“1580 on the digital SAT! I registered for the June 2024 test with only four weeks to study, thinking I would have to retake it multiple times. With Josephine’s highly strategic and personalized approach, I got a near perfect score on my first and only attempt. Her deep understanding of testing patterns, as well as her unique strategies designed specifically for the digital SAT, helped me solve problems even when I initially didn’t know how – just stick with her techniques! I couldn’t have done it without Josephine, and I feel so lucky to have worked with her!”

“I’m going to Yale! Josephine was hands down a crucial part of obtaining my perfect 36 on the ACT.

She’s an expert strategist, having mastered both the content and patterns of these tests – the exact ways they try to trick students – and created her own unique techniques that lead to perfection. More importantly, Josephine adapted to my strengths and weaknesses and made learning enjoyable with her sense of humor (how else would I have known that the SAT used to have too many questions on yachts?). With Josephine’s deep understanding of the ACT and patient explanations of her strategies, my practice test scores kept climbing, and I achieved a perfect 36 on my first try in sophomore year!”

“Josephine helped me understand myself better. During our first lesson, she instilled confidence in me that I could make drastic improvements. I quickly picked up all her strategies, but I continued to have timing issues. She thought that I might have some difficulties engaging my pre-frontal cortex, or as she explained, the part of the brain responsible for efficient problem solving. As a result of her observation, I discovered that I had OCD and ADHD. Although this might have been bad news for some, it was a relief to me, as I had finally found the reason for the difficulties I was facing not only on the SAT, but also in some academic courses. I was then granted extra time, but Josephine and I continued practicing assertive techniques while also improving my mindset. After exceeding my target SAT score, I couldn’t have been more grateful for Josephine’s commitment to my well-being and improvement.”

36 on the ACT!!! 35 in English and Science and 36 in Math and Reading.

Update:

Thought you would want to hear that I also got a perfect score on the PSAT (1520) which means I will likely qualify for national merit!! This is up from a 1380 last fall, so thank you so much for everything.

“Josephine has been truly fantastic, and she helped me achieve a 99th Percentile on my SSAT – first try. Her teaching and strategies are both novel and fantastically effective. They allowed me to build confidence in a way that traditional school methods have not. I look forward to working with you on the SAT!”

When Josephine and I first connected, I was hesitant to proceed and cautioned her that my child struggled with low test scores and test anxiety.

Four months - and a 350 point increase - later, working with Josephine is perhaps one of the greatest gifts ever given to my child.

Her 99+ percentile SAT score will greatly increase her choice of schools. Even more importantly, Josephine empowered her with a strong sense of self-competence and confidence.

Josephine, thank you for changing my daughter’s life in the best way possible.

“Josephine, you make test prep fun! Your focus on rigor, patience, and goal setting kept our daughter motivated all summer.  She got a perfect 36 on the ACT this fall, and it has been a joyful process instead of the stress I was expecting.  Thank you for your enthusiasm and encouragement!

“Thank you for being the most amazing person ever. You bring this tremendous energy into our home. Ryan has benefited so much from you, not just in these standardized tests but beyond that, in how to think holistically and apply this to his life. We are truly privileged to know you. Your biggest fan, M.”

“Hey Josephine! Our work paid off - I scored a 34 on the June ACT - I’m feeling proud and motivated! Your annotation and elimination strategies were key in helping me stay engaged, and your math hacks made me a lot more efficient by lessening the calculations I had to actually do. The focus on mindfulness was also invaluable - I recentered myself when I was losing steam – something I struggled with before. Thank you again - I couldn’t have gotten here without you!”

“Incredibly, within a span of just 4 weeks, Josephine helped my 5th grade son (who is more of a math kid) go from a low 6 to a high 8 in the reading comprehension section of the ISEE.  Josephine worked with him twice per week, teaching him various strategies to develop into a "test hacker” - how to approach each passage, which questions to do first, what to do if you don't know the answer - greatly improving his speed and accuracy.  Whereas during his first ISEE test he ran out of time on the reading section, after working with Josephine, he had 3 minutes to spare!  My son also used her strategies to get all of the sentence completions in the verbal reasoning section correct.  Josephine was very patient with him and tailored her teachings to bring out my his strengths while developing areas of improvement.  We had used other tutors, but Josephine was by far the smartest and most effective.”

Josephine came highly recommended from a friend who couldn’t say enough about her, and now I understand why. Josephine went above and beyond to support my daughter with her positive energy, unique techniques, and invaluable support.  My daughter had set a target score for her digital SAT, worked hard and resiliently, and ultimately achieved her target score (99%)!  I watched her evolve and mature over the past year (especially her self-confidence) while working with Josephine, and we couldn’t be more thankful for not only the score improvements, but also her tremendous personal growth.

“We can’t thank you enough for helping Gabby get an amazing score on the ACT! You inspired her to set high standards for herself and achieve them, all during the COVID lockdown. You are the real deal, and anyone who works with you will be on his or her path to success!”

“Hey Josephine. I just wanted to let you know that I got 99 percentiles on all three sections of my October 2017 SSAT, with a perfect 800 in both verbal and math and 794 in reading! Thank you so much for all your help. I could not have done it without you, and I look forward to working with you again for the SAT!”

Update:

“Your strategies worked again. I got a 1540 (99+%tile) on the October 2019 SAT! I couldn’t have done it without you. Also, I got into my top choice for college! Thank you so much!”

“Josephine is one of a kind. We were lucky to have her help. Her enthusiasm for test-taking (yes, that’s a true statement) helped give our child confidence when preparing for the test, and she molded the strategies to his learning style. The improvement was clear…close to 150 points from the first practice test to the final test at 98%tile.”

Did you hear the (good) news yet? I can't hold out anymore - 35 on the ACT! You are my favorite person in the world right now. Congratulations to you - you made this happen, and I think you are a superstar. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“Josephine helped me improve my score from 61%tile to 90%tile on the online version of the SSAT during the pandemic. I was used to doing math the traditional school way, which took more time, but Josephine showed me how to be more efficient AND accurate. Most importantly, she helped me keep a confident mindset as she knew anxiety was my biggest issue. Never before had a teacher ever told me to “fail” a practice test, just to see how it feels. This changed my whole mindset and made a big difference to the way I approach testing – just stick to the strategies and go for it. I stopped overthinking and second guessing my answers. It definitely took some time to get used to, but once I embraced them, it took all the pressure off, and I got my highest scores in every section! Here’s a tip to her future students – don’t worry if you feel some struggle. Hang in there and trust the strategies. You’ll work up to it.”

Update (2023):

“I got 1530 on the SAT - thank you so much!!”

“Although your methods may have seemed to slow me down at first, they ultimately made me a lot more efficient and helped me achieve 99%tile on the digital SAT both in my freshman and sophomore year. I recommend others to follow your methods.”

“Math specialist, hacker, professional problem-solver, and creative thinker. These are all titles that describe Josephine. The word “tutor” has never been included in that list for a plethora of reasons. There is overlap, of course, as her helping me raise my SAT score to 99%tile on the first try and achieve an A in AP Calculus are things that tutors work on. But cultivating my love of math, helping me overcome an anxiety diagnosis, and giving me a new approach to learning do not fall under the “tutor” umbrella.

She is a role model in how I want to approach my life. Although I don’t see myself scaling cliffs or skiing black diamond slopes like her, Josephine’s spontaneity, curiosity, and unmatchable zest for life all inspire me to live limitlessly. Without being confined to an office or even a city, she still manages to put in the highest amount of effort into her students’ learning, both during and outside of formal meetings. When I need homework help at 1:30am on a school night, Josephine is there. When I need a ramen restaurant recommendation, Josephine is there. Whether she is sitting next to me at my desk or 29,000 feet above sea level, Josephine is always there to help me live creatively and ambitiously.”

“I just wanted to let you know that Madhavi's test results from the June 2023 SAT came out recently and she scored a 1550 (770V/780M). Thank you for all your preparation and encouragement in helping her reach this result.”

“We SO appreciate your help – you are a ROCKSTAR! We are thrilled that Cameron’s ISEE score went up from a 45%tile to over 90%tile in each section. Thank you!! XX”

“1550 on the October, 2021 SAT! We are done, and thanks for helping us get through this so quickly!”

“Josephine helped me improve my SAT score from 1320 to 1530 (99+%tile)! Her ability to break down strategies into simple terms made all the difference. Thank you!”

“After a year of working with you, I got a 99 percentile in reading, math, and verbal on the SSAT on the first try! Thanks for also helping me become a smarter person overall, Josephine! Your strategies have truly helped me stop some of my bad patterns, like going too fast or not checking my answers hard enough – something I took for granted because I’ve always been strong at math. Now, I’m even stronger!”

Update:

“I got 1560 on the SAT. Thank you again! I couldn’t have done it without you!!”

“Thank you for making time in your very busy schedule for us. My daughter loves working with you. Your ability to connect with her so quickly made all the difference: in 8 weeks of Skype and in person sessions, she jumped from 68 percentile to 92 percentile on the SSAT, exceeding our initial goal of 90 percentile! Please save us a spot for SAT prep!”

“Our son is going to Horace Mann – his top choice. He is very excited. Thank you again for helping him on the SSAT! Your innovative strategies and teaching methods really turned around his mindset and approach to the test, all of which helped him improve significantly!”

“Thank you, Josephine! We are very proud of Annabelle’s efforts in preparing for the SHSAT and SSAT and grateful for your mentorship. Annabelle thinks so highly of you. I know she has been motivated by your class and all that you have shared about your life journey.”

“First of all, thank you for your guidance and big help over this last year. Your test prep classes have been a tremendous help in Samuel’s success. He has been accepted to Berkeley Carroll, Brooklyn Friends, Bard Manhattan, Brooklyn Latin, and Laguardia, so we are thrilled by the results! We felt very supported in the process. I would happily recommend your services to anyone.”

“My experience working with Josephine Yeh was life changing. I had made it all the way to the 7th grade without ever having to take a placement test to get into a school. Needless to say, I was clueless. That was, however, until I started taking test prep classes with Josephine. I took both ISEE and SHSAT prep classes with her over the course of nine months. I learned more about test-taking and preparation during these nine months than I had learned over the past 14 years. These classes really gave me a new perspective on test-taking and the mentality required to succeed on standardized tests. She also emphasized the importance of getting rest, and being confident in who I am and what I know.

I didn’t do very well in the initial practice tests but with more and more help, my final ISEE score was 6-7-6-7. I was super happy and super grateful to Josephine, who changed her career path and now helps kids like me secure their futures.

I ended up applying to nine independent schools, Beacon, and HSMSE. I couldn’t believe that I received congratulation letters from ALL my schools! Thank you, Josephine!”

“I simply wanted to thank you for being such an amazing mentor these past months for me and all of my fellow students. You made each and every one of us feel good about ourselves no matter what our practice test scores were, and we all felt confident going in to take the test. You have helped me boost my confidence, strategizing skills, and scores to the maximum. You are an excellent teacher, and you have done such a great job helping all of us. By the way, I have been accepted to Packer, Beacon, and Laguardia High School! Thank you!”

“Our daughter was thrilled to work with Josephine and find ways to beat the test. In the beginning, our daughter was puzzled by the SHSAT, not excelling at it as she usually does in school, and needless to say, not getting the results she wanted or needed. Luckily, all that changed. Josephine coached her to move quickly and successfully through the test. Her score jumped from the 20s to the 80s within a few sessions, and she got an excellent high school placement. We highly recommend Josephine Yeh and her no-nonsense approach.”

“I so much appreciate all of the great work you’ve done with Sasha, not only in terms of his grades and ISEE scores, but also his motivation. You are a great role model for him. And he thinks you’re cool, which is not an easy feat.”

“Thank you so much! Miles wanted no part in even taking the ACT, and now he is really into his sessions with you. So glad I found you. Update: He scored 99%!”

“Josephine helped my daughter attain a 36 on her ACT a few years ago, so when it came time for my son to take his SAT, there was no doubt in my mind that she was the person to turn to. My son is a student athlete so he had limited time to prep for his SAT. Josephine took him from his initial mid 1300 to mid 1500 in a mere 2 months. Strategies are Josephine’s forte, and it was easy for my son to learn and apply her unique techniques to tackle the SAT with a 200 point increase. Thank you so much, Josephine. You are truly the best!”

“I have worked with Josephine for many years on both the ISEE and SAT. I can confidently say that she is the best source of motivation when it comes to standardized testing. I scored a 1510 on the SAT and wanted to quit practicing. Josephine encouraged me to keep going when I was about to give up: “I know for a fact you can score higher than a 1510.” I went back to work with her, and on my next attempt, I received a 1570.

I was always stronger at math than at reading and writing. However, Josephine’s unique techniques enabled me to be strong in both. I can guarantee that anyone who puts in the work with Josephine will significantly improve not only as a test taker, but a thinker.”

“Josephine’s strategies were essential in raising my ACT test score from a 26 to a 35 with 6 months of weekly double training sessions. Prior to working with her, I used the “school method” to answer questions, which was not entirely efficient. Josephine showed me a totally different way to approach the test: systematically and strategically. My scores started to increase gradually, and despite occasional bumps, she was very supportive and reassuring. Without Josephine, I would not have been able to get a 35 in such a short amount of time!”

“Josephine has been an incredible help for my SAT test prep. I scored in the mid 1300’s on my first practice test, and with weekly lessons for a year, I was able to score a 1540 on my first and only SAT in August, 2020. Josephine’s strategies helped me avoid careless mistakes and better manage my time. Definitely a great help!”

“By focusing on the mental game as much as the test itself, Josephine’s unique philosophy and innovative techniques made a dramatic difference on my SAT scores (which improved from 1040 to 1470 with seven months of intensive training). Her coaching and techniques helped me stay present and positive while moving actively and confidently through the test – a game changer that produced a 98%tile on the SAT!”

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“I have been telling every parent from 6th and 7th grade that you are fantastic — in Harry Potter terms, the most talented wizard we have ever encountered!”