Shaan Patel

Shaan Patel is the founder of Prep Expert Test Preparation, a #1 bestselling SAT & ACT prep author, an MD/MBA student at Yale and USC, and winner of an investment deal with billionaire Mark Cuban on ABC’s Shark Tank. He raised his own SAT score from average to perfect using 100 strategies that we teach in our Prep Expert SAT and ACT courses.

Articles by Shaan Patel:

National Merit PSAT Cutoff Scores: Class Of 2018

November 20, 2017

Standardized tests are a major component of getting into college and pursuing your dreams. We will provide you with the information of the national merit PSAT cutoff scores for 2018 to best help you succeed.

How To Deal With A Defiant Child

September 21, 2017

The best way to deal with a defiant child is to talk with him or her about why he or she is acting out and try to find a way to fix the behavior. If you can’t get an answer from your child, you might try talking to their teacher or a professional. If all else fails, consider some form of punishment, revoking of privileges, or imposing some sort of outside structure to make things better.

How To Help A Child Who’s Struggling Academically

September 19, 2017

Parents want their children to soar academically. But, sometimes children struggle in school, causing pain, and perhaps even self-doubt for the parents. It doesn’t have to be like this. Parents can equip themselves with tools to help their struggling child.

How Involved Should You Be With Your Child’s College Decision?

If you think of choosing a college as a set of skills, this mindset will help you demystify your role in your child’s choice. If you focus on teaching your son or daughter the skills necessary to make this big decision – self-awareness, motivation, planning, and decision-making – your opinion will carry much weight while still allowing him or her to own the decision.

Getting Caught Back Up After A Long Break From School

Students can get caught back up after a long break from school by understanding school policies related to makeup work, meeting with a guidance counselor, talking to teachers, asking for extra time, prioritizing current work and core classes, taking advantage of available help, and taking an SAT or ACT course.

Is My Schedule Course Load Too Difficult

Are your grades dropping, or is your performance slipping? Are you always tired, or do you never have the time to do the things you enjoy? If so, you might want to consider reducing or lightening your course load so that you can carve out a little bit more time for yourself.

Do You Need To Get Your Child A Private Tutor?

September 15, 2017

Before hiring a private tutor, look into options at your child’s school: perhaps your child’s teacher is willing to provide some extra help after class, or maybe peer-to-peer tutoring is available for the subject area in which your child needs help. You should also consider third-party study aids, such as books and electronic resources, your child could use to study on his or her own. And don’t forget to consider if you yourself might be able to step in to help your child with schoolwork.

How To Prepare For Your Child Leaving For College

July 31, 2017

To prepare for your child leaving for college, make sure you get all the information you need from your child’s school, sit down with your child and and pass down all the advice and guidance they’ll need from you, and be sure to take care of both you and your child’s emotional needs.

How To Help Your Child Through The College Admissions Process

July 11, 2017

A smart and savvy college admissions plan includes creating an effective system to keep track of admissions requirements and deadlines; doing research (both online and in-person) to find out admissions requirements and determine if schools are good fits; writing a self-aware, narrative personal statement; and paying close attention to detail before submitting applications. And throughout the process (especially if rejections arrive), do your best to keep your student de-stressed, and remind him or her that where you go does not define who you are.

How To Cram For The SAT

June 20, 2017

However, if you haven’t done this, and you happen to be taking the SAT in just a few days, there are a few things you can do to cram: (1) take a few practice tests, (2) analyze your results, (3) review the rules of grammar and the uses of transition words, and (4) memorize the important formulas and equations used on the Math tests. These steps will give you a basic familiarity with the exam, and help you perform much better than you would have without any prep.