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Writing Haiku

History Haiku originated in Japan in the 9th century and was originally a form of poetry for peasants. A haiku usually features an image that depicts the essence of a specific moment. The Japanese used haiku to clear and refresh their minds and connect with the natural world. In fact, all haiku are related to … Continued

Poem of the Week: Emily Dickinson

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain I felt a Funeral, in my Brain,And Mourners to and froKept treading – treading – till it seemedThat Sense was breaking through – And when they all were seated,A Service, like a Drum –Kept beating – beating – till I thoughtMy mind was going numb – And then … Continued

Know Your Verbals

What’s a verbal you may ask? Well, a verbal is a verb that’s not really a verb. I know this all sounds counterintuitive, but stick with me for a moment–it’ll all make sense soon. Verbals can be nouns, adjectives, or even adverbs. So how can a verb be words that aren’t verbs? It’s easy. Verbals … Continued

A Guide to Superscoring

What’s Superscoring? Imagine this: you’ve taken the SAT twice, once in August and once in October. On your first try, you score a 600 on the verbal section. On your second try, however, you receive a 550 on the verbal section. You’re understandably bummed, but at least your math score went up on the second … Continued

ACT Will Allow Individual Section Retesting

Big changes are coming to the ACT. Starting September 2020, the ACT will offer three new testing options to students—individual section retesting, online testing, and superscoring. Students who have already taken the ACT will have the option to retake individual sections of the test, rather than retaking the whole exam. They’ll also have the option … Continued

Alpha College Prep Wins Best of Albany Education Award

We are pleased to announce that Alpha College Prep has been selected by the city of Albany as the winner of the Best of Albany Education Award. Every year the Albany Award Program honors the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the city. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability … Continued

Job Openings

We currently have tutor job openings for the following positions: No job openings at this time–please check back in the spring. We’d love for you to be a part of our team! Contact us for more information or send a resume to [email protected]. Learn more about us here.

ACT Class Starting Soon!

Taking the ACT this upcoming Spring? Check out our group ACT Class–the perfect prep plan to take your score to new heights. Our ACT Class will take place on Sundays from now until the April ACT. Classes will be from 10:00AM to 1:15PM. Here’s what you’ll get: 9 classes, 3 hours each 2 private one-on-one tutoring … Continued

Mastering the SAT Reading Section

The SAT Reading Section consists of 52 questions that you must answer in 65 minutes–that’s one minute and 15 seconds per question. This section tests several reading skills: how well you determine words in context, how you analyze evidence, and how you interpret data and hypotheses.   But what types of passages will you see … Continued

ACT vs SAT: What’s the Difference?

ACT vs SAT Wondering which test is right for you? Although the SAT and ACT largely test the same core skills, each has its own unique flavor. When starting test prep, students often fail to incorporate test options as part of their strategy and rush to take one test over the other. One of the … Continued