Expert SAT ACT Tutoring | Virtual Nationwide & In-Person NYC

SAT/ACT

Help your teen feel confident and prepared with compassionate, one-on-one test prep from NYC’s most trusted tutors.

Why Start Early? A Message to Students.

This section is written for your teen, but it answers the number one question parents ask: When should we begin?

To our incredible hard-working teenagers:

I know it feels like far away - but you should definitely start your SAT studying as soon as you can!

Junior year is so intense with high level classes, AP classes, and finals before you know it! You don’t want to wait and have to worry about studying for this stressful and important entrance exam April or May when you need to lock in and focus for your school grades and college planning.

You will likely start some college tours and begin to compile that magical list! Some even start touring sophomore year. Next summer between junior and senior year is all about college essays and applications! So the time to start studying for the SAT or ACT is now!

The best plan is to start once or twice a week, with individualized lessons tailored just towards your weaker areas in the summer after your sophomore year.

Many proactive eager families have already started earlier! But you aren’t behind - as long as we at least start in the summer! Then step it up September and go for that October exam.

I wish it was “one and done” but most students will take it a second time and improve their scores by 60-80 points on average. That second and hopefully final SAT will be December 6. And if for any reason you are just 20-40 points shy of your ultimate goal you might elect to take it one last time in March.

This is the same plan for ACT, but that test is October, December then February instead of March.

Both tests are equal in that colleges accept them equally. They have slight differences so you can discuss with us which might be better for you.

Below are all the test dates for 2025-2026. Since there is super score (most colleges take your highest score for any two tests to make a “super score” and count that) and score choice - where you select which scores they see - you can also take the test in August and September more for practice and to get the feel and flow of a real exam. Moreover you will get accustomed to the sense of getting some rest the night before (and coping with that anxiety or nerves) and fueling your body the morning of with a healthy nutritious meal!

Let’s start with a practice exam so we can see where you are at. Then we will jump in and start building your skills and knowledge of both the exam itself, and the subject areas needed to thrive and excel.

The ACT is a great exam to take with similar dates and the same idea of getting started early! We have incredible mentors for both exams!

Get in Touch

Contact Dr. Gilgoff and the team at Housecalls Tutoring to create an individualized plan for success.

Let’s make sure you’re fully prepared to take on the SAT or ACT with confidence!

Upcoming SAT & ACT Test Dates

2025-2026 SAT Test Dates:

• August 23, 2025

• September 13, 2025

• October 4, 2025

• November 8, 2025

• December 6, 2025

• March 14, 2026

• May 2, 2026

• June 6, 2026

2025-2026 ACT Test Dates:

• September 6, 2025: Regular registration by August 1

• October 18, 2025: Regular registration by September 12

• December 13, 2025: Regular registration by November 7

• February 14, 2026: Regular registration by January 9

• April 11, 2026: Regular registration by March 6

• June 13, 2026: Regular registration by May 8

• July 11, 2026: Regular registration by June 5

These exams are critical steps in your college journey, and our team is here to help you navigate them every step of the way.

Let’s start early and finish strong!

The SAT/ACT Exam – What to Expect

Why These Exams Still Matter

The SAT is a complicated high level exam, and brings out a ton of anxiety in both students and their parents. Although there was a time when colleges felt the SAT optional, many are returning to test mandatory or at least suggested, and even those saying optional love to see a solid score! After all they do need a method of comparing two students from different schools and different states.

How the Tests Have Changed

So while the exam is not a perfect exam, and might not be a measure of a students intelligence or accurately predict a students success in college or life, it remains an enormously important exam. These tests are at minimum a necessary evil, but in all honestly, since they have made numerous improvements to the actual exam, both the SAT and ACT are a more fair straight forward and less “tricky” and annoying exam than in years past.

The exams are shorter, and more mimic the material that students are seeing in class. Long gone are the “sat words” and need to memorize 5000 esoteric rarely used words, as those painful analogies are not on the exam. With that said, there is definitely a need to have a strong knowledge of vocabulary, reading comprehension, grammar rules and of course a true mastery of math and all its applications.

Our Approach to Success

Housecalls Tutoring has helped students conquer this exam for over 27 years now! We have studied the exam and all its nuances and changes over time, and we know it’s intricacies and all the strategies to avoid distractors, and maximize your potential score. And yet we also approach this exam as an opportunity to improve your knowledge and mastery of the skills needed not just for the exam, but for high school, college and life itself. We love problem solving, and converting word problems to math problems, because life itself requires us to think on our toes and convert difficult situations to manageable ones. Life requires synthesizing complex written material and quickly understanding the main idea or even “tone of the author”.

So at Housecalls Tutoring you will have mentors that will guide and empower and enable you to ace this exam, as we create an individualized learning plan based specifically on your child’s learning style and strengths and weaknesses. We tailor ourlessons b ased on your child’s needs. We will assign practice exams, and homework and pace your child as we build their stamina and knowledge. Even as a shorter exam, this feels like a marathon for the kids, so we train them and prepare them slowly but surely for test day!

Call us and we will together create an individualized strategic plan for your child!

Why use Housecalls for the SAT/ACT

Housecalls Tutoring has dissected and analyzed these standardized tests thoroughly and effectively for over 28 years. We know the in’s and out’s of all the types of questions and common pitfalls. We will share all the best strategies and researched methods to crack the code on these difficult yet important exams. Other companies might attempt this, and indeed anyone could study the structure and format of an exam. What truly Housecalls apart is our incredible, energetic, intelligent, experienced, and compassionate tutors. Every single person on this team is hand-selected and trained and mentored by Dr. Gilgoff himself.

Because he has almost 40 years of working with children and continues to see and help 25 different children every day as a pediatrician, his knowledge of how to connect with children is unmatched. This background directly helps your child as we can effectively select tutors who have that innate ability to connect and communicate and motivate your child. After your detailed intake with Dr. Gilgoff, he will be able to match them strategically with the right person from our all-star team and then we truly individualized our approach based on your child’s specific learning style.

Our weekly sessions for these exams combine our curriculum and knowledge of each and every topic covered, but the pace and content of these sessions is completely dependent on your child’s needs, and best methods of receiving the needed tools and skills.

Furthermore, we believe that the SAT and ACT have changed over the years to closer mimic your child’s curriculum at school. They have made the math less of a trick and more of a surmountable challenge, and allow you to use your desmos calculator to your advantage. They have improved the English portions by removing those esoteric analogies and vague vocabulary words, and emphasize truly important grammar, sentence structure, and critical reading skills. As a result, these tests more closely represent what your child actually needs to know in high school, college and beyond!

At Housecalls, we will improve your child’s confidence and knowledge in general as well as receive an excellent score on the exam. This holistic approach benefits your child in many ways as they are able to achieve their goal for the exam itself as well as cultivate a deeper understanding of these lessons and retain and actually use this knowledge in other aspects of their education.

  • We used Housecalls to help my son with his college essays. Hugh was terrific, and listened to exactly what kind of support my son needed. He chose the perfect tutor, and together he and my son got every essay done with no drama and days to spare! The work was genuinely my son’s — no one did it for him. And he felt good about the process. Soooo worth the money. He got into every school he applied to and is headed to a great school this fall. We are thrilled.

    Ann G.


  • We entrusted Housecalls Tutoring to guide our high school junior through SAT preparation. Even though she had a solid score at the outset, the tutoring sessions helped increase her score by 80 points, putting her in contention for the most selective colleges. Dr. Gilgoff himself took a full assessment of my daughters learning style and chose the best person specifically for her. She and all of us were really thrilled with the high level support and open frequent communications with the entire housecalls team. Would recommend them highly!

    Dhruv M.

  • Housecalls Tutoring is truly top-notch!!! Dr. Gilgoff and his team have a holistic approach to tutoring and there's a lot of thought put in to understanding the student when matching with their tutors. I would characterize it as a bespoke and custom experience, rather than "out of the box" and once we were matched with our tutor, Dustin, Housecalls Tutoring effectively became my daughter's support system on her SAT journey. There were regular check-ins and calibrations to the tutoring to adjust for my daughter's learning style - again, customized - and to maximize her confidence for test day. My daughter recently finished her SATs in the spring '25 and was ecstatic with her score! When I asked about the tutoring she received and if it was helpful, she said to me, "Definitely! Dustin was really great. I felt like I wrote the SAT questions. I knew what the test questions were looking for and all of it was familiar." What more could you ask for? Housecalls Tutoring is amazing!

    Myeong P.

  • I've been working as a teacher and tutor for 15 years, and Housecalls Tutoring provides the best and most personalized service that I've seen for students of all ages. They expertly match the tutor to the student, taking into account all specific learning needs and goals, and help to bring about the best academic outcome!

    Michael N.

  • Housecalls tutoring is the best - they chose someone specially for my daughter after getting to know her learning style and it’s been wonderful. Dr. Gilgoff stays involved and they are professional empathetic kind and true experts in breaking down the SAT! Highly recommended!

    Cathy D.

  • They have been exceptionally professional and thorough tutoring our HS Junior. They follow up and follow through to make sure all needs are met.

    Richard M.

  • Housecalls has been amazing tutoring our high school kids for the SAT as well as regular coursework. they are dependable, responsive and great at keeping you updated on your students progress. highly recommend!

    Timothy Andrews

  • Fantastic professional tutoring services with a wide array of specialities. Our daughter needed extensive tutoring from grades 5th through 7th. Housecalls found us a perfect tutor through such a challenging time. Not only did her grades vastly improve but the studying techniques instilled in her have made her an exceptionally hard worker and great student through high school.

    Patrick W.

  • We've been really happy with the quality of not only the SAT tutoring my daughter has received, but also with the thorough and thoughtful way she was matched with her tutor. It's rigorous, and tailored tutoring that doesn't take a one size fits all approach. The communication with both the tutor (regular updates) and the Housecalls management has been clear and consistent. Compared to the class I remember taking, this focused approach is motivating for my daughter and helps her feel confident about the challenge she's facing. Highly recommend!

    Gabriel L.

  • We found The most incredible tutor through Housecalls Tutoring! They took into consideration my child’s specific learning style and needs. Because of this, our daughter learned skills that not only helped her to be successful in school, but for future schooling as well. They set her up for success! Highly recommended.

    Michele P.

Our Virtual SAT & ACT Experience

Elite one-on-one test prep, no matter where your student is located.

Housecalls Tutoring is a premier academic support company that has earned a reputation as one of the best in the nation for SAT and ACT preparation. We connect with students all over the world and bring these virtual connections to life with energy and passion as well as organization, structure, and focus.

  • What sets Housecalls apart is its personalized approach, offering expert one-on-one instruction tailored to each student’s learning style and goals. Dr. Gilgoff himself—child expert with over 30 years of working with children and fostering their overall health and well-being—will take a personalized character and learning inventory and select the absolute best tutor specifically for your child.

  • With an unmatched team of experienced tutors, all of whom come from top universities and possess decades of test-prep experience, students receive our proven strategies to improve scores and boost confidence.

  • A major strength of Housecalls Tutoring lies in its virtual SAT and ACT syllabus—crafted and meticulously curated since 1998 and with thousands of students in both one-on-one and group classes. Our flexible and accessible model allows students from any location to receive elite tutoring without compromising on quality.

  • Whether a student is in New York, California, Miami, at home, or at a top boarding school, they can easily connect with our top-tier tutors and engage in interactive, individualized sessions. The virtual format is also ideal for busy schedules, making it easier for students to fit SAT or ACT prep into their routines without the stress of commuting. We are flexible in our days and times and will work around your child’s extracurriculars and classwork.

  • By combining convenience, expertise, and a personalized approach, Housecalls Tutoring has become the go-to choice for students aiming for top scores on these college entrance exams. Our commitment to your student’s success is reflected in measurable score improvements and positive feedback from families nationwide. As college admissions become increasingly competitive, Housecalls Tutoring provides not only the tools and knowledge but the support system students need to achieve their academic goals and stand out in the application process!

Ready to get started?

Call or email to schedule an appointment now.