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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

​Q: How large are the groups?
A: We limit our group size to maximum of 6 students. This is to ensure that students have enough individualized attention, and can also get a variety of perspectives, seeing and editing each other's responses. Each student will receive individualized line-by-line feedback on all of their assigned homework each week.  

Q: How is this course run?
A: This course is administered via Google Classroom and Zoom. Google Classroom is a platform that's highly intuitive and easy for students to understand -- they often use it at school. There are pre-recorded videos and guides that walk students through exactly how to plan, structure, and write their responses, along with examples and templates. After working through the material each week, they come to class prepared to discuss the edits made to their work.

Q: What if I miss a session?
A: No worries! Given the online format, we record at least one session each week, which will be posted in Google Classroom. If you missed a session, you can watch that recording and should be all caught up. Of course, if you have any questions from the recording, you can contact your instructor at any time for assistance.

​Q: How does submitting feedback work?
A: Students submit their practice essays via a Google Classroom Form by the deadlines set on Google Classroom, and will typically receive comprehensive feedback within a maximum of 1 week. We have 2-3 reviewers (including TJ Alumni-instructors) reviewing each submission line-by-line, providing both high-level and in-line comments for each essay assigned. 

Q: What if my student has a question? Whom can they talk to?
A: In small group coaching, we treat our students like mentees. They are welcome to send us emails or contact us via WhatsApp and we typically get back to them within a few hours, if not the next day. They can also access our Q&A Forum where 700+ frequently asked questions have already been asked and answered.

Q: Is this enough coaching?
A: Yes, in our experience, an intensive/condensed 8 sessions of curriculum, along with 3-5 practice workshops is the ideal format for coaching. Nearly all of our students from small group coaching with strong GPAs are admitted every year. By the time they've finished this course, they've typically done over 50 practice prompts, seen hundreds of responses, and gotten plenty of practice with the material. 96% of students of our small group students last year stated they felt they were "highly prepared" to take the test, after they had taken it on test day. However, if students would like more support, they can schedule as-needed sessions with our instructors.

Q: Is this appropriate for a 7th grader? 
A: Yes. This course can be taken in 7th or 8th grade. However, students will have the best experience once they are in 8th grade as their extracurricular experiences will be more developed at that point, allowing them to write stronger essays. Until then, we strongly recommend students complete our self-paced course. Students of any age can also sign up for as-needed 1:1 sessions with our instructors, to ensure they are on the right track.

Q: Is there a sibling discount?
A: Yes! We have a $100 discount per family, for any families with two siblings who are enrolled in any of our courses in the same year. This will be applied as a credit back to your original payment method. After signing up, please email us to receive this discount.

Q: Is this course as effective as self-paced? What if I want a more affordable option?
A: The self-paced online course has statistically the same admissions rates as live coaching, as it follows a very similar curriculum. If the student is willing to commit to completing the course, the self-paced course is the right fit and the more affordable choice. However, if you are interested in live coaching with more instructor support, small group coaching is the better option.