re-assigning specific sections for mastery

• Custom-selecting problem sets based on Isaac’s weak points

• Coaching him through grammar patterns live in session

“It became apparent he hadn’t fully internalized the grammar,” she wrote mid-July.
“We’re reviewing more and giving him time to apply what he’s learned.”

Phase Two: Resetting Strategy & Unlocking His Potential

By August, Isaac’s practice scores were still plateauing. Frances and Armaghan scheduled a joint session to step back and reevaluate.

That’s when they discovered something critical:
Isaac had been taking every single practice test without applying his time accommodations.

Once that changed - everything clicked.

“When he has enough time to double check, I suspect he’ll do much better,” Frances said.
“He makes fewer errors when he has room to breathe.”

They focused their final sessions on:

• Systems to eliminate “silly” math errors

• High-density reading drills (including Sherlock Holmes!)

• Staying calm and methodical under extended-time conditions

The Breakthrough: A Confident 1490

On the August 2025 SAT, Isaac delivered his best performance yet:

Official SAT Score: 1490
Math: 790
Reading & Writing: 700

His family shared their appreciation:

“Just wanted to let you know that Isaac received his SAT score today — it’s 1490. We’re happy with the result. We want to sincerely thank you, especially Frances, for your teaching and support. We’ll definitely recommend your services to anyone seeking a good SAT tutoring program.”

Why Isaac’s Story Matters

Isaac’s journey reminds us that test prep isn’t just about content, it’s about clarity. It’s about having a team that can catch what’s holding you back, even when you’re doing everything right on paper.

At North American Tutors, we help students unlock their best results by making sure every piece of the plan fits - pacing, confidence, strategy, and yes, even accommodations.