Hi!

I'm Steve, and I'm the founder of Merv Academic (www.mervacademic.com), a tutoring house that offers top quality tutoring and test prep to students in the Boston area, both in-person and online.

I've spent nearly 20 years working with students and adults in areas ranging from test preparation to application essays, personal statements, and grant proposals. I received a PhD in archaeology in London, tutored the SAT, ACT, GRE, and GMAT for well established firms including Kaplan and Summit, and I have worked with hundreds of high school, college, and graduate students in one-on-one and classroom environments, many of whom have gone on to attend top schools around the country and abroad.

At all levels, my approach to coaching is strategic, conceptual, and creative. Whether I am tutoring a specific subject or a standardized test, I find that effective teaching inspires students to develop their critical and creative thinking capacity, in addition to mastering fundamentals. This is true whether I'm working with a high schooler on the SAT math section, or an aspiring scholar seeking a postdoctoral placement abroad.

Coaching typically begins with an initial consultation (phone, online, or in-person) free of charge, during which we'll discuss your (or your child's) background, interests, and goals, and develop an outline for a targeted program. My approach is structured yet flexible since every student has a completely different style of learning, and we may discover different areas to target as we move along. For standardized test prep such as the SAT or ACT, I encourage each new student to take a diagnostic test to establish a baseline score, and to identify focus areas, as well as periodic practice tests as the program moves forward in order to measure progress. Specialized academic advising in other areas, such as personal statements or proposal writing, will be more varied and project-specific.

Rates for individual tutoring and small-group classes are posted on the website at www.mervacademic.com

If you or a family member (or friend) is interested in tutoring/coaching/academic help, feel free to drop a line!

Excellent references available for all subjects.

I look forward to working with you!

Steve