The Bronx High School of Science (Class of 2022)
Boston University (Class of 2026)
I was one of Andrew’s many SAT students at Accelerate Academy, and my time there was by far the most enjoyable test prep experience I have ever had. Accelerate is the reason I was able to score as high as I did on the SAT, planting the seeds of college into my mind and helping me begin to think about my life beyond high school.
Before taking the SAT course at Accelerate, I had no idea where to start: I wasn’t sure of the setup, scoring, question types, etc. Andrew gave us a thorough explanation on the entire exam, covering its format, importance, statistics, and demographic score breakdown. His thorough lectures broke down the exam and helped me tackle its questions systematically. Other prep places like to give students practice set after practice set, and while this focus on drilling may work for a select few, it is not enough for most students who need to actually learn the material. Accelerate helps you practice efficiently, and teaches more than the topics in the exam. Andrew helps you understand the wording in each question, identify the concept being tested, and apply the proper strategies and procedures. After spending a summer with Andrew, I had gone from a clueless newborn duckling to a knowledgeable, elegant, and mature swan (editor’s note: apologies for what may possibly be the worst analogy ever).
If I had to describe Accelerate Academy with one word, it would be genuine. Andrew’s dedication to his students is evident down to the testing materials that he uses. Many other prep places take material from big this practice book or that practice book, but Andrew hand-creates his material and uses authentic SAT exams. He himself goes to great lengths and scours the planet to secure this testing material for us, just another testament to the quality of his character and of this course. I took a Summer course and a Fall Intensive course, and my studies there made taking the official SAT just muscle memory to me; I could not have been more prepared by the time test day arrived.
Andrew himself truly wants the best for his students and does not allow us to sell ourselves short. He believes in our abilities and does everything he can to help us realize it ourselves. I despised (and still do despise) math, and I believed that I was hopeless when it came to the Math sections on the SAT. Andrew, however, never stopped calling me out, never stopped semi-bullying me, and never allowed me to fully embrace the “Reverse Asian” mindset. He didn’t let me sacrifice my math score, and never gave up on me even when I wanted to. In the end, I was able to raise my math score thanks to him. For those who know me, my math abilities, to put it mildly, leave much to be desired. If someone like me can manage just about a perfect math score on the SAT with the help of Andrew and Accelerate, anyone else can.
I think I’m writing too much and some of this might get cut off, but there are simply too many things to rave about at Accelerate. Andrew will help you succeed and although he will never admit it to you, he cares for each and every one of his students as if we were his own children. You will not find someone like Andrew anywhere other than at Accelerate: he is an educator, a mentor, a role model, a friend, and somewhat of a big bully. Andrew fully dedicates himself to preparing us for the real world, because he believes in us to be leaders of the future. My experience at Accelerate Academy has had an everlasting impact on my college journey that I cannot emphasize enough: my life and future have truly been Accelerated ©.